Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 16 August 2022.

Ukrainians!

Every day and every night we see new reports of explosions in the territory temporarily occupied by the occupiers. I am now asking all our people in Crimea, in other regions in the south of the country, in the occupied areas of Donbas, in the Kharkiv region to be very careful. Please do not approach the military objects of the Russian army and all those places where they store ammunition and equipment, where they keep their headquarters.

The reasons for the explosions in the occupied territory can be different, very different, in particular, I quote the definition of the occupiers themselves, “bungling”.

But they all have the same meaning: the destruction of the occupiers’ logistics, their ammunition, military and other equipment, command posts saves the lives of our people. The fewer opportunities the occupiers have to do evil and kill Ukrainians, the sooner we will be able to end this war by liberating our land. And the queue these days to leave Crimea for Russia across the bridge proves that the absolute majority of citizens of the terrorist state already understand or at least feel that Crimea is not a place for them.

And I want to thank all Ukrainians who help our Armed Forces, our intelligence, our special services weaken the army of the occupiers. This is a significant advantage of Ukraine and the root cause of our future victory – the struggle of our defenders is based on the unconditional support of the Ukrainian people. This is a people’s war of liberation, this is an all-Ukrainian struggle for freedom and independence for our country.

Ukraine is protected by millions in one way or another. Millions of people who fight at the front, who fight for their cities and villages, including in the occupation, who stopped the occupiers’ military equipment, who informed and inform our intelligence and special services, who oppose the occupiers in their rear, who ensure the necessary supplies for Ukraine and the work of all our state institutions and economy, who volunteer, who fight for our interests abroad, who fight in the information war.

And we have to do – and will do – everything to preserve this nationwide foundation of defense.

For the support of Ukraine in the world not to decrease and for our state to move towards victory, our own activity should not decrease either – the activity of absolutely everyone who in one way or another stood up for the defense of our state. Do everything, as you have been doing, for Ukraine. And even more, because the leadership of Russia expects that Ukrainians, Europeans and the whole world will get tired of this war. We must do everything so that it is not us or our friends and partners who get tired, but our enemy. For us to expel the occupiers from Ukraine, every day must make it more and more difficult for Russia to wage a war – this is our number one military-political task.

I spoke today with President of France Emmanuel Macron. I informed him about the situation around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and regular Russian provocations. I thanked him for the great support. In particular, Mr. President and I have discussed new security and macro-financial assistance to our state.

I also held talks with the Prime Minister of Denmark. Also about increasing financial support for Ukraine, about new sanctions against Russia. I thanked Mrs. Frederiksen for the defense assistance and for the fruitful conference in Copenhagen which recently agreed on concrete decisions for our defense.

For the first time in the history of our bilateral relations, I held talks with the President of Zambia. Cooperation in international organizations, food security and current global threats were discussed.

Ban Ki-moon, the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Juan Manuel Santos, ex-President of Colombia, visited Ukraine today. The main topic of conversation with them is security guarantees for Ukraine.

We are doing everything to form a military, political and legal security architecture for Ukraine, which will be real, effective and work in the long term, guaranteeing peace to our people.

The Russian army continued its absolutely senseless and brutal shelling of the cities of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions – Orikhiv, Nikopol… Unfortunately, there are wounded, unfortunately, there are casualties. Shelling of Kharkiv and the border areas continues. But all this will not give anything to the occupiers and will not break our resistance.

Our heroes repel constant and very powerful attacks in Donbas. The occupiers use everything there: aviation, missiles, phosphorus bombs, artillery… Very fierce battles are going on.

We have to go through it, endure everything and gain life. Ukraine must win, and it will.

Today I signed the decree on awarding our defenders. 189 warriors were awarded state awards. 158 are National Guard servicemen, 21 of them were awarded posthumously. 26 border guards, two of them posthumously. Three police officers, two of them posthumously. Two employees of the State Customs Service, one of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 15 August 2022.

Ukrainians!

And all Europeans whose lives are already endangered by Russian terror.

Russia does not stop its blackmail in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Provocative shelling of the NPP territory continues. Under the cover of the plant, the occupiers are shelling nearby cities and communities. The Russian troops hide ammunition and equipment right in the facilities of the plant. De facto the plant is mined.

All this clearly shows that Russia is rejecting the security demands of the European Union countries and 15 other countries – 42 in total – that called on Russia to withdraw its forces from the plant. In particular, these are Turkey, Georgia, Great Britain, Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada, the United States of America.

If a terrorist state allows itself to completely ignore the demands of the international community, especially in such a sensitive topic, this clearly indicates the need for immediate action.

Any radiation incident at the Zaporizhzhia NPP can affect the countries of the European Union, Turkey, Georgia and countries from more distant regions. Everything depends solely on the direction and speed of the wind. If Russia’s actions cause a catastrophe, the consequences may also hit those who remain silent so far.

