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Category: Attack on Ukraine

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech to the UNESCO Executive Board

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech to the UNESCO Executive Board

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 11 October 2022.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    Dear defenders of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage of mankind!

    Today, Ukraine is going through the 230th day of a full-scale war.

    How was your morning today? I will tell you what ours was like. At eight o’clock in the morning, most of the territory of Ukraine was already in a state of air alert.

    Russia launched cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.

    Today, children in Ukraine didn’t go to kindergartens, schools, or universities again. Online learning is introduced everywhere.

    In this war, we cannot know who and what will be targeted by Russian missiles.

    Children or adults… An educational facility or a cultural object… A critical infrastructure facility or, for example, a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

    All of these are equal targets for Russia.

    This night, a Russian missile hit the premises of the Khortytsia Academy in the Zaporizhzhia region. For what? This is their tactic. The tactic of terrorists.

    More than 2,600 educational facilities have already been destroyed or damaged by such terrorist attacks by Russia.

    Yesterday in Kyiv, our capital, a Russian missile hit the crossroads in the central part of the city. People died – literally burned in cars.

    And it was 700 meters from the bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    At the same crossroads are the buildings of Shevchenko University, one of the most important universities in Eastern Europe. It was affected by this strike. The Institute of Philology is damaged.

    Russia can award itself the special title of winner of universities, institutes, academies and schools. How many cruise missiles do educational institutions have? Zero. And Russia has hundreds of missiles.

    This is what its victory is like.

    Another Russian missile hit Tereshchenkivska Street in Kyiv yesterday. The premises of the Khanenko Museum were damaged, masterpieces by Velázquez, Canova, and Cellini are stored there. The premises of the Shevchenko Museum. One of the most renowned Kyiv publishing houses.

    Can you imagine a missile attack on Babyn Yar in Kyiv, the burial place of a hundred thousand victims of Nazi executions? And this strike took place.

    Can you imagine the shelling of the Menorah in Drobytsky Yar, Kharkiv region, where 20,000 Nazi victims are buried? And this shelling also took place.

    540 is the total number of objects of cultural heritage, cultural institutions and religious buildings damaged by Russian strikes in Ukraine during the full-scale war since February 24. Almost 200 destroyed or damaged temples!

    And it is possible – while I am addressing you now – that one of the Russian strikes damaged other cultural or educational objects, other memorials or temples.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    Dear defenders of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage of mankind!

    Please tell me why the representatives of Russia are still among you? What are they doing at UNESCO?

    How can there be representatives of a terrorist state in UNESCO, which is proud of the destruction it causes in another country?

    I am grateful to UNESCO for supporting Ukraine at this time and for all the principled statements that were made to protect Ukraine and culture from Russian aggression. But still, new steps are needed – steps that Russia will feel.

    A terrorist state definitely has no right to chair one of the key bodies for the protection of cultural and natural heritage – the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Such a Russian presidency devalues the institution itself – its significance, its reputation.

    It is inadmissible to let Russia destroy the authority of UNESCO.

    The terrorist state must be excluded from all UNESCO bodies and from the Organization itself.

    Let it be a historical example for everyone in the world that no one will tolerate an enemy of culture, an enemy of history, an enemy of education, an enemy of science.

    Unfortunately, this is Russia’s choice – to oppose everything that matters to humanity.

    This is its deliberate choice.

    The second thing that is needed now is the expansion of our joint efforts to protect cultural heritage in Ukraine. Just now! Given daily threats of Russian strikes.

    We must provide a clear signal that the world will not turn a blind eye to the destruction of our common history, our common culture, our common heritage.

    One of the steps for this should be the preservation of the historical center of Odesa – a beautiful city, an important port of the Black Sea and a source of culture for millions of people in different countries.

    Together with our partners, we prepared the nomination file of Odesa for inclusion in the World Heritage List. We are passing this on to UNESCO.

    And I am asking you to initiate an extraordinary session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to resolve this issue for Odesa.

    And please, it cannot be delayed, it cannot be postponed.

    Odesa, like all other cities of Ukraine, is a target for Russian strikes. Please support Odesa! Show at the level of UNESCO precisely that Russian terror must end.

    Colleagues! Ukraine has been a conscientious member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization since May 12, 1954. Our state always invests only in the preservation of our common heritage and never in destruction!

    Now we need your support. Support in the preservation and protection of education, science and culture.

