Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 29 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

I’ve just finished speaking with the students and educational staff of Yale University, one of the leading universities in the US and the world. Its graduates have a significant influence on decision-making – political, business, at the level of public and international organizations.

It is with appeals like this to representatives of Yale University that we expand the circle of those who understand what is happening in Ukraine and help us protect freedom.

I will continue this work next week. We will continue to expand our capabilities, in particular through informal diplomacy – through the public in partner countries, through the student community, through professional and business communities.

I held talks today with Giorgia Meloni, head of the Italian government. I congratulated Mrs. Prime Minister on her appointment, and discussed opportunities for strengthening our cooperation in various areas, including security, economy, diplomacy, and in particular, the integration of our country into European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

I held several meetings with the military regarding the current situation on the frontline, our active actions.

Today the enemy reports about the alleged completion of their mobilization… About the alleged needlessness of new waves of sending Russian citizens to the front.

We feel completely different on the frontline. Although Russia is trying to increase the pressure on our positions by using mobilized people, they are so poorly prepared and equipped, so ruthlessly used by the command that it allows us to suggest that Russia may soon need a new wave of sending people to war. We are preparing for this – we are preparing for the fact that the current Russian leadership will look for any new opportunities to continue the war. In particular thanks to its accomplices in Iran.

That is why we are working with our partners every day to strengthen our air defense, our other defense capabilities. Every day we strengthen the protection of our critical infrastructure, primarily energy.

As of this time, many cities and regions of our country use stabilization blackout schedules – about 4 million Ukrainians face restrictions now. Kyiv and the region, Zhytomyr region, Poltava region, Rivne region, Kharkiv region, Chernihiv region, Sumy region, Cherkasy region, Kirovohrad region. Emergency blackouts are also possible in other regions. We are doing everything so that the state has the opportunity to reduce such blackouts.

The occupiers added another challenge – in the occupied territory. Virtually, they are dismantling the entire healthcare system there. The occupiers have decided to close medical institutions in the cities, take away equipment, ambulances – just everything… They put pressure on the doctors who still remained in the occupied areas for them to move to the territory of Russia.

First of all, this concerns the Kherson region. Russia is turning the Kherson region into a zone without civilization, without elementary things available in most countries of the world. Before the arrival of Russia, this region, like all other regions of Ukraine, was completely normal and safe, all social services for people were guaranteed there… Life was guaranteed there.

And now Russia is trying to make the Kherson region literally an exclusion zone. The world must react to this. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all our representatives inform international organizations and partners about this new escalating step of the occupiers.

And I want to appeal now to all our people in these occupied cities and districts: please do everything to help each other – despite any actions of the occupiers. The Ukrainian flag will return. We will return normal life. But you need to endure this time. The time when even formally the occupiers confirm that they cannot stay on the territory of Ukraine, and therefore they already try to steal medical equipment and enslave medical personnel.

I thank the United States of America – another package of military aid to Ukraine was announced today. Its volume is 275 million dollars. Much needed items for our defenders that allow us to liberate our territory step by step. It’s not just what helps us advance on the battlefield, it’s what enables us to guarantee people their fundamental right to life.

Today I want to thank Canada – our long-standing and sincere partners. For an unprecedented act regarding the issue of Canada’s sovereign bonds, all funds from the placement of which will be directed to help Ukraine. The amount is half a billion dollars. And these bonds will be available for investment not only in Canada, but also around the world. This is an extremely powerful example for all our partners.

Canada is the first country to offer such a support tool. Thank you, Justin, Mr. Prime Minister! Thank you, Chrystia Freeland, a true friend of Ukraine!

Glory to all who help Ukraine fight for freedom!

Glory to all our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 28 October 2022.

Good evening, warriors of light!

Energetic people who are always ready to fight! Its 246th day is coming to an end.

We continue our resistance. The aggressor continues his terror. We are again attacked from the sky by a flock of their crows.

More than 30 drones were launched in two days. The defenders of our sky prevented the enemy’s vultures from breaking into the rear of the country and downed 23 Shaheds. In addition, the Kh-59 guided air missile, two Ka-52 attack helicopters and another Su-25 attack aircraft were turned into scrap metal. In total, during this period, Russia carried out 4,500 missile strikes and more than 8,000 air raids. But we are fighting, we will shoot down more.

I thank the guardians of our sky.

I am grateful to everyone who participated in the fundraising for the “catchers” of such “Shaheds”. Only on the U24 platform those are 665,000 people from 70 countries. Together, we will certainly clip the wings of all metal monsters, no matter how many of them and from where they fly in the direction of Ukraine. Enemy planes will fall. Enemy helicopters will fall. “Shaheds” will fall. It is only the Ukrainian people who will not fall! A heroic people who will definitely go down in world history. Actually, like this day. It is already history.

It’s already midnight on the clock. October 28 is already on the calendar. Every year on this day, we celebrate the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazi occupiers. We pay tribute to the Ukrainians who fought and defeated Nazism during World War II. Today we do it, holding not flowers in our hands, but weapons. Today, preserving the memory of the exploits of our ancestors means protecting their achievements. We remember the expulsion of the Nazis, approaching the expulsion of the Rashists.

