US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Kyiv after his unannounced visit on Thursday, where he said the ongoing counter-offensive was “proving to work.”
The top US diplomat also said it was “hard to imagine” that the so-called Russian filtering operation, which has forced hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to be deported, would have been possible without direction. of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Blinken attributed the success of the counter-offensive to “the incredible courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people” and said that the US was “delighted to be able to support these efforts.” your”.
“Basically, what this happens, I think the reason for this success is that this is your homeland, not Russia. And it’s basically that,” the top US diplomat said as he sat across from Zelensky.
Speaking to the press before departing from the city by train, Blinken said he had received “a comprehensive update on the counterattack.
“Again, it is very early, but we are seeing real and clear progress in practice, particularly in the area around Kherson, as well as some exciting developments in the Donbass, in the east. , but again, early days,” he said.
Blinken said he spent about two hours with Zelensky and his team, calling it “a very productive and meaningful day in many ways.”
In addition to his meeting with Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, he visited the US Embassy, toured a children’s hospital and went to Irpin, where he witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the Russian occupation of the suburbs. Kyiv.
The top US diplomat told the press that he “was able to witness horrific attacks on homes, on buildings, obviously by civilians, where shelling, rockets, etc. , ammo, it’s all there. And best of all, it’s indiscriminate. At worst, it was intentional. And I was able to speak to the people who are doing the remarkable work in gathering evidence of war crimes and atrocities as well as those responsible for the city that is working to rebuild it, “I said.
Ukrainian forces regained control of Irpin at the end of March, but the city was left in ruins. The damage was still visible as the top US diplomat toured part of the city, led by Deputy Mayor Dmytro Nehresha, according to the press traveling with Blinken.
Blinken was told that 95% of the city had been evacuated at one point, but that the vast majority – about 78% – had returned, and it was taking in internally displaced people from Kherson.
