Faced with Putin's military escalation, Zelensky urges Russians to flee or surrender to Ukraine

Ukrainian president said Russia plans to recruit up to 1 million men: “We know they will take everyone indiscriminately”| Photo: EFE/EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

In his traditional late-night speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, called on the Russian military to flee or surrender to Ukrainian troops to avoid death in the face of the military escalation announced on Wednesday (17) by Vladimir Putin.

O President of Russia announced the mobilization of 300 a thousand reservists for the Ukrainian war and threatened to use nuclear weapons to “defend” the country’s territory – already foreseeing the annexation of regions in eastern and southern Ukraine, which will be voted in referendums from Friday (23)

Zelensky said this Thursday (17) that the ukr intelligence agencies Anianas found that the call-up letters for the Russian reservists had been printed and signed in advance, “even before this mobilization decision came about.”

“But the Russian leadership is preparing to take up to 1 million men into the army – this it is the main subject on which they are now silent. We know they will take everyone indiscriminately. Not just reserve soldiers, but all men. Anyone who is so intimidated as to be more afraid of avoiding war than of dying in it,” Zelensky wrote.

Earlier, the Kremlin had denied that it had plans to mobilize up to 1 million men.

The Ukrainian president said that 23 a thousand Russian soldiers have already died in the Ukraine war and “tens of thousands are wounded and maimed”.

“Want more? No? Then protest. resist. run away. Or surrender to be captured by Ukraine. These are options for you to survive”, said Zelensky.