Zelenskyy explained why Ukraine strikes energy targets in Russia

Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi / AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the energy sector of the aggressor country is a legitimate target for Ukraine, but they currently lack the ability to respond to Russia's attacks with the same force, writes "Ukrayinska Pravda".

"We should not choose whether we hit a military target or energy. He [Putin] sells this energy. He sells oil. So, is it energy or a military target? Frankly, it's the same thing. He sells oil, takes money, invests it in weapons. With these weapons, he kills Ukrainians.

What should a Ukrainian do? Two paths. We create weapons and strike their weapons. Or we strike the source of their money's accumulation and generation. And that source is their energy sector. This is what's happening. You can't compare whether it's a military target. All of this for us is, number one, legitimate, number two, military targets. And who could have done such a thing to us with the Russians? No one," Zelenskyy said during a communication with faculty and students of the Kyiv Aviation Institute.

Zelenskyy noted that Russians are striking Ukrainian energy with the aim of breaking society.

"This is the task of hybrid warfare – to divide society, to weaken and break it. If you break civilians, the military will break, at least the risk is high. This is what the enemy does. What does Ukraine do? It responds to energy attacks by striking their energy. They cannot live with light, in comfort, in peace, when we are freezing and, frankly, only losing. They get a response. Do we deliver a mirror response? No, we don't have the same resources they do," said the President of Ukraine.

He noted that the technologies and production accumulated by Russia are, in particular, the achievements of the entire Soviet Union. He also mentioned Ukraine's renunciation of nuclear weapons.

"They have knowledge, technologies, and enterprises that were accumulated – this is a long path of the entire USSR, and Ukraine, and various Ukraine: Ukraine was both patriotic, and there were many traitors. The same was true with the technologies that were transferred. Not only were planes dismantled, technologies, weapons, and so on were transferred. "Kolchugas" were given away, everything was sold, nuclear weapons were surrendered. Are we supporting nuclear war? No. But which of the modern nuclear powers has occupation? Zero. That's all," Zelenskyy said.

"Should we respond in kind? We should. Do we have such a massive arsenal as the Russians? Because of what I said – they have everything from Soviet times – no, we don't have that, but we are growing. And in geometric progression," he added.

• 15
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 1
• 0
• 1