Zelensky: Russia wants Ukrainians to flee Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with El País that Russia is trying to force Ukrainians to leave Kyiv by intensifying attacks on civilian targets, and predicted further escalation ahead of the US midterm elections. Zelensky stated Moscow wants residents to flee the capital, a goal it has held since the start of the full-scale invasion, to prove the country could not exist without Kyiv. He said Russian strikes aim to paralyze the city, preventing work and school attendance. The president linked the increased attacks to the approaching US midterms, saying Putin will escalate the conflict further to demonstrate strength, with signals from the Kremlin directed primarily at Washington.