Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (08/07/2022) – 135 days

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

I wish good health to you, dear Ukrainians!

Today, I worked all day in the field – in the city of Dnipro and in the region, in Kryvy Rih. I was on the front lines of our defense in Dnipropetrovsk region. I listened to the reports of the commanders, thanked our boys and girls, who are defending the region, on behalf of all Ukrainians.

I awarded the Golden Star to the Hero of Ukraine, Lieutenant Colonel Oleh Hrudzevych – commander of the tank battalion. Thanks to his personal bravery, his unit got out of the encirclement without casualties and destroyed the Russian sabotage group in a battle. A very strong person, you can feel it.

I visited the famous Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro to personally thank our special heroes – all the doctors and nurses who have been rescuing our wounded soldiers and civilians every day since February 24 and since 2014. They are extremely successful on their front lines and gave second birthdays, saved the lives of thousands of our people.

I presented state awards to our defenders who are recovering from injuries.

I am really very grateful for all the kind words I heard today in Dnipro, that I heard on the front line. Thank you, first of all.

Today, I addressed the Parliament of Slovenia. Every day and under any circumstances, we work as much as possible on the foreign policy front. And, by the way, this was already the twenty-fourth address to the parliaments of the EU countries and the first that was made near the front line. I hope that the three other EU countries will also feel that these appeals are not about politics, but about the protection of our common freedom, by the way, and therefore, we will come to the point that one day I will be able to say: all 27 parliaments of the European Union hear the struggle for freedom better than any Russian manipulations.

I also held all the necessary meetings with the leaders of Dnipropetrovsk region in general and Kryvy Rih district in particular – both military and civilian. It was about security, economy, social issues. Officials must do not just everything possible, but much more than even possible, to guarantee people a normal standard of living even in such wartime conditions.

I am returning to the capital of Ukraine.

Of course, I want to say two more things.

I congratulated Chief Commissar Zaluzhny on his birthday today. I wished him good health, I wished him and all of us the most important thing – victory. Thank you for your service!

And tomorrow, on July 9, and in fact already after sunset today, the Muslim community begins to celebrate Kurban Bayram. This is a special holiday that teaches sacrifice and guides people to do good deeds. I want to congratulate now all Muslims of Ukraine and the world and wish that the rule of peace is restored, and all kinds of evil always lose the sooner the better. The Crimean Tatar people especially expect this, and I believe that the year will come when we will welcome each other in a free Crimea.

Kurban Bayramınız Hayırlı ve mübarek olsun! Congratulations on the blessed holiday – Kurban Bayram!

Glory to Ukraine!