Russian Defence Minister: “Russia’s slowing down offensive in Ukraine on purpose”

“RUSSIA is deliberately slowing down the pace of the special operation in Ukraine in order to allow evacuation and avoid civilian casualties,” according to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Shoigu made the claims at a meeting of the CSTO Council of Defenсe Ministers on Tuesday, May 24, stating that ‘ceasefires and humanitarian corridors are being created to help Ukrainians’.

“For residents to leave the surrounded settlements, ceasefires have been announced and humanitarian corridors are being created,” he said.

Despite claims from the Defence Minister, Russia fired four missiles at the city of Zaporizhzhia, one of which was destroyed by Ukrainian air defence systems.

The attack launched on Wednesday, May 25, killed one person and injured three.

Sergei Shoigu said that “Russian troops, unlike the Armed Forces of Ukraine, do not strike at civilian infrastructure where civilians may be. The firing positions and military facilities of the enemy are hit with the help of high-precision weapons.”

Ukrainian media said that claims from Russia regarding the use of ‘high-precision weapons’ are just further examples of propaganda from Putin’s army, following recent talks of a ‘wonder weapon’ – which President Zelensky likened to Nazi Germany-style propaganda.

However, the issue of Russia themselves using ‘high-precision weapons’ was brought up again recently when a Russian missile strike destroyed the cultural building in Lozova, Kharkiv on Friday, May 20.

Following the attack, at least seven people were wounded, including an 11-year-old child, according to local media reports.

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