Russia-Ukraine crisis: The Ukrainian president vowed alongside key aides to stay and defend the capital against the Russian invasion of his country.
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a self-shot video from central Kyiv on Friday vowing alongside key aides to stay and defend the capital against the Russian invasion.
“We’re all here. Our military is here. Citizens in society are here. We’re all here defending our independence, our country, and it will stay this way,” Zelensky said standing outside the presidency building.
Wearing olive green military-style clothing and standing with his prime minister, chief of staff and other senior aides, Zelensky appeared to be responding to pressure from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Russian troops clashed briefly with Ukrainian forces for the first time within Kyiv itself on Friday.
Larger forces are bearing down on the capital and the city was braced for a possible night of air strikes.
Meanwhile, in a televised address from Moscow, Putin branded Zelensky’s government “terrorists” and “a gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”, urging the Ukrainian military to mutiny.