This issue has already been brought to the highest international level – the UN and the IAEA. Of course, Russian nuclear blackmail is also discussed between states. There is a corresponding statement from the ministers of foreign affairs of the G7. They clearly understand that Russia is responsible for this nuclear crisis.

But we need to move from discussions and calls to new tough sanctions against Russia, against Rosatom and the entire nuclear industry of the terrorist state. All Russian troops must be immediately withdrawn from the plant and neighboring areas without any conditions.

The world has been fighting for many decades for proper control over all activities with nuclear materials and radiation safety. And if now the world lacks the strength and determination to protect one nuclear plant, it means that the world loses. Loses to terrorists. Gives in to nuclear blackmail. And this may be a precedent that other terrorists will see. There is still a chance to prevent this defeat.

I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. The main item on the agenda is a thorough analysis of the military-strategic situation. Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Budanov and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Lytvynenko delivered reports. A separate report was delivered by Commander of the Special Operations Forces Khorenko. Of course, there were Zaluzhny, Shaptala, Monastyrskyi, Danilov, Yermak, Reznikov.

We also considered – from what can be said publicly – the issue of providing our military with weapons and ammunition and the status of implementation of the previous decisions of the Staff – all of them must be implemented 100%, the responsibility for this is personal.

A rather productive meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took place today. Among other things, the deputies voted for two members of the High Council of Justice.

I continue to establish relations at the highest level with African countries. Today I spoke with the President of Niger – until today there were no contacts at this level between our states. I thanked him for the support within the UN. Of course, the key threats to global security were discussed.

I held a meeting on the preparation of the Crimea Platform. I expect the expansion of geography, level and number of participants. Today, the Advisory Council on the Deoccupation of Crimea was created to coordinate all measures and projects in this direction and ensure the activities of the Crimea Platform.

I met with Andriy Shevchenko and actor Liev Schreiber, ambassadors of our state charity platform UNITED24. We discussed how we can maintain the maximum attention of the world to the needs of our defense. Each week, this task becomes increasingly important.

Russia has created so many crises, including the crisis of the cost of living in many countries, as well as food and energy crises, that spread insecurity and irritation with life throughout the world. We must keep global attention focused on the root cause of these crises, namely: Russian aggression. And we have to remind that it was Ukraine that suffered the most from Russian terror.

I am grateful to all who perform this important function, in particular the UNITED24 ambassadors. Their activity means billions of hryvnias for Ukraine and a constant increase in attention to the needs of our state and people.

The situation on the frontline has not undergone significant changes over the past day. The heroic resistance of our military continues in Donbas, the Kharkiv region. We are putting pressure on the enemy in the south of our country.

I would like to especially thank all our gunners, our intelligence officers, the Security Service of Ukraine and all others who ensure the successive destruction of the occupiers’ command posts and their ammunition depots. All Russian terrorists should know that every meter of Ukrainian land is an absolute danger for them. No matter how they try to hide. No matter where it is. They will be found and destroyed.

Eternal glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Eternal gratitude to everyone who helps our state!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Prime Minister Frederiksen!

Dear Minister Bødskov!

Dear attendees, dear participants of the Conference!

I am grateful for the organization of such an important event, which is urgently needed now – and not only for Ukraine.

To begin with, I would like to remind you of one episode of our shared history. It happened in Sweden. About 700 kilometers from Copenhagen, just over an hour by plane. One day at the Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant, radiation monitoring devices showed the presence of radiation contamination. Then everything was quickly checked and no sources of radiation were found in Forsmark.

However, reports began to arrive from other sites in Sweden, as well as from Finland, that there was also an increased level of radiation. Concerns were also raised in Denmark – an increase in the level of radioactive substances was also recorded there.

It became clear that an emergency had occurred, but at that time they did not know exactly where. They analyzed the nature of the pollution, the direction and velocity of the wind – and found out that somewhere in the territory from Minsk to the Black Sea, a disaster occurred.

It was April 1986 – a day after the explosion of the nuclear reactor in Chornobyl. The Soviet authorities were silent about what happened at that time. And tried to downplay the scale of the disaster. However, it was impossible to hide it – there has already been publicity in Europe, there has already been evidence of pollution, and a discussion has already begun about how it threatens all people.

I will not remind you now of all the details of those days. You all probably know about it. About the fire at the Chornobyl station and the efforts of those who tried to stop the unfolding of the disaster. About the diagnosis of “acute radiation syndrome” and about people who begged for salvation in terrible death agonies.

Significant areas were contaminated. There is still an Exclusion Zone around Chornobyl, where people are not allowed to live. Hundreds of thousands of residents of different countries were affected by Chornobyl in one way or another.

And for years after that disaster, the whole world has been thinking about how to make nuclear energy secure. For years, adherence to special standards has been monitored to ensure that such disasters do not occur.