    I would like to express my gratitude to UNESCO and its partners for their willingness to provide 50,000 computers for Ukrainian teachers to ensure online education. But we need more.

    We already offer partners – both at the state level, and at the level of international and non-governmental organizations, businesses – to join the reconstruction of Ukraine after hostilities.

    Some partners have joined. Now I am addressing those who have not yet decided to support Ukrainian recovery. This project will definitely become the largest economic and infrastructure project in Europe over the last 50 years. And this is a historic opportunity for each of you – to be participants in this project, to be historically significant defenders of education, culture and science – our joint heritage.

    I believe that our common strength will be enough so that terror can never win.

    I thank you for your attention! Thank you for this opportunity to address you!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – 2022 Comments on Belarus and the Russian Attack on Ukraine

    Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – 2022 Comments on Belarus and the Russian Attack on Ukraine

    The comments made by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, on Twitter on 11 October 2022.

    This is our position:

    ?Belarus must officially withdraw from ?? war participation.
    ?Every ?? soldier must leave Belarus unconditionally.
    ?All involved in ?? attack from Belarus must be held accountable.
    ?Democratic Belarus & ?? should build an alliance against ?? aggression.

  • G7 – 2022 Joint Statement on Ukraine

    G7 – 2022 Joint Statement on Ukraine

    The joint statement issued by G7 leaders on 11 October 2022.

    G7 Statement on Ukraine, 11 October 2022

    1. We, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), convened today with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Our meeting took place against the backdrop of the most recent missile attacks against civilian infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, leading to the death of innocent civilians. We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms and recall that indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilian populations constitute a war crime. We will hold President Putin and those responsible to account.
    2. The G7 firmly condemn and unequivocally reject the illegal attempted annexation by Russia of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions in addition to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. We solemnly reiterate that we will never recognise this illegal annexation or the sham referenda that Russia uses to justify it.
    3. Russia has blatantly violated the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. They cannot and do not give Russia a legitimate basis to change Ukraine’s borders. We call upon all countries to unequivocally reject these violations of international law and demand that Russia cease all hostilities and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from Ukraine.
    4. We have imposed and will continue to impose further economic costs on Russia, including on individuals and entities – inside and outside of Russia – providing political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory.
    5. We deplore deliberate Russian escalatory steps, including the partial mobilisation of reservists and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, which is putting global peace and security at risk. We reaffirm that any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences.
    6. We condemn Russia’s actions at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and the pressure exerted on the personnel of the facility. This is a further irresponsible escalation and we will hold Russia responsible for any incident caused by their actions. The safety, security and safeguards of the nuclear facility are paramount and we support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts in this regard.
    7. We reiterate our call on the Belarusian authorities to stop enabling the Russian war of aggression by permitting Russian armed forces to use Belarusian territory and by providing support to the Russian military. The announcement of a joint military group with Russia constitutes the most recent example of the Belarusian regime’s complicity with Russia. We renew our call on the Lukashenko regime to fully abide by its obligations under international law.
    8. We reaffirm our full support to Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty in its internationally recognised borders. In line with international law, in particular the UN Charter, Ukraine has the legitimate right to defend itself against Russian aggression and to regain full control of its territory within its internationally recognised borders.
    9. We reassured President Zelenskyy that we are undeterred and steadfast in our commitment to providing the support Ukraine needs to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support and will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We are committed to supporting Ukraine in meeting its winter preparedness needs.
    10. With a view to a viable post-war peace settlement, we remain ready to reach arrangements together with interested countries and institutions and Ukraine on sustained security and other commitments to help Ukraine defend itself, secure its free and democratic future, and deter future Russian aggression. We will continue to coordinate efforts to meet Ukraine’s urgent requirements for military and defense equipment. We look forward to the outcomes of the International Expert Conference on the Recovery, Reconstruction and Modernisation of Ukraine on October 25.
    11. No country wants peace more than Ukraine, whose people have suffered death, displacement and countless atrocities as the result of Russian aggression. In solidarity with Ukraine, the G7 Leaders welcome President Zelenskyy’s readiness for a just peace. This should include the following elements: respecting the UN Charter’s protection of territorial integrity and sovereignty; safeguarding Ukraine’s ability to defend itself in the future; ensuring Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction, including exploring avenues to do so with funds from Russia; pursuing accountability for Russian crimes committed during the war.
    12. We are deeply troubled by the deliberate damage to the Nordstream pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea and strongly condemn any deliberate disruption of critical infrastructure. We welcome ongoing investigations.
    13. We will act in solidarity and close coordination to address the negative impact of Russia’s aggression for global economic stability, including by continuing to cooperate to ensure energy security and affordability across the G7 and beyond.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (11/10/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (11/10/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 11 October 2022.

