Zelensky: Evacuation efforts underway in Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that evacuation efforts are underway in the capital city of Kyiv almost two weeks into Russia’s invasion.

The popular president highlighted the difficulties of the evacuation as Russian forces keep firing on agreed upon humanitarian corridors that would allow people to leave Ukraine, The Associated Press reported.

Zelensky, speaking in Russian, used his address to tell Russian soldiers to leave Ukraine and go back to Russia, according to the AP.

“Our resistance for almost two weeks has shown you that we will not surrender, because this is our home. It is our families and children. We will fight until we can win back our land,” Zelensky said. “You can still save yourselves if you just go home.”

Zelensky also renewed his plea for Western countries to send Ukraine fighter jets its military can use against Russia, the AP noted. Other countries have been wary of the request, due to fears it would drag them more directly into the war.

So far, the U.N. estimates more than 2 million people have escaped Ukraine to neighboring countries. Hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have died since the start of the invasion along with thousands of Russian and Ukrainian troops.

Multiple countries have sent some military and humanitarian aid during the conflict as multiple Ukrainian cities have been surrounded by Russian forces.

The former mayor of the Ukrainian city of Irpen said the city and surrounding villages are nearing a humanitarian crisis as people are starving due to the conflict.