Kyiv: Russia to be beaten as Nazism was

KYIV— President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday vowed that Russian forces would be defeated in Ukraine like Nazi Germany was beaten in World War II, commemorating Victory in Europe Day.

“All the old evil that modern Russia is bringing back will be defeated just as Nazism was defeated,” Zelensky said in a video statement standing in front of a war memorial.

“Just as we destroyed evil together then, we are destroying a similar evil together now,” he added.

His address came on the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s surrender to allied forces on May 8, 1945 and one day ahead of Victory Day in Moscow, celebrating the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.

Zelensky said he had submitted a bill to parliament to formally commemorate World War II in Ukraine on May 8 and celebrate Europe Day on May 9, distancing itself further from Moscow.

He said the Kremlin was responsible for “aggression and annexation, occupation and deportation,” as well as “mass murder and torture”.

“All of this will be answered by our victory—the victory of Ukraine and the free world.”

The address came hours after Ukrainian forces said they had downed 35 attack drones launched by Russia, which left five people wounded in Kyiv.

In the southern region of Odessa, officials reported an airstrike hitting a warehouse, in which three people were injured.

Earlier, the head of the Wagner mercenary group said on Sunday that Russia had promised his fighters enough ammunition to stay in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, after threatening to pull out in scathing videos.

Rivalries between Yevgeny Prigozhin and the conventional army had boiled over during the battle for the now-devastated flashpoint, where Wagner is leading the assault.

“Overnight we received a combat order... they promised to give us all the ammunition and armaments we need to continue the operations” in Bakhmut, Prigozhin said.

His group has been assured “that everything necessary will be provided”, he added.

On Friday, he had threatened to pull out of Bakhmut on May 10, blaming Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for “tens of thousands” of Russian casualties in a series of blistering, profanitylaced videos.

“Their unprofessionalism is destroying tens of thousands of Russian guys and that is unforgivable,” he said.

The internal row comes as Russia has reported increasing drone strikes and sabotage inside its territory ahead of an expected spring counteroffensive from Ukraine.

Ukraine also reported casualties early Monday morning from fresh Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight.

The Ukrainian air command said that all 35 Russian drones launched at the city had been detected and shot down, while the local military administration said at least five people were wounded, with falling debris blamed for damage in multiple areas.