Zelensky Confronts Putin: "You're Mortal; You've Lost Your Fleet, Refineries, and an Entire Generation"

During the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence, President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a bold challenge to the Kremlin in his official Independence Day speech, highlighting the devastating losses Russia has faced after more than four years of full-scale warfare.

The most striking message from the Ukrainian leader was a direct address to Vladimir Putin and the invading forces: "You tried to take all of Ukraine from us, our land; in return, you've lost your refineries, your fleet, your revenues, and an entire generation sent into the grinder."

Zelensky emphasized that Ukrainian resistance has persisted for 1,643 days since the large-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, and that Russia has failed in all its critical calculations.

"Putin expects us to be exhausted. We know he is mortal. He never understood us, and now he won't have the time to," stated the Ukrainian president, combining military resolve with a strong reaffirmation of national identity.

The speech took place hours after Russia launched an attack on Ukrainian territory with two Oniks missiles, six Kh-31P/Kh-59 missiles, and 143 drones, resulting in at least eight deaths and 43 injuries across 22 communities. Ukraine's air defense managed to shoot down 109 of those drones.

Far from avoiding military assessments, Zelensky made them the focal point of his address. He noted that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries have hit 24 of the country's 33 largest facilities, causing a fuel crisis. Ironically, the president remarked, "Russia's leader has talked about greatness for twenty-seven years, while Russians now queue for gasoline."

Regarding the destruction of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea using naval drones, Zelensky was equally forceful: "The enemy had a fleet, now it's turning into scrap. But we need to sink more."

The president also recounted long-range attacks that reached Moscow, Tuapse, Tula, Ryazan, Omsk, and numerous other locations in Russia. He announced that the "Flamingo" missile should transition from being an exceptional weapon to a standard tool of mass use.

Addressing the use of Flamingos for deep strikes on Russian military targets, Zelensky used biting words, calling for increased production: "They need to winter in Russia."

In diplomatic terms, Zelensky welcomed Washington's abandonment of illusions regarding Moscow's peace intentions and called for harsher sanctions: "It's time for sanctions that make them howl." He also directly addressed China, urging it to break its silence on Russian nuclear threats and demonstrate leadership as a civilization.

Zelensky flatly rejected any territorial concessions, dismissing the idea of Ukraine handing over Donbas: "Russia keeps postponing the dates when they'll supposedly take the entire Donetsk region. They will continue to defer them."

The speech also included an acknowledgment of Ukraine's defense industry complex, which operates around the clock producing tens of thousands of ground robotic systems that, according to Zelensky, have already saved countless soldiers' lives on the frontlines.

Ukraine currently intercepts over 90% of Russia's Shahed drones, a statistic the president presented as evidence that seemingly insurmountable challenges can be overcome.

Zelensky concluded his remarks with a promise that encapsulated the day's tone: "They wanted us erased from the map; now it's you who are absent from the international agenda of future civilization."