Russia has given up hope of seizing Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa thanks to heroic Mariupol defense – Ukraine’s MoD
Russian plans to capture Kyiv have been thwarted and they have been pushed back along multiple fronts, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Facebook on March 21.
“The enemy is no longer day-dreaming about seizing Kyiv,” the defense minister said.
“They suffered a setback in Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts, were dealt painful blows near Kharkiv, and in Mykolaiv, Kherson and Luhansk oblasts.”
Reznikov highlighted the critical role of the defenders of Mariupol in wrecking the plans of the enemy and stepping up the defense.
“Thanks to their dedication and superhuman courage, tens of thousands of lives have been spared throughout Ukraine,” Reznikov said.
“Mariupol is saving Kyiv, Dnipro, and Odesa today. Everyone should understand this.”
Everyone who now holds the line is winning us precious time, which allows us to strengthen Ukraine, the defense minister said.
According to him, the Kremlin no longer knows how to explain what is happening, given that they have buried more soldiers in the month-long war than they have official recognized as losses.
"Lies no longer help them, but the truth scares them,” Reznikov said.
Ukrainian attacks have almost completely destroyed a number of Russian tank, air assault, engineering and other units considered "elite" among Russian forces, along with their commanders, Reznikov said.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, our soldiers have shot down almost 100 planes and 120 helicopters, and destroyed almost 500 tanks and 1,500 Russian armored combat vehicles.”
Reznikov said this has forced Russia to recruit mercenaries around the world and make desperate attempts to draw Belarusian troops into “the hell that the war with Ukraine is.”
He said that Ukraine would defend itself no matter where the attacker came from.
He said that the residents of Kherson, Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, and other cities who are protesting against the Russian invaders unarmed, demonstrate that the will of the Ukrainian people is invincible and that it is better for the enemy pack up and leave.""
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