President Zelensky admits it will be difficult for the Ukrainian army to protect Kharkov
(Baonghean.vn) - According to Ria Novosti, in a joint press conference with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would not be able to protect Kharkov if they could not repel the Russian army.
"You and I both understand that we need to push the Russian army back a further distance. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to completely protect Kharkiv," President Zelensky said.
According to the Ukrainian leader, even strengthening air defenses will not significantly improve the situation in Kharkiv. President Zelensky urged Kharkiv residents not to rush to return to the city.
"I don't think that Kharkiv is in a position to bring its residents back yet. This is the people's choice, but I can advise everyone to postpone this," President Zelensky shared.
According to Mr. Zelensky, when the Armed Forces of Ukraine are able to stabilize the security situation and protect Kharkov from attacks, the military leadership and he personally will give appropriate signals for the city's residents to return home.
Russia has recently launched frequent attacks on the city of Kharkiv, 46 km south of the border. Whenever an attack occurs, air raid sirens sound throughout the city.
Ukraine said Russia used a variety of weapons, including the S-300 air defense system, from deep inside its territory to target Kharkiv as part of a strategy to exploit weaknesses in Ukraine's defenses. Russia also carried out coordinated attacks on the capital Kiev and the region southeast of the Dnieper River.