Evil, which seemed to have been finally defeated and burned to the ground in 1945, is reborn from the ashes 80 years later. Gets on its feet. It becomes possible. How did it turn out? Imperceptibly. And very quickly. Just as one day changes another. Instantly. A new day and a new evil are coming instantly. At the very moment when the world does not notice. Some are sleepy, some are fast asleep. Some are not paying attention. Some do not care. And in general, everyone is silent and thinks the same: I will not be affected. The war is somewhere far away. Somewhere in Transnistria. This is the problem of Moldovans. Somewhere in Abkhazia and Ossetia. This is the problem of Georgians. Somewhere in Crimea and Donbas. This is the problem of Ukrainians. We will not be affected. It will not cause damage to us. They will not come for us. Unfortunately, as a result, it becomes everyone’s problem.

Sooner or later, memories of a terrible war become a terrible reality. The neighbor becomes the aggressor. The aggressor becomes a terrorist. And Nazism becomes an example to follow. It may come in a new guise, with new slogans, but with the same goal. Unfortunately, it is not from books that we know about it. We know how evil can break into your house in the last century, eight years ago and eight months ago. Violate the western borders or come from the north, east and annexed Crimea. Attack peaceful cities with bombs or cruise missiles.

Mine the Dnipro HPP or seize the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Drop bombs despite the red cross or the “Children” inscription. Steal grain according to the “Hunger Plan” or threaten the entire planet with hunger.

Abduct and deport people. Abduct and deport children. The form of evil has changed, but the essence has remained unchanged.

Evil always begins in the same way. The invaders call themselves liberators. The invasion of one’s army is called self-defense. As 80 years ago, the Ukrainian people stand up for the defense of their native land. And the enemy’s blitzkrieg plan becomes a failure.

Evil always acts in the same way. Kills civilians, assuring that it hits military targets only. Arranges blockades and filtration camps. And Syrets becomes Olenivka. Destroys cities and villages. And Koryukivka becomes Bucha.

But sooner or later war crimes become known. The reaction of the world becomes painful. The policy of appeasement becomes a tough countermeasure.

The evil finds itself in a zugzwang.

So evil always ends the same way. The occupier becomes a capitulator. The invader becomes a fugitive. War criminals become defendants, aggression becomes a sentence. Destruction becomes reparations. Enemy equipment becomes museum exhibits. The feats of grandfathers become the victories of grandchildren.

The day of the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis on the 247th day of our struggle becomes a symbol: the result of our struggle definitely becomes the liberation of our Ukraine. The captured territory becomes free. This has always been the case in the past, and will certainly be the case in the future. In the future of Kherson, Donbas, Luhansk, Crimea. Because our land always becomes free. Resistance becomes pride. Struggle becomes victory. And Ukraine becomes united!

Today, Russia’s only tactic has become terror. Defeat is the only possible outcome of such tactics. Terror became a proof of their weakness and a test of our resilience.

We will not be broken by shelling. The enemy’s rockets in our sky are less scarier than hearing the enemy’s anthem on our land. We are not afraid of the dark.

The darkest times for us are not without light, but without freedom. Our warriors are strong, volunteers are tireless, partners are reliable, and people are indomitable.

The second army of the world will become smaller and smaller. The losses of the enemy will become bigger and bigger. I am confident that enemy propaganda does not work, provocations do not work, threats do not scare. Any hard winter will not scare us as well.

We know that the darkest night comes before dawn. We know that all invaders flee our land in the same way. Gauleiters and self-appointed “governors” end up the same.

Reichskommissariats and quasi-republics die equally. And all our cities will definitely have our flags. Both Junkers and kamikaze drones fall equally. And in our sky there will definitely be our birds, our blue sky, our “Mriya”!

Glory to all who fought against Nazism during World War II! Glory to all who are fighting for Ukraine today!

Glory to our people who will go down in history!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskky, the President of Ukraine, on 27 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians, I wish you health!

Today I held a big meeting on the energy situation. The participants were government officials, the Office, energy companies, and the State Emergency Service. The topics were diverse. It was recovery of damaged objects, protection of generation, ensuring people’s access to energy.

The state of nuclear and hydrogen generation was analyzed separately, as well as the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.

Russian terrorists have created such difficult conditions for our energy workers that no one in Europe has ever seen or encountered. There were no such threats that our specialists are forced to overcome now. And they overcome them with honor.

I thank all the workers in the energy sector, our rescuers, repair crews, representatives of local governments, private companies who work efficiently enough to maintain the stability of our energy system despite all threats.

In many cities and regions of Ukraine, emergency blackouts happen, power consumption has to be limited. But we all have to remember one thing: we need victory over Russia in the energy sphere as well.

No matter what the enemy does, our task is to break its plans and protect Ukraine. And this is not just someone’s task, it concerns not only energy workers or anyone else. Conscious energy consumption is now needed by all Ukrainians. Please choose your own scheme for limiting electricity consumption while there is a shortage in the general power system.

