Zelenskyy says ‘fate of Ukraine is being decided now’ as Kyiv braces for Russian assault — via NBCnews
Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., said at a news conference Friday that Russia committed what she characterized as war crimes, targeting civilians, taking nearly 100 people"The Russian propaganda machine says that civilians were not targeted. I want to tell you this is not true," Markarova told reporters.“The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us," said Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxing champion.
Meanwhile just outside the capital, Russia claimed it had taken control of the strategic Hostomel Airport, which handles heavy cargo flights and would allow Moscow to airlift troops directly to Kyiv. A day earlier, Ukraine's military said that Russian troops sustained heavy casualties in the fighting there.Local officials said that Russia had captured the southern city of Kherson despite its “significant forces” suffering “great loses.
Ukraine's leader said Thursday that he was Russia's"No. 1 target" — backing up Western intelligence that Russia intends to decapitate his Western-leaning government and possibly replace it with a regime closer to Moscow. Amnesty International condemned Putin’s offensive and called on Russian troops to"immediately stop carrying out indiscriminate attacks in violation of the laws of war."Emilio Morenatti / AP