Ukraine Zelenskyy: KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The fighting is rumbling on in Ukraine following the country’s celebration of the anniversary of the invasion by Russia in the region, with Ukrainian authorities on Saturday announcing hundreds of new Russian attacks and strikes on cities in the south and east.
After a grim and ebullient day of celebrations on Friday and a long press conference on Saturday, the unstoppable president followed with video updates one day later, in which he said the fact that “Russia must lose in Ukraine” and suggested that the Russian forces could be defeated in the coming year.
In a separate tweet president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also pushed for greater sanctions against Russia following Russia was hit by sanctions after the U.K., U.S., and the European Union all announced new measures to further cut off funds and backing for Moscow.
“The pressure on Russian aggressor must increase,” Ukraine Zelenskyy tweeted in English.
He stated that Ukraine would like to see “decisive steps” against Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom as well as Russia’s Russian nuclear industry, and “more pressure on military and banking.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week that Rosatom and his Defense Ministry need to work to ensure that Russia is prepared to conduct nuclear tests if needed. Putin claimed it is possible that Russia is working with the U.S. is working on nuclear weapons, and that some people in the U.S. are pondering plans to conduct nuclear tests, which are prohibited under the global ban on testing which was put into effect following the conclusion at the end of Cold War.
“If the U.S. conducts tests, we will also do it,” Putin declared.
Russia is already the most sanctioned country around the globe over the last year, being target of sanctions by more than 30 nations that comprise more than half the global economy. However, the pressure on the economy, trade, and businesses has yet be dealt a devastating blow.
The Russian Ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, has called the latest U.S. sanctions “thoughtless.”
“We have learned to live under economic and political pressure,” Antonov declared. “The experience of previous sanctions has shown that they harm the world market to a greater extent, worsen the situation of ordinary citizens in states that initiate or support reckless sanctions.”
The February. The 24th anniversary of the invasion last year caused no respite from Russian attacks.
Yet, in one of his videos this Saturday Zelenskyy said: “Is it possible for us to win?”
“Yes,” he said. “We are capable of this in unity, resolutely and unyieldingly, to put an end to Russian aggression this year.”
The Ukrainian military reported on Saturday 27 Russian airstrikes and 75 strikes from multiple rocket launchers during the last 24 hours. The report said Russian offensive efforts are still focused in Ukraine’s eastern region and northeast. Five civilians injured were reported in Ukraine’s east Donetsk province, where the territory is split roughly in Russian in addition to Ukrainian control.
Battles were fought “around” and “nearby” Bakhmut the city located in the Donetsk region that has been the focal point of fighting in recent months as per Ukraine’s Land Forces. The military claimed that Russian forces have continued to penetrate Ukrainian defenses, and surround and capture the city.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of Russia’s military private company Wagner, said the following day that his troops had “completely taken over” the village of Yahidne in the north-western part of Bakhmut. There is no confirmation of this assertion from either any of the Russian militaries or the Ukrainian army.
In the south of the Kherson region, the Governor. Oleksandr Prokudin has also announced the number of Russian shelling strikes, including Kherson, the capital of the region known as Kherson was struck nine times, homes, a school, and a medical center were hit. The Ukrainian president’s office has reported three wounded civilians in the region.
French Presidency Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that the president plans to discuss peace initiatives that are related to the Ukraine conflict with China when he visits China in April. China has demanded an end to the war as well as peace negotiations. Zelenskyy on Friday expressed a cautious approval for Beijing’s apparent desire in playing a key role.
Macron declared in Paris Macron said in Paris that “China must now help us to put pressure on Russia.”
“Obviously so that Russia never uses either chemical nor nuclear weapons,” he added. “But also so that (Russia) stops this aggression as a condition for a negotiation.”
German Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz said Saturday that Scholz was happy with parts of the peace proposal for Ukraine suggested by China however, he was not happy with some aspects.
“There are things that are remarkably right, such as the renewed condemnation of the use of nuclear weapons,” Scholz said to reporters on an official visit to India. “What’s missing in my view is a discernible line that says: ‘Russian troops must also withdraw.'”
