Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country is on its way to victory against Russia.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has claimed hundreds of lives, while millions of persons have fled to neighbouring nations since the war started on February 24.
Speaking in a televised address on Friday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has passed a turning point against Russia and the Ukrainian troops need time and patience to achieve victory.
He described the Russian government as “an obstinate enemy” that does not care about the lives of its soldiers.
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“Time is needed, patience is needed. Our wisdom, energy, and ability to do our job to maximum…for us to come to victory,” Zelenskyy.
“It is not possible to say how many more days it will take to liberate Ukrainian land but it is possible to say that we will do that because we have achieved the turning point strategically.
“We are on the way to victory. This is a patriotic war; a war against a strong, obstinate enemy who doesn’t pay attention to thousands of their own soldiers. Who gathered conscripts all over Russia to send them to this war.
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“They decided to bring mercenaries to kill our people. Those bullets from countries that were destroyed the same way the invaders are destroying us.
“This is the way the Russian army treats Ukrainians, Donbas. As they were saying to Russian-speaking people, they were shouting to everyone about defending… those things were said in Moscow.
“Now Syrian mercenaries who do not differentiate who speaks which language, which church, party. Those mercenaries just simply go to kill.”
The Ukrainian leader said the Russian troops have destroyed the water supply to Kyiv, the country’s capital.
He described the challenges encountered in different parts of the country as a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
He, however, said the government is doing all it can to remedy the situation.
“Last night and this morning, the invaders destroyed the running water supply into Kyiv, the city was left without water,” Zelenskyy said.
“We are doing everything to reinstate the water supply. There are constant challenges in parts of Sumy, Donetsk; no electricity supply, no gas, no water. It’s a humanitarian catastrophe.”
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According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 549 civilians, including 41 children, have been killed in Ukraine.
About 957 civilians have also been injured in the war.
The UN body said most of the civilian causalities were caused by airstrikes and explosive weapons used by the Russian forces, adding that the actual casualty figure could be higher.
More than two million refugees have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries while an estimated one million people have been displaced in the country.
