Glory to Ukraine, Vladimir Green calmly encouraged his men yesterday morning, raised his fist briefly as he signed his most provocative video message to date.
Against the backdrop of the blue sky and the ornate architecture of the proud and historic center of Kiev, this remarkable leader smiled in his smartphone.
His latest recording, uploaded on social media platforms yesterday and watched by millions, set the tone for another day of heroic disobedience on the part of the Ukrainian people.
Somehow, with the fate of his country’s 44 million citizens on his shoulders, President Zelenski sounded and seemed carefree.
President Zelensky has rejected a proposal to flee Kiev from US President Joe Biden
“Listen, I’m here,” he said soothingly. “We will not lay down our weapons. We will defend our country. This is our land, our country, our children. And we will defend all this.
Hours earlier, he rejected a proposal to flee the besieged city by US President Joe Biden. It is said that President Zelenski replied: “I need ammunition, not transport.” It was a line worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster.
It is intriguing that while the former actor and stand-up comedian inspired Ukrainians and viewers, Putin, the despot who provoked this indefensible conflict, remained silent and invisible.
The previous night had brought no rest, only more shelling, rocket fire and rocket fire. President Zelenski’s armed forces remain superior in numbers and weapons.
Against the backdrop of reports of heavy casualties among the defending troops, there were fears that vital supplies of Western military equipment were beginning to run out. The £ 500 million immediate military aid promised by the United States yesterday could not reach the country soon enough.
All NATO allies have agreed to send additional supplies following a donors’ conference led by British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. The United Kingdom has also offered to carry out logistical operations to support the delivery of these donations – although details could not be released last night so as not to jeopardize operational security.
As tens of thousands of Kiev citizens emerged from makeshift bomb shelters in parking lots and basements – or “presidential suites,” as hotel owners call their dusty basements – yesterday, they expressed a collective sense of relief.
Many said they expected to see streets patrolled by enemy soldiers. They were not alone.
Putin also expected a similar scenario by the third day of his “special military operation.”
He is said to be angry that his soldiers are behind schedule. The Kremlin despot’s concern may explain his absence from the airwaves after his ominous address before the invasion.
Civilian volunteers check their weapons at the Territorial Defense Squad Registration Office
Against the backdrop of reports of heavy casualties among the defending troops, there were also fears that vital supplies of Western military equipment were beginning to run out.
The Russians were not in the center of Kiev yesterday – but they were approaching. The sound of gunfire grew louder and the missiles approached civilian centers.
A promiscuous Russian missile crashed into the wall of a residential tower on Lobanovsky Street west of downtown Kiev – hardly a military target. Apartments between the 16th and 20th floors were set on fire.
“We were in the kitchen,” said one survivor. “There was a direct hit in the living room. My wife and eldest child had swollen legs. My youngest child was taken away by rescuers.
It was a surprise given the gaping hole on the side of the block when Ukrainian authorities said no one was killed. Hours later, however, the state emergency service acknowledged that two people had died from their injuries.
The loss of life on the Ukrainian side has so far been graciously light, given the intensity of the Russian air bombardment. As of last night, 200 people had died, including three children. Their luck may run out today, as the UK Ministry of Defense says most Russian forces have moved within 19 miles of Kiev. The proximity of so many troops, perhaps up to 30,000, will greatly increase the strength that Russia can use. Soon, his tanks could drill holes in government buildings, and so Western officials fear that a frustrated Putin could resort to more indiscriminate tactics.
This nightmarish scenario involves the use of some of the most disgusting weapons invented, such as thermobaric flamethrowers, which burn their victims to death – ideal for the purposes of a morally bankrupt dictator who seeks to displace fighters from civilian resistance.
While President Zelensky inspired his nation to show remarkable courage, Putin did not offer such support to his troops, who did not appear to want to take part in his invasion. Some Russian troops captured by the Ukrainians appear in local television reports, crying and looking confused. Others call their families at home, describing fuel shortages and rations. A video has surfaced on social media in which a Ukrainian driver mocks a Russian tank crew that has run out of fuel by offering to tow them back to Russia.
Media reports include requests from soldiers’ mothers for their boys to return home – and not in a wooden box. They should be so lucky. If they fall in battle, their corpses could be reduced to ashes by a fleet of mobile crematoria that Western intelligence reports have accompanied Putin’s troops to Ukraine.
