Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is cheering on Russian citizens protesting President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a video address Tuesday morning local time, hours after a Russian state TV employee was detained for interrupting a news broadcast with an anti-war sign, Zelensky said he was grateful to the Russians who “fight disinformation and tell the truth” as the war stretches into its third week.
‘LYING TO YOU’: RUSSIAN TV EMPLOYEE INTERRUPTS NEWS BROADCAST WITH ANTI-WAR SIGN
“To those who are not afraid to protest, as long as your country has not completely closed itself off from the whole world, turning into a very large North Korea, you must fight. You must not lose your chance,” Zelensky said.
There already is growing dissent in the streets of Russia, but authorities have cracked down, arresting at least 3,000 protesters across 49 Russian cities.
Ukraine’s president also encouraged Russian troops in his country to lay down their arms.
“If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated: as people, decently, in a way you were not treated in your army and in a way your army does not treat ours. Choose!” Zelensky said.
Over one ton of humanitarian aid en route to Mariupol has been delayed for the third day in a row. Zelensky said the government “will do everything to ensure” that Ukrainians receive much-needed supplies, as reports show that many have gone without food, water, or electricity for days.
More than 3,800 Ukrainians fled the cities and towns in the regions of Kyiv and Luhansk on Monday alone, the president reported.
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On Wednesday, Zelensky is expected to give a virtual address to Congress on the state of Russia’s invasion.