The situation on the front line has not undergone significant changes. The fiercest battles are in Donetsk region: Bakhmut direction, Avdiyivka. The craziness of the Russian command is now most visible there: day after day for months, they drive people there to death, concentrate the maximum power of artillery strikes there. All our soldiers who hold positions in these directions in Donetsk region are simply heroes.

Active actions in other directions continue. Today I would like to mention the soldiers of the 25th Airborne Brigade for their bravery in liberating the occupied territories in Luhansk region.

In general, we are strengthening our positions everywhere at the front, reducing the capabilities of the occupiers, destroying their logistics and preparing good news for Ukraine.

Today, during the day, the air raid alerts sounded several times over most of the territory of our state. The Air Force has results – another helicopter of the occupiers was shot down, another drone.

By the way, the total number of downed Russian helicopters is already approaching 250. The Russian occupiers have already lost as much equipment – aircraft and other – as most of the world’s armies simply do not have and will never have in service. Russia will not be able to recover these losses. I thank all our fighters for such a gradual and irreversible demilitarization of the enemy.

We continue to do everything possible to free our people from Russian captivity. Today, we can finally announce the release of ten more Ukrainians. Our exchange team is working around the clock.

And I want to emphasize once again that any of our front-line units can speed up exchanges by capturing the occupiers. The more Russian soldiers are in our exchange fund, the sooner we will return Ukrainians home from Russia.

The President of Guinea-Bissau visited Kyiv today. He also chairs the Economic Community of West African Countries. In fact, he is a representative of 15 African countries that are part of this community. And this is the first African leader who visited our country after February 24.

In general, we are consistently expanding our contacts with Africa, filling them with new content. Many negotiations and agreements are taking place for the first time in our history. It is very important that on this continent, where the Kremlin’s influence is traditionally significant, they hear the Ukrainian position and know the full truth about what is really happening. We provide it.

We also work every day to protect our grain export initiative. It is obvious that Russia intends to exacerbate the global food crisis again, to bring back the threat of large-scale famine. And this, in particular, is the responsibility of all our partners – after all, to guarantee food security and end this dirty Russian game with hunger.

Today, due to deliberate Russian inhibition of our food exports, the number of ships waiting for the opportunity to meet contractual obligations is already 175. And this is not just some trade problem. This is the deterioration of access to food for millions of people and the threat of an even greater increase in the prices of essential products on different continents – both in Africa, and in Asia, and in Europe. If, after all, Russia succeeds in the negative scenario, it will end in a new large-scale migration crisis.

Russia as a terrorist state is a terrorist in everything and deserves daily increasing international pressure on it.

I am grateful to those leaders and those politicians who understand and ensure this. I am grateful, in particular, to the Senate of Poland, which decided to officially recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. And such decisions should be adopted by the majority of the countries of the world – Russia itself, by its actions, leaves no alternative.

I thank everyone who helps us fight against Russian terror!

Glory to all who fight and work for the freedom of Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymdr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 26 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today we had a very active diplomatic day, events for Ukraine at all levels – the highest, governmental, parliamentary.

In the morning, I addressed the participants of the Berlin conference, which is dedicated to the reconstruction and modernization of our country. This is already the second such conference, after the Swiss one, which took place in the city of Lugano. We are working to obtain resources for the rapid restoration of our infrastructure, social facilities, and housing for Ukrainians.

I am grateful to German Chancellor Scholz and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen for making today’s event in Berlin very meaningful. We are waiting for specific decisions. Time cannot be stopped, and winter is coming.

The Crimea Platform started working in Croatia today – at the parliamentary level.

This is an additional and very powerful level of functioning of our instrument for the deoccupation and reintegration of Crimea.

The Parliament always embodies democracy, represents different communities of each country. Therefore, when parliaments help restore territorial integrity, when, thanks to parliamentary cooperation, expert work and exchange of experience can be directed in the right direction, it is very powerful.

We will definitely liberate Crimea. We will return this part of our country not only to the all-Ukrainian space, but also to the all-European space. This was confirmed once again today. And I am grateful to all our partners – almost 50 states and international organizations – who help in the parliamentary format. I am also grateful to Croatia separately for the hospitality towards our Crimea Platform.

Today I held a meeting with representatives of the Jewish community – American, European and, of course, Israeli.

We talked primarily about the protection of our people, about the need to make Russian terror impossible and to end this war as soon as possible by guaranteeing complete security and freedom for all Ukrainians throughout the territory of Ukraine.

The sooner peace is achieved on our land thanks to the Ukrainian victory, the less evil Russia will bring to other regions, including the Middle East in its cooperation with Iran. I believe that one day Israeli politicians will hear this position, as Israeli society has already done – we feel it.

The protection of historical memory in Ukraine was discussed separately. Despite the war, we must continue to implement our programs that restore historical justice. We started the implementation of an important project commemorating the victims of Nazism – the construction of a memorial in Babyn Yar. We will definitely complete it.

