Pavel Polityuk, Valentyn Obgirenko

KYIV (Reuters – Several thousand Ukrainians rallied at Kyiv Saturday amid Russian invasion fears. The leader of Ukraine told the people to not panic, and pushed back against what he called a “gum of bleak war prediction being reported by the media.”

Tension has risen after Russia built more than 100,000 troops close to Ukraine and conducted large-scale drills. On Friday, the United States stated that an invasion could be launched at any time. Russia claims it is not planning an invasion.

Ukrainians marched through Kyiv’s centre in a group, singing “Glory To Ukraine”, and holding banners with the words “Invaders Must Die” and “Ukrainians Will Resist”.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine, attended drills for police in the southern Kherson area. He said that a Russian invasion could occur at any moment, but countered what he described as excessive information regarding a major war.

Panic in the country is our enemy’s best friend. He said that all of this information was just to provoke panic, and cannot help us.” I can’t disagree or agree with the events that haven’t yet occurred. “There has been no war in Ukraine as of yet.”

Numerous Western countries and the United States have called on their citizens to flee Ukraine. Washington announced Saturday that it had ordered most of its Kyiv Embassy staff to evacuate.

We must be prepared for every day. It wasn’t started yesterday. It started in 2014. So, it is ready, and that’s why we are here,” Zelenskiy stated in reference to Russia’s annexe of Crimea, and its support for the anti-Kyiv separatist rebellion in the east.

Zelenskiy expressed frustrations last month, expressing concern about the prospect of war. These warnings are putting pressure on the economy and the currency.

Later on Saturday, Joe Biden (the United States President) and Vladimir Putin (the Russian counterpart) will give speeches.