Putin: ‘Invasion Of Ukraine Like Fighting Nazi Germany’
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
MOSCOW/KYIV (Worthy News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Europe on Thursday that he views the invasion of Ukraine as a fight against Nazi Germany. He spoke as European Union leaders gathered in Kyiv for their largest summit in Ukraine so far.
Angering Moscow, the EU said it would pledge more humanitarian and military aid to Ukrainians.
And the President of the EU’s executive European Commission said “the 10th package of sanctions” would be ready by February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
European Union leaders will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Friday, promising new sanctions against Russia but perhaps disappointing Ukraine’s hope for swift membership to the EU.
Several EU leaders want Ukraine to improve democracy and tackle massive corruption though Von der Leyen said a recent anti-corruption crackdown was a promising sign.
Yet Russian President Putin made clear Russia would not accept the export of more humanitarian aid, including Western tanks, to Ukraine.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of the Battle of Stalingrad, said a decision by Germany, Europe’s leading economy, to send tanks to Ukraine made history resisting itself.
GERMAN LEOPARDS
“It’s unbelievable but true,” he said. “We are again being threatened by German Leopard tanks.” Kyiv has asked Western nations to speed up deliveries of more military hardware, citing an expected invasion of even more troops from arguably the world’s second-largest army.
There were also signs Thursday that Russian forces made two strikes on the town of Kramatorsk in the eastern Donetsk region, killing three people, Ukraine’s military said.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said late Thursday that the casualties were in an apartment block targeted by Russia.
“As a result, 13 two-story buildings and three four-story buildings were damaged, as well as a children’s clinic, a school, and garages and vehicles. There were civilian casualties,” it added.
Ukrainian aircraft also launched four air raids on areas of concentration of Russian troops and one command post, the statement said. One drone was destroyed, officials claimed, but it was difficult to verify those frontline reports.
Kyiv and its allies accuse Moscow of an unprovoked war to grab territory, charges Russia denies. Putin said he ordered a “special military operation” to protect Russian security and the Russian people in Ukraine.
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