Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces that invaded its territory last week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday.
Zelenskyy said the operation was aimed at restoring Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protecting its citizens from further aggression.
“We have no other choice but to fight back. We will not surrender our land, our freedom, or our dignity,” he said in a televised address.
Zelenskyy also appealed to the international community to support Ukraine’s efforts and impose more sanctions on Russia.
“We are not asking for charity or pity. We are asking for solidarity and action. The world cannot afford to let this war escalate into a global catastrophe,” he said.
Russia has not officially commented on Ukraine’s counteroffensive, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned earlier that any Ukrainian attempt to regain control of the occupied regions would be “suicidal”.
He also accused Ukraine of violating the 2015 Minsk agreements, which were supposed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.
The agreements have been largely ignored by both sides, and the fighting has continued sporadically for years.
The situation escalated dramatically last week, when Russia launched a surprise invasion of Ukraine from multiple directions, seizing large swathes of land and key infrastructure.
The move triggered widespread condemnation and alarm from Western countries, which have pledged to support Ukraine diplomatically and economically, but have ruled out military intervention.
According to the United Nations, more than 100 people have been killed and over 300 injured since the start of the Russian invasion. Thousands more have been displaced or trapped by the fighting.
