NUMBER ONE TARGET
Putin’s hit squads are hunting me down & want to decapitate Ukrainian government, warns President Zelenskyy
VLADIMIR Putin's hit squads are hunting me down and want to decapitate the government of Ukraine, warned President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He addressed his war-torn nation this morning as it is feared Russian forces are now just 20 miles from Kyiv - with the US warning the city could fall within 96 hours.
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Zelenskyy said at least 137 troops and civilians were killed on the first day of fighting, adding that Russian “sabotage forces” had entered the city to hunt him and his family down.
He also took aim at the West over their perceived lack of material support for Ukraine in the wake of the invasion.
US officials believe that Putin's main aim is to target the government of Kyiv with a "decapitation" strike so he can install a puppet regime.
“We have been left alone to defend our state. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone,” Zelenskyy said.
“Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership?
"Everyone is afraid.”
The president went on: "They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state."
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Zelenskyy referred to himself as “target number one” and he chillingly warned that his family were "number two".
The 44-year-old former comedian has two children, Oleksandra, 18, and Kyrylo , 9, and is married to architect Olena.
And he once again renewed his push of Ukraine to potentially join the Nato defensive alliance.
"I asked the 27 leaders of Europe whether Ukraine should be in Nato. I asked directly. They are all afraid," he said.
"We are not afraid."
It comes as:
- All eyes on Kyiv with Putin's forces expected to launch an assault on the city of 2.9million people
- Defiant Ukrainian soldiers are using UK missiles to fight off Putin's invasion
- Kyiv's troops managed to recapture a key airport after a botched helicopter assault by the Russians
- Russia managed to capture Chernobyl power plant - sparking fears of a new nuclear disaster
- At least 1,500 people have been arrested in Russia for protesting against the war in Ukraine
- Thousands of Brits are fleeing as 1million people are on the move in mass exodus from Ukraine
- Western sanctions are targeting Russian money as Boris Johnson branded Putin as a "bloodstained aggressor"
- Tom Tugendhat MP, chair of the foreign affairs committee, wrote in The Sun that Putin and his "band of thieves" must be punished
Zelenskyy also urged protests against the war that have sprung up in Russia to continue, once again comparing Putin to the Nazis.
"This is like 1941. I want to tell all Russian citizens who are coming out to protest: we hear you, you heard us, you started to believe us," he said.
"Fight for us. Fight the war."
The capital is expected to be surrounded by Russian forces by this weekend.
Troops already took control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, bringing a “new Iron Curtain” down on Europe, said Zelenskyy.
A decree by the president was also signed on the general mobilization of the population within 90 days as men aged 18 to 60 are banned from leaving the country.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Putin plans to encircle Ukrainian troops in Kyiv to force them to surrender or “be destroyed”.
Blinken added that Ukraine’s leadership could fall within a week.
According to the Pentagon, Russia has fired “more than 160 missiles into Ukraine" - with more expected to fall.
Most of the missiles are short-range ballistic projectiles but the airstrike also includes “a mix of medium-range as well as cruise missiles,” said an official from the Department of Defense.
“We have also seen indications since we last talked of additional airborne troops into Kharkiv,” the official said.
“Our assessment is still that there’s active fighting going on there.”
In an effort to stop the capture of Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Putin on Thursday night and it’s reported that Putin gave his justification for war.
The Kremlin said that Macron and Putin agreed to stay in contact.
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Dawn is breaking over Ukraine - with the nation faces an uncertain future as it comes under attack from air, land and sea by Russia.
Ukrainians have been warned they now face their "hardest day" with an expected all out offensive by the Russians.
More than one hundred Ukrainians are already dead across the country at the hands of Putin's forces after the assault began at 3.30am on Thursday.
Ukrainians remain defiant and have put up a staunch resistance to the Russian invaders.
Russia is believed to have suffered heavy losses - with as many as 800 invaders being killed.
However, they find themselves facing an uphill struggle as Putin brings his massive military to bear against his neighbour.
World leaders have all condemned Russia's actions yesterday which saw Europe plunged into its biggest crisis since World War 2.
Heavy sanctions designed to strangle Putin's regime are now being levied against Russia.
But it's questioned whether this will be enough to stop Moscow.
Another day of bloodshed lies ahead for Ukraine - with all eyes now on the capital to see if Putin will be able to breakthrough.
It is believed Russia want to take control of the city and install a compliant Pro-Putin government dubbed the "People's Rada".
Troops and tanks surged across the border - many of them emblazoned with the now infamous “Z” symbol - sparking bloody firefights.
Putin has some 200,000 soldiers ready to move in - encircling the north, south and east of Ukraine.
And the Kremlin has said the operation will last "as long as necessary" as the raging tyrant claims he wants to “denazify” and “demilitarise” his neighbour state.
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Pictures showed bloody civilians desperate for help, huge crowds and traffic queues attempting to flee to safety, and people weeping as they came to terms with the violence.
The West has pledged to stand with Ukraine - but there are fears we now all just one false move from what could become World War 3.
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