Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Ukraine‘s 33rd Independence Day speech called Russian President Putin a ‘sick old man’ who threatens everyone of nuclear attack.
“A sick old man from Red Square who constantly threatens everyone with the red button will not dictate any of his red lines to us,” Zelenskyy said in a video on the Telegram.
Additionally, he announced a new Ukrainian “drone missile” called Palianytsia, which he claimed would bring the war back to Russia.
“Our enemy will … know what the Ukrainian way for retaliation is. Worthy, symmetrical, long-ranged,” he said.
The president also confirmed that the new Ukrainian weapon had successfully struck a target within Russian territory but did not disclose the specific location.
Zelenskyy further said that this new weapon surpasses the domestically produced drones currently used by Kyiv in terms of speed and power, effectively targeting Russian oil refineries and military airfields.
“I want to stress once more that our new weapon decisions, including Palianytsia, is our realistic way to act while some of our partners are unfortunately delaying decisions,” said Zelenskyy.
The word “Palianytsia,” which refers to a type of Ukrainian bread, is considered difficult for Russians to pronounce and has been used throughout the war, sometimes humorously, to differentiate between Ukrainians and Russians.
“It will be very difficult for Russia, difficult to even pronounce what exactly has hit it,” said Zelenskyy.
Despite Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine with missiles and drones since the invasion began in February 2022, Moscow has condemned Ukraine’s drone strikes as acts of terrorism. Russian troops continue to advance in eastern Ukraine, currently occupying 18% of the country.
Zelenskyy has been urging Ukraine’s allies to allow the use of Western weapons deeper within Russian territory, such as targeting airbases used by Russian warplanes that bombard Ukraine with missiles and glide bombs.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy promoted his top commander, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, to the rank of General, praising his leadership during Ukraine’s recent cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, which began on August 6.
Russia has denounced this incursion as an escalation and a major provocation, while Ukraine claims to have captured more than 90 settlements in the Kursk region, marking the most significant invasion of Russia since World War II.
Zelenskyy announced during a joint press conference with the leaders of Poland and Lithuania that the recent military operation in the Kursk region of Russia was partly aimed at thwarting Russian plans to seize the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine.
He mentioned that the operation had additional objectives, including the capture of prisoners of war and the establishment of a “buffer zone,” but he refrained from disclosing further details publicly.
Additionally, Polish President Andrzej Duda confirmed that Polish PT-91 Twardy tanks, which were provided to Ukraine by Warsaw over a year ago, are currently engaged in combat operations in the Kursk region.
“We are touched to see how the PT-91 Twardy tanks, given by Poland (to Ukraine) more than one year ago, are defending today Ukraine on the battlefields, fighting in the Kursk region,” he said.