The Ukrainian authorities must do everything possible to ensure that the Ilovaisk tragedy is not forgotten and that those responsible are punished, as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Day of Remembrance of Defenders of Ukraine who died in the struggle for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.
"We can hardly hope that such a wound on the body of the history of Ukraine, such a wound on the heart of the parents of all the deceased will ever heal. And the Ukrainian authorities must do everything possible to ensure that every name is not forgotten. And to tell every year not only to the children of the victims, not only to the parents who lost their children, but to tell everyone that there were such tragedies in the country, there were and are such heroes in Ukraine who sacrifice their lives. It is necessary to tell that, and it seems to me that it is our main duty to write the history of Ukraine, the history of our heroes," the Head of State said in Kyiv after the commemoration of the defenders of Ukraine.
The President stressed that the law enforcement bodies should complete the investigation into the circumstances that caused the Ilovaisk tragedy, and the perpetrators should be held accountable.
"Despite the fact that time has passed, we must not forget all the perpetrators of the death of our guys in the Ilovaisk entrapment. And law enforcement bodies, no matter how bitter the truth is, must show results. I know that the department of war issues has been established in the Office of the Prosecutor General precisely to investigate such high-profile and, unfortunately, bloody cases. We hope that they will move forward in this case," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.