Zelensky dismisses media reports claiming Ukraine plans to bomb pipeline, occupy villages as "fantasies"
Photo: Office of the President
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, "behind closed doors," allegedly proposed to occupy Russian villages to gain leverage over Moscow, as well as to blow up the pipeline that transports Russian oil to Hungary.
The Wall Street Journal reported this, referring to the leak of secret Pentagon data.
According to the WSJ, at a meeting at the end of January, Zelensky suggested "striking Russia" while simultaneously moving Ukrainian ground troops into enemy territory to "occupy unspecified Russian border towns."
The goal would allegedly be to "give Kyiv leverage in negotiations with Moscow."
At another meeting at the end of February with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, Zelensky allegedly "expressed concern" that Ukraine does not have long-range missiles capable of reaching concentrations of Russian troops inside the Russian Federation.
At the time, Zelensky suggested that Ukraine could attack the locations of the occupiers in the Rostov region using drones instead, the WSJ said.
Also, according to the publication, at a meeting in mid-February with the Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, Zelensky allegedly proposed to blow up the Russian oil company Druzhba, which supplies oil to Hungary.
Zelensky's reaction to this information
President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the WSJ's information about Ukraine's plans to occupy Russian villages, saying he doesn't "penetrate anywhere."
"As for "penetration"…
As the president of Ukraine, when I want to come somewhere, I come officially, and I don't have to penetrate anywhere," he emphasized during a press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germany.
When asked if he was proposing to occupy parts of Russia, Zelensky called the WSJ's statements "fantasies." However, he defended his right to use different tactics to defend the country.
"Ukraine has every right to protect itself, and we are doing it. Ukraine did not occupy anyone, but vice versa. When so many people have died, and there have been mass graves, and our people have been tortured, I am sure that we have to use any tricks," — he emphasized.
Zelensky emphasized that no one in Ukraine gave orders for offensive actions or strikes on the territory of Russia.
The White House said that Zelensky promised never to use American weapons to strike inside Russia last year. According to the US, he fulfilled this promise.
