Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Saturday that his country "is witnessing a strategic turning point." He urged the mothers of Russian soldiers to prevent their sons from being sent to "war" in Ukraine. In a message via Telegram, Zelensky said, "I want to say this once again to Russian mothers, especially to the mothers of conscripts. Do not send your children to war in a foreign country." He added, "Check where your children are. If you have the slightest doubt that your children may be sent to war against Ukraine, act immediately" to prevent their deaths or abduction. Zelensky continued, "Ukraine has never wanted this terrible war. Ukraine does not want it. But it will defend itself as much as necessary."
On Wednesday, Russia admitted for the first time to the presence of conscripts in Ukraine and announced that some of them had been captured. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense published phone numbers and an email address where mothers can obtain information about their children imprisoned in Ukraine. Regarding evacuation operations, President Zelensky stated in a televised address on Friday that a total of 7,144 people were evacuated from four Ukrainian cities that day, a number significantly lower than those who managed to leave in the previous two days. Zelensky accused Russia of refusing to allow people to exit the besieged city of Mariupol and said that Ukraine would once again attempt to deliver food and medicine there on Saturday.
In earlier remarks on Friday, Zelensky announced that Moscow is deploying Syrian mercenaries during its war with the Ukrainian army. He confirmed that Ukraine has reached a "strategic turning point" in this war, but indicated that the duration of the fighting cannot be determined.
