Category: Attack on Ukraine

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 5 June 2022.

Ukrainians!

Good health to you!

Today was a busy day. A day of important communication, important meetings.

I congratulated the journalists on their professional holiday. During the war, the word “holiday” sounds very unnatural, but every year on this day, June 6, greetings are heard for the people on whom, of course, we all depend. On the information they spread. On the speed at which they work.

Of course, we do not celebrate this year. But still, we congratulate them. We still note the contribution of journalists of Ukraine and all those on whom the work of the media depends: cameramen, engineers, editors, photographers, producers and everyone without whom broadcast is impossible and websites will not work. These are the people who keep the information front and to whom I am grateful for this on behalf of all of us, all Ukrainians.

Today I awarded correspondents and media workers who are working on the battlefield now. I also presented awards to the relatives of those whose lives were taken by the war.

32 media workers have been killed since February 24. This list includes different biographies, different personal stories. And not only citizens of Ukraine. Today, during a special ceremony in the President’s Office, everyone was remembered. Their memory was honored with a moment of silence.

I spoke today with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. I informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about our capabilities and key current dangers, especially in Donbas and in the southern regions of Ukraine. I am grateful to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for fully understanding our needs and for his willingness to provide Ukraine with the weapons we so desperately need to protect the lives of our people.

I also spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda. Of course, about defense support for Ukraine. This is a mandatory topic for each of my negotiations. And I am grateful to our partners who act quickly and do not postpone their decisions. I am grateful to Poland.

The issue of candidate status for Ukraine was also discussed with Andrzej, which is a key political issue right now. We are waiting for the decision of the European Union on our application in the coming weeks. I believe that this will be a decision not only about Ukraine, but also about the entire European project. About whether it has a future as a really strong union.

I am preparing for a new wave of appeals and communication with the political and expert communities of the world in order to guarantee our state the support we so desperately need. This is a constant process – the maintenance of attention, and it cannot be stopped for a single moment.

And that applies to everyone, really. Every modern person is well aware of how the media works. It is very difficult to keep an eye on one topic for a long time. For the attention to Ukraine, to our struggle for freedom not to decrease, everyone must continue to talk about what is happening. Please share information. Support our needs.

Of course, this primarily applies to journalists. And today, by the way, I want to wish them not to be locked on our internal Ukrainian context. The more we say about Ukraine in the world, the sooner we will be able to end the war and liberate our land.

Of course, this applies to all representatives of the state and Ukrainian politics. Work for our defense – in unity and in full force.

But do not forget that business, culture and ordinary people can also do a lot to keep Ukraine at the top of global attention.

A simple example – today I was presented with postage stamps issued in Spain in support of Ukraine. It may seem that the postage stamp can’t change anything. But it is a symbol of the attention to our struggle that millions of people will see.

Creating such symbols, encouraging the creation of such symbols, talking about Ukraine and encouraging talks about Ukraine – this is what will help us in negotiations with representatives of states on specific important assistance that Ukraine needs today.

Our heroes hold their positions in Severodonetsk. Fierce street fights continue in the city. Lysychansk, Slovyansk, Bakhmut, Sviatohirya, Avdiivka, Kurakhove and other directions of Russian strikes are the hottest points of confrontation today.

The Russian army is trying to use additional forces in the Donbas direction, but it is the 103rd day – and the Ukrainian Donbas stands. It stands firmly. We do everything for the defense in the Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv directions as well. I am grateful to everyone who endures the strong pressure of the occupiers and defends our state.

17,864 combatants have been awarded state awards of Ukraine since February 24. This number 100% demonstrates the scale of our people’s heroism that became the response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. I signed a new decree today on awarding our military. 121 warriors were awarded, 32 of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 4 June 2022.

Good health to you, dear Ukrainians!

Today, it’s the night address, so I will be brief.

There was a lot of work. An endless day. I was in Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia region. Expressed support to our military and awarded the best. Heard the report. We were in positions.

Had a meeting with the head of the regional state administration, the leadership of the local police, the Security Service, and some mayors of the temporarily occupied cities.

Met with Mariupol residents, who managed to leave the city alive and with children. Here they were met by Khortytsia, humanely and warmly. Conditions – I saw – are temporary, but not bad. Understood their difficult questions. I think we will solve them.

Each family has its own story. Most were without men. Someone’s husband went to war, someone’s is in captivity, someone’s, unfortunately, died. A tragedy. No home, no loved one. But we must live for the children. True heroes – they are among us.

