A man who calls Kyiv home says Russian president Vladimir Putin "miscalculated" the Ukrainian people's spirit and desire to defend their homeland.
Peter Zalmayev is the director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, an international non-profit organisation that promotes democracy and human rights in post-Communist areas in Europe and Asia.
Zalmayev told Breakfast the past few days since Russia invaded had been “surreal”, but that Russian forces were growing “desperate”.
“Putin expected a blitzkrieg, a short campaign that would bring Ukrainians to their knees who would greet Russians as liberators. He totally miscalculated what would happen.”
He said no one could have predicted when exactly Putin was going to strike.
“I went out the night before [Russia invaded] and had drinks with a friend of mine, a writer. Then all hell broke loose. It caught us so unprepared even though Ukraine has been embroiled in its war with Russia in the east of the country since 2014.”
He was now preparing to defend his country as a citizen soldier.
It was tough making the decision to stay in Kyiv, he said.
“No one wants to die. Everyone would rather live for their country than die. So, I want to avoid those lofty proclamations even though they become real in times of war.
“But, just seeing … women, children, who are having to brave this madness in Kyiv, cowering or hunkering down in basements, in bomb shelters, I would just not be able to live with myself unless I went back, shared this fate, and do something that’s very useful.
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“I intend to continue to broadcast to the world about the plight of Ukrainians.”
He said he intended to make Molotov cocktails and use a rifle if needed.
It comes as fighting continued in Ukraine after Russia's invasion last Thursday.
The UN estimated more than 500,000 Ukrainians had escaped the conflict.
As of Monday, Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs said 52 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed.
Russia also acknowledged it had lost troops in Ukraine on Monday, but didn't give a figure.
On Monday, Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to be put on high alert in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers.
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