I held extremely meaningful negotiations with the President of Germany, who arrived in Ukraine. Today, President Steinmeier visited the Chernihiv region – the districts that were under occupation. While he was there an air alert started. And actually the Russian missile terror, the enemy’s use of Iranian drones was one of the key topics at our negotiations.

We are deeply grateful to Germany for the modern and effective air defense system already provided to us. We are looking forward to new similar systems.

We discussed the entire range of our cooperation – defense, political, financial.

Significant attention was paid to reconstruction – and I am grateful to President Steinmeier for his willingness to personally patronize this work. We will enhance cooperation with Germany in the field of reconstruction. And at the local government level, it will also receive presidential patronage.

And one more thing.

Just before recording this address, I spoke with new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. I believe that the partnership between our countries and the already traditional British leadership in the defense of democracy and freedom will be further strengthened.

Ukraine and Britain have achieved the best relations so far, but there is still potential to increase our cooperation to bring more benefits to our societies. I invited the Prime Minister to visit Ukraine.

I am grateful to everyone who helps us fight for freedom!

I am grateful to everyone who fights and works for our victory!

I am grateful to all our warriors who are now holding their positions, destroying the occupiers and giving Ukraine the most important feeling: a feeling of confidence in our future.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskky, the President of Ukraine, on 25 October 2022.

Strong people of our indomitable country!

Today is exactly 8 months of full-scale war. What has been achieved over this time?

We have defended the independence of our state – and Russia cannot change that already. We are liberating the Ukrainian land step by step. Donbas, Kharkiv region, Kherson region are now heard. But Zaporizhzhia region and Crimea will be heard as well – the time will come and all of Ukraine will be free.

Ukraine is breaking the so-called “second army of the world” – and from now on, Russia will only be a beggar. They are begging for something in Iran, they are trying to squeeze something out of Western countries making up various nonsense about Ukraine, intimidating, deceiving…

Never again will Russia be a subject that can dictate something to someone. It no longer has the potential to dictate. The world sees that. Russian potential is being wasted now on this madness – on a war against our state and the entire free world.

There was gas influence – not anymore. There was military influence – it is evaporating. There was political weight – now there is an increasing isolation. There were ideological ambitions – now there’s only disgust.

And this is a very important change in the configuration in our part of Eurasia – the more of its potential Russia loses now, the more real freedom all peoples will get both next to Russia and within its borders. Ukraine – first of all.

On February 24, the Kremlin could not even think about it, although they should have. But now, on October 24, there is no Russian official or propagandist who does not understand where all this is going for them. They started to recall 1917 long ago. The feeling of failure in Russia is getting stronger.

But, realizing all this, we have no right to relax. We still have to go the way to Ukrainian victory. This is a difficult path.

We’ll have to pass this winter, which will be the most difficult in our history. To do the necessary part of the work in autumn, winter and spring in order to get the desired results for the state. To maintain the maximum mobilization of our partners for the sake of the struggle for freedom and not allow our common enemy to split the global pro-democracy coalition.

This is what we do, all Ukrainians, Europeans, all people of the world who value freedom.

I held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today.

We help the active actions of our warriors on the frontline, provide them with everything they need, strengthen the protection of infrastructure facilities, and establish defense against missile and drone threats.

The military, intelligence, and government representatives delivered reports. Separately and in great detail, we are dealing with the system of territorial defense.

I addressed the people of Israel today in the framework of the Conference on Democracy, organized by Haaretz newspaper. This is a very important media – the oldest newspaper in Israel.

There I presented the Ukrainian point of view on the rapprochement between Russia and Iran, on why this rapprochement became possible and what threats it poses to our peoples. I called on Israel to join other democratic countries that already support Ukraine.

We are preparing for very important events tomorrow. The first is the parliamentary summit of the Crimea Platform. Dozens of partner states, hundreds of politicians and public figures. This will be another step in our preparation for the de-occupation of Crimea.

The second event is a summit in Germany dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are doing everything to get the necessary resources for the restoration of our country right now, for the development of the social and economic sphere right now. And I sincerely thank all our partners who support Ukraine in this work.

And one more thing.

Today the world celebrates United Nations Day. It was on this day in 1945 that the UN Charter entered into force. It was not written and adopted as something ritualistic – it is not an empty formality. It is one of the basic documents that should work to maintain peace and international legal order.

It should work. And it will work. In particular, we are achieving this through our struggle against illegal and unprovoked Russian armed aggression. Everyone who tries to restore peace for Ukraine is also fighting for peace and security to be possible for all other peoples on earth.

And I want to thank Mr. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for our cooperation, for the fact that he truly defends the Charter of the United Nations and global peace.

We have already achieved good results together – this is the release of our prisoners who were held in Russia, this is the grain export initiative, which makes it possible to alleviate the acuteness of the food crisis in the world, this is multifaceted cooperation in UN structures. Thanks for all your help with this! And I believe that we can achieve even more.

