Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!
I started this day with an extended and detailed meeting of the Staff. Including reports from the frontline from our commanders in the hottest directions.
Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhny reported on the overall frontline situation and enemy missile attacks on our positions.
Of course, the reports on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions evoke particular emotions. We are doing our best to deter enemy attacks there - constant intense assaults, which Russia does not stop, even though it suffers huge losses there.
General Syrskyi reported on the Bakhmut and Lyman directions. Fierce battles are taking place. Principled battles. We are doing everything to support our guys. General Tarnavskyi reported on the fighting in the Avdiivka and other directions. The invaders are using the entire range of weapons against our guys there, including CS gas grenades.
But very importantly, despite all the pressure on our forces, the frontline has not changed. I am grateful for this to all our warriors, all soldiers and sergeants, officers and generals who are defending the respective frontline areas.
Other commanders of our Defense and Security Forces also reported to the Staff. Nayev, North, and Odesa operational and strategic group of troops, Moskalyov – I heard their reports, the situation has not changed significantly.
Intelligence - Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate Budanov - on the real essence of Russia's trifle with rhetoric about strategic weapons. Foreign intelligence. The Security Service of Ukraine. Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard, the Border Guard Service. The Minister of Defense. Other representatives of the government.
We pay full attention to every detail of our Defense Plan and the enemy's ambitions.
There was also a report by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal on the situation in the energy sector and the process of restoring our energy system after the Russian strikes. I would like to note that we have good news, good results, and this is the achievement of all our power engineers, repairmen, central and local authorities who have been performing the relevant tasks. We meet the energy needs of people and businesses in most of Ukraine.
We continue our diplomatic marathon to strengthen Ukrainian warriors and our entire country. Today I met with the Italian delegation headed by Prime Minister Mrs. Giorgia Meloni.
Italy has been supporting us in our struggle for independence in a principled and powerful way. There is a new package of defense support, including air defense. Italy is ready to work with us to implement the Peace Formula. And this includes such an important point as justice. This means a tribunal for the aggressor and a compensation mechanism for Ukraine. Today we also discussed new sanctions against Russia.
I am grateful to all Italians for their historic support of Ukraine on its way to the European Union. When we were applying for the candidacy, Italy's position gave a very important impetus to the position of the entire European Union. This year, I believe we will be able to make even more progress and do everything we can to start negotiations on Ukraine's membership.
Today I also met with a delegation of the U.S. Congress. This is a very important signal for our country, the entire region and the world. Yesterday, President Biden was in Kyiv. Today - representatives of the Congress, namely members of the Republican Party.
Our cooperation with America does not stop for a single day or a single minute. Together we are effectively strengthening global security. And, by the way, the bewildered complaints coming from Moscow are just another proof of our effectiveness - of Ukraine, the United States, and the entire free world.
One more thing.
The Russian army has once again brutally shelled Kherson today. There are wounded and dead. My condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones...
This Russian shelling did not and could not have any military purpose. As well as thousands of similar Russian attacks, which are a real message from Russia to the world. The terrorist state is trying to tell the world by firing missiles at city streets, at residential buildings, at schools, at pharmacies and hospitals, at churches, at bus stops, at markets, at power plants that terror is allegedly something to be reckoned with...
I am confident that we will put the terrorist state in its place. All together: Ukrainians and the world.
Our army, our intelligence, our Security Service and other Ukrainian forces will find and destroy those who are carrying out these brutal attacks on Kherson, on our other cities and regions. And more broadly, we will prove that only humanity, only the UN Charter, and only the right of every nation to live freely and securely from terror and insane aggressions like Russia's are to be reckoned with.
I thank everyone who defends our country! I thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine on the frontline right now, who protects our borders, who protects our skies and our sea, who produces and supplies equipment and ammunition for our soldiers, and who provides us with high-quality intelligence information!
Glory to our warriors!
Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken by Russia and this war!
Glory to Ukraine!