Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Photo: Presidency of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty
Ukraine’s PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyyexpressed his gratitude and support for two people who risked their freedom and their lives to spotlightRussia’s war against his country.
Calling him a “talented and brave journalist,” Zelenskyy said Renaud died “while documenting human tragedy, devastation and suffering of the millions of Ukrainians.”
“The people of Ukraine, who are fighting against the Russian regime to defend their Homeland and democracy in the world, are mourning with you,” he told Renaud’s family in the letter.
Marina Ovsyannikova, an employee of Russia’s state-run Channel 1, was seen rushing onto the set of the popularVremyanewscast on Monday to hold up a sign that read “NO WAR. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you here.”
Seconds later, the show abruptly cut away.
Marina Ovsyannikova’s famous on-screen protest.twitter
Speaking in Russian, Zelenskky said Tuesday, “I am grateful to those Russians who do not stop trying to convey the truth. To those who fight disinformation and tell the truth, real facts to their friends and loved ones. And personally to the woman who entered the studio of Channel 1 with a poster against the war.”
The Ukrainian president also spoke directly to Russian forces in remarks intended to chip away at the morale of the stronger invading force — part of Ukraine’songoing public relations campaignduring the resistance.
Zelenskyy said at one point that abandoned military equipment has made Russian troops “one of the suppliers of equipment to our army.”
“Listen to me carefully,” he told Russian soldiers and officers. “We heard your conversations in the intercepts. We hear what you really think about this senseless war, about this disgrace and about your state. Your conversations with each other. Your calls home to your family. We hear it all.”
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I give you a chance … to survive,” he said. “If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated. As people, decently. In a way you were not treated in your army. And in a way your army does not treat ours.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Guillaume Herbaut/Agence VU/Re
Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues nearly three weeks after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Zelenskyy called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