And for years absolutely no one could imagine that Europe could be threatened with a new disaster at a nuclear plant not because someone would violate some safety standards, but because some state would deliberately use a nuclear plant for terror.

This is what Russia is doing now. And if the Soviet authorities tried to conceal the Chornobyl disaster and its full consequences, the Russian authorities are much more cynical and dangerous – they themselves do everything to maximize the risk of a nuclear disaster, and lie to the whole world that someone else is allegedly to blame.

We must protect Europe from this threat. Protect all together. And probably not only Europe. Because the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is the largest on our continent. It is the third largest in the world. Six power units!

During the years of operation of this station, there was not a single incident that would endanger the safety of Ukrainians or all Europeans. But now the Russian occupation army is using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for terror and armed provocations.

Russia has turned the nuclear plant into a battlefield. When the occupiers came to the Zaporizhzhia NPP, their tanks fired at it. Direct fire at the plant! Placing military equipment on the territory of the plant and even disposing of ammunition there, the Russian troops surely know that they are putting the whole of Europe at risk of a nuclear disaster.

And of course, the Russian authorities are aware of the possible consequences when their troops fire at a nuclear plant. In particular, from MLRS.

In August, it was already now, they damaged the plant’s communication lines with our power system, as well as radiation monitoring sensors, nitrogen-oxygen station, hydrogen pipelines and related infrastructure. Already then, Europe was a few steps away from a nuclear disaster. And now we are all in this difficult situation.

We are convinced that it is not a coincidence that the trajectory of the cruise missiles which Russia fires at the territory of Ukraine passes over the Ukrainian nuclear power plants. All these are manifestations of Russian nuclear terrorism.

Russia has become a terrorist state, and is actually holding nuclear plants hostage, and is blackmailing everyone with a probable disaster.

I am sure each of you has already thought about how to act if Russia uses so-called tactical nuclear weapons. Think about this as well. Russia can cause the largest radiation accident in history at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. In terms of actual consequences, it could be even more catastrophic than Chornobyl, and in fact – the same as the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, but without a nuclear strike.

None of us can stop the wind if it carries radiation. But together we are capable of stopping a terrorist state. And the sooner we stop Russia, the sooner Europe and the world will be able to feel safe again.

Everything that is necessary for this is well known to you.

Sanctions against Russia must be strengthened and not allowed to be circumvented. In response to nuclear blackmail, tough sanctions are needed against Rosatom, this is a specific thing, and the entire Russian nuclear industry, not an agreement with them.

Constant political pressure on Russia is needed to increase the number of countries participating in the anti-war coalition, and to reduce the circle of those who are at least somehow willing to help Russia in these circumstances.

And most importantly, we need even greater support for Ukraine with weapons and ammunition. To really stop Russia, the Armed Forces of Ukraine must have as many shells as necessary to make it tangible that Russia is not able to put pressure on the battlefield. And Ukraine needs weapons of such power, such a long range that Russia is forced to finally think about finding a peaceful solution.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov who is present among you at the Conference will definitely inform you about specific defense needs.

The second point is finances. Russia still receives tens of billions of dollars due to trade with other countries, and Europe in particular.

And in Ukraine, the monthly deficit of the state budget alone is about five billion dollars.

And the destruction caused by the war is happening on the territory of Ukraine. And we cannot wait until the war is over to restore normal life.

Our children have to go to school just like yours. Our youth, just like yours, have to study at universities. Hospitals and social infrastructure have to work in Ukraine just like yours. Therefore, Ukraine needs reconstruction. Now! Just now! And even more so on the eve of the winter season.

We need to carry out demining. And, of course, we need to prepare the defense for winter conditions.

Therefore, sufficient and timely financial support for our state, for the budget and for the Fast Recovery is as vital as weapons and ammunition for our army, and sanctions against Russia.

And the state that blocks this financing for Ukraine cannot have excuses. It should remember that it is a European country and should fix this problem immediately.

And the third point is the export to Russia, the supply of components and dual-use products to the companies of the terrorist state. Russia simply would not have a combat-ready army in modern conditions if it was not for imported parts. Electronics, optics and many other parts of foreign production are used in manufacturing missiles, drones, means of communication, armored vehicles, etc. This flow of technical assistance to Russian terror must be completely stopped!

There must be an effective mechanism to control any supply to Russia, so as not to miss a single detail that could go to the production of weapons for shelling peaceful cities or nuclear plants.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

The response now needs to be full-scale, just like the war that Russia started.

No one needs new disasters.

It is necessary to draw conclusions from the disaster of 1986. From the decades that Russia used to prepare for this vile war against all of free Europe. From eight years of war in Donbas. And from one hundred and seventy days of terror against Ukraine after February 24.

