Zelensky Praises Troops After Ukrainian Soldiers Push Back to the Russian Border: ‘I Thank Each And Everyone of You!’
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his troops on Monday in a touching tribute circulated online after a group of Ukrainian soldiers went viral for reaching the Russian border as they continue to repel the Russian invasion.
On Sunday, a video of Ukrainian troops erecting a border post with blue and yellow stripes, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, went viral as troops celebrated reaching the Russia-Ukraine border outside of Kharkiv.
“Mr. President, we reached Ukraine’s state border with the enemy state. Mr. President, we made it!” read the caption on the clip shared online by Ukraine’s former ambassador to Austria, Olexander Scherba.
“Mr. President, we reached Ukraine’s state border with the enemy state. Mr. President, we made it!”
Glory to #Ukraine! Glory to Heroes!#StandWithUkraine️ #UkraineWillWin #RussiaUkraineWar
— olexander scherba🇺🇦 (@olex_scherba) May 15, 2022
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has seen fierce fighting in recent weeks as Ukrainian forces continue to push back Russian troops amid heavy shelling.
Zelensky responded to the news of his troops reaching the Russian border in the northeastern part of the country with a heartfelt message of gratitude.
“Guys, in the name of the whole country, I thank each and everyone if you!…” Scherba captioned a clip of Zelensky’s message.
President @ZelenskyyUa addressed Ukrainian soldiers who reached yesterday the border with Putinstan in #Kharkiv oblast & published a video.
“Guys, in the name of the whole country, I thank each and everyone if you!…”. #StandWithUkraine #StopPutinNOW pic.twitter.com/6EftCrI9P1— olexander scherba🇺🇦 (@olex_scherba) May 16, 2022
“I’m very grateful to you, on behalf of all Ukrainians, on my behalf and on behalf of my family. I’m very grateful to all the fighters like you,” Zelensky added, according to the Guardian.
Reuters noted on Sunday that, if confirmed, the clip of Ukrainian soldiers reaching the Russian border “would suggest a Ukrainian counter-offensive is having increasing success in pushing back Russian forces in the northeast after Western military agencies said Moscow’s offensive in the Donbas region had stalled.”
The news of Ukraine’s successes in eastern Ukraine come amid reports from British intelligence of heavy losses for the Russian military. “Russia has now likely suffered losses of one third of the ground combat force it committed in February,” the U.K. defense ministry said in a tweet.
