Zelensky says Ukraine army shelling retreating Russian troops near Kyiv, Chernihiv

LVIV, Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian troops retaking areas around Kyiv and Chernihiv are not allowing Russians to retreat without a fight, but are “shelling them. They are destroying everyone they can.”

Zelensky says Ukraine knows Russia has the forces to put even more pressure on the east and south of Ukraine.

“What is the goal of the Russian troops? They want to seize the Donbas and the south of Ukraine,” he says. “What is our goal? To defend ourselves, our freedom, our land and our people.”

He says a significant portion of the Russian forces are tied up around Mariupol, where the city’s defenders continue to fight.

“Thanks to this resistance, thanks to the courage and resilience of our other cities, Ukraine has gained invaluable time, time that is allowing us to foil the enemy’s tactics and weaken its capabilities,” Zelensky says.

He appeals again to the West for more modern weaponry, such as anti-missile systems and aircraft.