Zelensky Fires Back at Russian Journalist Who Asked About a Trip to Moscow

A sharp exchange broke out between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a Russian journalist on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The incident took place on Wednesday, September 23, as Zelensky and his entourage were walking past a group of reporters.

A Russian journalist in the crowd repeatedly shouted at the Ukrainian leader, "When are you going to Moscow?" Zelensky stayed silent at first, but then shot back without breaking stride: "By rocket" — adding a Russian expletive for emphasis. Video of the moment quickly spread across social media.

The Kremlin's Response

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said Moscow does not view Zelensky's remark as a rejection of the possibility of talks in the Russian capital. He noted that the Ukrainian president was making "plenty of statements" on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Moscow has repeatedly signaled that any potential meeting between Zelensky and Putin should take place specifically in Moscow. As the Ukrainian outlet Fokus recalls, back in January Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov "invited" the Ukrainian leader to hold talks in Moscow, assuring him that the Russian side was ready to guarantee his safety during the visit. Zelensky, for his part, had previously refused to travel to Moscow, suggesting instead that Putin come to Kyiv.

Moscow Increasingly in the Crosshairs

Moscow, which had largely been spared direct effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has recently become the target of more intense retaliatory strikes from the Ukrainian side. According to Russian authorities, during recent elections to the State Duma, Moscow came under attack from 1,600 Ukrainian drones in a single day.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to strike various regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv. Local authorities reported that at least two people were killed in another missile strike overnight into Thursday.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz