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After the air attacks on the kyiv region in the last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured on October 14 that for now there will be no more “massive” assaults. However, he noted that the partial mobilization of his troops to Ukraine will be completed in two weeks. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, dismissed Putin’s promises and highlighted the advances of his forces, which in the last month have recovered hundreds of settlements that were under the control of Russian troops.
Vladimir Putin maintains that for now the “massive” attacks in Ukraine are over, but kyiv does not believe his words.
At the end of his participation in two days of regional summits in Astana, Kazakhstan, the Russian president assured that such actions are not part of his new strategy.
“Now there is no need for massive attacks. Now we have other objectives,” he said after the barrage of missiles with which his troops renewed the assaults and attacked civilian areas in the kyiv region, to which the Ukrainian capital belongs, and other country areas.
Likewise, the Kremlin leader pointed out that he does not regret having ordered the war against his neighboring country, on February 24, but that he “never” had the objective of “annihilating” that nation.
Russian Pres Putin says “No” when asked if he had regrets about the conflict in Ukraine, & that Russia was doing the right thing: Reuters
Speaking at a press conference in Kazakh capital Astana, Putin said it wasn’t Russia’s objective to destroy Ukraine, reports the news agency. pic.twitter.com/6lC3ATt26n
— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2022
However, the Russian president’s statements contrast sharply with the events reported on the same day from the Ukrainian territory.
Oleg Siniegubov, governor of the Kharkov region, in the east of the country, reported in recent hours about damage to the provincial capital as a result of a Russian attack with five missiles.
In addition, the Ukrainian Air Force Command assured this Friday, October 14, that its defenses destroyed eight Iranian-made kamikaze drones launched by the invading troops.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov stressed that Moscow has about 300 Iranian drones and intends to acquire “several thousand more.”
“We have to be prepared,” he stressed.
But kyiv dismissed Putin’s words. The secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, warned that Ukraine will spend “one of the most difficult winters” because Russia “plans to destroy not only the electricity industry, but also the gas industry.”
Putin points out that the partial mobilization of troops ends in two weeks
Despite the intention to reverse the massive attacks, Vladimir Putin stressed that the partial mobilization of troops that he called for on September 21 will end in two weeks.
It is a measure that would boost the Russian combat force and for which he assures that 220,000 reservists have been called up, below the figure of 300,000 that was initially circulated by his government.
Faced with the strengthening of its ranks, Putin launched new threats to NATO to avoid intervening in the territory of the attacked nation. He warned that doing so would unleash a “global catastrophe.”
Zelensky promises to defeat the Russian troops
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a meeting with the General Staff, in the middle of the country’s Defenders Day, in which he promised victory over Russia and freedom for Ukraine.
At the meeting, the head of state discussed the steps to follow for a “greater liberation” of Ukrainian territories. Among the main issues to be addressed are “the uninterrupted supply of ammunition and preparation for winter”.
The president highlighted the advances of his troops and promised to defeat the military that invade parts of his nation.
“By defeating this enemy, we will respond to all the enemies who invaded Ukraine, who lived, live and will live on our land. This will be a victory for all our people. This will be a victory for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” he stressed. .
Ukrainian forces have made gains in recent weeks, but Russia has carried out heavy airstrikes that hit power facilities and dozens of housing blocks this week.
This Friday, the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine said that kyiv has recovered more than 600 settlements, in the last month, that were under the control of the Moscow military.
Zelensky stressed that he is not giving up on his goal of expelling the invading troops from his country, despite the renewed strategies of the Kremlin, which has suffered major setbacks in recent months.
With Reuters and EFE
