Russian outlets have claimed the Ukrainian leader is set to flee the country citing recent advancements in a major battle city that Putin’s army ‘has surrounded’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans on fleeing the nation for security reasons, wishful reports in Russia have speculated.
But, despite Vladimir Putin’s wishes, the information may be wide of the mark as Western outlets have stated the Ukrainian leader intends on visiting Spain as part of a planned diplomatic meeting.
The speculation comes as military analysts give contrasting reports on how the current battle for Pokrovsk, once home to 60,000 people, is progressing.
Pro-Putin Russian publication Life.ru claims that “Ukrainian units are suffering serious losses and surrendering en masse due to a lack of supplies,” while Western media agrees that the key battle may be reaching a climax.
Russian forces say they have surrounded Pokrovsk, placing a blockade on any logistics lines providing support for Ukraine’s soldiers, but this is denied by the former Soviet nation, which adds it is inflicting heavy losses on Putin’s army.
President Zelenskyy appears to be due to make a second visit to Spain, which has been a member of the NATO alliance since 1982, with his first coming in May of last year.
“We can confirm that a visit will take place soon, but for security reasons, we cannot disclose the date,” a source in the office of Spanish Prime Minister has stated.
Spanish radio station Cadena SER reported Thursday (November 6) that officials expected the trip to take place “in about two weeks”, adding a trip to Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum, home to Pablo Picasso’s anti-war masterpiece ‘Guernica’, would be on the itinerary.
The battle for Pokrovsk is part of a wider political game, involving, chiefly, President Donald Trump, whom both Zelensky and Putin are keen to convince that their side has the upper hand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Last month, Russian forces entered the city, capitalising on gaps in Ukrainian defences and appear set to seize the entire city in the coming weeks or months.
“As of now, there are no clear lines of defence, none that can obstruct soldiers from coming into the city,” said Serhii Filimonov, a commander of Ukraine’s Wolves of Da Vinci battalion, who also added last week that he estimates Russia control more than 70% of Pokrovsk.
President Zelenskyy admitted on Friday (November 7) that his country is in a difficult situation, stating: “The enemy began assault operations on the 5th (of November) and has continued conducting assaults…They have lost equipment, but the enemy’s number-one goal is to occupy Pokrovsk as quickly as possible. That goal remains.”
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