Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that he was on the verge of falling into the hands of Russian troops during the early hours of the attack on his country on February 24. In an interview with the American magazine "Time," Zelensky stated that the invading Russian forces were close to capturing him or even assassinating him and his family while trying to take control of the government district in Kyiv on the first day of the war. At that time, he was at the presidential complex in Kyiv with his family, according to his account.
Zelensky recounted that after the attack began, he and his wife went to inform their 17-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son to prepare to flee their home. "We woke them up. The sounds were loud. There were explosions," he said about Kyiv on the morning of February 24.
In another interview with "Time," Ukrainian Army Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak mentioned that Zelensky received a notification from the military stating that a Russian paratrooper division had jumped into Kyiv to kill him and his family or to capture them. Yermak remarked, "Before that night, we only saw such events in movies."
The magazine reported that gunfire erupted near the government district as night fell on the first day of the war, with guards shutting off the lights of the presidential complex and bringing bulletproof vests and assault rifles for Zelensky and 12 of his aides. Russian forces attempted to storm the government complex twice while Zelensky's family was still inside, according to "Time."
The following night, after Zelensky rejected offers to leave Kyiv for safer locations—including evacuation offers from U.S. and British forces that would enable him to form a government in exile—he stepped out to the courtyard of the government complex to record a video message. Zelensky stated that he "became truly aware of his role in the war," adding about himself, "You are a symbol. You must act the way a head of state should act."