No silence – only the truth. No delay – only decisive action. No confusion – only confident, bold unity.

We need maximum weapons and ammunition for our defense. Finances are needed for Ukraine in sufficient volume and without any bureaucratic blockages.

Complete isolation of the terrorist state, primarily economic, technological, and the toughest sanctions are required.

It is our duty to our nations, to all future generations of free people, to do everything we can to stop Russia, to ensure that it loses this war and that no other state can repeat this terror.

And I believe that we will fulfill our duty!

Thank you for your attention!

I am grateful to Denmark and Great Britain for jointly organizing this Conference, which could become historic. Due to our joint efforts.

Thank you again!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 14 August 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

We are getting ready for the very active weeks of the second half of August – negotiations, meetings, the Crimea Platform, new appeals to foreign communities, international legal activity – on our initiative.

This week, I will continue to expand our ties with African states and the Latin American region. Important contacts will take place at the European level tomorrow. In a few days, a ceremony of the presentation of credentials by the ambassadors of foreign countries who came to work in Kyiv will take place. Although there is a certain pause in global politics now – after all, it is August, for Ukraine, for the interests of our state, there haven’t been and will not be any pauses.

We are working on new sanctions against Russia and on stimulating the citizens of the terrorist state to feel their share of responsibility for what is happening.

The discussion about visa restrictions in Europe for holders of Russian passports is expanding every day, new states and new politicians are joining it. Ultimately, this should lead to appropriate decisions.

I am grateful to our intelligence officers, law enforcement officers, journalists and everyone who works to establish the full data on the Russian killers. Ukraine and our partners are receiving more and more information about those directly responsible for terror and torture, for the so-called filtration and deportation of our people, for looting…

All these savages will definitely be held to account.

But we must remember that when evil takes on such proportions, people’s silence approaches the level of complicity. And the rejection of the real fight against evil becomes the assistance to it. Therefore, if you have Russian citizenship and you are silent, it means that you are not fighting, it means that you are supporting it. And no matter where you are – both on the territory of Russia and abroad – your voice should sound in support of Ukraine, and therefore against this war.

In the near future, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will have to make a decision on the extension of martial law and general mobilization. An obvious decision, obvious reasons.

Ukraine has always longed and longs for peace and many times in various negotiation formats has offered the Russian leadership to end the war and free Ukrainian land from occupation. But so far, Russia believes in terror, remains in the grip of its propaganda illusions and still hopes that it can supposedly achieve something through various forms of blackmail. It won’t.

And therefore, we must defend ourselves, we must respond to every manifestation of terror, to all shelling occasions – brutal shelling that does not stop for a single day. Unfortunately, we have losses. But we must fight at all levels and on all fronts, strengthen our state as much as possible, preserve our unity and attract even more countries to our anti-war coalition.

The stronger Ukraine will be, the weaker Russia will be, and therefore, the less time this war will last. And everyone in Ukraine, everyone in the free world must do everything in their power and everything possible so that Russia and those who support the war pay an ever greater price for Russian state terror.

I am thankful to all our defenders!

I am thankful to all Ukrainians – all those who hold on, who help others, who believe in victory and bring it closer by their actions – as they can.

Each new day should bring a new result for Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 13 August 2022.

Dear Ukrainians!

And today I would like to address the residents of Nikopol, Marhanets, Enerhodar, Kryvy Rih, Zaporizhzhia and all our other cities and communities of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

The occupiers are trying to intimidate people in an extremely cynical way, using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. They actually hide behind the plant to fire at Nikopol and Marhanets. They arrange constant provocations with shelling of the territory of the nuclear power plant and try to bring their additional forces in this direction to blackmail our state and the entire free world even more.

If someone over there in Russia thinks that it can give them something, then they are wrong. Russian blackmail only mobilizes even more global efforts to confront terror. Every day of the stay of the Russian contingent on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and in the neighboring regions of our country increases the radiation threat to Europe so much that even at the peak moments of the confrontation during the Cold War, this did not happen.

Of course, there should be a robust response to this. Ukrainian diplomats and representatives of partner states will do everything to ensure that the new sanctions against Russia necessarily block the Russian nuclear industry.

And absolutely all officials of the terrorist state, as well as those who help them in this blackmail operation with the nuclear power plant, must be tried by an international court. It will definitely be. And every Russian soldier who either shoots at the plant, or shoots under the cover of the plant, must understand that he is becoming a special target for our intelligence, for our secret service, for our army.

I am especially grateful to everyone who defends this direction, who withstands the pressure of Russian terrorists and protects Ukraine and the world from the nuclear threat created by the occupiers. I am grateful to all our energy workers who support the stable operation of the energy system of Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia plant itself.

And we are doing everything possible to restore peace and security to this part of our state, and to all other cities and other regions of our beautiful Ukraine.

