I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
A few highlights from the day.
Our country celebrated the Day of Tank Forces today for the first time. Previously, there was a Soviet date for the professional day of tank forces. And now there is not just a motive to give a Ukrainian meaning to all such days, not just the desire of our people, but also the specific result of the Ukrainian warriors that should be honored at the level of the entire state.
I honored our tank crewmen with state awards. Soldiers, sergeants, officers. Our bravest warriors! With the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the Order "For Courage", and the medal "For Military Service to Ukraine". Two warriors – Sergeant Vladyslav Simak and Senior Sergeant Oleh Palamarchuk – received the Crosses of Combat Merit for their bravery and efficiency. I thank you guys! I thank all Ukrainian tank crewmen! It is very important that our tank forces are constantly progressing - training and using more advanced and modern tanks in combat. There will also be Abrams tanks under Ukrainian flags - we are constantly reinforcing our warriors.
I held a meeting with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and discussed some key issues. The decisions that our society in general and Ukrainian warriors in particular expect from the Ministry of Defense. The Minister will present them upon finalization of all the details. Today, I would like to emphasize the joint work of Rustem Umerov and the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets on such a new institution as a military ombudsman. This is truly necessary. We need a powerful system of the warriors' rights protection in the defense sector itself.
Today I met with representatives of the Ukrainian Jewish community - rabbis from different cities of Ukraine, and our warriors. It was a very warm meeting on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. It is important that all communities in Ukraine are united in the goal of defending Ukraine and ensuring a normal life for all our people. I awarded the warriors with state awards - the Orders "For Courage". I thanked the representatives of religious organizations for supporting people here in Ukraine, supporting the state, and telling the whole world - the entire Jewish community of the world - the truth about Russia's aggression and terror.
Today we have a good result in our cooperation with the International Criminal Court. A result that brings accountability for Russian war crimes closer. The International Criminal Court has opened a field office in Ukraine, and it is the largest ICC office outside of The Hague. And it is great that there is full and coordinated cooperation between the Prosecutor General's Office, all Ukrainian law enforcement institutions and the International Criminal Court. It is this cooperation that helps us bring the moment of justice for Ukraine and all our people who have suffered from this war closer – the moment of lawful and deserved sentences for Russian criminals.
One more thing. The entire staff of the Security Service of Ukraine and our Navy should be specially commended for this. I thank you for today's triumph – the destruction of the occupiers' air defense system on the land of our Crimea. It is a very significant achievement, well done! Glory to all who fight for Ukraine! And thank you to everyone who helps!
Glory to Ukraine!