Cape Town - Ukraine president President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that fierce fighting continues in Donetsk region – Bakhmut direction, Avdiyivka, on day 246 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“All our soldiers who hold positions in these directions in Donetsk region are simply heroes.”
“Today I would like to mention the soldiers of the 25th Airborne Brigade for their bravery in liberating the occupied territories in Luhansk region.”
“Today, during the day, the air raid alerts sounded several times over most of the territory of our state. The Air Force has results – another helicopter of the occupiers was shot down, another drone. ”
“The total number of downed Russian helicopters is approaching 250. The Russian occupiers have already lost as much equipment – aircraft and other – as most armies of the world simply do not have and will never have in service.”
He thanked all his fighters for what he deemed “a gradual and irreversible demilitarisation of the enemy“.
Putin blasts West
Russian president Vladimir Putin signalled on Thursday that he had no regrets about what he calls “a special operation” and accused the West of inciting the war and of playing a “dangerous, bloody and dirty” game that was sowing chaos across the world.
According to Reuters reporting, the Russian president blamed the West for inciting recent nuclear tensions, citing remarks by former British prime minister Liz Truss about her readiness to use London’s nuclear deterrent if the circumstances demanded it.
Putin ruled out using nuclear weapons in Ukraine and described the conflict there as part of alleged efforts by the West to secure its global domination.
Putin on Thursday denied having any intentions of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Putin said on Thursday that Moscow was ready for talks to end the conflict in Ukraine, but said Kyiv was not prepared to sit down at the negotiating table.
“It’s not a question about us, we are ready for negotiations. But the leaders in Kyiv decided not to continue negotiations with Russia,” Putin told the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow.
Russia’s strategic forces carried out drills on Wednesday, including a test launch of a ballistic missile from a submarine, according to international media reports.
Russia’s economy
Putin said that the country’s GDP will fall by 2.8-2.9% this year, citing a report by Sputnik news on Thursday.
“We will have a recession in the economy this year. Approximately, somewhere around 2.8-2.9%,” Putin said at the Valdai Discussion Club.
The president also said that inflation in Russia will be 12% by year-end but may decrease to 5% next year.
Since the invasion of the Ukraine on 24 February this year, the UN reported 14 000 civilian casualties to date, with 5 767 people killed and 8 292 injured, according to the head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, Matilda Bogner.
Bogner says that these figures could be much higher.
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