President Zelensky: Ukraine cannot be intimidated, we united even more instead
The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
The full text of the speech is provided below:
Fellow Ukrainians!
Another day of our defense. A difficult day.
Restoration work is currently underway across the country. We will restore all objects that were damaged by today's attack by Russian terrorists. It's only a matter of time. I tasked all structures of our state to ensure recovery as fast as possible.
In some cities and regions, where there were blackouts due to shelling, the electricity supply has already been restored.
As of now: Kharkiv region - 50% of energy supply has been restored. Energy crews need several hours to restore electricity supply to the majority of districts.
Poltava region - restored almost everywhere. Mykolaiv region, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa region - connected. Cherkasy - connected. Khmelnytskyi - there is light in most parts of the city.
In some cities and districts, efforts are still needed to give people electricity. Chernihiv region, Sumy region, Kyiv and Kyiv region, Lviv region, Ternopil region, Dnipropetrovsk region - we are working. Somewhere it takes hours, somewhere you have to wait a little longer, but the result will be everywhere.
Unfortunately, 12 people died today in this terrorist attack. More than 80 were wounded or injured. Everyone who applied for help gets it.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine and all those involved in the defense of our state also perform their tasks.
Of the 84 Russian missiles launched against Ukraine, 43 were shot down. Out of 24 Russian drones, 13 were shot down. And even after that, every ten minutes I get a message about the downing of Iranian "Shaheds".
Only in the last hours...
16:28 – "Shahed" was destroyed, Litky district.
17:26 – Kremenchuk, "Shahed" was destroyed.
17:36 – Cherkasy, "Shahed" was destroyed.
17:40 – Dovhyntseve, Kryvyi Rih, "Shahed" was destroyed.
17:50 – Apostolove, "Shahed" was destroyed.
And it’s like that all day long. Now as I speak I continue to receive such messages. Therefore, please follow the safety rules and pay attention to the air alarm. The danger is still there. But we are fighting.
I am grateful to our Air Forces and Ground Forces units that were involved today!
The leaders of the terrorists say that they hit all the targets they planned.
First, they lie, as usual.
Secondly, they lie, as usual. Take a look at their real targets, apart from energy facilities. Look at just one example of our capital...
The crossroads in Kyiv where I stand. The crossroads of Volodymyrska Street and Shevchenko Boulevard. That's the target.
Seven hundred meters from here is the bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral. Moscow did not yet exist when it was already standing.
A little further there is Volodymyr’s Hill, a place that became the source of Christianity and culture for Eastern Europe. In particular, for the territory that much later came to be called Russia.
Next to me are the buildings of the Shevchenko University, which will soon celebrate its 190th anniversary. They are damaged now by this Russian strike. But we will restore everything.
The Teacher's House was also damaged today. At one time, the Central Council of Ukraine worked there, and for Ukrainians this place will always be a place of memory about our glorious history of statehood.
And right behind me there is a playground in Shevchenko Park, which also became a target for a Russian missile. But it is not just in Shevchenko Park. It is on one of the main museum streets of Kyiv. In particular, the Khanenko Art Museum was damaged by this attack by terrorists.
And it’s like this in all the cities of our state - civil, cultural, educational facilities. Who can fight all this? Who can rejoice at strikes on such objects and such land?
They say they want to push Ukraine back into the XVIII century. But they pushed themselves back into a much older era, in the era of savages, which they became quite consciously.
And Ukraine will still remain in the XXI century.
Kyiv saw various strangers. And survived them all. Kyiv will also survive this onslaught of terrorists who have no history, no tradition, no culture. They are temporary. And even if they live for 70 years, they still don't have enough time to understand anything.
Ukraine cannot be intimidated. We united even more instead. Ukraine cannot be stopped. We are convinced even more that terrorists must be neutralized.
The Russian army carried out these strikes during the morning rush hour on purpose. This is a typical terrorist tactic. They wanted to incite more fear and affect more people. They affected. They affected the whole world.
Today I have already spoken with the Chancellor of Germany, the President of France, the Emir of Qatar, the President of Poland, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
I had a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador. Now I have conversations scheduled with the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States. Tomorrow - with the Prime Minister of Italy.
I am grateful to all for the unambiguous support!
We’re consolidating the world. And I feel that the world is with us. An extraordinary meeting of the G7 is already scheduled for tomorrow. We are working on a resolution for the UN General Assembly to condemn Russia for all its escalating steps, for its terror. Terror inevitably receives a global response. And the blatant nature of Russian terror only encourages everyone to be more determined.
Regarding energy. We will do everything to restore normal production and supply of electricity. We need electricity to be supplied for all families, regardless of any manifestations of Russian terror. We need energy to be supplied to all our homes, in all regions.
Therefore, we need a reasonable consumption of electricity now. There are hours of peak load on the power system - from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. I am asking you, please, at this time, consume electricity in such a way as not to overload the power system. Please postpone washing, ironing, repairing and using other electrical appliances that consume a lot of energy before 5 p.m. or after 10 p.m. A strong request.
The more Ukrainians consume electricity in this way, the more stable our energy system will be.
We are doing everything to get modern air defense systems. And I am grateful to the partners who are already speeding up the delivery.
We are doing everything to strengthen our Armed Forces. And now the occupiers already cannot oppose us on the battlefield, that is why they resort to this terror. Well, we’ll make the battlefield even more excruciating for the enemy. And we will restore everything that was destroyed.
Please help each other! Please take care of those who are left alone in such circumstances! Believe in yourself, in Ukraine, in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in our victory!
Glory to Ukraine!