After that, together with the Head of the Office we headed east. We were in Lysychansk, we were in Soledar. I am proud of everyone whom I met, whom I shook hands with, with whom I communicated, whom I supported. We brought something to the military. I will not talk about it in detail. We also brought you something from them. It is important. We brought confidence. And strength. I wish them health. Low bow to their parents. I wish victory to all of us.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 4 June 2022.

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

On this day, the 101st day of the full-scale war, the Skete of All Saints burned down in the Svyatohirsk Lavra in the Donetsk region. It caught fire as a result of Russian artillery shelling.

Not the first shelling of the Lavra. Three Lavra monks were killed by the Russian shelling on Wednesday. Worship services are forced to be held in the basement. The roar of artillery and the “arrivals” of Russian shells are constant in the Lavra.

And this is one of the three Lavras of Ukraine. This is the Lavra of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is still considered in Moscow to be connected with the Russian Orthodox Church. Even this does not stop the Russian army.

They are ready to burn everything: Orthodox churches just like anything else in Ukraine. During the full-scale war, 113 churches have already been destroyed or damaged by Russian shelling. Among them are the ancient ones – those that withstood World War II, but did not withstand the Russian occupation. There are also those that were built after 1991. Reconstruction of the Skete of All Saints of the Svyatohirsk Lavra began in 2001. June 10 would be another anniversary of the beginning of construction.

I was interested in what Russian propagandists would say about the destruction of the skete. But, in fact, nothing interesting. They are very predictable. Ukrainians are accused of arson. Although the monks and laity in Svyatohirya saw perfectly that it was Russian artillery.

I believe that this lie of the propagandists, this shelling, and the support of the Orthodox hierarchs in Russia for the aggression against Ukraine – all this should motivate the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to draw conclusions. More decisive conclusions and a clear condemnation of each of those who condone aggression.

Ukrainian diplomats will do everything to make everyone in the world aware of this another crime of the occupiers. Russia is deliberately and systematically destroying Ukraine’s cultural and historical heritage, as well as social infrastructure, housing, and everything necessary for normal life.

A state that does this cannot be a member of UNESCO and cannot remain at the UN as if nothing had happened. The UN Charter does not provide any rights for terrorists, and UNESCO is not a place for barbarians.

Russian troops again fired at the border areas of the Sumy region, Mykolaiv, cities and communities of the Zaporizhzhia region, Kharkiv region.

The situation in Severodonetsk, where street fighting continues, remains extremely difficult. It is also difficult in Lysychansk, Marinka, Kurakhove, other cities and communities of Donbas. Constant air strikes, artillery and missile fire. As of this morning, the total number of various Russian missiles used against Ukraine is already 2,503.

Our heroes hold their positions and do everything to inflict maximum losses on the enemy. I am grateful to each of our defenders who are approaching the day when Russia will have to leave Donbas alone.

Today in our country the memory of children who died from Russian aggression was honored. Over the past day, the worst figure – the number of children killed – has not changed. 261 children. That’s how many Ukrainian children lost their lives because of Russia. But this is the official number. The more we learn about those who were buried in the occupied territories, the greater, unfortunately, may be the number of names on this list.

It’s scary to read. Year of birth, place of residence, circumstances of death… All of them would be alive now if only one person in Moscow had not caused this catastrophe.

This can no longer be fixed. Because this war is already going on. But the terrible consequences of this war can be stopped at any moment.

The Russian army can stop burning churches. The Russian army can stop destroying cities. The Russian army can stop killing children. If the same person in Moscow just gives such an order. And the fact that there is still no such order is an obvious humiliation for the whole world.

Eternal memory to all who died from the Russian invasion!

Eternal glory to everyone who defends Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 3 June 2022.

Great people of great Ukraine!

Exactly one hundred days ago we all woke up in a different reality. Exactly one hundred days ago, different us woke up. When Ukrainians are awakened not by the sun’s rays, but by the explosions of missiles that hit our homes, then completely different Ukrainians wake up.

In 2014, Russia came to us with one word, with a new word. And this is the word “war”. On February 24, Russia added another word to it, making the phrase “full-scale war.”

And during a hundred days we found or received, saw or wanted to erase other words. There are few of them. They are different. But they reflect what we have experienced.

Among these words are some new to us. And those that were forgotten by our parents, but that we had to recall. Well known to everyone on the planet. And those that all people have to remember with horror. Painful words. And those that really give us hope. All of them are important. It will be right to recall them all today. One hundred days – one hundred words.

First of all, these are two words: “our heroes”. First of all, people who have been defending our state since the night of February 24.

