Zelensky 'doesn't know how much longer Ukraine will exist,' says Austrian president.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that the Ukrainian president's fear was made explicit during a telephone conversation.
From the RT website - Ukraine's fate looks increasingly uncertain as Russia launches a series of attacks across the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky told his Austrian counterpart, warning that the Eastern European nation may not be able to withstand the offensive by Moscow's armed forces.
In a statement released on Thursday, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer shared details of his phone conversation with Zelensky. According to the Viennese leader, Zelensky told him, "I don't know how long my country will exist."
Nehammer added that Austria "is not indifferent to violations of international law," promising to help wherever it can.
The statements come after the leaders of the newly recognized Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics formally requested military assistance from Moscow to combat what they claimed was an increase in "Ukrainian aggression." Hours later, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the use of force for an offensive in Donbass.
Moments after the televised speech, rounds of explosions struck locations across the country, including military installations and airfields. Explosions also hit major cities, including the capital Kyiv.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba released a statement in which he claimed that Moscow “has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.” Following the attack, Kyiv declared martial law after a meeting between Zelensky and the country's National Security and Defense Council.
Western authorities had been warning for months that Moscow's armed forces were building up on the Ukrainian border ahead of an invasion. Until Thursday morning, Russia denied planning an attack and insisted its intervention in Donbass would be defensive.
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