Putin’s army expected to have crushed Ukraine but didn’t anticipate nation’s courage – World News

The Ukraine-Russian conflict has now been raging for four days with an estimated 4,300 Russian troops killed in action so far

Heroic Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were last night keeping the Russian army at bay with an extraordinary show of courage.

The sheer force of Vladimir Putin ’s troops was expected to have crushed Ukraine by now.

But they had not counted on the bravery of the Ukraine people.

Their David vs Goliath battle has stunned the world. In one amazing scene, Ukraine civilians walked en masse towards Russian tanks, forcing them to stop.

The powerful images from Koryukivka have been viewed millions of times on social media.

An estimated 4,300 Russian troops have been killed in action. A Chechen unit sent to assassinate President Zelensky of Ukraine was wiped out.

And Ukraine may soon be bolstered by foreigners flocking to answer the country’s president’s call to arms.

Astonishingly, in its second city of Kharkiv, Ukraine appears to have successfully repelled an attack after fierce clashes.

Regional governor Oleh Synehubov said the city was now clear of Russian troops after street-to-street fighting.

Thousands of people spent the night in basements and shelters, with the intense shelling described by one resident as “something like Star Wars above your head”.

He added: “The wave of the blast was so strong that my ears popped.”

But there were fears last night that Russia ’s ally Belarus would soon enter the war. Their special forces are believed to be preparing to assault Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Ukrainian intelligence has learned from within Belarus that “special ops” troops have been spotted loading up planes for a major attack.

A senior Ukrainian source told the Daily Mirror: “If this happens, it will mean Belarus has openly joined Russia in its invasion of sovereign Ukraine. We believe they are being targeted at Kyiv and Zhytomyr.”

For weeks during the Russian build-up, large numbers of Russia’s elite Spetsnaz troops were on so-called “exercises” with Belarus counterparts.

Belarus has already allowed missiles aimed at Ukraine from within its borders. Ukraine’s interior minister last night said that missiles launched from Belarus have hit an airport in the city of Zhytomyr.

It came as Ukrainian sources said Russia’s losses were mounting.

Yesterday President Volodymyr Zelensky put the Mirror’s powerful front page from Saturday on his official Instagram page.

Ukraine’s President has become a worldwide hero. He put out a stirring call inviting volunteers to come and fight “side-by-side” with Ukrainians.

The social media post read: “The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is addressing all citizens of the world, friends of Ukraine, peace and democracy. Anyone who wants to join the defence of Ukraine, Europe and the world can come.”

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she backed the idea of Brits heading to Ukraine to fight against the Russian invasion.

She said: “The people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe.

“Absolutely, if people want to support that struggle I would support them in doing that.”

Kyiv and Moscow last night confirmed they would hold peace talks at the Ukraine/Belarus border, a deal brokered in a phone call by Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus.

The Ukrainian President’s office said the two delegations would meet “without preconditions” near the Pripyat River, to the north of Chernobyl – though it said Mr Zelensky held little hope of serious progress.

It added: “Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation’s travel, talks and return.”

Earlier President Zelensky had rejected the Russian offer of talks in Belarus, pointing out it had helped in the invasion.

His resistance to Russian aggression has bolstered his popularity.

Top Ukrainian journalist Kristina Berdynskykh tweeted: “I have a lot of complaints against Zelensky over his domestic politics.

But the way he behaves during the offensive of absolute evil against Ukraine is real political leadership and tremendous courage.”

Both the US government and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered to transport Zelensky out of Ukraine, to prevent his capture by Russians.

He declined both offers.

Charity Save The Children said attacks on schools in Ukraine were endangering the lives and futures of the country’s 7.5 million children.

There were reports up to 10 children have been killed in the fighting and as educational facilities were damaged by widespread bombing across the country.

Artem Vorobyov, the Ukrainian consul in Barcelona, said: “We are facing World War Three” and called on Western allies to do more to help his country.

As well as the thousands of its soldiers killed, Russia is reported to have lost 27 warplanes, 26 helicopters, 146 tanks, 49 artillery and 30 vehicles.

It is also said to have lost a Buk missile system, four multi-launch rocket systems and two ships.

Ukraine’s health ministry said yesterday 352 civilians, including 14 children, had been killed.

It said 1,684 people, including 116 children, had been wounded.

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