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Topics: Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia, World News
Hannah Smith
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced he is ordering the release of some prisoners to join the front lines of the Russian invasion.
In a video address this morning, Monday, February 28, Zelenskyy confirmed that prisoners with combat experience would be released and deployed to fight as part of Ukraine's fight against Russian troops, as he stressed that defending the country must take priority.
According to The Kyiv Independent, Zelenskyy said that while the decision was a difficult moral choice, 'the key is defence now'.
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He added that those prisoners who wanted to take up arms against Russia would be sent to some of the most intense areas of the battle, saying it was an opportunity for them to 'atone for their guilt'.
'Under conditions of hostilities, Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released,' he said. 'They have the ability to atone for their guilt in the hottest spots of the war.'
Hundreds of thousands of military reservists and volunteers have joined Territorial Defence groups and other units tasked with defending Ukraine's major cities against Russian forces.
The Ukrainian defence ministry claims that as many as 5,300 Russian soldiers have been killed since launching their invasion five days ago. These figures have not been verified by foreign intelligence, however the UK Ministry of Defence says that the 'strength of Ukraine's resistance' has succeeded in slowing down and frustrating Russian efforts to advance through the country.
In his latest address, Zelenskyy continued to rally Ukrainians to fight back against Russian troops, and thanked Ukraine's western allies for their assistance.
'In every conversation with our partners I hear sincere respect. Ukraine has shown the world who we are, and Russia has shown what it has become,' he said.
'Every crime, every shelling that the invaders commit against us unites us and our partners even more. Russia did not expect such a solid and powerful response, but the Ukrainians changed that story.
'Europeans are aware that our soldiers are fighting for our country, and, consequently, for the whole of Europe.'
His latest comments came shortly before Ukrainian and Russian delegations met at the border of Ukraine and Belarus to begin peace talks. Zelenskyy has said the talks will address Ukraine's key demands for a ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops, but warned that he was not optimistic that they would be productive.
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