Dr Victor Sumsky, a leading expert at the ASEAN Centre in Moscow State Institute of International Relations(MGIMO) University in Russia, has alleged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s regime is using civilians as human shields to prevent the forward movement of the advancing Russian army.
The remarks were made by Dr Sumsky on Times Now, where he accused the Zelenskyy regime of unleashing a propaganda offensive to paint Russia as a villain and hinder the pace of progressing Russian troops.
When asked about reports stating that the Russian army has been attacking civilians in Ukraine, Sumsky rejected them, saying that it was a part of the Zelenskyy government’s effort to tarnish the reputation of Russia by disseminating misleading information. “Zelenskyy has made it a point to use civilians as human shields against advancing Russian troops. These are tactics used by terrorists across the world,” Victor Sumsky said.
Zelenskyy's regime made it a point to use civilians as human shields against advancing Russian troops. These are the tactics used by terrorists across the world: Victor Sumsky, Senior Expert of ASEAN Centre in MGIMO University#PutinEscalatesWar | @RShivshankar pic.twitter.com/96ohkO5Kvq
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 1, 2022
It is worth noting that Zelenskyy has said that his government will provide weapons to anyone who wants to fight and has asked people to be ready to support Ukraine in city squares. In the wake of the invasion, Zelenskyy had tweeted that the Ukrainian government will provide arms and ammunition to civilians willing to fight against the Russian forces. Zelenskyy had also stated that his government will lift sanctions against any citizens who take up arms in defence of the country as part of the territorial defence.
Earlier today, an Indian student became a casualty of the ongoing crisis in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, following heavy shelling from Russian forces.
“With profound sorrow, we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family. We convey our deepest condolences to the family,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Nearly 20,000 Indian students, most studying medicine, have been stuck in Ukraine. The Indian government has started an evacuation operation named ‘Operation Ganga’ for the stranded Indian students. Several special flights have been running from Poland, Romania, and Hungary to bring the students home.
Russia launches ‘military operations’ against Ukraine
On Thursday (February 24), Russian President Vladimir Putin announced limited military operations against Ukraine. In a televised address, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the special operation to be conducted in East Ukraine.
Putin had added explicitly that Moscow did not plan on occupying Ukraine. He said the military action he announced would seek to “demilitarise” and “denazify” Ukraine and came in response to threats from Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s border guard agency, the Russian military entered the country from neighbouring Belarus. The Russian forces crossed Belarus to enter Ukraine from the North, said Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Northern border forces in Ukraine have come under attack by Russian troops.