Thank you to everyone who fights and works for Ukraine! Eternal glory to our warriors! Eternal glory to our strong people! Eternal gratitude to our friends!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 24 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today we can already report that in all our regions, which became the target of yesterday’s Russian terrorist attack, the technical possibility of electricity supply has been restored.

I am thankful to each and every one who worked tirelessly to bring light to people.

Of course, in many cities and districts, our energy companies have to apply stabilization shutdown schedules. This is done so that all our people have access to energy – in conditions where it is not possible to produce it in sufficient quantities.

Restoring energy facilities destroyed by terrorist attacks is a much longer and more difficult task. But over time, we will provide that, too. Over time…

This time must be passed. Therefore, today and in the future, as before, we should consume electricity very consciously. Please remember to limit the use of unnecessary and energy-consuming appliances.

Separately, I want to address community leaders and mayors of our cities: please make sure that energy is not wasted. Now is definitely not the time for bright shop windows and signs. It is necessary to be really frugal with energy consumption in public space.

Reconstruction continues in the de-occupied territory. Every day I receive new reports about the connection to gas, water, electricity of hundreds of households in liberated areas. In particular, just today in only two districts of the Kharkiv region, 346 households have gas again. The city of Vovchansk – 750 more households with electricity. The city of Izyum – 300 more households with electricity. This is constant work that does not stop for a single day and continues throughout the liberated territory of Ukraine.

Wherever Russia has brought death and degradation, we are restoring normal life. This is precisely about Ukrainians. Where Ukraine is, life is never destroyed. But wherever Russia comes, it leaves behind mass graves, torture chambers, destroyed cities and villages, mined land, destroyed infrastructure and natural disasters.

So when today the Russian Minister of Defense organizes a phone carousel and calls foreign ministers with stories about the so-called “dirty” nuclear bomb, everyone understands everything well. Understands who is the source of everything dirty that can be imagined in this war.

It was Russia who blackmailed with the radiation disaster at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

This is the trajectory of Russian missiles that goes, in particular, over Ukrainian nuclear facilities.

Those are Russian troops who mined the dam and aggregates of the Kakhovka HPP and are blackmailing with their detonation.

It is Russia that uses phosphorous munitions, banned anti-personnel mines and the entire range of weapons against civilian infrastructure.

Ukraine is always about recovery. Always about life. And there’s only one subject who can use nuclear weapons in our part of Europe, and this subject is the one who ordered comrade Shoigu to call somewhere.

If Russia calls and says that Ukraine is allegedly preparing something, it means one thing: Russia has already prepared all this. I believe that now the world should react in the toughest possible way. If Russia has prepared another round of raising stakes and another escalating step, it must see now, preemptively and before its any new “dirt” that the world will not swallow that.

Even the very Russian threat of nuclear weapons – and even more so against our country, which has given up its nuclear arsenal under promises of security from the largest nuclear powers – is a reason for both sanctions and even greater strengthening of support for Ukraine. Because the stronger the support for us is, the sooner this war and any possible Russian threats will end. When a terrorist state raises the stakes, it must feel that it won’t work.

During the upcoming week, this will be the number one task for our diplomats – to explain what is happening. And I am sure: the world will be with us. The world will understand.

It is very important that today the sixth ship with food chartered in the framework of the UN World Food Programme left our port. This vessel is bound for Yemen, with wheat. Ethiopia, Yemen and Afghanistan are three countries that have already received food thanks to our exports and the UN food program.

Such programs are exactly what we in Ukraine are thinking about. How to help get out of the crisis – not how to create a crisis. How to help solve a problem – not how to drive someone into a problem. How to restore the destroyed – not to destroy even more.

This is what distinguishes Ukraine from Russia. This is what will help us win in the end. Because we fight and work for life.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 23 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians!

We continue eliminating the aftermath of today’s terrorist attacks on our infrastructure. The geography of this new massive strike is very wide: Volyn, Odesa, Khmelnytsky region, Kirovohrad region, Dnipropetrovsk region, Rivne region, Mykolaiv region, Zaporizhia region and other places.

The main target of terrorists is energy. Therefore, please be even more careful than before about the need to consciously consume electricity. The stability of the power industry of our entire state depends on each city and district of Ukraine.

Please limit the use of appliances that use a lot of electricity. And especially during peak consumption hours in the morning and in the evening. Please, pay attention to notices from local authorities and power companies about when there may be stabilization blackouts on your street or in your area. Plan your day with this information in mind.

In part of the territory of our country, where electricity was cut off due to today’s strike, it has already been possible to restore power supply. Electricity supply has already been resumed partly in Odesa region, partly in Khmelnytsky region, most of Rivne region has resumed power supplies. There are positive reports from other regions as well. But in many cities, in many districts, recovery work is still ongoing. We are trying to return power to people as soon as possible.

I want to thank everyone who is involved in this work: energy workers, utility and local government workers, government officials and businesses that also help. Together, we are now showing that Ukrainian life cannot be broken. Even if the enemy can leave us temporarily without power, it will still never succeed in leaving us without the desire to make things right, to mend and return them to normal.

