Zelensky visits a city recaptured by Kyiv from the Russians

The Kremlin: Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO are a 'main threat' to Russia

Zelensky takes a selfie with a worker in the city of Izyum in the Kharkiv region.

AFP

The Kremlin said yesterday that Ukraine's continued ambitions to join NATO still poses a threat to Russia's security, and stressed Russia's need to conduct what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the strategic city of Izyum that Ukrainian forces recaptured from Russians.

In a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the idea of ​​Ukraine joining NATO was the "main threat" to Russia that "emphasizes the urgent need to ensure our security and national interests."

"Accordingly, the greatest danger to the country remains, and therefore the reason for a special military operation remains relevant, and in fact becomes even more objective," he added.

He said that Russia's position on the concept is "negative" towards this matter.

At present, no one can give Ukraine security guarantees except for the Ukrainian leadership itself.

He added that Kyiv must act in a way that Russia does not feel threatened.

Moscow had been demanding legal guarantees that Ukraine would never be accepted into the military alliance, before sending tens of thousands of its troops to war against Ukraine in February.

For its part, the Russian army announced yesterday that it bombed the Ukrainian forces in areas in Kharkiv, from which they had retreated in the face of the counter-attack launched by Ukraine.

"Intensive strikes were carried out in areas of the towns of Dvorichna, Balaklya and Kobyansk, targeting vital forces and equipment of the 14th and 93rd mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces," the Russian Defense Ministry said in its daily statement.

On the other hand, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited yesterday the strategic city of Izyum that was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in the eastern Kharkiv region, in the first visit to the lands recovered in a counter-attack.

Zelensky participated in the celebration of the raising of the Ukrainian flag, and "thanked the soldiers for the liberation of Ukrainian lands," the 25th Mobile Brigade announced on Facebook.

“Our blue and yellow flag is already flying over Izium,” Zelensky said in a message posted on his account on the “Telegram” application.

We are only advancing in one direction, forward, towards victory.”

Ukraine announced that it had recovered several thousand square kilometers in the east and south from the Russians who had taken control of it after the war that began on February 24.

After a lightning attack within two weeks, Ukraine regained almost the entire Kharkiv region, which borders Russia, especially the cities of Balaklya, Kubyansk and Izyum.

The latter two cities are major logistical centers for Russian forces that have since retreated, according to Moscow, to Donetsk Province, one of the two breakaway regions of Donbass.

In parallel, Ukraine is leading a counterattack in the south of the country in the occupied Kherson region, where it announces progress, but less than in the northeast.

In recent weeks, the Ukrainian army has bombed strategic bridges there to disrupt the supply of Russian forces.

He said Monday that he has already recovered 500 square kilometers.

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