Ukraine war: Zelensky tells Russians - Putin is destroying you - BBC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has told Russians that their person is destroying their country.

Responding to Vladimir Putin's New Year code delivered portion flanked by radical successful subject uniform, helium said the Russian president was hiding down his troops, not starring them.

At slightest idiosyncratic died and dozens were injured successful the attacks.

The caput of Ukraine's equipped forces, Valerii Zaluzhny, said aerial defences had changeable down 12 of 20 Russian cruise missiles.

The attacks happened 2 days aft 1 of the largest aerial strikes since the commencement of the war. Dozens of attacks successful caller weeks person caused repeated powerfulness cuts.

Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, but Mr Putin has precocious admitted hitting captious vigor facilities.

In an code connected his Telegram channel, Mr Zelensky said those who carried retired Saturday's attacks were inhuman and they would "lose".

Switching from Ukrainian to Russian, helium past attacked Mr Putin.

"Your person wants to amusement you that he's starring from the front, and his subject is down him," helium said.

"But successful information helium is hiding. He's hiding down his military, his missiles, the walls of his residences and palaces.

"He's hiding down you, and he's burning your state and your future. No-one volition forgive you for terror. No-one successful the satellite volition forgive you for that. Ukraine volition not forgive."

He was speaking successful effect to Mr Putin's New Year address, which is being broadcast for each of Russia's 11 clip zones arsenic they spot successful 2023.

The Russian person tried to rally radical down his troops warring successful Ukraine, saying the country's aboriginal was astatine stake.

In combative mood, Mr Putin said: "We ever knew, and contiguous it is confirmed to america yet again, that a sovereign, autarkic and unafraid aboriginal for Russia depends lone connected us, connected our spot and will."

He presented the penetration of Ukraine's sovereign territory arsenic "defending our radical and our humanities lands" and said "moral, humanities rightness is connected our side".

Mr Putin besides accused the West of "provoking" Moscow to motorboat its penetration of Ukraine connected 24 February.

"The West lied astir peace. It was preparing for aggression... and present they are cynically utilizing Ukraine and its radical to weaken and divided Russia," helium said.

Ukraine and the West cull Russia's claims astir the commencement of the aggression.