Zelensky: "Enemy sabotage groups" have entered Kiev

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Friday that "enemy sabotage groups" have entered Kiev, addressing the public to stay cautious and to follow curfew rules.

The message, which was in video format on Facebook, was of Zelensky saying that the Ukrainian army has managed to protect almost all territory, according to reports by the Ukrinform news agency.

The Ukrainian president also revealed that his troops recaptured Kiev's Hostomel airport from Russian forces.

According to the Ukrainian government, at least 137 soldiers and civilians have been killed from the start of the conflict yesterday, till now. 

"According to our information, the enemy has identified me as the number one target. My family is the number two target," Zelensky said. “They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state."

Earlier, Zelensky implied that  Ukraine was left alone in the face of Russia.

Dreams of joining the NATO alliance and joint defense guarantees against the impending "Russian invasion" seemed to evaporate into the air as soon as Moscow launched its special military operation in Donbass.

On his Telegram channel on Thursday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a video addressing Ukraine, saying "We ended up defending our country alone. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone." 

Read more: Kiev could fall within 96 Hours: Reports

 

He said that there was no willingness to guarantee that Ukraine will become a NATO member.

"Everyone is afraid, everyone is silent," he said. "They replied that <…> they are with us, but are not ready to make us members of the alliance."

Afterward, Zelensky went on to thank countries that helped Ukraine "by deeds, not just by words."

“I am asking them, ‘Are you with us?’ They say they are with us, but they are not ready to accept us in NATO. All of them are afraid,” he said.

“The fate of the country depends on our army and our security forces.”

While Russia, according to Zelensky, has lost an estimated 30 tanks, 130 armored vehicles, 7 planes and 6 helicopters, Russia revealed that it has disrupted 118 Ukrainian military facilities. 

#Russian Defense added that they have disrupted 118 #Ukrainian military facilities during military operations, including 13 command points.#Russia #Ukraine #RussiaUkraine pic.twitter.com/SzItu0nuGF

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 25, 2022

On Thursday, Russian Ministry of Defense chief spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov said that Ukraine's Security Service is preparing and carrying out provocations using the methods used by the "White Helmets" in Syria, by staging fake videos depicting "mass casualties" amid conflict.

Commenting on the nature of the conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin said "Leading NATO countries pursue their own goal by fully supporting Ukraine's extreme Nazis and neo-Nazis, who, in turn, will never forgive the people of Crimea and Sevastopol for their free choice to reunify with Russia.

"They will, of course, go to Crimea, like to Donbass, the way they do it, to kill, like executioners from the bands of Ukrainian Nazi supporters of Hitler were killing innocent people during World War II".