Russia wants to seize Kostiantynivka under the guise of a humanitarian operation to evacuate civilians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a conversation with journalists.
According to him, the Russian initiative aims to make Ukrainian forces withdraw from the city, after which Russian troops would enter and occupy it. “Putin simply wants us to leave Kostiantynivka, and for them to enter and thus occupy the entire city,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president said that fighting was continuing in Kostiantynivka. He pointed out that Ukraine was doing everything possible to evacuate the civilian population, but warned that surrendering the city would open the way for further Russian advances in Donbas.
“If we surrender Kostiantynivka, their next steps will be other cities in Donbas. After Kostiantynivka, they will come to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk,” Zelensky said. According to him, Russian forces have been unable to seize Kostiantynivka for a year and a half.
Ukraine has identified other populated areas
Zelensky said that Ukraine had handed the American side a list of seven or eight populated areas where civilians, including children, remained trapped. According to him, Russia had not proposed similar operations in those communities, but had specifically pointed to Kostiantynivka.
“And what did they propose? Kostiantynivka. Why? Because after Kostiantynivka, it will be Kramatorsk and Sloviansk,” the Ukrainian president said.
He also commented on the operation to evacuate civilians from Oleshky. According to Zelensky, the people were evacuated with the mediation of the American side, including at the initiative of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. At the same time, Russia used the situation to strengthen its military positions, he said.
Zelensky also cited Russian losses in October
The Ukrainian president said that, according to Ukraine’s estimates, the Russian army had suffered 54,000 killed and seriously wounded in October. According to him, these were Russia’s largest monthly losses in nearly five years of war.
The proposal for a humanitarian mission in Kostiantynivka was made by the Russian side during a meeting between Vladimir Putin and U.S. President’s special representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The Russian plan was presented as an operation modeled on the evacuation in Oleshky.
Sources: ukrinform.ua