In the first hours of a full -scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, when Kiev was preparing for possible occupation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the head of his office Andriy Yermak personally kept weapons in his hands. The assault rifles were not for them for the parade - they were preparing for the worst scenario: breakthrough or last battle.
This is stated in Financial Times, which has published memories of people close to OP persons about the darkest hours of Ukraine's recent history.
One of the President's assistants recalls that the rifles were " to break through ... or die with dignity ." The risk of physical seizure or liquidation of the country's leadership was quite real, and the president, according to him, " had no fear for himself - there was a fear for the people and for the family ."
But especially dramatic was the moment of a phone call from Moscow, which was heard in the first days. Dmitry Kozak, deputy head of Putin administration, was in connection. He put forward an ultimatum:
“Convince Zelensky to surrender, or will be full -scale destruction”.
In response, Andrei Yermak said that he later became a symbol of unbreakable:
“Go to the hell! ” (In the original - “F*CK YOU”).
After these words, the phone was laid.
This short but extremely clear dialogue was not just Russia's response-it became a marker of determination of the country's leadership to resist at any cost. Then they did not seem in Kiev - and this refusal to capitulate became a point of non -return for the events of the whole war.
