Russian President Vladimir Putin during his announcement of the annexation of parts of Ukraine (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last night (Saturday) appealed to the people of Russia in a video he published on his Telegram account, in which he harshly criticized the country's president, Vladimir Putin.
The video was published by the president shortly after Putin gave his annual speech for the new civil year.
According to the BBC report, Zelensky referred to Putin's New Year's speech in his address, in which the president said that the West had encouraged the outbreak of war after "provoking" Russia.
"We always knew, and today we are happy again - the independence and sovereignty of Russia depends only on us, our strength and our will," Putin said in his speech.
He called the invasion of Ukraine a "defense of our people and our historical lands", adding that "moral and historical justice is on our side. The West lied about peace, now it is cynically exploiting Ukraine and its people to weaken and divide Russia."
"The West 'provoked' - and encouraged the invasion of Ukraine".
Putin (Photo: Reuters, Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel)
In the video he published, Zelensky referred to Putin's speech in which he was seen next to his soldiers, and claimed that he was "hiding" behind them.
Referring to the airstrikes carried out by Russia in the country in the last two days, in which dozens of people were injured - he claimed that Ukraine will not forgive Russia.
The attacks he was referring to occurred about two days after one of the largest attacks known in Ukraine since the outbreak of the war.
This, at the same time as the dozens of bombings that occurred in the country in recent weeks, causing repeated power outages in the country.
Despite the claims, Russia has repeatedly denied its intention to harm civilians.
However, Putin recently admitted that Russia did bomb critical energy sources in Ukraine, which caused the blackouts.
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"The Russians are inhuman, and they will lose."
Zelensky (Photo: Reuters)
Those who carried out the bombings were inhumane and would "lose," Zelensky claimed in the video.
He then switched to speaking in Russian, addressing the people of Russia and attacking their leader.
"Your leader wants to show that he is leading from the front and his army is behind him, when in fact he is hiding," he said.
"He hides behind his army, his missiles and his palaces. He hides behind you, and he is burning your country and your future. No one will forgive you for terrorism. No one in the world will forgive you for that. Ukraine will not forgive."
Also last night, explosions were heard in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and alarms were heard throughout the country.
No official response has yet been received from the state.
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