“Russia’s decision to mobilize is a frank admission that its regular army, which was prepared for decades to occupy a foreign country, could not stand it and collapsed,” Zelensky said during the speech. Zelensky claimed that the Russian leadership is “preparing to take up to one million men into the army” despite keeping quiet about its plans. The president has contrasted Ukraine’s military with Russia’s, praising his constituents for their resilience during the “full-scale offensive” the largest country launched in February. “Ukraine managed to liberate a significant part of the territory invaded by Russian troops,” he said. “Ukraine Frees People From Russian Captivity”. Zelensky noted that according to Ukrainian estimates, 55,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the initial invasion and that tens of thousands more have suffered casualties. “Do they want more? No? Then protest. I fight back. I escape. Or surrender to Ukrainian captivity. These are options to survive,” the president said, addressing the Russian military. Zelensky also referred to referendums scheduled to begin Friday in four Russian-held regions of Ukraine that will determine whether those regions will become part of Russia. Ex-Army Reservist, ‘Sworn White Supremacist’ Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Jan. 6 Attack On The Money — Bank executives under fire for low savings rates He called the plan a “hoax” and the referendums a “fraud,” comparing Russia’s strategy to its actions in Crimea and the Donbass in 2014. “I will note right away: any decisions of the Russian leadership do not change anything for Ukraine,” he said. “This is the liberation of our country, the protection of our people and the mobilization of global support for the implementation of our tasks,” Zelensky added.