Kyiv:
According to a close aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian troops arrived in Kyiv with the goal of capturing the president and his family, and were only minutes away from doing so in the first hours of the invasion on February 24.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, revealed how the Russians targeted presidential offices and government quarters, with gunfire audible within the President’s office, in an interview published by TIME titled ‘Inside Zelensky’s World.’
Russian strike squads had parachuted into Kyiv to kill or kidnap Zelensky and his family, according to the military.
According to Yermak, who spoke to the magazine after the incident, it was evident that the presidential offices were not the safest place to be.
He went on to say that American and British soldiers had volunteered to evacuate the President and his crew, but that he wanted ammo, not a ride, which made headlines throughout the world.
The purpose of the President’s evacuation was to assist Ukraine in establishing a government in exile, most likely in eastern Poland.
According to the article, a secure bunker outside of Kyiv was waiting for the President, and it was equipped to endure a long siege, but Zelensky refused to go there.
Meanwhile, Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady, has stated that the battle with Russia has not changed her husband, but rather has revealed to the world his will to win and the fact that he is a man you can trust.
She also stated she hasn’t seen her spouse since Russia invaded Ukraine in an interview published Friday in the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
She also accused Russia of attempting to commit genocide against the Ukrainian people and expressed sympathy for the more than 11 million Ukrainians forced to evacuate their homes.
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