Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned his countrymen early Saturday that Russian troops retreating from the capital had created “a major disaster” on its outskirts, as they left landmines “all over the region”. , even around houses and corpses they have left landmines.
Ukraine attacked Russia?
Zelensky’s warning comes at a time when the humanitarian crisis in the port city of Mariupol has deepened after Russian forces disrupted evacuation operations for the second day and the Kremlin launched a helicopter attack on a fuel depot on Russian soil in Ukraine. accused of.
Ukraine denies attack
Although Ukraine declined to claim responsibility for the attack, if Russian claims are confirmed, it would be the first known war in the war in which a Ukrainian plane had penetrated Russian airspace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Certainly this is not an action that can be considered appropriate for the continuation of talks between the two sides.”
Russia continues to withdraw some of its troops from areas around Kyiv. In fact, Moscow said earlier in the week that it would reduce military activity near the Ukrainian capital and northern city of Chernihiv.
Russia is laying landmines?
However, Zelensky said in his address to the nation, “They are laying landmines all over the region. They are leaving landmines around houses. Not even sparing the corpses of those killed in the war.”
He appealed to the people of the area not to return to normal life till it was ensured that the landmines were cleared and the threat of shelling was averted.