According to The Guardian, both the regime of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the team of former US President Joe Biden were shocked that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky did not flee Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Points of attention
- The president's cautious approach of not warning the public about Russia's plans aimed to avoid mass panic and a citizen exodus, as per Ukrainian officials.
- Despite facing criticism, Zelensky's gamble to stay in Kyiv bolstered national morale and determination in the face of the Russian invasion.
The US and Russia underestimated Zelensky
The White House was convinced that the Ukrainian president would leave the capital as soon as the first Russian missiles flew in its direction.
The Kremlin was inclined to the same opinion, but they were wrong — Zelensky remained in Kyiv with his team.
Moscow also intended to eliminate the Ukrainian leader, but this was not destined to happen either.
Washington, like Moscow, assumed that he (Zelensky — ed.) would either be killed or he would flee as soon as the missiles started flying, the publication writes.
Foreign journalists believe that it was the president's bravery in the first days of the war that enabled the Ukrainian people to unite and believe in their potential victory.
Despite this, Zelenskyy is still criticized for being poorly prepared for war with Russia.
The head of state has been repeatedly warned that it is quite possible.
One of the GUR generals came to the president's defense. According to the latter, a public warning from Zelenskyy could provoke panic and a mass exodus of citizens.
"If he started talking about a future war, society would panic and millions would flee. The country would most likely fall," said the Ukrainian general, speaking on condition of anonymity.
