After a fierce night of fighting in Kiev, at about 8 o'clock local time on February 26, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy released the latest video, calling on the Ukrainian people not to believe "false information".
In the video, Zelenskiy reappears on the streets of Kiev and calls on everyone not to believe the false news spread by Russia that the Ukrainians have surrendered, saying that he will stand with the Ukrainian people and defend his homeland.
"Good morning, Ukrainian people! There was a lot of disinformation that I ordered the Ukrainian army to surrender. Listen to me, I'm here. We will not lay down our arms, we will protect our country. Our weapons are our truth, our country, our children. That's it. That's all I want to tell you. Glory belongs to Ukraine! Zelenskiy said in the video.
In another tweet in the morning, Zelenskiy said he had just spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron. "The weapons and equipment of our partners are on their way to Ukraine," he wrote. "The Anti-War Alliance is working!"
On the night of the 25th and 26th, a huge explosion occurred in and around Kiev for several hours, and before dawn, fierce gunfire was heard near the city center, and the two sides fought fiercely until dawn.
On the morning of the 26th, Podolyak, an adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that the Russian army tried to "bring the largest amount of equipment into the city of Kiev", but "at present, the situation in the suburbs and surrounding areas has been controlled." Speaking on Ukrainian television, he said there was a "separate sabotage and reconnaissance team" in Kiev, but that the police and territorial self-defense forces "are actively fighting them."
For the casualty figures, the Ukrainian side released data early that after a night of fierce fighting, the Ukrainian army killed 3500 Russian troops and took about 200 hostages. The latest news shows that the Russian military war report has also been issued.
According to the Russian Satellite News Agency, the Russian military published a war report: a total of 821 Ukrainian military infrastructure has been destroyed. The Russians did not say whether the targets were destroyed overnight.
According to Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov, the 821 military facilities include 14 military airfields, 19 command posts, 24 S-300 and the "Hornet" anti-aircraft missile system and 48 radar stations. In addition, the Russian army shot down a total of 7 combat aircraft, 7 helicopters and 9 unmanned aerial vehicles, destroyed 87 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, 28 multiple rocket launchers, 118 special military vehicles and 8 military ships of the Ukrainian Navy.
Konashenkov said the Russian armed forces now have full control of the southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol.
An explosion occurred in Kiev. Image from social media
Zelenskiy, who is currently in Kiev, refuses to leave. On February 26, the Washington Post quoted U.S. and Ukrainian officials as saying that the U.S. government was ready to help Ukrainian President Zelenskiy leave Kiev to prevent Zelenskiy from being captured or killed by Russian troops, but Zelenskiy refused. Zelenskiy said: "The battle is here. What I need is ammunition, not a ride. ”
Earlier, on the evening of the 24th, Zelenskiy had said goodbye to EU leaders in a video call, telling them that "this may be the last time you will see me alive."
On the 25th, Zelenskiy again said in his speech: "The enemy has listed me as the number one target, and my family is the second target." Their aim is to kill our head of state to destroy the Ukrainian government. I will stay in the capital and my family is also in Ukraine. ”
On the evening of February 25, Zelenskiy posted a selfie video on social media in which Zelenskiy and some government officials, including the Ukrainian prime minister and the president's office, were on the streets of Kiev saying they wanted to "defend independence here."
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