Ukrainian President once proposed attacking Russian territory

The Washington Post on May 13 quoted previously unpublished content from secret US documents leaked on the social network Discord, showing that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made many bold proposals related to the conflict with Russia.

The classified documents were compiled by US intelligence, with information gleaned from internal discussions between President Zelensky and senior aides and military commanders.

President Zelensky visits the city of Kherson in 2022

In a meeting in late January, Mr Zelensky suggested Ukraine attack Russia and send ground troops to “occupy unspecified Russian cities on the border” to gain an advantage at the negotiating table.

In a meeting in late February with Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny, Mr. Zelensky expressed concern that Ukraine did not have long-range missiles to attack Russian troops deployed in Russia. Mr. Zelensky suggested that Ukraine attack positions in Russia's Rostov region bordering Ukraine with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In another meeting in mid-February with Deputy Prime Minister Yuliya Svrydenko, President Zelensky proposed that Ukraine blow up the Druzhba oil pipeline leading from Russia to Hungary and destroy Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's industry.

US intelligence officials have acknowledged that Mr Zelensky was angry with Hungary and could have made an exaggerated and pointless threat. Hungary is a member of NATO and the EU but its Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seen as having close ties to Moscow.

The Pentagon has not denied the authenticity of the classified documents. Russia has not yet responded to The Washington Post 's information.

In an interview with The Washington Post in Kyiv, President Zelensky dismissed the information as fiction. The leader affirmed that Ukraine had the right to use unconventional tactics to defend the country, but stressed that "no one in our country has been ordered to attack Russian territory."

Providing long-range missiles to Ukraine is a sensitive issue because the West fears that Kyiv will use such weapons to attack Russian territory, escalating the conflict. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed on May 12 that Britain had provided long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine for self-defense, but that the weapons would only be used on Ukrainian sovereign territory.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/tai-lieu-mat-tong-thong-ukraine-tung-de-xuat-tan-cong-lanh-tho-nga-18523051409444627.htm