Despite withdrawing from Kyiv in a perfunctory show of de-escalating tensions, Russian forces are leaving landmines, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday.
The Ukrainian leader’s statement came as Russian forces increased their attacks in the southern and eastern regions of the country, including the eastern city of Lysychansk and the Russian-owned city of Enerhodar. control, all as Russia seeks to claim the holy grail of war: the city of Mariupol.
“It is still not possible to return to normal life as before, even in the territories that we are regaining after the fighting,” Zelensky said in a video message. Related press. “We need [to] wait until our land is destroyed, wait until we can assure you that there will be no new shelling.”
Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had recaptured areas just outside Kyiv when Russian units were defeated or eliminated, although he warned residents to prepare for missile attacks or rocket launch in the coming days.
Zelensky also warned that the battle in eastern Ukraine will continue to become fierce as Russian troops gather there. Leaders in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions said on Saturday that Russia had bombed their territory overnight with attacks, according to reports. New York Times. The Russian attack destroyed 31 buildings in the cities of Lysychansk and Toshkivka along with the number of civilians killed in Mariupol and Volnovakha.
The civilians who had managed to survive Mariupol’s devastation were also unable to leave. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was unable to evacuate civilians from the city on Friday due to safety concerns, which city officials attributed to a Russian blockade. It says it will try again on Saturday.
“Our presence will mark a humanitarian mark on this planned movement of people, give the convoy extra protection and remind all aspects of civilian nature. , the humanitarian of the act,” the group said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.
“Not sure why we’re here.”
Russia has also sought to quell unrest in areas it fully controls. Video posted on Telegram by energy company Energoatom shows Russian troops attacking anti-war protesters in the southern city of Energodar, home to Europe’s largest nuclear plant.
“At a peaceful protest in Energodar today, the occupiers started shooting at people,” Energoatom wrote on Saturday. “People go there with their families, including children.”
The active move by the Russian military comes after a blocked calls issued by the Security Service of Ukraine shows a soldier railing against their presence in the first place. Following the call, the soldier made a blunt assessment to his wife: “It’s not clear why we’re here.”
