Kyiv – AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in an interview with local state media that his country does not accept any Russian ultimatum.
“Ukraine does not accept any Russian ultimatum,” he told the Suspilne news website, which released the tape of the interview. They must destroy us first, then their warnings will be carried out.”
On Sunday night, Ukraine rejected an ultimatum from Russia to surrender the besieged city of Mariupol, while a new bombardment of Kyiv killed at least eight people, and destroyed the vicinity of a commercial center in the capital.
“There is no question of surrender or laying down arms,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk told the newspaper “Ukrainskaya Pravda”. We have already informed the Russian side of this.”
She described the Russian demand as “deliberate manipulation and real hostage-taking.”
The Russian Defense Ministry had called on Ukraine to lay down its weapons, and demanded a written response to its warning before five in the morning on Monday, in order to protect the population and infrastructure of the city of Mariupol.
