President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Ukrainians on the 12th day of the Russian invasion. He stressed that he was in Kyiv.
"I'm staying in Kyiv. On Bankova Street. I'm not hiding. And I'm not afraid of anyone. As long as it takes to win this war!" Zelenskyy said in his video message.
"Today is the 12th. The 12th evening of our struggle. Of our defense. We are all on the place; we are all working. Everyone is where one should be. I am in Kyiv. My team is with me. The territorial defense is on the place. The military is in position. Doctors, rescuers, transporters, diplomats, journalists. Everyone, we are all at war. We are all contributing to our victory, which will inevitably be. Due to the power of weapons and our army, the power of words and our diplomacy, and the power of the spirit that have both of them and each of us," the President stressed.
Zelenskyy reminded how heroically Ukrainian cities are resisting the Russian occupiers. He mentioned Chaplynka, Melitopol, Tokmak, Novotroyitske, Kherson, Starobilsk. The President stressed that unarmed people with national flags are coming out against armed Russians.
"Everywhere, people defended themselves, even though they don't have weapons there. But these are our people, and that's why they have weapons - they have courage, dignity. And therefore, the ability to go out and say: I am here, it is mine, I do not give it away. Their city. Their community. Their Ukraine. Every Ukrainian man and woman who will protest against the occupiers yesterday, today, and tomorrow are heroes. We are shouting at the occupiers with you. We are standing in the squares and streets with you. We are not afraid to join you when the occupiers open fire and disperse everyone. You are not retreating. We are not retreating," he said.
He also noted that Russia have been repeated we are "brotherly peoples," however has occupied Ukrainian Crimea and part of Donbas. Now it is bombing other Ukrainian towns and villages and did not expect such resistance.
"And the one who repeated: "We are one nation" did not expect such a reaction. In the south of our country, such a national movement unfolded, a powerful manifestation of Ukrainianness that we had never seen in their streets and squares. It is like a nightmare for Russia. They forgot that we are not afraid of paddy wagons and batons. We are not afraid of tanks and machine guns. When the truth is on our side," Zelenskyy said.
As a reminder, yesterday, Zelenskyy awarded the heads of regional state administrations and mayors who excelled in defense of their communities. He also awarded the titles of "Hero Cities" to Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Gostomel, and Volnovakha, which are resisting the Russian occupiers. Residents of these cities are holding rallies and going out against armed Russians with Ukrainian flags, singing the national anthem.
Russian propaganda media have repeatedly reported fakes that Zelenskyy allegedly fled Ukraine or even "sitting in a bunker." On March 5, the President of Ukraine recorded a video from Bankova street and stated that "he likes to run, but now there is no time for cardio training."
Meanwhile, Russian media reported that Russian aggressor President Vladimir Putin had not appeared in the Kremlin for more than a week. The Russians speculate that he may be in a bunker in the Urals. At the same time, Putin's "meeting" with Aeroflot representatives was shown on Russian television. Women asked him questions and had tea. However, later users noticed that the video was edited, and the President of the Russian Federation was simply put there.