In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is doing everything to curb Russian activity in Donetsk Oblast.
"This is where our number one goal is right now, as Donbas is still the number one goal for the occupiers," Zelensky said.
He also said that Russia is using mobilization to delay its defeat by establishing "at least some activity at the front." Russian dictator announced a partial mobilization on Sept. 21 to draw nearly 300,000 new soldiers into the army ranks.
"Constant attempts of the Russian offensive in the Donetsk region will surely go down in the history of wars as one of the most cynical murders of one's own soldiers," he said. "When we see this, when we see these offensives, we are once again convinced that the Russian mobilization is a frank attempt to give commanders on the ground a constant stream of 'cannon fodder.'"
Russian-installed proxy in the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Yevhen Balytskyi also said on Sept. 26 that local "volunteers" will join the Russian army in its fight against Ukraine following the sham referendum on joining Russia. Russian occupiers have boosted the conscription of Ukrainians in the occupied parts of Ukraine following Putin's mobilization announcement.
Russia's proxies in Donetsk Oblast announced the start of a pseudo-referendum on joining Russia on Sept. 23.
