Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday asked Russians to protest against the Kremlin’s announced mobilization to the Ukrainian front or to surrender to Kiev troops on the other side.
“55,000 Russian soldiers were killed in this war in six months (…) Do you want more? No? Then protest! Fight! Flee! Or surrender” to the Ukrainian army, Zelensky said, this time in Russian, in the traditional daily speech in video.
“These are your options for survival. You are already complicit in all crimes [do exército russo], murders and torture that Ukrainians are victims of. Because they are quiet. Because they are still silent,” Zelensky accused, arguing that the Moscow authorities are preparing a mobilization that could reach a million men.
Moscow officially announced the mobilization of 300,000 reservists on Wednesday.
“It’s time for you to choose. For men in Russia, it’s a choice to die or live, be disabled or stay healthy. For women in Russia, the choice is to keep their husband, children or grandchildren forever. lose or try in any way protect them from death, from war, from the only man [o Presidente russo, Vladimir Putin]Zelensky insisted.
More than 1,300 people were arrested on Wednesday during demonstrations against improvised mobilizations across Russia, according to the non-governmental organization OVD-Info.
The announcement of the mobilization also triggered a strong influx of Russians wanting to leave the country, with lines registered at land borders with several countries and at airports.
The Kremlin has already denied this influx and considers it a “greatly exaggerated” phenomenon by politicians and the press.
Source: DN
