Russian invasionRussian reactions

Vladimir Putin Valeriy Sharifulin / AP  

Russian invasionRussian reactions  

Putin: Patriot is old and our system is better  

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the war in Ukraine will be prolonged because the United States has promised to send the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, Reuters reports. 

 

- Our opponents claim that it is a defensive weapon. But there will always be an antidote, says Putin at a press conference. He doesn't seem very impressed with the US weapons system.  

 

- It is a fairly old system. It is not as good as our S-300, says Putin. 

 

He ends his press conference by saying that he strives for peace in Ukraine and that "all armed conflicts end with diplomacy". Ukraine has repeatedly claimed that the Russian peace proposals claim Ukraine's independence. 

 

The Russian InvasionThe Battles  

Russian heavyweight injured in hotel attack in Donetsk - said to have celebrated birthday  

 

Russian political heavyweight Dmitry Rogozin has been injured in Ukrainian shelling of the city of Donetsk. This is reported by Reuters with reference to Russian state news agencies. 

 

According to Russian information, Rogozin's injuries are not life-threatening.  

 

Rogozin was previously head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and has also been deputy prime minister. His current role is said to be providing military advice to the Russian-occupied regions of eastern Ukraine.  

 

The attack is said to have taken place when Rogozin celebrated his 59th birthday at a hotel on the outskirts of Donetsk, writes VG. According to the Russian media, Vitaly Khotsenko, prime minister of the Russian occupation government in Donetsk, was also injured in the attack.  

Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky. Patrick Semansky / AP  

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response 

Kremlin accuses US of turning a deaf ear: 'Proxy war'  

 

The Kremlin accuses Washington and Kyiv of ignoring Russia's criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visiting the United States, writes AFP.  

 

Zelenskyy was welcomed as a hero and US President Joe Biden has pledged nearly $1.8 billion in military aid. Among other things, promises have been made for the first time that the US will supply Ukraine with the advanced and sought-after Patriot weapon system. 

 

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the US continues to "fight a proxy war" against Russia "to the last Ukrainian man".  

 

Zelenskyy has said during the visit to the USA that Patriot is an important step in the defense of Ukraine. 

 

- This is the only way we can deprive the terrorist state of its most important instrument of terror - the ability to strike our cities, our energy, Zelenskyy said at a press meeting together with Biden at the White House. 

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response 

Zelensky: "Thanks for the support - but we need even more"  

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a long standing ovation from the US Congress when he took the podium, several media write.  

 

He took the opportunity to thank the Americans for the support, which he believes is a necessity for Ukraine to win the war. At the same time, he flagged that more is needed.  

 

- Your money is not charity, it is an investment, he said, adding that it is about securing global security and democracy. 

 

The war is not only about Ukraine, but about the survival of the United States and the rest of the world, says Zelensky. 

 

- It will define what kind of world our children and grandchildren get to live in. It will determine what kind of democracy both Ukrainians and Americans get to live in.

 

Photo from the leaders' meeting in Kyiv last spring. Efrem Lukatsky / AP 

 

Russian invasionUkraine's response  

Zelenskyy on a quick visit to Poland - met Duda  

 

On the Ukrainian president's way home from the USA, he stopped in Poland, writes Zelensky himself on Telegram. 

 

“I had a meeting with one of Ukraine's friends, Polish President Andrzej Duda. We summed up the year that has passed, which has involved historic challenges in the form of a full-scale war," he writes. 

 

He also writes that they talked about strategic plans and the countries' bilateral relationship. In the post, he also shares a video of Duda and Zelensky hugging each other.