And then – the Ukrainian words: “palianytsia”, “Armed Forces”, “Stugna”, “Cossack”, “Zmiinyi” and… Of course, “Chornobaivka” is a word that has sounded many times already and in which you can see everything about our resistance and about our enemies.

And also – foreign words that have become native to Ukraine: “Bayraktar”, “Harpoon”, “HIMARS”, “Starlink”, “Rzeszów” and… Of course, “Lend-Lease” – another word, just one, but it reflects 100 days of struggle, 100 days of diplomacy, 100 days of support.

And a word that reflects something important in our character. In the Ukrainian character. The “Javelins” that frightened the enemies because they did not expect the armor wouldn’t save them. And then caused a smile, our smile, when Ukrainians also painted “Saint Javelin”.

Well, the word to which everyone in Ukraine raises a toast – “Neptune”.

Every day we had words that are much more than just words for everyone now. Hard words. “Hostomel”, “Borodyanka”, “Okhtyrka”, “Chernihiv”, “Kharkiv”, “Kherson”, “Izyum”, “Melitopol”, “Mariupol” and “Azovstal”.

And with them – “army”, “artillery”, “Marines”, “border guards”, “intelligence”, “National Guards”, “police”, “territorial defense”, “aviation”, “our heroic pilots”… And also the word “ghost”. The ghost of Kyiv. Who destroyed enemies and survived.

We may not have heard all these words as many times in our lives as we have heard them in these hundred days. And every time we hear them, we know: they give us the time and opportunity to live as long as we are given. Given by God. Not by the enemy.

“God” – this word, this appeal has been heard more than once. And always in a special way.

There were also words that our enemy wanted to erase. “Volnovakha” and “Saltivka”, “Popasna” and “Severodonetsk”. These are words that we will definitely write again. But in our way. Just like “Bucha”. Just like “Mariupol”. And we will surely write them next to the word “tribunal”.

For other words – “filtration”, “deportation”, “torture”, “execution”, “carpet bombing”, “missile strike” – to surely get an answer. Answer with just one word – “justice”. Justice that will become a full stop after the temporary words for us “occupation”, “Mordor”, “orcs”. Of course, they will leave our lexicon. We will definitely drive them out of our land.

There were also words that gave hope and for which we fought particularly. “Humanitarian corridors”, which have become a road of life for hundreds of thousands of people and made it possible to overcome another word, the terrible word “blockade”.

From the first day we have words the distance between which is as between darkness and light. We avoid one word. This word is “refugees”. And due to another word, we believe that millions of our people have a future. It will be at home, in Ukraine. This word is “displaced persons”.

A lot has changed.

When we hear the word “Patron”, we remember the most famous sapper of Ukraine. And when we hear: “marathon”, we understand that it is not about sports at all.

And of course, a lot of deadly words have been added to our lexicon. The words no Ukrainian ever wanted to see. And the words a normal person cannot be proud of. “Iskander”, “Kalibr”, “Solntsepyok”, “phosphorus bombs” and more.

For some reason we did not see their vaunted Armata tank. I think they were afraid of our new phrase: “tractor troops”.

And one more phrase is worth mentioning: “the second army of the world”. At first it looked threatening. Then it was dangerous. After Bucha – it caused disgust. And now – only a bitter smile. Because what’s left of it? Of the army, which was called the second army in the world… War crimes, disgrace and hatred.

And – numbers instead of words. When you see the number of killed every morning. The number of wounded. The number of shelling occasions. The number of missiles. When next to the word “children” there is a new number every morning. Today – 261. Already 261 children were killed by the Russian invasion. For what? There are no words that can answer this question.

Words have appeared that are now very common. Which sound daily. But we must make sure that for our children they no longer mean what they mean to us today. So that they can perceive them only as history. First of all, it is the word “ruins”. But also – siren, air alarm, curfew, checkpoint, barbed wire. And the word – mines.

There will be many more words that everyone will know. Which will make sense for everyone. And which will give a chance to millions. These are the words – reconstruction, candidacy and membership, guarantees and security. And definitely the word “return”. Of course, based on the word that was a dream, but will become a reality – “liberation”.

These are the words of our future! These are the words about what we will do to our red viburnum, to our glorious Ukraine.

The words about where the enemy warship is heading and will always head. About what to do with the occupiers when someone says: “Vova!”. And of course – our folklore already – “Good evening! We are from Ukraine!”.

From Ukraine, where the field is blooming, but her hair is getting gray. From Ukraine that stands and will stand.

