4 years of Ukraine-Russia battle: Zelenskyy reveals his ‘base’ in Kyiv; taunts Putin – watch
Because the Ukraine–Russia battle marked 4 years on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the “base” from which he directed his nation’s preliminary response to the army offensive launched by the Kremlin.To mark the fourth anniversary of the battle, Zelenskyy shared a video message to the nation on his X deal with. The practically 19-minute deal with was filmed contained in the bunker complicated, providing probably the most detailed glimpse but of the ability beneath the centre of the capital, Kyiv.Vladimir Putin, in response to Zelenskyy, failed to realize his targets and couldn’t break the folks of Ukraine.“This workplace – this small room within the bunker on Bankova Road – that is the place I held my first conversations with world leaders firstly of the battle,” he mentioned within the nationwide message.The Ukrainian chief additionally recalled a warning from then-US President Joe Biden, who had urged him to go away Ukraine “urgently” and even supplied help to evacuate him.“Right here I spoke with President Joe Biden, and it was proper right here that I heard: ‘Volodymyr, there’s a risk. You could depart Ukraine urgently. We’re prepared to assist with that,’” Zelenskyy recalled, seated on a black leather-based chair in a cramped, white-walled room.“And right here I replied that I want ammunition, not a trip,” he added.He was referring to remarks the Ukrainian embassy in Britain attributed to him on February 26, 2022 — two days after the battle started.“The battle is right here; I want ammunition, not a trip,” Zelenskyy advised Biden, in response to the embassy.The bunker proven within the video gave the impression to be an expansive Soviet-era bomb shelter, designed to maintain the Ukrainian authorities within the occasion of a large assault on Kyiv.The footage revealed small rooms allotted to completely different branches of presidency — the presidency, the cupboard of ministers, and parliament. Every contained round a dozen chairs, a tv display and Ukrainian flags.Rows of black cables ran alongside the partitions, whereas massive gasoline pipes and electrical bins have been fastened to the ceilings. Blue-and-yellow indicators — the colors of the Ukrainian flag — directed folks to numerous rooms inside the maze-like tunnels.Brilliant posters dotted the partitions, paying tribute to Ukraine’s battle effort and its troopers — the one splash of color amid luminous inexperienced emergency exit indicators and red-and-white security tape lining the low ceilings.The deal with, posted early Tuesday, sought to rally Ukrainians by recalling the spirit of resistance that outlined the nation when Russia first launched what it calls a “particular army operation.”After years of grinding battle and heavy losses, Kyiv is now beneath stress from US President Donald Trump, who succeeded Biden within the White Home in January 2025, to just accept a peace deal that might contain ceding territory to Russia. Battle fatigue, compounded by relentless missile and drone assaults from Moscow’s forces, can be operating excessive.