    Fellow Ukrainians!

    Another day of our defense. A difficult day.

    Restoration work is currently underway across the country. We will restore all objects that were damaged by today’s attack by Russian terrorists. It’s only a matter of time. I tasked all structures of our state to ensure recovery as fast as possible.

    In some cities and regions, where there were blackouts due to shelling, the electricity supply has already been restored.

    As of now: Kharkiv region – 50% of energy supply has been restored. Energy crews need several hours to restore electricity supply to the majority of districts.

    Poltava region – restored almost everywhere. Mykolaiv region, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa region – connected. Cherkasy – connected. Khmelnytskyi – there is light in most parts of the city.

    In some cities and districts, efforts are still needed to give people electricity. Chernihiv region, Sumy region, Kyiv and Kyiv region, Lviv region, Ternopil region, Dnipropetrovsk region – we are working. Somewhere it takes hours, somewhere you have to wait a little longer, but the result will be everywhere.

    Unfortunately, 12 people died today in this terrorist attack. More than 80 were wounded or injured. Everyone who applied for help gets it.

    The Armed Forces of Ukraine, intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine and all those involved in the defense of our state also perform their tasks.

    Of the 84 Russian missiles launched against Ukraine, 43 were shot down. Out of 24 Russian drones, 13 were shot down. And even after that, every ten minutes I get a message about the downing of Iranian “Shaheds”.

    Only in the last hours…

    16:28 – “Shahed” was destroyed, Litky district.

    17:26 – Kremenchuk, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    17:36 – Cherkasy, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    17:40 – Dovhyntseve, Kryvyi Rih, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    17:50 – Apostolove, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    And it’s like that all day long. Now as I speak I continue to receive such messages. Therefore, please follow the safety rules and pay attention to the air alarm. The danger is still there. But we are fighting.

    I am grateful to our Air Forces and Ground Forces units that were involved today!

    The leaders of the terrorists say that they hit all the targets they planned.

    First, they lie, as usual.

    Secondly, they lie, as usual. Take a look at their real targets, apart from energy facilities. Look at just one example of our capital…

    The crossroads in Kyiv where I stand. The crossroads of Volodymyrska Street and Shevchenko Boulevard. That’s the target.

    Seven hundred meters from here is the bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral. Moscow did not yet exist when it was already standing.

    A little further there is Volodymyr’s Hill, a place that became the source of Christianity and culture for Eastern Europe. In particular, for the territory that much later came to be called Russia.

    Next to me are the buildings of the Shevchenko University, which will soon celebrate its 190th anniversary. They are damaged now by this Russian strike. But we will restore everything.

    The Teacher’s House was also damaged today. At one time, the Central Council of Ukraine worked there, and for Ukrainians this place will always be a place of memory about our glorious history of statehood.

    And right behind me there is a playground in Shevchenko Park, which also became a target for a Russian missile. But it is not just in Shevchenko Park. It is on one of the main museum streets of Kyiv. In particular, the Khanenko Art Museum was damaged by this attack by terrorists.

    And it’s like this in all the cities of our state – civil, cultural, educational facilities. Who can fight all this? Who can rejoice at strikes on such objects and such land?

    They say they want to push Ukraine back into the XVIII century. But they pushed themselves back into a much older era, in the era of savages, which they became quite consciously.

    And Ukraine will still remain in the XXI century.

    Kyiv saw various strangers. And survived them all. Kyiv will also survive this onslaught of terrorists who have no history, no tradition, no culture. They are temporary. And even if they live for 70 years, they still don’t have enough time to understand anything.

    Ukraine cannot be intimidated. We united even more instead. Ukraine cannot be stopped. We are convinced even more that terrorists must be neutralized.

    The Russian army carried out these strikes during the morning rush hour on purpose. This is a typical terrorist tactic. They wanted to incite more fear and affect more people. They affected. They affected the whole world.

    Today I have already spoken with the Chancellor of Germany, the President of France, the Emir of Qatar, the President of Poland, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

    I had a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador. Now I have conversations scheduled with the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States. Tomorrow – with the Prime Minister of Italy.

    I am grateful to all for the unambiguous support!

