Zelensky accuses Moscow of genocide in Donbas, killing 9 civilians in Kharkiv

In his last national speech, Zelensky said Russia's brutal attack on Donbas could leave the entire region uninhabited.

The current invasion of the Donbas can make the region uninhabited. They want to burn and make pupina, Bakhmut, Lüman, Lysychansk and Severodonnetsk hi, like Volnovakha, like Mariuli”, Zelensky said.

In cities closer to the Russian border of Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian forces “gather all those who can fill the location of the slain and wounded in the invading contingent”, he added.

The “all of this, including the expulsion of our people and the mass killings of civilians, is an apparent genocide policy pursued by Russia”, the Ukrainian president went on.

Zelensky said putting pressure on Russia “is a matter of saving lives” and that any delay, dispute or proposal for “calmed” Russia leads to new “kraines killed” and new threats to all on the continent.

Meanwhile, nine people, including a five-month-old baby, were killed in Kharkiv on Thursday amid the dense “migration” in residential areas near the city centre. The news is confirmed by the head of Kharkiv region's military administration, Oleh Synyehubov.

According to him, among those killed was a family that was just walking in the street, a man held his five - month - old baby in his hand while losing his life. The baby's mother is badly injured and is now in the hospital. Synyehubov added that in addition to those killed, 19 have been injured, among them a 9-year-old child.

He also described the artillery used, and said targeting inhabited areas in Ukraine's second largest city could only be for the purpose of <x0-terrorisation” of local residents. /A2 CNN