And even now – partially in the dark – life in our state, in our Ukraine, is still civilized. Unlike Russia that brings us this terror. They still have the same wildness with electricity there, as in ancient times. Only savages can bring such evil to the world.

I want to emphasize: neither this strike by terrorists nor any other similar strikes by them will stop our defenders.

Russian propagandists are lying when they say that this terror against our infrastructure and people can somehow slow down the active actions of our military or create some difficulties for our defense. Ukrainians are united and know for sure that Russia has no chance of winning this war. Our defense forces are getting everything they need to defend the country and are pushing forward every day – I emphasize: every day.

Our Air Force also shows good results. Of course, we do not yet have the technical ability to shoot down 100% of Russian missiles and attack drones. We will gradually come to this – with the help of our partners, I’m confident of this. But we are already shooting down most of the cruise missiles, most of the drones. Only in the first half of this day, 20 missiles were shot down – Kalibr and Kh-101 missiles, as well as more than 10 Iranian Shahed UAVs.

Today, I want to once again thank our soldiers – fighter pilots and anti-aircraft gunners of the West, South and Center air commands, as well as mobile fire groups of all the Defense Forces for the saved lives of our people and the preserved infrastructure of Ukraine.

We are preparing the ground for extending the global sanctions policy to all Russian propagandists, so-called opinion leaders and show business representatives who support or justify terror. The International Working Group on Sanctions Against Russia, chaired by Michael McFaul and Andriy Yermak, has prepared an Individual Sanctions Roadmap. It prepared a basic list of all those involved in the spread of narratives without which Russian terror is impossible. We must clearly evaluate such an “informational and emotional” component of terror: the Russian army loses and retreats on the battlefield, and therefore the results of terror against our civilian population and infrastructure are presented by Russian propaganda as a substitute for military victories.

Also, various Russian newsmen and stars are involved in justifying the criminal attempt to annex our territory and mobilize for war against us, against Ukraine. Absolutely all such persons should receive a full package of individual sanctions so that they cannot do anything in the world at all. We are working on it.

Ukraine was very well represented this week in Frankfurt at the largest book fair in Europe and one of the largest in the world. This is not just an event for the publishing business and writers. It is one of the key European discussion platforms and an influential informational event.

The First Lady of Ukraine presented her projects supporting education and the cultural sphere there. In particular, the Books Without Borders initiative is to provide children of our forced migrants with books in the Ukrainian language. And also the Ukrainian Bookshelf project, which is already presented in 20 countries of the world.

In total, more than 40 Ukrainian publishing houses, famous writers, famous publicists, and historians took part in the Frankfurt fair. I thank everyone who worked in Frankfurt for making Ukraine heard and bringing the message about it there. Every contribution to the world’s support for Ukraine is vitally important.

I thank everyone who works and helps for our victory!

Eternal glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to our indomitable people!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 22 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

I held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. The main points of the agenda are quite obvious – the protection of our skies from enemy missiles and drones, the protection of infrastructure facilities, the destruction of the positions of the occupiers, the advancement of our forces and everything necessary to support the army. Military, intelligence, ministers delivered reports.

Every day we are bringing the results Ukraine needs both on the ground and in the air. We are also working on the necessary results at sea.

The situation around the Export Grain Initiative is becoming more and more tense these weeks. The enemy is doing everything to slow down our food exports. I believe that with these actions, Russia is deliberately inciting the food crisis so that it becomes as acute as it was in the first half of this year.

Today, more than 150 ships are in the queue to fulfill contractual obligations for the supply of our agricultural products. This is an artificial queue. It arose only because Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of ships.

Every day that ships with food spend in the queue means an increase in social and political tension in the countries that consume our agricultural products. Here are just some of the states to which food exports are delayed due to Russia: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Iraq, China, Bangladesh, Indonesia. Our partners – the UN, Türkiye and others are fully informed about this situation.

During the operation of our grain initiative, due to the Russian slowdown, we under-exported about 3 million tons of food. This is the annual volume of consumption for 10 million people.

Russia is doing everything to ensure that at least hundreds of thousands of these people become forced migrants who will seek asylum in the same Türkiye or EU countries, or die of hunger. And we, together with our partners, must do everything so that the grain initiative is not only preserved, but also works at 100% capacity.

The right to food and to life without hunger are fundamental rights for absolutely every person on earth. And that is why Russian attempts to exacerbate the food crisis are also aggression against every person on earth.

I held a meeting today with representatives of the U.S. Congress who arrived in Kyiv. I thanked them for their continued bipartisan support and for the tremendously powerful things America is doing to help us protect freedom. We discussed the key issue for today – anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense. We also talked about financial support, about our political interaction, about what new anti-European and anti-democratic steps to expect from Russia and its accomplices in terror. We touched upon the topic of Iranian supplies for Russian terror.

Today, this terror against our infrastructure, against our energy will be discussed by the UN Security Council. The meeting is convened at the request of our state and will take place at 10:00 p.m.