    We’re consolidating the world. And I feel that the world is with us. An extraordinary meeting of the G7 is already scheduled for tomorrow. We are working on a resolution for the UN General Assembly to condemn Russia for all its escalating steps, for its terror. Terror inevitably receives a global response. And the blatant nature of Russian terror only encourages everyone to be more determined.

    Regarding energy. We will do everything to restore normal production and supply of electricity. We need electricity to be supplied for all families, regardless of any manifestations of Russian terror. We need energy to be supplied to all our homes, in all regions.

    Therefore, we need a reasonable consumption of electricity now. There are hours of peak load on the power system – from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. I am asking you, please, at this time, consume electricity in such a way as not to overload the power system. Please postpone washing, ironing, repairing and using other electrical appliances that consume a lot of energy before 5 p.m. or after 10 p.m. A strong request.

    The more Ukrainians consume electricity in this way, the more stable our energy system will be.

    We are doing everything to get modern air defense systems. And I am grateful to the partners who are already speeding up the delivery.

    We are doing everything to strengthen our Armed Forces. And now the occupiers already cannot oppose us on the battlefield, that is why they resort to this terror. Well, we’ll make the battlefield even more excruciating for the enemy. And we will restore everything that was destroyed.

    Please help each other! Please take care of those who are left alone in such circumstances! Believe in yourself, in Ukraine, in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in our victory!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Joe Biden – 2022 Statement on Russian Attack on Ukrainian Civilians

    Joe Biden – 2022 Statement on Russian Attack on Ukrainian Civilians

    The statement made by Joe Biden, the President of the United States, on 10 October 2022.

    The United States strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today across Ukraine, including in Kyiv. These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose. They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war on the Ukrainian people.

    We offer our condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were senselessly killed today, as well as our best wishes for the recovery of those who were wounded.

    These attacks only further reinforce our commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. Alongside our allies and partners, we will continue to impose costs on Russia for its aggression, hold Putin and Russia accountable for its atrocities and war crimes, and provide the support necessary for Ukrainian forces to defend their country and their freedom.

    We again call on Russia to end this unprovoked aggression immediately and remove its troops from Ukraine.

  • Keir Starmer – 2022 Statement on Russian Attack on Ukrainian Civilians

    Keir Starmer – 2022 Statement on Russian Attack on Ukrainian Civilians

    The statement made by Keir Starmer on 10 October 2022.

    I’m deeply concerned for the people of Kyiv and Ukraine as Russia escalates its unjustifiable attacks.

    The loss suffered by Ukrainians is immeasurable.

    The UK is firmly united in condemning Putin’s latest wave of violence and destruction. We stand with Ukraine, today and always.

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement to People of Ukraine Following Russian Attack on Civilians in Cities

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement to People of Ukraine Following Russian Attack on Civilians in Cities

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 10 October 2022.

    Ukrainians!

    The morning is tough. We are dealing with terrorists.

    Dozens of missiles, Iranian “Shaheds”. They have two targets.

    Energy facilities throughout the country. Kyiv region and Khmelnytskyi region, Lviv and Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy region, Kharkiv region, Zhytomyr region, Kirovohrad region, the south of the country.

    They want panic and chaos, they want to destroy our energy system. They are incorrigible.

    The second target is people.

    Such a time and such goals were specially chosen to cause as much damage as possible.

    But. We are Ukrainians. We help each other. We believe in ourselves. We restore everything destroyed.

    There may be temporary power outages now, but there will never be an outage of our confidence – our confidence in victory.

    Why such strikes exactly? The enemy wants us to be afraid, wants to make people run. But we can only run forward – and we demonstrate this on the battlefield. It will continue to be so.

    Rescuers are working now. Our air defense system is working. 38 aerial targets have already been shot down.

    Please stay in shelters today. Thanks to the help of our military, everything will be fine.

    Always follow the safety rules. And always remember: Ukraine existed before this enemy appeared, and Ukraine will exist after it.

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (10/10/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (10/10/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 10 October 2022.

    Today I want to address those in the world who give in to Russian manipulations about the alleged negotiations. About an assumption that it is supposedly only negotiations that can end this brutal Russian terrorist war.

    Does the terrorist state want peace? Obviously not. It proves that every day and every night.

    Zaporizhzhia. One of the Ukrainian cities against which Russia directs its missile terror.