Fierce fighting continues in Donbas. The hottest points of the front in this direction remain unchanged – Avdiyivka, Maryinka, Pisky, Bakhmut and the entire relevant area. Russia sent there a simply colossal amount of its military resources – artillery, equipment, people. All our defenders there are simply heroes.

Ukrainian defense is strong in Kharkiv region, and the invaders’ attempts to attack all the time fail.

The struggle in the south of the country gives good news about the destruction of the forces and means of the Russian army. We do not lose a single day – we reduce the potential of the occupiers.

It is very important that the export grain initiative gives results. Since the start of its implementation, a total of 16 vessels with grain for seven countries on three continents have left Ukrainian ports. These are Europe, Asia, Africa. Almost half a million tonnes of agricultural products were on board: corn, wheat, sunflower oil, soybeans and other goods absolutely necessary for the global market.

This has already made it possible to reduce the severity of the food crisis, and has given some hope of peace to the countries that consume our agricultural products. And in the long run, it can help to completely remove the food crisis from the global agenda. Of course, if the partners ensure the implementation of the security part of the initiative and prevent Russian provocations and terror at sea or against our ports.

The first vessel to be loaded within the framework of the UN World Food Program has already arrived. It is the supply of grain, in particular for Ethiopia, where the situation with hunger is particularly severe. Now the vessel is being prepared for departure from the Pivdenny port.

For Ukraine, this has significant benefits. In less than two weeks, three of our ports – Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny – managed to export such a volume, which is equal to the entire agricultural export by road for July and more than two-thirds of the export by rail for the past month.

I want to emphasize once again: these are jobs for our people, these are the funds needed for our sowing season next year, and these are the revenues of our state budget.

Increasing economic activity is a necessary element of the path to victory.

I am grateful to everyone who defends our country!

Grateful to everyone in the partner countries who help fight against terror!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 12 August 2022.

Dear Ukrainians, I wish you health!

Today, for the first time, Ukraine celebrates the International Youth Day simultaneously with most of the world’s countries. This decision was made last summer – to postpone its celebration to August 12 to be together with Europe in such a symbolic event. And it worked. Youth Day felt very organic today.

And above all, together with the First Lady, we met with young heroes-saviors – you are great, I am proud of children and teenagers who are strong despite their age, responsible despite their age. They raise funds for the army, they help our wounded, they help people, they help save people’s lives.

A special awarding ceremony for such our young heroes was held in the Mariinsky Palace, in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine. Maksym Brovchenko, Irynka Vasylieva, Oleksandr Hutsal, Yehor Shemet, Davyd Ponuliak, Hlib Bondarenko, Andriy Pokrasa, Danylo Serheev. They are from seven to sixteen years old, and they are heroes. And one can be proud of their deeds in such a way that not every adult has such a biography.

I also met today with representatives of various youth communities and organizations – educational, volunteer, military, creative, Plast, with representatives of youth from the diaspora… I am very proud that Maryna Viazovska, one of the most famous young Ukrainian women, who received the highest award in the world of mathematics – the famous Fields Medal, also attended the meeting.

We had a very warm and fruitful conversation about the defense of our country, about victory – and it is on the horizon, about the future of Ukraine, about our institutions. The ideas sounded very good – we will implement them.

I had a talk with the pontiff today. I thanked Pope Francis for the support of Ukrainians. We discussed what we can do together to restore peace in the state. I briefed him on the situation on the front line and Russia’s constant efforts to increase the level of terror. He agrees with it, he supports us.

The day before, a decision was made in Latvia – Latvia officially recognized Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. We are working to ensure that the whole world does the same. That’s fair. It is right. And it will be.

After all that the occupiers have done in Ukraine, there can be only one attitude towards Russia – as towards a terrorist state. And, by the way, it is from this point of view that the attitude towards the citizens of Russia should be determined.

I thank the Czech Republic, the Baltic states and other countries that brought the issue of visas for citizens of a terrorist state to the official level of discussion in Europe. Of course, we all understand: there are people who really need protection, who are persecuted in Russia, may even be killed, and therefore they should receive help from the civilized world. These are well-known legal mechanisms – through refugee status, asylum requests, and other opportunities to help and support. But it is for those who fight, for those who are persecuted. And this should not apply to the rest of Russian citizens in Europe, tourism, entertainment, business affairs. It is impossible to work for a terrorist state…

First, there must be a guarantee that Russian murderers and facilitators of state terror will not use Schengen. And secondly, one cannot destroy the very idea of Europe, our common European values, that is, one cannot turn Europe into a supermarket where it does not matter who enters – the main thing is that a person simply pays for the goods.

Therefore, visa restrictions for citizens of the Russian Federation are fair, and all defenders of European values should insist on them.

In the evening, I signed a decree awarding our soldiers and heroes. A total of 181 combatants were given state awards, 33 of them posthumously. In total, more than 26,500 Ukrainian men and women were awarded during the war.

