Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!
Today, I held a regular meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - this format of our work brings together key leaders of the defense and security sectors.
We listened to the reports of Head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny, Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov, as well as Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi.
Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Land Forces, joined the Staff meeting directly from the frontline.
We discussed the current situation on the frontline, around Ukraine. We defined tasks in some tactical areas to strengthen our positions. And we also thoroughly worked out the issue of providing the troops with the modern weapons - the intensity of attacks on the enemy still needs to be increased.
The participants of the Staff meeting agreed that we have a significant potential for the advance of our forces on the front and for the infliction of significant new losses on the occupiers.
Today, Head of my Office Andriy Yermak and General Zaluzhny had another conversation with US President's National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan and United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley.
In this two-on-two format, all key issues of cooperation in the defense sphere between Ukraine and the United States are constantly discussed.
I held negotiations with the President of Costa Rica - for the first time in the history of relations between our states. I thanked him for his support of Ukraine - it is felt, for countering Russian propaganda and the introduction of sanctions.
And I will continue to do everything possible so that the truth about Russia's actions against Ukraine is known in every part of the world. Our diplomacy is constantly creating new ties with countries that have not been the focus of Ukrainian foreign policy for a long time.
And tomorrow we also expect news for our state from Turkey - regarding the unblocking of our ports.
Against the background of such regular military-political and diplomatic activity, it was a little strange to hear today an old-new fake of Russian propaganda about me. That I am allegedly in an intensive care unit, that Ruslan Stefanchuk is allegedly performing the duties of the head of state.
Well, what can I say... Earlier, almost every week, Russian propagandists and officials spreaded fakes that I allegedly fled somewhere from Ukraine or that I allegedly did not fulfill my duties. Then it all stopped. And here such primitive things are thrown in again. It seems that the occupiers are even running out of ammunition of lies - they are unable to come up with anything new.
The existing potential for all forms of Russian aggression will certainly be exhausted as well, including for offensive actions on the front and terror against our cities.
We will do everything to speed it up. And this is exactly what we emphasize in all contacts with our partners.
Today, the Russian army again shelled the Saltivka district of Kharkiv with rocket artillery - purely civilian objects. Residential building, trade pavilions, public transport. As of this time, three people are known to have died, and more than twenty people are on the list of wounded.
The occupiers also fired at the Slovyansk community in Donbas with "Uragans" and hit Kramatorsk with "Iskanders".
And each of these Russian strikes is an argument for Ukraine to receive more HIMARS and other modern and effective weapons. Each of these shelling occasions only strengthens our desire to defeat the occupiers - it will certainly happen.
A few months ago, our expert group chaired by Yermak and McFaul suggested recognizing Russia's actions against Ukraine as genocide. And here is the first real result of the visit of the First Lady of Ukraine to the United States - Senators Risch, Cardin, Wicker, Blumenthal, Portman, Shaheen and Graham presented a draft resolution on recognition of Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide.
The resolution states that Russia's actions in Ukraine, which include forced deportation to Russia and the targeted killing of Ukrainian civilians during mass atrocities, are genocide against the people of Ukraine. The senators introduced the resolution shortly after Olena delivered an address directly to the US Congress.
According to the draft document, the US Senate condemns Russia for committing acts of genocide against the people of Ukraine; calls on the United States, together with NATO and EU allies, to support the government of Ukraine to prevent further acts of Russian genocide against the Ukrainian people; supports tribunals and international criminal investigations to hold Russian political leaders and military personnel accountable for war of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
With all its terrorist attacks against Ukrainians and our country, Russia is only burying itself.
In the evening, I signed another decree on awarding our warriors. 186 combatants were awarded state awards.
Eternal gratitude to all who fight for Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!