Ukraine, whose glory and freedom have not yet perished. Ukraine, to which we say – glory! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the nation! And everyone knows the next phrase: “Death to the enemies!”

Because there are three words we have been fighting for for a hundred days already after eight years: peace, victory, Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 2 June 2022.

Ukrainians!

Our defenders!

We have three important pieces of news. First, the European Union is gradually moving towards the implementation of the sixth sanctions package. Frankly, achieving this is very difficult. Because this sanctions package is primarily about oil.

Finally, the world is giving up Russian oil. Moreover, other countries, which produce much better and lighter oil, are preparing to replace Russian supplies. Therefore, huge revenues are lost for the aggressor state in this sphere.

Of course, Russia is constantly trying to counter this. It has long enjoyed the flow of petrodollars and does not want to be weaned off it. But it has to. It has to get used to the fact that a very painful reduction in income is an inevitable consequence of the war for its culprit, for the Russian state.

The second piece of news is that the United States has confirmed at various levels that modern HIMARS are being sent to our country. These weapons will really help save the lives of our people and protect our land.

I am grateful to President Biden, all our American friends, and the people of the United States for their support. We are looking forward to it.

We also expect good news about the supply of weapons from other partners. For example, today we have a new package of defense aid from Sweden. I am very grateful to the leadership of this state.

We are working to bring the supply of modern combat systems to a much higher level.

Third, more and more embassies resume their full-fledged activities in Kyiv. As of today, there are already 50 of them. This is very important not only in practice – for the work of diplomats, but also on a symbolic level. Every new embassy that returns to our capital is a testament to the faith in our victory. Faith that Ukraine will be able to defend its statehood in this war unleashed on our land by the Russian Federation.

A new and, I think, very important and beautiful tradition was launched today. From now on, the ceremony of presenting credentials by ambassadors of foreign countries who start their mission in Ukraine will take place not just in Kyiv, but on the territory of our St. Sophia Cathedral.

And the first ambassadors that presented credentials today in such a new ceremony were the ambassadors of Moldova, India and the United States.

Why there? Why in Sophia? Because it is the sacred, historical and statehood center of our people. Receiving the credentials of the ambassadors there, we demonstrate who the Ukrainians are, what we are and what is behind us. We hereby express our highest respect to the representatives of other nations. We open up to them. And at the same time we show that we expect from them the same respect, the same sincerity to the Ukrainian people, to our interests and to our history.

Immediately after the ceremony, I spoke with the new ambassadors. Impressions are good. I hope for productive work.

Today there were two important addresses: to the Luxembourg Parliament and to the participants of the Security Forum in Bratislava, which was attended by President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and other friends and partners of our country.

Of course, the key task is still to accumulate maximum support for Ukraine. First of all defensive, financial and, of course, political. Almost every address leads to increased assistance to our state.

It is very important that now – in a few weeks – we are waiting for the answer of the European Union on the issue of candidate status for Ukraine. We are very much looking forward to it.

And I am grateful to all those who have already spoken in support of our state, in support of the candidacy. In particular, in response to my requests in appeals to the parliaments of different countries, forums, student and expert communities, people in the squares of various European cities who rallied in support of Ukraine, in support of our people.

We must understand that Russia has now mobilized all its forces to thwart Ukraine’s European movement. And every tool – especially public debates and appeals – must be fully used.

The situation in Donbas has not changed significantly in a day. We had some success in the battles in Severodonetsk. But it’s too early to tell. The situation there is the hardest now. Just as in the cities and communities nearby – Lysychansk, Bakhmut and others. Many cities are facing a powerful Russian attack.

The Russian army uses all its armed capabilities and does not count people at all. It is especially cynical that in the first line of the offensive the occupiers very often use those people who were recruited into their army in the previously occupied territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russian soldiers often simply hide behind these so-called mobilized.

The longer the war lasts, the more vile, shameful and cynical things Russia inscribes in its history forever.

Absolutely senseless shelling of our border northern regions, in particular Chernihiv, continues from the Russian territory. Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, the Kharkiv region were shelled. The entire temporarily occupied territory of our state is now a zone of total catastrophe, for which Russia is fully responsible.

We have already started working on new sanctions packages against Russia. Step by step, we will deprive the Russian state of all the elements of the modern economy. The occupiers will pay the full price for destroying the lives of neighbors. And no lobby in any country will help Russia.

Today I signed a new decree on awarding our defenders, our heroes. 223 combatants were awarded state awards, 72 of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all who gave lives for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to each of our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!