Zelensky Expresses Willingness to Step Down After War

SadaNews - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his readiness to step down from his position after the end of the war with Russia, amid ongoing battles and each side claiming to inflict losses on the other.

Zelensky told the American Axios website that his goal is to end the war, not to continue running for the presidency, noting that security concerns may make organizing elections difficult but possible.

The Ukrainian president urged Russian officials to "end the war or seek shelters to protect them from bombs."

In response, Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, addressing Ukrainians, stated that Moscow might use weapons that shelters will not protect them from.

In contrast, the Kremlin announced that Russia is open to peace talks regarding Ukraine, adding in a statement on Thursday: "We assume that U.S. President Donald Trump is still committed to working towards peace between Russia and Ukraine."

Field Developments

On the ground, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the downing of 178 Ukrainian drones, in addition to the destruction of 3 boats and 15 Ukrainian unmanned boats in the Black Sea yesterday.

On the other side, Ukraine announced the downing of a Russian "Su-34" fighter jet in the Zaporizhzhia region, claiming that the aircraft was conducting "a terrorist attack using guided aerial bombs."

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's intelligence agency reported on Telegram that its forces also destroyed two Russian "Antonov 26" cargo planes in the Crimea Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.

The Ukrainian Air Force announced that air defense forces shot down 150 out of 176 drones of the "Shahed" and "Gerbera" models and other decoy types launched by Russia during an aerial assault on the north, south, east, and center of the country during the night.

Since February 24, 2022, Russia has launched a military attack on its neighbor, demanding Ukraine's renunciation of joining Western military entities as a condition for ending it, which the latter considers interference in its affairs.