I met with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. I thanked her for the help and informed about our new needs that have arisen due to the Russian terror. The EBRD is already providing financial support to Ukrenergo, and has all the data on what steps we need to take to restore energy and social facilities, to build housing for Ukrainians.

We agreed upon positions on the eve of the Conference on the reconstruction of our state, which is to be held in Germany on October 25.

Today, during the day, an air alert was announced in most regions of Ukraine. There are new downings of drones and enemy aircraft.

Active hostilities continue in the east and south of Ukraine. Our Armed Forces retain the initiative.

Today I want to commend the fighters of the 25th separate airborne brigade for their skillful and thoughtful actions in destroying the enemy in the eastern direction.

I am also thankful to the warriors of the 60th separate infantry brigade, whose units are showing good results in the Kherson region. Only since the beginning of October, the fighters of this brigade “trophied” more than 30 units of Russian armored vehicles, a thousand projectiles for tanks and three “Giatsint” cannons. All these weapons will definitely help liberate our land.

I am also grateful to the fighters of the 59th separate motorized infantry brigade named after Yakov Handziuk. This week, the boys showed excellent results in destroying enemy equipment and ammunition.

I also thank the warriors of the 35th separate marine brigade named after Rear-Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi for their steadfastness in the defense of the regained frontiers.

And one more thing. Today, the government made an important decision that affects tens of thousands of Ukrainian students. Those whose home is in the temporarily occupied territory or in the areas near the front, as well as children of fallen defenders of Ukraine, family members of combatants. All of them will be transferred from the contractual form of education to the budgetary one in our universities and colleges. Details of this decision should be made public by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

I thank everyone who fights and works for our country!

Thank you to everyone who brings Ukraine’s victory closer!

Glory to our best people!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 21 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today I took part in the meeting of the European Council. The topic of protection of Ukraine and our energy security was among the key issues at this summit. I informed my colleagues about the new terrorist steps of Russia and about our needs to protect ourselves from this form of terror directed against the energy system.

Russian troops continue to strike our power plants with missiles and drones. In the end, such Russian meanness will also fail. We are doing everything to get more modern and effective air defense and missile defense systems for Ukraine.

And there will be a day when we announce that the Ukrainian sky has become completely protected from Russian missiles, Iranian drones and any other carriers of evil.

Russia tried to blackmail Europe with gas and oil, organizes sabotage on underwater gas pipelines and critical cables in Europe, tried and is still trying to freeze people… And what happened?

Russia has only lost its weight in the European energy market, which it has been gaining since Brezhnev’s era, and will definitely be treated as the most reckless international criminal. This will remain with Moscow for a very long time even after this Russian leader.

Russia is trying to destroy the energy system of Ukraine, to make our people suffer even more, but this only mobilizes the international community to help us even more and put even more pressure on the terrorist state. And all our expenses for the protection of our energy facilities and for the restoration of our infrastructure after Russian terrorist attacks will be reimbursed at the expense of Russian assets.

Each of the terrorists will be personally responsible for what he does. Before the court. And the terrorist state will pay for its terror. With isolation, degradation and assets – both of state and quasi-private entities connected with this Russian regime.

I informed the Europeans today, during the meeting of the European Council, about the next terrorist attack, which Russia is preparing for at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. According to our information, the aggregates and dam of the Kakhovka HPP were mined by Russian terrorists.

Now everyone in the world must act powerfully and quickly to prevent a new Russian terrorist attack. Destroying the dam would mean a large-scale disaster.

Of course, we understand that the occupiers do not care what happens to the territory of Ukraine. With this terrorist attack, they can destroy, among other things, even the possibility of supplying water from the Dnipro River to Crimea. In the event of the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP dam, the North Crimean Canal will simply disappear. And if Russia is preparing such a terrorist attack, if it is seriously considering such a scenario, it means the terrorists are clearly aware that they will not be able to keep not only Kherson, but also the entire south of our country, including Crimea.

We must now all together – all Europeans, all world leaders, all international organizations – make it clear to the terrorist state that such a terrorist attack on the Kakhovka HPP will mean exactly the same as the use of weapons of mass destruction. The consequences for Russia should be corresponding.

The world must react preventively. This is key now. The principle of preventive response to security threats should finally become one of the basic principles of international politics.

Today I had a productive call with the President of Germany. I thanked him and the German people for supporting Ukraine in the struggle for freedom and for the decision to provide concrete assistance to our country.

In particular, Germany became the first country to supply us with the modern IRIS-T air defense system. We expect the delivery of other such systems both from Germany and from our other partners.

I held talks with the President of Switzerland, who arrived in Kyiv today. This shows the whole world that Switzerland does not remain morally neutral when such a terrorist war is being waged against Ukraine and the whole of Europe. Switzerland has supported EU sanctions packages and provides us with humanitarian aid.

The issues of reconstruction of Ukraine and the possibilities of Switzerland to invest in the development of our economy and infrastructure were discussed substantively today with Mr. President.

We also discussed the issue of compensation for damages caused to Ukraine by Russian terror. I am grateful that Russian assets worth $6.5 billion have already been frozen. This work must be continued. And this is something in which Switzerland must not remain morally neutral either.

