Featured Image Credit: Alamy/@ChristopherJM/Twitter
Topics: no-article-matching, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, Russia
Shola Lee
Topics: no-article-matching, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, Russia
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has shown he's staying in the country amid the Russian invasion in a new video.
The video, posted to Twitter by journalist Christopher Miller, shows Zelensky affirm he is still in Ukraine, despite rumours in the Russian media that he'd fled.
Zelensky's video comes after the Ukrainian leader said he believes both he and his family are being targeted by Russian forces.
In the video, Zelensky can be seen with his team saying: 'We are here. We are in Kyiv. We are defending Ukraine'.
The footage comes after reports Zelensky shared fears for his own life with European leaders. In a video conference last night, February 24, Zelensky is said to have told European leaders it 'might be the last time you see me alive'.
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The prime minister of Sweden is also reported to have said 'It may have been the last time that we'll see him', as per Israel's Walla News.
Zelensky noted in a public address yesterday that he believed he and his family are 'target No.1' and 'target No.2' of the Russian forces. Despite this, the president vowed to remain in Kyiv, as Russian forces moved towards the city today, February 25.
According to reports, Russian forces entered the northern suburb of Obolon, just nine kilometres from the city centre.
Zelensky has asked Europe to do more in response to the invasion, saying they need to 'act without delay', as per the BBC.
The president also addressed the Ukrainian armed forces: 'Stand strong. You are all that we have. You are all that is protecting our state'.
Russian president Vladimir Putin gave his own speech to the Ukrainian forces, urging them to 'take power in your own hands' and overthrow the country's government.
The Russian president also accused Ukraine of installing missiles and weaponry in civilian buildings and using residents as human shields, the BBC reports.
However, Amnesty International, the global human rights group, said it was Russia, not Ukraine, that was showing 'a blatant disregard for civilian lives'.
The group went on to rebuke Putin's claims, saying Russia was 'using ballistic missiles and other explosive weapons with wide area effects in densely populated areas'.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information