Zelensky: Russia may try to occupy Kharkiv

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Vladimir Zelensky PHOTO: Reuters

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Washington Post that Russia could try to occupy the industrial city of Kharkov if it took military action in Ukraine and that this would be the beginning of a full-scale war, Reuters reported.

Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops near the border with Ukraine. Kharkiv is 42 km from the border and is the second largest city in Ukraine.

“Kharkov, which is under Ukrainian government control, could be occupied. Russia needs a pretext: They will say they are protecting the Russian-speaking population,” Zelensky said.

He believes that this scenario can be realized. “This will not be just an occupation. This will be the beginning of a full-scale war,” he warned.

Kharkov, with a population of about 1.4 million people, was the capital of Ukraine from 1919 to 1933, when it was part of the USSR, and has factories for tanks and tractors, as well as electronic products.

Zelensky also said today that he was grateful to US President Joe Biden for Washington’s unprecedented diplomatic and military assistance, Reuters reported.

Separately, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinkon about the talks he had

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