Glory to Ukraine!
Gentlemen, generals, officers, sergeants, soldiers!
Fellow Ukrainians!
Dear attendees!
Today is the day of our gratitude. This is exactly the meaning of December 6 - and it is forever. Now, this is the only way our people will celebrate the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - with words of gratitude, feelings of gratitude, tears of gratitude.
I am sure, millions of times today "thank you" was said or simply thought in Ukraine.
I am thankful to the warriors of our army and all formations of the defense forces of Ukraine.
I am thankful to the parents of our warriors who raised real winners. That's that - winners.
I am thankful to all the doctors and nurses who save the wounded heroes.
I am thankful to everyone who strengthens the defense and provides Ukrainian warriors with everything they need.
When the Day of the Armed Forces in a state is a holiday of gratitude, I am sure that such a state cannot be defeated and cannot be broken. And today we all see it for sure and have seen it again.
Dear attendees!
For 8 years and 286 days, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been defending our beautiful state from the occupier, from Russian aggression. Thousands of Ukrainians gave their lives for the day to come when not a single occupier remains on our land and all our people are free again.
I ask you now to honor with a moment of silence the memory of everyone who died on the battlefield for the sake of our state, for the sake of Ukraine, and whose life became part of the heroic history of courage of Ukraine.
Fellow Ukrainians!
Today it is an honor for me to spend the whole day together with our defenders. In the morning, I was in the Donetsk region - I thanked the fighters who defend our state in the most dangerous and responsible directions. Those who are fighting in Svatove, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and other directions in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. I presented state awards and decorations to the warriors.
I was in the Kharkiv region today - I thanked the doctors who save our indomitable fighters. In the Kharkiv region, I presented awards to the fighters who participated in the liberation of the region and who continue to expel the occupiers from Ukraine.
Today we managed to bring home another 60 warriors who were in Russian captivity. We will continue to return our people and free everyone.
Now here, in the Mariyinsky Palace, are our heroes, relatives of our warriors, commanders and representatives of combat brigades and units who have just arrived from the front and are returning to the frontline again. Where it's really hot. Where they really fight for our freedom, for our independence, for our children.
And I want to say to everyone present what is definitely in the heart of every Ukrainian today: I thank you! I thank absolutely all soldiers, all sailors, all sergeants, sergeant-majors, all officers, all heroes, generals and, of course, all your fathers and mothers, our dear, esteemed Ukrainian warriors.
I wish you all one thing - victory! To all of us. You deserve it! All our people deserve it. All our parents, our children deserve it. Our state and history deserve it. To finally gain victory.
Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!