Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addresses nation after new dawn rises in Kyiv: 'I'm here'
Zelenskyy told Ukrainians 'I'm here' while walking through the streets of Kyiv
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video to social media on Saturday morning showing himself walking around the streets of Kyiv after a night of artillery fire in different parts of the city, telling the nation "I'm here."
Zelenskyy said in a short video address to Ukrainians, "We will defend our country," and said that there's a lot of false information online.
"There's a lot of fake information online that I call on our army to lay down arms, and that there's evacuation," Zelenskyy said. "I'm here. We won't lay down our arms. We will defend our country."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Glory to Ukraine," he added.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video to social media on Saturday morning showing himself walking around the streets of Kyiv after a night of artillery fire in different parts of the city, telling the nation "I'm here." (Credit: President of Ukraine)
On Friday, Zelenskyy posted a separate video to social media along with other government officials who vowed to defend Ukraine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Good evening, everyone," he said in the video " (The) Leader of the faction (party) is here, head of the president’s administration is here, Prime Minister (Denys) Shmyhal is here, (adviser to the head of the President’s Office Mykhailo) Podoliak is here. The president is here."
"We're all here. Our military is here. Citizens in society are here. We're all here defending our independence, our country, and it will stay this way," Zelenskyy added. "Glory to our defenders! Glory to our women defenders! Glory to Ukraine!"
MEMBER OF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT VOWS TO FIGHT AS THE BATTLE IN KIEV RAGES 'EVERYWHERE'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Ukrainian soldier passes by houses in the village of Novoluhanske, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Oleksandr Ratushniak)
Despite Russian forces moving closer to the center of Kyiv, Zelenskyy declined an offer from the United States to be evacuated from the city.
"The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride," Zelenskyy said, according to the Associated Press who spoke with a senior intelligence official.
A view shows a crater, caused by shelling according to Ukraine's local officials, at the compound of a lyceum in the town of Vrubivka, in the Luhansk region, Ukraine. (Press Service of the Popasna Town Civil-Military Administration/Handout via Reuters)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russian President Vladimir Putin green lit a "special military operation" in Ukraine on early Thursday morning local time, saying that "our confrontation with these [Ukrainian] forces is inevitable."
Fox News' Nana Sajaia and The Associated Press contributed to this report