Friday, June 3, was the 100th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the day by vowing victory in the conflict. His confident assertion came even as Russian forces pounded eastern Donbas region.
Russian invasion of Ukraine started on February 24. Thousands of people have been killed and millions have been displaced till now in Ukraine conflict.
“Victory will be ours,” Zelensky said in a video address similar to one he posted at the onset of the war outside government buildings in Kyiv
Russia’s advance has been slowed by a fierce Ukrainian resistance which repelled them from around the capital and forced Moscow to shift its aims towards capturing the east.
In spite of Russia’s slow advance, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Pescov said, “certain results have been achieved”. He pointed at “liberation” of some areas from what he called the “pro-Nazi armed forces of Ukraine”.
Western countries including the US have continued sending potent weapons to Ukraine. They have also imposed stringent sanctions on Russia. The European Union on Friday, formally adopted a ban on most Russian oil imports.
Putin’s alleged girlfriend, former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, was also added to an assets freeze and visa-ban blacklist, along with Russian army personnel suspected of war crimes.
Amid the unfolding situation, the United Nations has said that it is leading intense negotiations with Russia to allow Ukranian grain to leave country’s ports in order to avoid food crisis.
(With inputs from agencies)
