Zelenskyy warns Russia, says 'no one will be conquered here & you will be destroyed'

As Russian forces inched closer to Kyiv, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday warned invaders of sturdy resistance, saying that "you'll be destroyed." In a confident public address on the eight day of the war, Zelenskyy also added that no amount of weaponry and "more people" would change "anything here, no one will be conquered." Zelenskyy, who is now also the Supreme Commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, hailed "heroic" resistance showcased by his nation in the face of Russia's military aggression.

Zelenskyy's latest video comes after Russian troops claimed control of Kherson, the southern port city of Ukraine. However, in an at-par counterattack, Ukraine Armed Forces claimed that it has eliminated at least 9,000 Russian soldiers in the past one week. Meanwhile Russia issued a statement claiming that it has lost 498 soldiers in Ukraine. "We are a nation that broke the enemy's plans in a week. Plans written for years: sneaky, full of hatred for our country, our people," Zelenskyy said in the video posted on Telegram messaging service.

Russia-Ukraine to hold talks today

As the conflict intensified by the day, the Russian and Ukrainian delegation met for the first round of talks in Belarus on Monday. The top representatives from sides departed to their respective capitals for further consultations. Today both sides are scheduled to meet for the second round of peace talks, a top Russian diplomat informed. "As far as I know, the Ukrainian delegation gas already departed from Kyiv, is en route... We are expecting them tomorrow," the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said. The parties have agreed to meet at Brest, a region bordering Poland.

Russia invades Ukraine

The crisis between Russia and Ukraine dates back to 2014 after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula. The long-standing standoff waded into war after 1,50,000 Russian forces were massed along the Ukraine-Russia border. In a major violation of the ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, on February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree unilaterally recognising two self-proclaimed independent regions. The aggression transpired into a full-blown attack on February 24 after Putin in a public address ordered "demilitarisation and denazification" of Ukraine.

(Image: @DefenceU/Twitter)