Ukraine war: 'Russia planning to bomb Odessa,' says Zelensky, requests more fighter jets

Russia is preparing to bomb Odessa on the Black Sea coast, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Sunday, March 6. In a televised address, Zelensky asserted that it was time for the world to exercise its power to close Ukraine's skies for Russian rockets and aircraft. The President's statement comes days after three Russian military choppers were spotted flying low near the port city. 

"Rockets against Odessa? This will be a war crime," Zelenskyy warned in a televised address, adding that the world has the power to close our skies for Russian rockets and aircraft.

Zelensky's demand for a no-fly zone comes after NATO refused to accept the Ukrainian President's request. Underlining that NATO was 'not a part of this conflict', NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, on Friday, stated that the only way for the organisation to implement a no-fly zone would be to send NATO planes to shoot down Russian ones, which could turn out to be a 'big' escalation risk. Lambasting the organisation in a fiery speech a day later, Zelensky accused the organisation of giving a 'green light' to Russia to bomb their cities. 

Ukraine requests more fighter jets

In his Sunday address, the Ukrainian president also demanded more aircraft to make its skies safe from Russia's offensive. Notably, the US is in talks with Poland to supply Ukraine with fighter jets. America and Poland are working together to provide Polish Russian-made warplanes to Ukraine and replenish Poland with US-made jets, according to NBC’s source in the White House.

He also appealed to the Russians to try and help stop the war, saying that it was not late for them to help Ukraine 'overcome the evil'. "Russian nationals, this is a fight not just for peace in Ukraine, this is the fight for our freedom," he said, remarking that their silence now, would force their poverty to speak on their behalf in the future.

Further, Zelensky claimed that captured members of the Russian military had shared evidence such as documents and maps which proved that Russia's 'special military operation', was not some improvised war, but a war waged with a deliberate, and determined intention.

“The citizens of Russia are right now making the choice between freedom and slavery. Today, tomorrow, this week, is still the time when you can defeat evil. Don’t miss this opportunity," he was quoted by The Kyiv Independent as saying.

(Image: AP)