Ukraine’s president said Friday his country had been left on its own to fight Russia after the Kremlin launched a large-scale invasion that killed 130 Ukrainians in the first day.
“We have been left alone to defend our state,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address to the nation after midnight.
“Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid,” he added.
Zelensky said that 137 Ukrainians, both military personnel and civilians, had been killed since the start of the attack early Thursday.
Another 316 had been wounded, he said.
Zelensky also said that Russian “sabotage groups” had entered the capital Kyiv, and urged the city’s citizens to remain vigilant and observe a curfew.
The president added that he and his family remained in Ukraine, despite Russia identifying him as “target number one”.
“They want to destroy Ukraine politically by taking down the head of state,” Zelensky said.