“Know that you want to survive”
Zelenskyj appeals to Russian soldiers
03/15/2022 03:47 am
In a new video message, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addresses not only his people, but also the Russian soldiers. We know from tapped phone calls how many of them actually think about the war. And on the Russian side, the realization is gaining ground that nothing can be achieved with war.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj wants to hold those responsible for the serious acts of war in his country accountable without forbearance. “We are working with our partners on new punitive measures against the Russian state,” he said on Tuesday night published video messagewhose English translation is available here. “Everyone responsible for the war. Everyone responsible for destroying democracy. Everyone responsible for repression against people. Everyone gets an answer.”
The Russian military is definitely responsible for war crimes, for a “deliberately created humanitarian catastrophe” in Ukrainian cities, Zelenskyy said in the clip, which shows him in military gear in the presidential office in Kyiv. Russia is beginning to realize that it will not achieve anything by going to war. “They didn’t expect such resistance. They believed their propaganda, which has been lying about us for decades.”
More casualties than in Chechnya
Within 19 days of the war in Ukraine, the Russian army had suffered higher losses than during the two Chechen wars, Zelensky said. The information is not independently verifiable. The Ukrainian President called on the Russian soldiers to lay down their arms. From wiretapped telephone conversations between Russian soldiers and their families at home, we know what many “really think about this war.” “I know you want to survive.” He is grateful to those Russians “who don’t stop telling the truth,” Zelensky said, referring to anti-war protests in Russia.
As an example, he cited Marina Ovsyannikova, an employee of the Russian state television, who had interrupted the live transmission of the evening’s main news program with a protest poster and loud shouts. He confirmed that talks between the two countries’ negotiators should continue this Tuesday. The delegations had adjourned on Monday due to a “technical break”.