    At least 14 people died last night as a result of Russian strikes on ordinary residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia. Unfortunately, this number may increase. Debris is still being cleared. More than 70 people were injured, including 11 children. All of them are provided with proper aid.

    Hundreds of families were left homeless. An entire block, from the first to the sixth floor, was destroyed by one of the missiles – a heavy anti-ship missile Kh-22 – aimed at an ordinary nine-story residential building.

    It was a deliberate strike. The one who gave the order and those who carried it out knew what they were targeting.

    The strikes this night continued a series of Russian missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia, which have killed at least 43 people since October 3 this week alone. And there were also strikes on Kharkiv, on the cities of Donbas, on other cities of Ukraine… There were also strikes by Iranian drones. Airstrikes. The absolute majority of them were aimed at the civil infrastructure of Ukraine and civilians.

    When someone wants to negotiate, he does not do so. And when someone is a terrorist, that’s exactly what he does.

    Do negotiations really help overcome terror? Now everyone has to answer this question honestly. Terrorists are neutralized.

    Terrorism is a crime that must be punished. Terrorism at the state level is one of the most heinous international crimes, which threatens not just someone in the world, but the entire international community.

    If terror goes unpunished, if the terrorist succeeds in intimidation so much that someone in the world is willing to simply turn a blind eye to terror, then that will be a loss – a loss of freedom, a loss of humanity and a loss of democracy. This is exactly what Russia longs for. This is why it needs all this terror – from missile strikes to global crises provoked by a terrorist state.

    This has already happened in history. Last time another terrorist state was allowed to do what it wanted because the world powers were afraid of its terror, World War II started.

    Now the world is united. Now everyone in the world understands what this war in Ukraine is actually being waged against by Russia. This is a Russian war against all those values that make people human and life peaceful.

    Ukraine will win this war. We can liberate our entire land and we can put the terrorist state in place. Russia must be punished for terror. Only this guarantees that the confrontation will not grow to an even greater scale and will not spread to other countries.

    But for this we must preserve the maximum unity – the unity of all the people of the world who value peace, respect the right to life for everyone and are honest enough to admit: the constant terror against the civilian population is an obvious Russian refusal to engage in real negotiations.

    Therefore, official designation of Russia as a terrorist state is needed – designation at all levels.

    It is necessary to limit any economic contacts with any Russian subjects – you cannot be a sponsor of terrorism.

    We need a clear condemnation at all levels of every escalating step by Russia – from terrorist attacks to the criminal attempt to annex our territory. The relevant resolution will be considered by the UN General Assembly in a few days. We will see from the vote who and how treat terrorists in reality.

    And Ukraine needs principled and sufficient aid. Aid to our people who are targeted by the terrorist state. It is necessary to accelerate the provision of a sufficient number of effective air defense systems to Ukraine. The negotiations on the provision of such air defense systems, the negotiations on increasing other defense, political and financial support for Ukraine are the only possible negotiation format that can really bring peace closer.

    I am grateful to everyone who helps us resist terror!

    I am grateful to everyone who fights and works for the return of peace to Ukraine and guarantees of the right to life and security to every Ukrainian.

    Eternal memory to all victims of Russian terror!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (09/10/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (09/10/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 9 October 2022.

    Dear Ukrainians!

    Today was a good and mostly sunny day on the territory of our state. It was about 20 degrees and sunny in large parts of the country.

    Unfortunately, it was cloudy in Crimea. Although it is also warm. But no matter what the clouds are, Ukrainians know what to do. And they know that our future is sunny.

    This is a future without occupiers. Throughout our territory, in particular in Crimea.

    If the occupiers flee while they have a chance, this will be the best option for them. If they are forced to stay, any occupier can find a way to surrender to Ukrainian captivity.

    We guarantee the preservation of lives to all Russian military servicemen who voluntarily lay down their arms and surrender.
    Ukraine always adheres to all international norms and conventions.

    We will not leave any other options for the occupiers to rely on.

    And again and again I want to thank all our citizens who are fighting and working for peace for Ukraine, for the liberation of our entire land.

    This day, the movement of our military, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Guard and all those who take part in active actions – actions in the east, actions in the south of our country – continued.

    We are holding positions in Donbas, in particular in the Bakhmut direction, where now it is very, very hard, very tough fighting. Today, I would like to once again mention our soldiers from the Kholodny Yar 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade for their courage and sustained power in this direction.

    Thanks to all our anti-aircraft gunners and everyone involved in the air defense of Ukraine.

