Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday promised to remain in Kyiv as his troops fought Russian invaders advancing near the city in the largest offensive on a European country since World War Two.
Following President Vladimir Putin's declaration of war, Russia began an invasion by land, air, and sea on Thursday. As explosions and gunfire rocked major cities, an estimated 100,000 people fled. Hundreds of people have been killed, according to reports.
Russia is attempting to conquer Kyiv and overthrow the government, according to US and Ukrainian authorities. Russia captured the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant north of Kyiv on Thursday, along the shortest path to the capital from Belarus, where Moscow has deployed troops.
In a video message, Zelenskiy stated, "The adversary has marked me down as the number one target." "My family is the second-most-wanted target. They seek to destabilise Ukraine politically by assassinating the president." "I intend to remain in the capital. My family has also relocated to Ukraine."
Putin claims that Russia is conducting "a special military operation" in Ukraine to safeguard people, including Russian citizens, who are being subjected to "genocide," an accusation the West dismisses as false propaganda.
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