According to Zelensky, Russia has plans to take over other countries after Ukraine
*Paromita Das
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Saturday, April 23 that Russia intends to take over other countries.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was intended only as a beginning,” he said in a video address.
“All nations that, like us, believe in the triumph of life over death must fight alongside us. They have to assist us because we are the first in line. And who will come after that?”
It comes after a Russian general warned that Moscow would not halt its “special military operation” until it has complete control of southern Ukraine.
Major General Rustam Minnekaev stated that “one of the Russian army’s tasks is to establish full control over the Donbas and southern Ukraine.”
Minnekaev is Russia’s central military district’s deputy commander. He believes that gaining control of southern Ukraine will allow Russia access to Transnistria.
Transnistria is a Russian-occupied region of Moldova in the west, and control of it could cut Ukraine off from the rest of its coastline.
Earlier, European Council President Charles Michel requested humanitarian access to Mariupol from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Strongly urged for immediate humanitarian access and safe passage from Mariupol and other besieged cities, especially on the occasion of Orthodox Easter,” Michel tweeted.
“All servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces, militants of national battalions, and foreign mercenaries who laid down their arms are guaranteed life,” Putin responded.
“However, the Kyiv regime is not allowing this opportunity to be exploited,” he added.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk, told AFP, “Mariupol is critical to the enemy’s offensive operation in the south. The enemy is attempting to concentrate all of its efforts on it.”
Next week, both Zelensky and Putin will meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“He hopes to discuss what can be done urgently to bring peace to Ukraine,” said UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko.
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