Putin is proposing "humanitarian operation" in Kostiantynivka to capture town without fight. Kramatorsk and Sloviansk will follow, - Zelenskyy
Russia is pushing ahead with a so-called ‘humanitarian operation’ in Kostiantynivka, using the pretext of rescuing civilians in order to capture the town and open up a route to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made this statement whilst speaking to journalists, according to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform.
Why does Russia need an evacuation from Kostiantynivka?
"The Russian narrative about the ‘civilian population’ in Kostiantynivka is Putin’s reaction to his failure to capture the town. Putin simply wants us to withdraw from Kostiantynivka so that they can move in and thereby occupy the entire town. I explained my position to the American negotiators: the people there are exclusively Ukrainian citizens with weapons and Russian citizens, who are occupiers and also armed. And there, inside Kostiantynivka, fighting is taking place," said Zelenskyy.
According to him, Ukraine is doing everything possible to evacuate civilians from the town, but handing Kostiantynivka over to Russia would pave the way for a further offensive in the Donbas.
"If we give up Kostiantynivka, their next moves will be to target other towns in the Donbas. … After Kostiantynivka, it will be Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. They want to destroy these towns and kill all our people," the president emphasised.
Humanitarian mission in Oleshky
Zelenskyy also commented on the operation to free civilians in Oleshky. He noted that, thanks to the mediation of the American side – in particular, the initiative of First Lady Melania Trump – people had been successfully evacuated. At the same time, he said, Russia had exploited the situation to strengthen its military positions.
The President noted that Ukraine had provided the US with a list of seven or eight settlements where civilians, including children, remain trapped; however, Russia has not offered to carry out similar operations in these communities.
"And what did they propose? Kostiantynivka. Why? Because after Kostiantynivka come Kramatorsk and Sloviansk," the head of state emphasised.
He stressed that Russian troops have been unable to capture Kostiantynivka for a year and a half.
Zelenskyy also noted that in October alone, according to Ukrainian estimates, the Russian army’s losses amounted to 54,000 killed and seriously wounded, which is the Russian Federation’s highest monthly toll in nearly five years of war.
What led up to this?
- As a reminder, on 12 November, during a meeting with special representatives of the US President, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed organising a "humanitarian mission" in Kostiantynivka, where fighting is ongoing. He stated that the mission to evacuate people from the town should follow the example of the one carried out in Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- The dictator claimed that Russia allegedly controls the town — although Ukraine and independent observers have noted that Ukrainian units maintain a presence there — and proposed involving the ombudsmen of Ukraine and the Russian Federation in organising the mission.
- According to him, it would take five days to clear the area near the city of mines. He also highlighted the "positive experience of humanitarian cooperation" with Ukraine regarding Oleshky.
