Kyiv [Ukraine], March 8 (ANI): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday denounced Western powers for not approving necessary decisions against Russian military operations in Ukraine and also not saving the country from the missiles and bomb attacks. “Zelensky: “While Russians are to blame for the killings, responsibility is shared by those who for 13 days in their Western offices haven’t been able to approve an obviously necessary decision, who didn’t save our cities from these bombs and missiles – although they can,” tweeted The Kyiv Independent.
President Joe Biden and European leaders are facing political and geopolitical heat after Russian President Vladimir Putin crossed the red line by launching military operations in Ukraine. Moreover, Zelenskyy daily videos highlighting his country’s heroism make it impossible to look away from the horror of the Russian military operation. In the latest video message, Zelenskyy left his bunker and appeared defiantly in his government office, lauding Ukrainians protesting against Russian troops.
“(They say), ‘I’m here, it’s mine, and I won’t give it away. My city. My community. My Ukraine,’ ” Zelenskyy said in the message on Monday. The West hitting a wall: But nearly two weeks after the invasion began, the question for the West is becoming what options there are for stepping up the economic heat rising on Russia while avoiding a parallel military escalation, CNN reported.
And there are increasing signs that for all his heroism, Zelenskyy may be coming up against the West’s prudent desire to avoid triggering a worst-case scenario that could lead to a third world war.
Meanwhile, in the latest development, Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine alleged that Russia is holding 300k civilians hostage in Mariupol.
“Russia holds 300k civilians hostage in Mariupol, prevents humanitarian evacuation despite agreements with ICRC mediation. One child died of dehydration (!) yesterday! War crimes are part of Russia’s deliberate strategy. I urge all states to publicly demand: RUSSIA, LET PEOPLE GO!” tweeted Kuleba.
As per The Kyiv Independent, 21 civilians, including 2 children were killed in the Russian attack on Sumy. Russian forces bombed a residential neighborhood in Sumy in the early hours of March 8.
Russia on Tuesday declared a ceasefire amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine from 10 am (Moscow time) to provide humanitarian corridors in the cities of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mariupol.
“Ceasefire violated! Russian forces are now shelling the humanitarian corridor from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol. 8 trucks + 30 buses ready to deliver humanitarian aid to Mariupol and to evac civilians to Zaporizhzhia. Pressure on Russia MUST step up to make it uphold its commitments,” tweeted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
War will not stop at Ukraine, Zelenskyy warns Western countries
Terming Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “beast” who will never be satisfied, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday (local time) warned Western countries that the ongoing war will not stop at Ukraine and will affect the rest of the world as well. “Everyone thinks that we are far away from America or Canada. No, we are in this zone of freedom. And when the limits of rights and freedoms are being violated and stepped on, then you have to protect us. Because we will come first. You will come second. Because the more this beast will eat, he wants more, more, and more,” CNN quoted Zelenskyy as saying during an interview on ABC World News Tonight with David Muir.
Reiterating his appeal to secure the airspace of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, “We cannot allow Russia to be active there only, because they’re bombing us, they are shelling us, they are sending missiles, helicopters, jet fighters — a lot of things. We don’t control our sky.” Zelenskyy further said that he believes US President Joe Biden “can do more” to stop the war. “I am sure he can and I would like to believe that. He is capable of doing that,” reported the media outlet quoting him.
The Ukrainian President’s remarks came as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday outrightly rejected a no-fly zone over Ukraine, and warned that such a move could provoke widespread war in Europe with Russia.
Reacting to Biden’s commitment to keeping US troops out of the conflict, Zelenskyy said that missiles were hitting civilian structures including universities and pediatric clinics in Ukraine. If a missile is flying overhead, “I think there is no other answer … they need to be shot down. You have to preserve lives,” he said, according to CNN. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine‘s breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk as independent entities. (ANI)
