The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has stated that Russia is attempting to force the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region under the guise of a humanitarian operation. According to the head of state, Vladimir Putin’s real aim is to capture the town without a full-scale offensive, after which Russian troops will focus on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. The President also commented on the restrictions on Starshield’s operations over the occupied territories and a series of high-profile events within the country.
- Zelenskyy stated that Russia intends to force the Ukrainian Armed Forces to withdraw from Kostiantynivka.
- The President named Kramatorsk and Sloviansk as Moscow’s next targets.
- The Starshield speed limit in the occupied territories is 161 km/h.
- The President commented on the «Khimprom» case, staffing issues within the Prosecutor General’s Office and the events in Borshchahivka.
Zelenskyy explained what Putin is seeking to achieve in Kostiantynivka
According to the president, Moscow wants to use the issue of the evacuation of civilians to achieve a military objective — the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from Kostiantynivka.
«Putin wants us to withdraw from Kostiantynivka so that they can move in and occupy the town. After Kostiantynivka, it will be Kramatorsk and Sloviansk,» said Zelenskyy.
On 12 November, during talks at the Kremlin Putin proposed to the American representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, that a humanitarian mission be carried out in Kostiantynivka, modelled on the operation in Oleshky in the Kherson region.
A Russian commander claimed that his army was already in control of Kostiantynivka. At the same time, analysts at DeepState reported that the town remains under the control of the Ukrainian Defence Forces, although heavy fighting is ongoing in the surrounding area and Russian units are reported to be advancing.
Ukraine had proposed evacuations from other settlements
Zelenskyy dismissed Russian claims that they were concerned for the civilian population of Kostiantynivka. In his view, Putin’s proposal stems from the fact that Russian troops have failed to take the city completely.
The President said that he had instructed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine To Mykhailo Drapatyi to draw up a list of settlements where civilians, including children, are trapped.
The military provided information on seven or eight such settlements. The Ukrainian side passed the list on to the United States, but Russia did not propose carrying out a humanitarian operation in any of them.
The President’s Office had previously stated that during missions in Oleshky The Russian military used the agreements to move equipment and rotate units. The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets He also emphasised that the circumstances in Kostiantynivka differ significantly from the situation in Oleshky.
Zelenskyy criticised the restrictions on Starshield in the occupied territories
The President also commented on the operation of the American satellite system Starshield, which the Ukrainian military uses to control drones.
According to him, a speed limit of 161 km/h remains in force in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This makes it difficult to deploy high-speed interceptor drones against Russian «Shahed» jet drones.
Zelenskyy described as dangerous the decision whereby there are no restrictions in the territory controlled by Ukraine, whilst they remain in place in the occupied territories. The President believes that such an approach could give the impression that the occupied territories are being treated separately from the rest of Ukraine.
According to the head of state, his team reports that the restrictions are linked to decisions made by SpaceX. At the same time, the company itself has previously denied changing the service’s settings, and there is no official confirmation as to who exactly made the decision.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence confirmed that Starshield’s speed was restricted over the occupied territories and reported that it was in talks with US agencies and SpaceX.
The President commented on the «Khimprom» case and the situation regarding the Prosecutor General
In response to a question about the recordings released by NABU in the case of «Chemical Industry», Zelenskyy stated that the Minister of the Interior, Ihor Klymenko, and the head of the National Police Ivan Vygovsky and the head of the SBU Oleksandr Poklad are not connected with the aforementioned contacts with the individuals concerned.
The President expressed a similar view regarding Health Minister Viktor Lyashko and the Member of Parliament David Arakhamia. This is the Head of State’s assessment, not an announcement that the NABU investigation has been concluded.
The President also stated that he had not yet decided on a candidate for the post of Prosecutor General. Commenting on public statements made by the former head of the Prosecutor General’s Office Ruslana Kravchenko, Zelenskyy noted that he has not been following his activities since his dismissal.
Regarding unrest in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka The President stated that, in his view, the events appeared to have been premeditated. He emphasised the need for a full investigation and for the law enforcement agencies to provide answers regarding the circumstances of the incident.
