Vladimir Putin’s army ‘promised’ significant victory in time for special WW2 anniversary
Putin’s army ‘promised’ victory by May says Ponomarev
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Mr Ponomarev told France 24: “I think [Putin] will try to claim something by May 9, I think that’s an immediate objective.
“I think that’s the promise that has been delivered to Vladimir Putin by his generals.
“But frankly speaking, judging on how the first month of war went, I don’t see whether he can do something about it.
“Now, a lot of Ukrainian militaries would be unfrozen from Kyiv and they can join fighters in eastern Ukraine.
JUST IN: Putin threatens to STARVE Germany in horror retaliation to measures
“So just simply Russian military is not enough and they show that they are incompetent to achieve their military objectives”
The France24 host asked: “So Putin lost the war?”
Mr Ponomarev replied: “Putin definitely lost the war and he will be gone soon.”
It comes as Ukrainian authorities said at least 39 people were killed and 87 wounded in a missile strike on Friday on a railway station in east Ukraine that was packed with women, children, and elderly trying to flee fighting.
Ukraine: Russian soldier tells woman grave was 'to put you in'
Officials said many of the wounded had lost limbs and were being operated on after the strike in the city of Kramatorsk, which President Volodymyr Zelensky said was a deliberate attack on civilians using a Tochka U short-range ballistic missile.
“Lacking the strength and courage to stand up to us on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population,” Zelensky said in a statement. “This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop.”
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, on Twitter, and British defence minister Ben Wallace, during a visit to Romania, both denounced the attack.
White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said there was “mounting evidence that Russian forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine” and the U.S. embassy in Ukraine denounced it as “one more atrocity committed by Russia in Ukraine.”
DON’T MISS
US reveals hypersonic missile test, risks escalating Russia tension [REPORT]
West urged to impose ‘realistic red line’ on Russia [COMMENTS]
POLL: Would you pay more for energy bills to cut off ALL Russian gas? [POLL]
The Russian military is reported to no longer operate Tochka U short-range ballistic missiles, having replaced them with Iskander missiles in 2020.
Indeed, Russia’s defence ministry has denied that Russian forces were responsible for the missile strike.
The Russian defence ministry stressed that the missile used was of a type used only by the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian forces are believed to have fired a Tochka U which hit the centre of the city of Donetsk on March 14, killing 17 people.
Source: Read Full Article
