Category: Attack on Ukraine

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 24 November 2022.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen!

We expect a strong reaction from the world to today’s Russian terror. We expect the reaction of partners. We expect the reaction of friends – not just observers. We expect the reaction of all those who really recognize the UN Charter.

We are doing everything possible. Ukraine presented the Peace Formula. The world heard it.

10 points – how to restore the full power of the UN Charter violated by Russia, and guarantee the safety of Ukraine, the safety of Europe and all the peoples of the planet who suffer from the consequences of Russian aggression.

In response to our Peace Formula, Russia is following the steps of its formula of terror.

The very next day after I proposed the Ukrainian Peace Formula at the G19 summit in Indonesia, we received ten Russian missiles per each point of the Peace Formula.

The strikes continued.

We liberated Kherson – and as soon as the Russian army fled from there, it began to methodically destroy this city. Strikes every day.

This night – another missile attack on the Zaporizhzhia region, on the hospital – on the buildings where the maternity ward was located. Russian terrorists took the life of a baby – the child was 2 days old when it was killed by a Russian missile!

And then again – dead, dead, dozens of wounded. In the city of Vyshhorod this afternoon, a residential building was hit, 35 people were injured, 4 were killed.

This is one of the main points of the Russian formula of terror – missiles.

Only today – almost 70 missiles. Against our energy infrastructure.

Unfortunately, a residential building was also hit.

Hospitals, schools, transport, residential areas – everything was affected.

Russian terror led to a blackout – and not only in Ukraine. The light also went out in neighboring Moldova.

But the understanding of what Russia wants to achieve with such strikes should not disappear anywhere in the world.

Energy terror is an analogue of the use of weapons of mass destruction.

When the temperature is below zero outside, and tens of millions of people are left without electricity, heat and water as a result of Russian missiles hitting energy facilities, this is an obvious crime against humanity.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Among you are representatives of a state that offers nothing to the world except terror, destabilization and disinformation. Any Russian formulas do not provide for anything else.

And that’s why I emphasize once again – it’s time to support the Ukrainian Peace Formula!

There must be no opportunity left for terror in the world!

That is why we are turning to our partners for support to protect our skies. We need modern and effective air defense and missile defense systems, and I thank everyone who is already helping.

What can a representative of a terrorist state tell you now? That civilians do not suffer from their missiles? Everything is obvious. It’s all too obvious.

And I urge you to take concrete steps to protect humanity and life!

Russia has long been trying to turn the UN Security Council into a platform for rhetoric. But the Security Council was created as the world’s most powerful platform for decisions and actions. This is what we can demonstrate.

The Security Council should provide a clear assessment of the actions of the terrorist state in accordance with Chapter Seven of the UN Charter. Ukraine proposes that the Security Council adopt such a resolution condemning any forms of energy terror.

Let’s see if anyone in the world will be able to say, along with Russia, that terror against civilians is supposedly a good thing.

I confirm the invitation from Ukraine regarding the mission of UN experts to critical infrastructure facilities of our country that have been or may be hit by Russian missiles.

It is necessary to give a proper assessment of damage and destruction. It should be stated that these are strikes against the very infrastructure that ensures the lives of tens of millions of people.

And finally, justice must be restored within the UN structures themselves.

The terrorist state should not participate in any voting on the issues of its aggression, its terror.

It is a stalemate when the one who caused the war, the one responsible for the terror, blocks any attempt by the UN Security Council to fulfill its mandate.

This is nonsense that the veto right is reserved for the one who is waging a criminal war.

It is necessary to lead the world out of this impasse.

It is absolutely possible.

The world should not be held hostage by one international terrorist.

Russia is doing everything to make the electric generator a more powerful and necessary tool than the UN Charter. We must and can return real meaning to all things – and above all to the UN Charter.

Your decisions are needed!

Thank you for the opportunity!

Thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 8 December 2022.

Fellow Ukrainians!

I have just signed the decrees on awarding posthumously the policemen whose lives were taken yesterday in the Kherson region by Russian mines.

The title of Hero of Ukraine was awarded to police colonel Mykhailo Kuratchenko. Orders “For Courage” – to police captains Ihor Melnyk and Serhiy Nenada and police corporal Vadym Perizhko.

Once again, my condolences…

They did everything for the safety of Ukrainians. Already returning after completing one of the tasks, when they removed weapons and ammunition from the cache of the occupiers, many of which were left in the Kherson region, the policemen stumbled upon a mine trap.

And this is the form of Russian terror that will have to be countered for years to come. Terrorists deliberately try to leave behind as many death traps as possible. Buried landmines, tripwire mines, mined buildings, cars and infrastructure… This is more than 170 thousand square kilometers of dangerous territory.

