Zelenskyy addressed the Greek people: Odesa is another city that Russia may try to destroy, just like Mariupol
Photo: OPU
russian troops have turned the city of Mariupol into ruins, but it is possible that the enemy will want to destroy Odesa, too
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in an address to the Greek Parliament, a Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"It was a city of half a million, and there are still about 100,000 people in it. But there is virtually no even one undamaged building. The vast majority of buildings in the city have been completely destroyed.
The russian military destroyed everything: hospitals, maternity hospitals, apartment buildings, and the city theater, where civilians hid from bombs. Mariupol is almost destroyed. I'm sure almost every one of you has seen what the city looks like now," Zelenskyy told Greek lawmakers.
He noted that Russia has turned a peaceful city into "just ruins."
In addition, this city has always been home to a large Greek community.
"The Ukrainian Greek community is one of the largest in the world. For centuries, our peoples have lived side by side, raised children for centuries, and built the future," the president said.
The head of state stressed that today Odesa was another city that Russia may try to destroy, just like Mariupol. And only because the Armed Forces of Ukraine are holding back russian attacks and repelling barbaric troops, there are no shots there now.
"russia is absolutely convinced of its impunity for everything it does. And we must stop them. We must bring Russia to justice. We must save Odesa from the destruction suffered by Mariupol. We must find all the people deported by russia. We have to save at least those Mariupol residents who are still alive and who can be saved," Zelenskyy said.
The head of state stressed that russian troops had brought death and destruction to places where Ukrainians and Greeks had enjoyed peace and prosperity for centuries.
"Besides, russia has started new deportation of people from the South of Ukraine. At least tens of thousands of our people have already been deported to Russia, to the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by it.
These are residents of Mariupol and other cities that came under attack by russian troops. This forced relocation of people to Russia is not the first for both Greeks and Ukrainians," the head of state said.
At the same time, he stressed that russia was behaving as if this deportation was not the last.