I am grateful to everyone who defends our country! Who deters very brutal attacks of the occupiers in Pisky, in Avdiyivka, in the Bakhmut area… Who defends Kharkiv region and our south, our dear Ukraine.

We will do everything so that each occupier, as well as the terrorist state in general, will fully feel what a strong Ukrainian response to their terror is.

Glory to all our soldiers!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Brief summaries of the day.

I took part in the donor conference in Copenhagen. These are 26 partner states of Ukraine: European countries, the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand. They established another format – as a continuation of the well-known meetings at the Ramstein Air Base. This format is about long-term support, including weapons, ammunition, military training, demining, recovery of the liberated territory.

We already have the first results of the conference. Immediately after the opening of the meeting, Denmark announced a new support package for Ukraine in the amount of 110 million euros. In general, the conference collected 1.5 billion euros in just one day, which will be spent, in particular, on the production of vital ammunition. By the way, this is a significant plus to those credit guarantees for 4 billion dollars that were previously provided by the United States to strengthen our defense cooperation with partners on the supplies for the Ukrainian army.

I am thankful to everyone who supported Ukraine today in Copenhagen, and I believe that this format of cooperation will accelerate our joint victory.

In my address to the conference participants, I emphasized that everyone needs to act much faster and tougher. And especially after Russia resorted to unconcealed nuclear blackmail. What is happening now around the Zaporizhzhia NPP is one of the biggest crimes of the terrorist state. Today, another shelling by Russia was recorded on the territory of the plant, in the immediate vicinity of the NPP facilities.

Russia has once again gone through another floor in the world history of terrorism. No one else has used a nuclear plant so obviously to threaten the whole world and to put forward some conditions. And absolutely everyone in the world should react immediately to expel the occupiers from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This is a global interest, not just a Ukrainian need. We emphasize this at all levels – from the UN Security Council to contacts between states. Only the complete withdrawal of Russians from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the restoration of Ukraine’s full control over the situation around the plant will guarantee the restoration of nuclear safety for all of Europe.

Today I would like to point out an important thing for all representatives of the state and local authorities, the military sphere and other persons who comment on the events at the front, the defense plan of the command, the preparation of specific operations, etc. The general rule is simple: war is definitely not the time for vanity and loud statements. The less concrete details you give about our defense plans, the better it will be for the implementation of those defense plans.

If you want to leave the big headlines, that’s one thing. Frankly irresponsible. If you want victory for Ukraine, then that is another thing, and you should feel your responsibility for every word you say about our state’s preparation for defense or counteroffensive.

Another conversation took place in the permanent format “Yermak, Sullivan, Zaluzhny, Milley”. The topic of the conversation is clear. The content is positive. And the details, I think, are superfluous.

I met today with chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen international humanitarian organization. For more than ten years, he has been feeding people in countries that have become victims of war or natural disasters. A successful restaurateur, working in America, one of the most famous and influential people in the world.

From the first days of Russia’s full-scale war against our country, his organization started working on the border with Poland – for migrants. Subsequently, it started activities in many cities of Ukraine – already 5 thousand people work there. More than 130 million meals have been cooked for our citizens.

We agreed with Mr. Andres on the expansion of such a humanitarian mission, in particular to areas that are gradually being liberated from Russian occupation.

And today I also want to thank all Ukrainians and citizens of the friendly states who help meet the humanitarian needs created by this war. Those who help displaced people with housing and jobs. Those who treat and rehabilitate those wounded by Russian shelling. Those who deliver medicine, food and means of communication to the frontline areas. Those who support lonely people and orphans of this war. And those who help restore everything that was destroyed by Russian terrorists.

This is a multi-thousand-strong humanitarian army of Ukraine and the entire free world, to which Russia cannot and will not be able to oppose anything. I thank you!

Tomorrow will be a busy day – there will be many international and domestic events tomorrow. We are already preparing for them. We do everything to ensure that our defenders have reliable support at the political, diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and all other levels.

Eternal glory to all our warriors!

Glory to each and every one who defends Donbas, the Kharkiv region, the south, the center and our entire state!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

At the end of this difficult 168th day of our defense, a few things should be said.

First. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and our law enforcement agencies will not leave today’s Russian shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region unanswered. 13 people died as a result of the occupiers’ attack on Marhanets’. More than ten are wounded, five are in grave condition.

Russian troops were striking with “Grads”. This regular manifestation of Russian terror, just as the attacks on Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, once again proves that it is necessary to increase military aid to Ukraine. The more powerful our weapons are and the greater the range of their use is, the sooner this cruel war will end.

