"We are not cooling off or reducing our defense efforts." Address by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

30.03.2022 11:41

Photo by president.gov.ua

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi made another address to our people against the background of the Russian invasion.

"Wise people of a strong country!

The 34th day of the full-scale invasion of Russia and our full-scale defense is coming to an end. Successful defense.

I am sure you saw the news today that the Russian military has allegedly decided to "reduce hostilities in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas."

Well, the same can be said about Chornobayivka: as if Russian aircraft simply decided to fly less, and Russian equipment - less to fly. I am grateful to all our defenders, to all our defenders - to all those who ensure the defense of Kyiv. It is their brave and effective actions that force the enemy to retreat in this direction.

However, you should not lose vigilance. The situation has not become easier. The scale of the calls has not diminished. The Russian army still has significant potential to continue attacks against our state. They still have a lot of equipment and there are enough completely disenfranchised people whom they can send to the cauldron of war.

Therefore, we do not cool down and do not reduce our defense efforts. Both in the north of our state and in all other regions of Ukraine, where Russian troops have temporarily entered. Defense of Ukraine is the number one task now, and everything else is derived from it.

It is on this basis that I consider the communication on the negotiation process, which is underway at various levels with representatives of the Russian Federation.

The enemy is still in our territory. The shelling of our cities continues. Mariupol is blocked. Missile and air strikes do not stop. This is the reality. These are the facts.

That is why the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence, and all those who have joined the defense of the state are the only guarantee of our survival today. As a people. As a state.

Warranty that works.

Yes, we can call positive the signals we hear from the negotiating platform. But these signals do not drown out the ruptures of Russian shells.

Of course, we see all the risks. Of course, we see no reason to trust the words of certain representatives of a state that continues to fight for our destruction. Ukrainians are not naive people. Ukrainians have already learned during these 34 days of invasion and over the past eight years of the war in Donbass that only a concrete result can be trusted. The facts - if they change on our earth.

Of course, Ukraine is ready to negotiate and will continue the negotiation process. To the extent that it really depends on us. We are counting on the result. There must be real security for us, for our state, for sovereignty, for our people. Russian troops must leave the occupied territories. Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be guaranteed. There can be no compromise on sovereignty and our territorial integrity. And it will not.

These are clear principles. This is a clear vision of the possible outcome. And to those on social networks who perceive words as if they are facts, I want to remind one thing: we live in a democratic state and fight for our freedom. For freedom for our people.

Therefore, any decisions that are important for all our people must be made not by one person or a group of people with any political views, but by all our people. The wise people of Ukraine.

And let some countries not even expect that certain negotiations will affect the lifting of sanctions against the Russian Federation. The question of sanctions cannot even be raised until the war is over, until we get ours back, and until we restore justice.

On the contrary, sanctions must be strengthened. Intensify weekly. And they must be high quality. Not just for headlines in the media that sanctions have been imposed, but for a real peace. Real.

And to ensure this, a team of experts, both Ukrainian and international, has already begun work to assess the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on Russia. On the Ukrainian side, this area is coordinated by the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, and on the international side by Michael McFaul.

During the day in Nikolaev rescue operation lasted. The blockages of the building of the regional administration, which was destroyed by Russian missile strikes, were dismantled. As of now, eight people have been killed and XNUMX injured. It is likely that these are not final figures.

The Russian troops carried out this blow across Nikolaev very insidiously. At a time when people got jobs in the morning. Thank God, most of those in the building managed to evacuate when they heard an air alarm.

This next act of the Russian so-called denazification of Nikolaev took place in the morning after the anniversary of liberation of the city from Nazi invaders. Mykolayiv residents remember the day of March 28, 1944. And they see who the Russian troops look like, who are now trying to capture their city.

He spoke about Mykolayiv today in a speech to the Danish Parliament and the Danish people. He invited the society of this country to take part in the reconstruction of the city and region after the war. Within the framework of our program of Ukraine's reconstruction, we involve partner states, leading companies, and the best specialists in order to guarantee the speed and quality of the reconstruction of our state.

As I was told, this proposal was very positively received in Denmark.

There is also important news from our government officials. From today, the new functionality of our state service "Action" will work. As I promised, the state will compensate for the loss of a house or apartment as a result of hostilities. Every citizen of ours can already submit a corresponding application to Actions.

Applications are already available in the mobile application. You need to update the app to see this new service. And in a week it will be available offline - in the centers of administrative services. In itself, the functionality in "Action" is quite convenient. But all the necessary details will still be clarified by our government.

The main thing is that the state compensates for every meter of lost real estate.

In addition, government officials today expanded the program to help those institutions that support IDPs from combat areas.

Another important decision was to send 426 million hryvnias to pay the miners' salaries.

He has traditionally signed several important decrees before recording his evening address. The first is about rewarding communicators. I am sincerely grateful to everyone, everyone who provides the fundamental basis of our lives. Who gives us a connection with you.

By the way, on the day of the beginning of the Russian invasion, the first missile strike was made on them in the area of ​​environmental protection.

12 people were awarded state awards, four - posthumously.

The second signed decree is on awarding 126 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with state awards, 34 of them posthumously.

We will always be grateful to each of our defenders, to each of our defenders for the defense of our state in the Ukrainian Patriotic War against Russia.

Eternal memory to everyone who gave his life for Ukraine!

Glory to each of our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!"