Zelenskyy: Russia is lying about halting offense

Kyiv, May 25 (EFE) .- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday statements made by Russian officials claiming they had decided to stop the advance of their troops in Ukraine are lies.

In a message recorded on video and broadcast Tuesday night, the president dismissed statements made by Nikolai Patrushev, Russian Security Council secretary.

“We are not pursuing any deadline. All the objectives set by the president, Vladimir Putin, will be met. It cannot be otherwise because the truth, including the historical truth, is on our side,” the Russian official said.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also called the slowdown in offensive operations in Ukraine “deliberate.”

Those statements that say Russians “have deliberately stopped offensive actions are absolutely inappropriate,” the Ukrainian president said.

“After three months of searching for explanations as to why they failed to break up Ukraine in three days, they couldn’t think of anything better than to say that it was planned that way,” he added.

According to his data, almost 30,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine so far, more than 200 planes have been shot down, thousands of Russian tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment have been destroyed. Russian missile ammunition has been spent almost entirely.

“And they want to cover this up with a lie; they are not fighting at full strength. It’s a shame. And the time will come when they themselves will admit it,” Zelenskyy said. EFE

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