And that’s the second thing I wanted to say today. This is a question that worries absolutely everyone: when will the war end? Someone says – months, someone – a year, someone – even more. But the question of time actually directly depends on the question of the losses that Russia will suffer. The more losses the occupiers suffer, the sooner we will be able to liberate our land and guarantee Ukraine’s security. This is what everyone who defends our state and helps Ukraine should think about: how to inflict the greatest possible losses on the occupiers so that the time of the war gets shorter.

If almost 43,000 dead Russian soldiers do not convince the Russian leadership that they need to find a way out of the war, then more fighting is needed, more results are needed to convince.

In just one day, the occupiers lost ten combat aircraft: nine in Crimea and one more in the direction of Zaporizhzhia. The occupiers also suffer new losses of armored vehicles, warehouses with ammunition, logistics routes…

A conference at the level of defense ministers of Ukraine’s partner states begins tomorrow in Copenhagen. Further support for our state in this war, including weapons, will be discussed. I am grateful to all our partners who understand that only by ensuring Russia’s defeat on the battlefield, only by Russian losses – military, political, economic – can the return of security for Ukraine and the whole of Europe be brought closer. The more weapons, the more military-technical and financial support Ukraine receives, the sooner our people and all Europeans will be able to experience peace and stability in life again.

And the third thing. I want to say it right now to the residents of the temporarily occupied territory. No matter what the occupiers promise, their only way is to escape. At best. If they make it in time.

We expelled the Russian army from the northern regions. We expelled the invaders from our Zmiinyi Island. They already feel that the time has come to flee from Kherson and from the south of our country in general. The time will come when they will flee from the Kharkiv region, from Donbas, from Crimea… And everyone who can help in this, should do so.

If you have any important information about the enemy, please report it in a safe way to our intelligence services, our military. If you know those who help the occupiers or justify aggression, please report this as well.

Be sure to help our people in the occupied territory who are left alone or without communication. Talk to them, support them, tell them about our struggle and about the possibilities of evacuating to a free territory. The invaders are using our people to cover their attacks as human shields. Ukraine will return everything of its own, and must save as many lives as possible.

I held several important meetings today, in particular, regarding the program for the fast recovery of liberated territories.

I continue to establish new ties at the highest level with African countries – today I spoke with the President of the Republic of Ghana. Yesterday – with the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Food security, cooperation in international organizations, economic ties are a range of issues that benefit both our state and African countries.

In the evening, I signed another decree awarding our defenders. 244 combatants were awarded state awards, 21 of them posthumously.

Ukrainians should always remember that every step of our army in this war was made in cruel and difficult battles. The occupiers have not captured anything without the resistance of our heroes since February 24 and will not be able to keep anything. We will liberate everything.

Eternal glory to everyone who fights for our country!

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, there is a lot of attention to the topic of Crimea. And rightly so. Because Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up.

We will not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea.

Russia has turned our peninsula, which has always been and will be one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought large-scale repression, environmental problems, economic hopelessness and war to Crimea. War.

Perhaps historians will one day determine how many people were killed as a result of Russia’s use of Crimea for terror. Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? From Ukraine and Georgia to Syria and more remote regions.

The presence of Russian occupiers in Crimea is a threat to the entire Europe and to global stability. The Black Sea region cannot be safe as long as Crimea is occupied. There will be no stable and lasting peace in many countries on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea as long as Russia is able to use our peninsula as its military base.

This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – with its liberation. Today it is impossible to say when this will happen. But we are constantly adding the necessary components to the formula of liberation of Crimea.

We launched the Crimea Platform – a key diplomatic platform for the work on the liberation of Crimea. The Crimea Platform will work this year as well. We are already preparing for this summit.

The Crimean topic sounds on all international platforms where the Russian war against our state is discussed. The history of the global response to Russia’s seizure of Crimea, or rather the lack of such a response, is now one of the best arguments for strengthening sanctions against Russia. The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014 when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia’s first aggressive steps.

And, of course, we pay due attention to the struggle for rights and historical justice for the indigenous peoples of Ukraine – the Crimean Tatar people, Karaites and Krymchaks. Today, on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we really have something to say.

Last summer, the fundamental law on indigenous peoples of Ukraine was adopted. This law recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples and representative bodies of indigenous peoples.

Ukraine is a multinational state. Various national communities have been living on our land for centuries. But most of them have experience of state formation outside of Ukraine. Our state is native to peoples whose national cultures and aspirations were formed in Crimea. Therefore, when we are working for the liberation of the peninsula, we are fighting for the restoration of the territorial integrity of our state and for the return of home to the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. I believe that it will be so. I know that we will return to the Ukrainian Crimea. And I am grateful to all our partners and international organizations that help us in this.

It is too early to disclose all the details, but this year the work of the Crimea Platform will be no less important and representative than last year, when its first summit was held in Kyiv. The format will be different, but the value will be even greater.

