Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with the TIME journal, opened up about his shut brush with being captured or killed by Russian troops within the preliminary days of the Russian invasion.
In the early hours of February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced the choice to invade Ukraine and “denazify” the neighbouring nation. The transfer got here after weeks of troop build-up and drills in Belarus and different border areas of Ukraine.
In an unique interview with the American information journal, Zelenskyy mentioned that the army knowledgeable him that groups of Russian strikers had parachuted into the capital metropolis of Kyiv with a purpose to kill or seize him and his household. His chief of employees Andriy Yermak confirmed this, including: “Before that night, we had only ever seen such things in the movie.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky along with his spouse Olena Zelenska. (Photo: Instagram)
The comedian-turned-politician additionally spoke of how he and his spouse Olena Zelenska broke the information of the warfare to their children. “We woke them up,” mentioned Zelenskyy, talking of his 17-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. “It was loud. There were explosions over there,” he mentioned, reminiscing the early hours of February 24 when the bombing began in Kyiv.
Late that night time, because the President’s household sheltered with him within the presidential compound, Russian troops made two makes an attempt to get into the premises, mentioned the information report, quoting Oleksiy Arestovych, a veteran of Ukraine’s army intelligence service.
The report additionally touched upon the President’s quote — “I need ammunition, not a ride” — that made headlines worldwide.
The 44-year-old President’s advisors mentioned that although the British and American forces supplied to evacuate the President and his core group to a safer neighbouring nation (japanese Poland was an choice), the proposal was not given a lot thought. Against the recommendation of his bodyguards, he selected to remain on the compound which was surrounded by non-public houses, which made the presidential workplace susceptible to snipers and bombers.
Zelenskyy mentioned that by then, he had understood his function within the warfare. “You understand that they’re watching,” he says. “You’re a symbol. You need to act the way the head of state must act.”
