Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, on Friday, in an exclusive interview with Agence France-Presse, that the attack launched by Russia on the Kharkiv region could only be the first wave of a broader attack, and that Moscow wants to “attack” the regional capital that bears its name.
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He added: “They have launched their operation, and it may consist of several waves. The Ukrainian president stressed that this is their first wave, while Russia has just made its biggest territorial gains since the end of 2022.”
However, he stressed that despite Russian advances in recent days in this northeastern region, the situation was better for his forces than it was a week ago, when Kremlin forces suddenly crossed the border on May 10.
“They are a maximum of 5 to 10 kilometers from the border, and we have stopped them […] I wouldn't say it's a huge success. [russe]But we must be vigilant and acknowledge that they, not us, are encroaching on our lands. He pointed out that this is their interest.
According to him, the situation has not “stabilized” yet. He added, “Nevertheless, the situation is under control and better than the first day” of the attack thanks to the reinforcements deployed.
According to him, Russia wants to attack Kharkiv, the country's second largest city, a few tens of kilometers from the front. Moscow had already failed to obtain it in 2022, and Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he had no intention of attacking it “at the moment.”
The Ukrainian president stressed that the battle for the city, if it takes place, will be difficult for the Russian army.
“They want it, they want to attack, but they realize it is an uphill battle,” he said. “It is a big city and they realize that we have forces and that they will fight for a long time.”
The president said it was now the case that Ukraine and its Western allies were not showing weakness and therefore needed two Patriot anti-aircraft systems to defend the skies above the region and the soldiers defending them.
“They're like a monster […] Zelensky warned that if they felt weak in this direction, they would push, but if Ukrainian forces could stop Russian forces, they would surrender. “They wouldn't die by the millions, in my opinion, to get Kharkiv.”
Officially, according to Mr. Putin, the Russian offensive aims to create a buffer zone that is supposed to prevent Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.
Moscow's forces are trying to take advantage of the shortage of men and weapons that Ukraine faces after two years of war.