We are preparing new solutions for the protection and assistance in the realization of the rights of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. We are also preparing programs for the economic recovery of our Crimea after its liberation from the occupiers.

Well, the main thing is to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and everyone who is fighting to liberate our land and repel the Russian colonial invasion.

From the Kharkiv region to Kherson, from Donetsk to Enerhodar, from Stanytsia Luhanska to Yalta, from Berdyansk to Novofedorivka – these are all parts of our country, this is Ukraine, which will be completely free.

Today I signed a new decree on awarding our defenders. 182 combatants were awarded state awards. The total number of awarded Ukrainian warriors has already exceeded 26,000 since February 24.

I thank everyone who defends Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all who fight for freedom!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

These days, people remember the Russian war against Georgia in 2008. There are many talks about the prerequisites of that war, about its consequences. About how that year’s refusal to provide Ukraine and Georgia with a NATO Membership Action Plan increased the audacity of the Russian leadership. But still, the war of that time has not yet become history, has not completely receded into the past. Therefore, it is necessary to talk more about what can be done than about what happened.

The challenges of that time are still very relevant today. And not only because the threat of further Russian aggression in this part of the Caucasus still exists, even though it is frozen. Only now has the world begun to realize the need for real, effective tools to prevent such aggressions and to bring any aggressors to justice.

2008, 2014, 2022 – the wars that started in these years have a different scale and nature, but there is one meaning of what happened: regional and global security mechanisms did not work.

That is why the principle of prevention, which we have been insisting on for a very long time even before February 24, is so necessary in international relations. If it is already clear that a state is preparing aggression – unjust, unprovoked, illegal, then the world’s reaction to its preparation should be the same as to the aggression that happened. It is necessary to act to prevent war, not to wait for strikes and victims.

After this Russian war against Ukraine, neither smoldering nor frozen conflict should remain. This is an important conclusion. Ukraine must return everything that Russia temporarily seized, and the aggressor state must be punished for the crime of aggression. And this is important not only for justice.

Only the obvious defeat of the aggressor, their loss of everything captured and their international legal responsibility for aggression are safeguards against any war.

This is what our diplomats, the Office, government officials and absolutely everyone involved in organizing a global political, economic and legal response to Russian aggression are working on. By protecting our state, we automatically protect everyone who has already been threatened or may still be threatened by a terrorist state.

And, of course, the greatest contribution is now made by the military – all Ukrainian heroes who are breaking the Russian terrorist machine on the battlefield.

Today I especially want to thank the Ukrainian anti-aircraft fighters of the Air Command “Center” and Air Command “South” for the successful destruction of Russian missiles that were launched from the Black Sea in the morning. The four downed Kalibrs are dozens of Ukrainian lives saved. Our military also managed to shoot down some of the missiles that Russian terrorists launched at Ukraine in the afternoon and in the evening.

Yes, our military means are still not enough to guarantee the downing of all Russian missiles. And we will do everything to ensure that such means appear in our country. But even now, the skill of our heroes makes it possible, at least partially, to reduce the Russian terrorist threat. I am grateful to everyone who ensures that!

We are actively informing the world about Russian nuclear blackmail – about shelling and mining of the Zaporizhzhia NPP facilities. There are already appropriate reactions from the international community. But it is necessary to speed up actions in response. Russia will not pay attention to words and concerns. New sanctions are needed against the terrorist state and the entire Russian nuclear industry for creating the threat of a nuclear disaster. The world should not forget about Chornobyl and remember that the Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest in Europe. The Chornobyl disaster is an explosion in one reactor, the Zaporizhzhia NPP is six power units.

I held negotiations with the President of Botswana – the first in the history of our bilateral relations. We discussed cooperation within the UN and other international organizations. I expressed gratitude for the condemnation of Russian aggression and assured Mr. President that Ukraine is ready to continue being the guarantor of world food security.

Implementation of the grain export initiative continues – today, for the first time since February 24, a loaded ship left the Pivdennyi port. Currently, there is every chance to ensure the rhythmic nature of such exports. However, as in previous days, the key thing is the ability of the partners to prevent any attempts by Russia to disrupt exports and exacerbate the global food crisis again.

And I want to remind all our agrarians, all workers of our ports, all those involved in related industries and all those who comment on this that sea export was restored primarily thanks to our warriors who protected the relevant water area: our intelligence, our special operations forces and “Alpha” of the Security Service of Ukraine, gunners, the Navy, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards and our entire heroic army that defends the state.

A new package of American support for Ukraine in the amount of one billion dollars was announced today. These are, in particular, rockets for HIMARS, ammunition for artillery and many other really useful things. I am grateful to President Biden and the people of the United States for this support, 100% of which is used to protect freedom, our common freedom.

I signed a new decree on awarding combatants. 183 of our defenders were awarded state awards, four of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Gratitude to everyone who fights for the country!

Glory to Ukraine!