Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently indicated that if Russia persists with its military actions in Ukraine, Kremlin officials might want to consider locating bomb shelters. In an interview, he noted, “First of all, they need to know where their bomb shelters are… If they don’t stop the war, they need it anyway.”
His remarks were shared in a clip released on Thursday, and a full interview with Barak Ravid from Axios is expected to be available on Friday.
Zelensky affirmed that Ukraine, despite being embroiled in conflict, would not target Russian civilians because “we are not terrorists.” However, he did mention that Kyiv would respond if attacks on its energy infrastructure continued.
In response, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev remarked on a social platform that “Russia can use weapons that bomb shelters don’t protect,” reminding others to take this into account.
These comments from Zelensky followed a recent meeting with President Trump during the UN General Assembly. Post-meeting, Trump seemed to have shifted his stance, suggesting that “everything in Ukraine is in a position to fight and win in its original form.”
Russia maintains control over parts of Ukraine, including all of Luhansk and Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, along with portions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
Zelensky also stated that Russia is facing “major economic troubles,” likening it to a “paper tiger.” In contrast, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov countered Trump’s claims, asserting that Russia is a “bear.”
Zelensky expressed some surprise at Trump’s changed perspective on the conflict, noting, “He showed he wanted to support Ukraine with a tired purpose. So we understand that we are now ready to end this war as soon as possible.”
According to the Strategic and International Studies Center, over 250,000 Russian troops and between 60,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since the war started. The United Nations reported on September 10 that more than 14,100 Ukrainian civilians have lost their lives due to the conflict. The Amsterdam-based Moscow Times estimated in May that over 620 Russian civilians have also been killed since the full-scale invasion began.