The possibilities of Switzerland to help with digitization in Ukraine and restoration of telecommunications systems in the liberated territories were discussed separately and substantively.

The situation on the frontline remains difficult. Especially in Donbas – the same Bakhmut direction – and in some directions in the south. But we stand our ground. We defend our land. We move gradually, ousting the enemy. And we will definitely ensure victory for Ukraine.

In the evening, I signed another decree on awarding our warriors. 148 defenders of Ukraine were awarded orders and medals.

Today, at the request of our military command, I would like to celebrate warriors from the 7th anti-aircraft self-propelled artillery battery of the 3rd anti-aircraft missile division of the 1039th anti-aircraft missile regiment. During another Russian missile strike, the battery provided protection in the north of our country and destroyed an enemy missile in the Vyshhorod district of the Kyiv region. Thank you guys for the excellent service and consistently good results! Every downed Russian missile means saved lives of our people.

Today we have both downed missiles and downed Iranian drones. Unfortunately, we do not shoot down all of them yet. There are also hits, there is destruction. But we will do everything to provide full protection to our sky.

Terrorists always lose. Freedom always wins.

Thank you to everyone who fights and works for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to our strong people!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 20 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians!

Today was quite a fruitful day.

I met with the European Commissioner for Crisis Management. I thanked Mr. Lenarčič for all the assistance that was provided during the full-scale war. We discussed what other humanitarian needs of our people could be met with the help of our European friends. Of course, we touched on the situation with energy.

I spoke today with the President of Turkey. I thanked him for supporting our territorial integrity. We discussed the key security issues currently Ukraine and our entire region are facing. The key topics are efforts to further release our people from Russian captivity, defense cooperation, export of Ukrainian food.

I held negotiations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece – he arrived on a visit to Kyiv for the third time since February 24. I thanked Greece for its support in the defense sector. We agreed to strengthen our cooperation in bilateral relations and at the level of the European Union, as well as at the level of NATO.

Tomorrow I will participate in the European Summit – I will contact my partners. The key topic, of course, is challenges to our energy, both Ukrainian and European. We will respond to the terrorist threat together.

Today, Andriy Yermak met with representatives of the embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain at the Office and discussed the strengthening of our anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense.

We are working to guarantee the complete safety of the Ukrainian sky. We already have significant results: 233 Shahed UAVs and dozens of missiles were shot down during the month. Ten Iranian drones were destroyed today and this is only in the Kyiv direction. Another 11 Shahed UAVs were shot down thanks to the soldiers of the Pivden air command. Thanks guys for the great job!

There are results in other areas as well. But, unfortunately, there are also impacts. We have new damage to critical infrastructure. Today, three energy facilities were destroyed by the enemy.

Of course, we will do everything possible to restore the normal energy capabilities of our country. But it takes time. And this requires our joint efforts. Tomorrow they are needed even more than before.

There will be clarifications from the heads of regional administrations and government officials, but in general, it is necessary to be especially conscious of electricity consumption from 7 am tomorrow.

Please do not turn on unnecessary electrical appliances. Please limit your electricity consumption and use those appliances that consume a lot of energy. Tomorrow, it is very important that the consumption is as conscious as possible, and thus the schedules of stabilization blackouts will be shorter.

I held a general meeting on energy issues today – the Office, government, energy companies.

We are preparing for all possible scenarios in view of the winter season. We assume that Russian terror will be directed at energy facilities until, with the help of partners, we ensure the ability to shoot down 100% of enemy missiles and drones.

Separately, today I want to address our people in the temporarily occupied areas of southern and eastern Ukraine. In the near future, the occupiers will try to recruit men into their army. Everywhere is the same as in Donetsk and Luhansk. Please avoid it as much as you can. Try to leave the occupied territory.

If you cannot do this and find yourself in Russian military structures, at the first opportunity try to lay down your arms and come to Ukrainian positions. And most importantly, protect your life. And be sure to help our other people who are close to you. Our common task is to persevere. Stand against these weirdoes…

Russia avoided even the word “war” for six months, punished its own people with criminal cases for it, and now it declares martial law in the occupied territory.

The occupiers themselves brought the war to our land under their constant false pretense of alleged negotiations, and now they are signing some decrees cementing the war.

Well, what can I say? It’s just hysterics of the “Chekist comrades.” Hysterics, which will be greater the closer Russia’s defeat is.

In the evening, I signed another decree on awarding our soldiers. Seventy one servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state awards today.

I thank everyone who fights and works for Ukraine! I thank everyone who helps our defense!

And I would like to thank separately for the fact that it was the Ukrainian people who this year became the laureate of the special honor of the European Parliament – the Sakharov Prize. This award is given annually to those who have made the greatest contribution to the defense of democracy, human rights and European values. It is really important that all Ukrainian men and women – millions of our people who so bravely defend freedom were recognized in Europe this year.

Glory to our beautiful people!

Glory to Ukraine!