Zelensky cites military intelligence and says Russia plans to attack presidential office and other major targets
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russia plans to strike the headquarters of the presidential administration in Kyiv and the presidential state residence in Koncha Zaspa, The Kyiv Independent and Euromaidan Press reported.
Citing documents obtained by Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR), the Ukrainian leader said Russia was targeting around 20 “decision centers”, including government buildings and army command posts.
The President made the statements after a meeting with the leadership of the Army General Staff, the HUR, the Foreign Intelligence Service and the Security Service (SBU).
He said Ukrainian authorities were assessing the implications of the information for security and air defense plans.
“Ukraine is not – after all – Russia. And unlike the aggressor state, where there is a clear perpetrator of this war and a long-standing circle around him that supports his detachment from reality, the source of Ukraine's defense is the readiness of the Ukrainian people to fight for their independence and their own sovereign state,” said the Ukrainian president.
Ukrainians, President Zelenskiy continued, “deserve their sovereignty like any other nation,” and Russia must end the war and move toward a “dignified peace” rather than continue attempts to intimidate Ukraine.
“Some in Moscow did not understand that Ukrainians will never give up their independence. One way or another – with Bankova or without Bankova – we will not surrender our land, sovereignty or state,” Zelenskiy said.
Warning about Belarus
Also on Friday, the Kiev leader said Russia is trying to further involve Belarus in the war in Ukraine and is considering plans for an attack on northern Ukraine or a NATO country using Belarusian territory, Reuters wrote.
According to President Zelensky, Ukraine has information about new contacts between Russia and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, through which Moscow is trying to persuade him to participate in “new aggressive Russian operations”.
“Russia is considering plans for operations south and north of Belarusian territory, either in the direction of Chernihiv-Kiev, in Ukraine, or directly against one of the NATO countries, on the territory of Belarus,” he said, without giving further details.