I am sure: this will be among the charges against Russia for aggression – precisely mine terror. Which is even more cruel and meaner than a missile one, because there is no anti-mine system that could destroy at least part of the threat, as our air defense does.

I am grateful to all our partners who help Ukraine with demining. Canada, Japan, Great Britain, Slovakia, ambassadors and donors of United24 and many others who understand how important it is that Ukraine is not left alone with the problem of the territory mined by the occupiers.

I met today with representatives of Slovakia, the government delegation – ministers of foreign affairs, defense and economy. We discussed the existing cooperation between our states both at the bilateral level and in the structures of the European Union. We agreed on new solutions for the sake of our common security and political interests.

We are actively working to support and strengthen the next sanctions against Russia – by European, American and other partners. The issue of the ninth EU sanctions package is currently in progress.

We are also waiting for other decisions, in particular, regarding schemes for circumventing anti-war sanctions, including financial and energy ones.

We are preparing several important events – for tomorrow and next week. Protecting and restoring the rights of our people, rebuilding Ukraine are constant priorities. The next week will be quite important for Ukraine in terms of these two tasks.

I thank all those who fight for freedom!

I thank everyone who strengthens our state and helps our people!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 7 December 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today was a long and hard day.

The Kherson region – four policemen died during stabilization measures… Russian mines.

Among the dead was Mykhailo Kuratchenko, chief of police of the Cherkasy region. He was helping colleagues in the south. EOD technician Ihor Melnyk. Dog trainer Serhiy Nenada. Assistant duty officer of the Uman district police department Vadym Perizhok. Doctors are currently saving the lives of four more policemen.

Police forces along with all the defense forces of our state are now on the frontline. And together with everyone they protect Ukrainians, together with everyone they suffer losses… My condolences.

The Donetsk region – today the Russian army carried out a very brutal, absolutely deliberate strike at Kurakhove. Precisely at civilians. At ordinary people. At the market, elevator, gas station, bus station, residential building. The list of the dead so far includes ten people, there are many wounded.

My condolences to relatives and friends… Eternal memory to all victims of Russian terror!

I’ve held a meeting of the Staff today. Commanders’ reports, analysis of the situation in specific directions.

First of all, regarding the Donetsk region, Bakhmut districts and other hottest spots. A very fierce confrontation is ongoing there, every meter counts.

I thank all our guys who destroy the enemy right there – every day, every night, every hour.

Of course, due attention was paid to the Luhansk region and Kharkiv region at the Staff’s meeting, there were reports on the situation in general and on the borders.

Energy sector is a permanent item on our agenda – both at the Staff and government levels.

I’ve also held a meeting on the stabilization of the energy system and the protection of our power plants.

We are constantly increasing the generation and supply of electricity – we are adding more volume almost every day. But we should not forget – and everyone should not forget – that it is now impossible to restore 100% of the energy system as it was before the beginning of the Russian energy terror. We need time. That is why shutdown schedules remain in most cities and districts.

As of this evening, the biggest number of shutdowns is in Kyiv and the region, Lviv region, Zhytomyr region, Khmelnytskyi region, Poltava region, Vinnytsia region and Zakarpattia. And I thank all our energy workers, repairmen, businesses, utility workers and local authorities who are doing everything they can to make things easier for people.

By the way, today is the Day of Local Self-Government. This is a holiday for all those who work with people directly and on whom almost everything in communities depends.

As in any government, in local self-government there are different people of different personal qualities and views. And today I thank all those who, at their level, really protect their communities. Who can be trusted and to whom people come for help. Who really takes care of the defense – within their responsibility – and who prepares everything so that his or her community can get through this winter more easily.

Thank you and congratulations on your professional day.

Today we have a very important result in France. The Supreme Court of France upheld the decision on recovery in favor of the Ukrainian Oschadbank from the aggressor state. The amount with accrued interest is almost 1.5 billion dollars.

This legal process has been dragging since 2015. More than six years of struggle, tens of thousands of pages of legal documents, many hopes and no less skepticism expressed by some… But there is this victory for Ukraine. Russia will be held to account for all stolen assets of the Ukrainian state and companies.

This is the first victory for a state-owned company in the legal cases against Russia concerning the seized property in Crimea, and I thank each and every one who secured this result.

Today, representatives of the Office and the government took part in a conference in America – a conference dedicated to the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Similarly, not everyone in the world agrees now that this tribunal will work. But no matter what they say, we will do our part and will definitely achieve a result for Ukraine and Ukrainians.

We are already preparing for the events of the second half of the week – at the international level. There will be important decisions for our defense.

We do everything to make them stronger.

I am grateful to all partners of our country!

Glory to all who work for the victory!

Glory to each of our warriors – to all those who obtain life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!