Western officials also speculate that Russian troops are dying in numbers the Kremlin did not expect. On Friday, it is estimated that 500 invaders were killed. Yesterday, this figure was thought to have risen sharply.
It is estimated that two Russian military planes shot down by Ukrainian artillery units carried Russian paratroopers, with up to 125 soldiers on board each plane. The wreckage of the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft was found 25 miles and 50 miles south of Kiev.
A homeless Russian rocket crashed into the side of a residential tower on Lobanovsky Street, west of downtown Kiev
Apartments between the 16th and 20th floors were set on fire
The Russian Ministry of Defense offered neither comment nor respect for the victims. These paratroopers may have been on security missions at airports near the capital – airports vital to the Russians. They cannot launch a final attack on Kiev because they do not have enough troops or artillery and tank support near the city center. So they have to fly with extra resources.
As Russia’s previous incursions into Ukrainian territory were virtually non-existent, the Kremlin’s military leaders were surprised by the resistance they encountered.
When they captured the Crimean peninsula in 2014, the opposition was so ineffective that the operation resembled a training exercise. Since then, Ukrainian troops have been strictly trained and generously equipped by NATO members, especially Britain.
In yesterday’s battles, the Russians faced modern Western weapons and tactics, combined with a patriotic determination among their Ukrainian opponents that they could not match.
The Ministry of Defense also confirmed last night that the slowdown in Russia’s progress not only towards Kiev but throughout the country was due to “strong Ukrainian resistance” and “acute logistical difficulties.”
Russian armored vehicles were damaged. Some had run out of fuel, others needed spare parts. On the advice of NATO partners, Ukrainian forces have moved to supply lines to the Russians.
Experts also suggested yesterday that the Kremlin’s speculation that they would be able to take over the country with minimal resistance may have persuaded the Russians to continue without the support and resources they seem to lack.
Professor Sir Lawrence Friedman of the Royal College of London told the BBC: “There are some really interesting aspects of Russian strategy. They seemed to be overconfident and too arrogant.
Hours later, the state emergency service acknowledged that two people had died from their injuries
“They rushed to Kiev to overthrow President Zelensky and it failed. They failed to capture a large city. They have also taken many victims.
“These difficulties are growing. You have lost equipment, bridges have been destroyed, you need to find new routes to attract heavier forces to Kiev and other cities. It is not happening as President Putin or Russia’s top command would have predicted.
“He thought Ukraine was a country without an identity. It was a delusion. The plan depended on getting President Zelenski and replacing him. But this will not work now.
“You already have a mobilized nation ready to take on invading forces.” In Kiev, the Russians will have problems, even if they act in a brutal way, because the city war is one of the most difficult forms of war.
“They face major strategic and logistical challenges. Wars are expensive. You need fuel and there is some evidence that they are starting to run out. The options are not great for Russia. She lost the initiative and gave the Ukrainians time to mobilize.
“The Russians still have no control over the air, so their helicopters and planes have been destroyed.”
Everyday people in Ukraine, those who had never wore a rifle or wore a military uniform before this conflict, continued their remarkable resistance yesterday.
The women were at the forefront of these efforts yesterday, while in scenes replicated across the country, mothers and daughters of the Dnieper, a city in the center of the country, spent their Saturday afternoons preparing Molotov cocktails.
Women were at the forefront of the effort yesterday, while in scenes replicated across the country, mothers and daughters of the Dnieper spent their day making Molotov cocktails.
They have been seen scraping polystyrene sheets and packaging. One woman noted that because they are good at cooking, making a Molotov cocktail is easy.
They have been seen scraping polystyrene sheets and packaging. One woman noted that because they are good at cooking, making a Molotov cocktail is easy. They shared jokes with Western reporters and explained that it was better to do something useful than just sit and wait for the Russians to arrive.
They were also happy just to be outside, as so many Ukrainians spent most of their time underground, with curfew limiting them to underground shrines for at least 13 hours a day.
But it may not be so easy in Kiev, after the mayor of the city – former world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko – imposed a curfew from 17:00 to 8:00 tomorrow morning and warned that everyone on the street will be treated as a saboteur .
In addition, yesterday Ukrainians were told to “disorient” Russian forces by removing road signs, destroying roads after passing tanks, so that fuel supplies could not follow the burning of forests if Russian vehicles were spotted and fired tires – all this to make progress while as difficult as possible for the invaders.