    We are doing everything we can to defend Ukrainian skies, and it is one of the highest priorities for our diplomats to speed up the decision of our partners to provide Ukraine with modern and effective anti-aircraft systems in sufficient quantity.

    We will definitely come to that.

    In the de-occupied territories, we do not slow down the pace of reconstruction work for a single day. It’s transport, it’s electricity, it’s gas supply, it’s postal services, social benefits – wherever there is a real possibility to provide it, we provide it.

    I must ask all Ukrainians in the territory where the occupiers were to be especially attentive to the mine threat.

    Our explosive ordnance disposal teams, our bomb disposal engineers are working at their maximum, but after the occupiers, a very large area is contaminated with mines. Please do not ignore mine warnings, do not visit areas closed due to danger, please report any mines or unexploded ordnance found to the police, emergency services or local authorities.

    And I want to add one more thing.

    Lawyer’s Day is celebrated in Ukraine today. Not everyone who has a law degree works in law. But among those who still work in this field, there are people whose contribution is truly historic. Very important.

    Those who investigate into the crimes of the occupiers. Those who help to restore justice, in particular by working in the field of human rights. Those who do everything so that every Russian murderer and the aggressor state itself are inevitably punished for this war. I thank all of you for this very important work!

    I’m thankful to investigators, prosecutors, human rights defenders, lawyers, civil servants, and employees of public organizations.
    I’m thankful to everyone who teaches law, fights for the rule of law and helps people defend their rights, freedoms and legitimate interests.

    Justice for Ukraine, for Europe, for the world must and will be restored. Thanks to our indomitable, strong, conscientious and educated people.

    Eternal glory to all who defend Ukraine!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (08/10/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (08/10/2022)

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

    Dear Ukrainians!

    An important decision was made today. It’s fair. Legally perfect. Historical.

    Ukraine confirmed its respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Japan, including its Northern territories, which are still under Russian occupation.

    Today, I signed the relevant decree. There is a corresponding statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. And we call on everyone in the world to make similar decisions.

    Russia has no right to these territories. Everyone in the world knows this well. And we must finally act.

    We must de-occupy all the lands that the Russian occupiers are trying to keep for themselves.

    Only in this way can we return the full force to international law. The UN Charter and the entire complex of treaties and conventions on which the international legal order is based will work only when the occupiers lose and the nations in the world are protected from any occupations.

    With this war against Ukraine, against the international legal order, against our people, Russia has put itself in conditions – and it is now only a matter of time – of the real liberation of everything that once was seized and is now under the control of the Kremlin.

    Russia, by its example, will show all potential aggressors of the world that an aggressive terrorist war in our time is a way to weaken and inevitably destroy the one who starts such a war.

    The aggressor must lose. So be it. So that such wars do not happen again and that the peace is really long-term. Nothing should be left for the invaders.

    I believe: justice will be restored for our partners as well.

    This week alone, our soldiers liberated 776 square kilometers of territory in the east of our country and 29 settlements, including six in Luhansk region, from the Russian pseudo-referendum. In total, 2,434 square kilometers of our land and 96 settlements have already been liberated since the beginning of this offensive operation.

    And today I want to mention the fighters of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 80th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade and the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade and note their heroic efforts to liberate Ukrainian land.

    There are also good results in the south of Ukraine this week – we are liberating our land and our people there from the pseudo-referendum every day.

    We will certainly come to the lands that were occupied by Russia earlier.

    I’m thankful to all our defenders who ensure this!

    During these 225 days, 29,887 Ukrainian soldiers were awarded state awards. A total of 178 soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

    Such a scale of courage and heroism of our fighters unequivocally proves that Ukraine cannot be stopped.

    And each of the Russian attacks, all manifestations of Russian terror – against Zaporizhzhia, against Kharkiv, against Mykolaiv, against Donbas and all our other territories – only prove that the liberation of our entire land is the only foundation of peace and security for all Ukrainians.

    Today, I took part in the meeting of the European Council. I thanked our partners for the eighth package of sanctions against Russia and for all the support for Ukraine that is already provided.

    We are working together to increase our common capabilities – of everyone in Europe.

    Preparations have already begun for important events planned for next week, both in Ukraine and at the international level.

    It will be a strong week for our state, it will be a strong week for our defense.

    Eternal glory to all those who fight and work for peace for Ukraine!

    Eternal glory to our heroes!

    Glory to Ukraine!