Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the Ukrainian army on Monday to reinforce the defense of the city of Bakhmout, epicenter of the fighting in the east of the country, refuting speculation of a withdrawal in the face of Russian troops who have been trying for months to encircle the city. symbol. “I told the general staff to find the appropriate forces to help the guys in Bakhmout,” the president said in his daily video message Monday evening, reaffirming “that no part of Ukraine can be abandoned. “to Russia.
During the night from Sunday to Monday, the Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 13 Iranian-made explosive drones out of 15 launched by Russia. It did not report any human losses or material damage.
The main information :
- Ukraine continues to defend the city of Bakhmout, prey to Russian attacks.
- President Zelensky called for “finding forces” to defend the city.
- Ukraine has called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) after a video purporting to show a Ukrainian prisoner of war being executed by Russian soldiers was released.
Zelensky asked the army to “find the forces” to defend Bakhmout
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday he had asked his military commanders to “find the forces” to defend Bakhmout, the epicenter of the fighting in the east of the country, around which Russian troops have tightened their grip.
“I told the General Staff to find the appropriate forces to help the guys in Bakhmut,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video, saying “no part of Ukraine can be given up” to the Russians.
While rumors of a tactical withdrawal had been swirling for a week, the Ukrainian presidency had previously indicated that the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces had “pronounced themselves in favor of the continuation of the defensive operation and a reinforcement of (their) positions in Bakhmout”, during a meeting with the Head of State.
Investigation after a video showing the alleged execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy on Monday called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the broadcast of a video showing, according to him, a Ukrainian prisoner of war executed by Russian soldiers.
“Horrible video of an unarmed Ukrainian POW being executed by Russian forces for simply saying ‘Glory to Ukraine’. Further proof that this war is genocidal,” Dmytro Kouleba commented on Twitter. “It is imperative that (ICC prosecutor) Karim Khan launch an immediate investigation into this heinous war crime,” he added: “The perpetrators of these acts must be brought to justice.”
Dmytro Kouleba was referring to an amateur video circulating on social media on Monday showing what appears to be a soldier standing in a trench smoking a cigarette and being shot with an automatic weapon after saying ‘Glory to Ukraine’. Moscow and kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of killing POWs since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.