While the Russian offensive the president is putting pressure on Ukrainian troops, especially in the South Volodymyr Zelensky tries to keep attention high on the Ukrainian cause. In his country’s moment of greatest difficulty since last summer, after a series of defeats on the field and col Western support which encounters its first important difficulties, above all due to theRepublican obstructionism Americans, the head of state returns to put pressure on the allies, recalling that Ukraine’s victory remains the only viable solution at the moment and, after the announcement of a new counteroffensive shortly, motivates the failure of the previous one with one “news leak” which he would have revealed to the Kremlin Kiev’s military plans.
NEWS LEAK – “The plans of our counteroffensive were on the table in the Kremlin before the counteroffensive began” due to “information leaks,” he said in the press conference for the two years after the invasion. However, the president predicted that 2024 will be a turning point year for the war and that this can benefit Ukraine only if the allies, and he also mentions Italy, make an effort to provide new armaments e Economic support to counter the Russian giant.
In the statements released during the press conference, the head of state specified that diplomatic effort must not fail, proposing a new formula which, in his vision, can lead to the opening of a peace table with Russia. However, this is not a real opening, if not a superficial one, given that it involves developing a peace plan decided by Ukrainians and allies to then submit to Russia, giving it the opportunity to accept it. Which is unlikely to happen. “We have arrived at the moment of the first Global peace summit. The first inaugural summit. I hope it takes place in the spring. We cannot lose the diplomatic initiative. It will take place in Swiss“, declared the head of state, adding that the document that will be prepared “will then be presented by the negotiators to the Russian side”. But this, he warned, “does not mean that Russia will accept it”.
However, if anyone saw in these words a first opening to dialogue with the other party, they will have to think again. And it is Zelensky himself who wants to set the record straight. Ukraine “has no alternative” to winning the war, he said, and when asked whether the time has come to negotiate with Vladimir Putin given Ukraine’s ammunition shortage, he replies: “Can you talk to a deaf person? Can you talk to a man who kills his opponents? We will propose a platform where Putin can accept that he lost this war and that it was a huge mistake and a tragedy for us and for the democratic world.”
FORCING RUSSO A SUD – The Russia aims to conquer as much ground as possible before the release of new American supplies toUkraine and the thaw which will make part of the passages impassable even for military vehicles. So in the night between Saturday and Sunday it launched heavy attacks throughout the south of the country Volodymyr Zelenskyafter conquering Avdiivka and other outposts and initiated a pressure action in the region of Zaporizhzhia. The Ukrainian military leaders, however, assure that a change of direction by the Kiev forces is expected this year: “The piano dâazione of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for 2024 exists, it is powerful and there must be results.” Even if the Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerovcomplains to allies about supplies: “Currently, a commitment is not synonymous with delivery, 50% of commitments are not delivered on time.”
Also the head of the press center of the Southern Forces of the Ukrainian Army, Colonel Nataliya Humenyukconfirmed that Mosca is increasing attacks in that area. Ukrainian anti-aircraft went into action in the regions of Poltava, Kiev, Khmelnytsky, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytsky, DniproZaporizhzhia and Kherson: “During the night, the Russian army attempted, with the help of the tactical aviation of the Black Seato destroy our anti-aircraft defense using missiles Kh-31P, which were shot down over the sea. Then waves of followed drones initially in the direction of the southern region of Mykolaivthen on the central and western regions”.
Among the most affected areas is, as mentioned, the region of Zaporizhzhia, where in the last 24 hours there have been 263 attackswith one civilian killed and two others injured, the governor reported on Telegram Ivan Fedorov. “On February 24, an enemy grenade caused the death of a 61-year-old in Huliaypole. Two people were injured,” she said. Russian troops struck RobotyneVilnyansk, HuliaypoleNovoandriivka, NovodanylivkaMalynivka, Mala Tokmachka with 60 drones and 14 MLRS. In the last week, the Russian army has attacked 3,200 cities e villaggi nell’Oblast di Zaporizhzhia.
Victims also in the region of Khersonafter two condominiums, private homes and educational institutions were damaged by Russian bombing: one civilian was killed and six others injured, the governor said Oleksandr Prokudin. The army’s missiles Kremlin they targeted BilozerkaShliakhove, NovoberyslavHavrylivka, FruitsStanislav, Osokorivka and the city of Kherson. “The Russian army struck residential areas, in particular two residential buildings and seven private houses were damaged,” he said.
The Moscow raids also hit the Donetskwhere a massive Russian attack with S-300 missiles was launched overnight at Konstantinovka: Many buildings were destroyed, including one railway station it’s a churchas reported by the local police cited by Ukrainska Pravda. “As a result of the Russian bombing, the railway station building, a church, 12 apartment buildings, 21 shops, 19 commercial pavilions, three educational institutions, 2 administrative buildings, a post office and a kiosk were destroyed.” A 75-year-old woman who was in her home was injured.
To demonstrate the consolidation of its presence in the region, Russia has also decided to let the inhabitants of the Zaporizhzhia region under its control vote in advance, in view of the presidential elections in mid-March. Early voting has begun, he said Galina Katyushchenko, president of the regional electoral commission: “The members of the district electoral commission will go door to door in the areas adjacent to the line of commitment bringing with them ballot papers and boxes. In order to vote, voters will need to present a Russian or Ukrainian passport, based on the decision of the regional election commission. Polling stations will open in the region on March 17.”
For its part, the Ukrainian army is trying to respond with incursions into Russian territory and the Black Sea, where Zelensky has promised new “surprises” in store for Putin’s military. During the night, Russian anti-aircraft systems shot down two Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod oblast and four others over the Black Sea. “A terrorist attack by the Kiev regime – says the Moscow Ministry of Defense – was foiled during the night in an attempt to strike two areas on the territory of the Russian Federation through some drones. The aircraft were intercepted and destroyed by the air defenses in service in the oblast of Belgorod and on the waters of the Black Sea.”