Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia may do one thing “notably merciless” as Ukraine prepares to have a good time Independence Day on Aug. 24 — a day that additionally marks six months of Moscow’s invasion.
Metin Aktas | Anadolu Company | Getty Photos
Ukraine’s president has warned that Russia may do one thing “notably merciless” as Ukraine prepares to have a good time Independence Day on Wednesday — a day that additionally marks six months of Moscow’s invasion.
In his nightly address on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy known as on Ukrainians to be robust and to maintain combating, because the nation ready to mark its independence from Soviet rule on Aug. 24.
“We must be conscious that this week Russia could attempt to do one thing notably nasty, one thing notably merciless,” he stated with out offering particulars.
He charged that considered one of Russia’s key goals is “to devalue our capabilities” and unfold despair, worry and conflicts.
“Due to this fact, it can be crucial by no means, for a single second, to provide in to this enemy strain, to not wind oneself up, to not present weak point.”
Ukraine shall be celebrating its thirty first Independence Day on Wednesday — which marks six months since Russia’s unprovoked invasion, referred to by Moscow as a “particular navy operation.”
“A big milestone is forward – six months of this full-scale invasion,” Zelenskyy stated in his video message, calling it “the struggle that modified all the pieces for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the world.”
In response to the United Nations Human Rights Office, greater than 5,500 civilians in Ukraine have been killed and practically 7,700 civilians injured from the beginning of the struggle to Aug. 15.
“Many of the civilian casualties recorded have been triggered by way of explosive weapons with large space results, together with shelling from heavy artillery, a number of launch rocket techniques, missiles and air strikes,” in line with the Workplace of the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights.
Individually, Russian state media accused Ukrainian forces of launching an artillery strike on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant in Ukraine, Europe’s largest nuclear energy plant. Situated in southeastern city of Enerhodar, the nuclear plant was captured by Moscow early within the struggle.
Russian state-owned information company RIA Novosti stated Ukraine’s armed forces have commonly attacked the Zaporizhzhia facility in current weeks, risking a large-scale nuclear disaster.
Each Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the power plant.
NBC Information reported that the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet in annexed-Crimea was struck by a drone early Saturday.
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters is positioned in Sevatsopol, Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014.
“A drone flew to the roof,” the Russian-appointed governor of occupied Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, stated on Telegram.
NBC Information couldn’t independently confirm footage and a video posted on-line that appeared to indicate a big plume of smoke billowing from the fleet’s headquarters.
