He is a head of state who tries somehow to face Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday the general military mobilization to counter the Russian invasion of the country, according to a decree published on the website of the Ukrainian presidency. According to the text, the measure will concern those subject to “military conscription and reservists” and will apply within 90 days in all Ukrainian regions.
Local administrations, with the participation of companies and institutions of “all types” will have to ensure the arrival of mobilized people and requisitioned vehicles at assembly points and military bases, according to the decree. The Russian invasion began at dawn on Thursday, after Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of pro-Russian Ukrainian separatist territories in eastern Ukraine on Monday.
“Ukrainians are showing heroism,” Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday. When launching the invasion, the Russians “thought our forces were tired, but we are not tired”, he claimed. “All (Ukrainian) forces are doing everything possible” to defend the country, underlined the Ukrainian leader. He also invited this Friday Europeans with “combat experience” to go to Ukraine to “defend Europe”.
Zelensky “alone” against the Russian army
The Ukrainian president regretted that Kiev finds itself “left alone” against the Russian army. “Who is ready to fight with us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine the guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid”, he denounced, while the Atlantic Alliance, which Kiev wishes to join, has indicated that it will not send troops to support its country.
Endowed with an almost British phlegm, Volodymyr Zelensky impressed his foreign interlocutors with his ability to keep his cool despite his recent arrival in the political world. The story is well known: when he took power in April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was a head of state with no political or military experience. He is only known for his role as president in a television series. He is now facing the most serious crisis in Europe since the end of the cold war, which worries far beyond.
The European Union and the United States announced new sanctions against Moscow on Thursday, without however taking the measures considered the harshest as a exclusion from the Swift interbank messaging system. “How are you going to defend yourselves if you are so slow in helping Ukraine?” asked Volodymyr Zelensky to the Europeans.
“The enemy has identified me as the number one target”
The Ukrainian president announced Thursday evening that he remained in Kiev, threatened with assault by Russian troops. “I will stay in the capital. My family is also in Ukraine. According to information in our possession, the enemy has identified me as the number one target. And my family as the number two target,” he said. .
Concerns about the fate of the 44-year-old former actor and comedian are palpable in capitals around the world. “President Zelensky’s security is a central element of what is happening now,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter on Friday. “We are in a position to be able to help him if necessary (…) We will take the necessary measures”, he added, refusing however to say if this help could go through an exfiltration. Vladimir Putin’s goal? Install a pro-Moscow government instead, according to Western military sources. “We believe that basically they intend to decapitate the government and install their own method of governance, which would explain this initial advance towards Kiev,” a senior Pentagon official told AFP.
The Russian army, clearly superior to the Ukrainian army, is approaching Kiev, targeted by an armored raid and which could fall in a few days. On Thursday, an airborne assault brigade seized within hours the military airport of Gostomel, at the gates of the capital, which the Ukrainian army claimed to have taken over, information that AFP was unable to confirm. , and armored units arriving from the north were heading towards the city. Russian troops were also approaching Kiev on Friday from the northeast and east, according to the Facebook page of the Ukrainian army general staff.
“At the strategic level: clear objective number one to seize Kiev” in “a few days” and “the installation of a new government, and tracking down the old one with perhaps the use of special forces”, commented this Friday on Twitter the French military historian Michel Goya. “The Ukrainian president is in danger”, also believes to AFP Alexandra Goujon, French specialist in Ukraine and lecturer at the University of Burgundy, in Dijon.
Among his war objectives, revealed Thursday morning during his televised address, Vladimir Putin mentioned his desire to “achieve the demilitarization” and the “denazification” of Ukraine. He denounced the “junta” in power in Kiev “which today is looting Ukraine and making fun of its people”, thus clearly suggesting its desire to overthrow Volodymyr Zelensky. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also assured on Friday that the objective of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was to “liberate” the Ukrainians “from oppression”, again suggesting that Moscow intended to overthrow power. in place. He added that Russia was ready for negotiations if Ukraine “lays down its arms”.
However, later in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said according to Russian agencies that Vladimir Putin is ready to send a delegation to Minsk, Belarus, for talks with Ukraine. The Kremlin had so far consistently refused talks with Ukraine, despite repeated requests from Volodymyr Zelensky before the Russian invasion began. The Ukrainian president had even said a few hours before the start of the Russian military campaign that he had tried to contact Vladimir Putin. In vain.