We will rebuild Ukraine and Russia will pay the price: Volodymyr Zelensky

“We will restore every house, every street, every city and we say to Russia: learn the word of reparations and contributions. You will reimburse us for everything you did against our state, against every Ukrainian in full,” Zelensky said in a video statement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday assured Ukrainians that damage to infrastructure inflicted by invading Russian forces would be repaired and that Moscow would foot the bill.

“We will restore every house, every street, every city and we say to Russia: learn the word of reparations and contributions. You will reimburse us for everything you did against our state, against every Ukrainian in full,” Zelensky said in a video statement.

He further added that the invading Russian army will face “a fierce rebuff” from the military and citizens of Ukraine.

“Wherever they enter, they will be destroyed everywhere, they will not have peace, they will not have food, they will not have a single quiet moment,” Zelensky said in a video statement. “The invaders will only receive a rebuff from Ukrainians. Fierce rebuff,” he said.

“Such a rebuff they will forever remember, that we will not give up what is ours.”

Russian shelling and attacks on civilian populations killed 34 civilians in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region in the past 24 hours between March 2-3, the emergency services said Thursday. Separately, the governor of the Ukraine-controlled eastern Donetsk region said the port city of Mariupol, one of the first targets of the Russian invasion, was without electricity or water supplies.

Russia’s advance on the Ukrainian capital has made little progress over the past three days and the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol remain in Ukrainian hands, according to British military intelligence.

Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly voted at an emergency session Wednesday to demand an immediate halt to Moscow’s attack on Ukraine. India abstained on the resolution and reiterated that differences can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.