President Zelensky: We are making every effort to bring Ukrainian victory closer

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:

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today is quite an emotional day. I had the honor of presenting state awards to our warriors and the families of our warriors on the occasion of the Day of the Ukrainian Volunteer. To the mother of the Hero of Ukraine Oleksandr Matsievskyi. To the father and wife of the Hero of Ukraine Taras Bobanych.

To the men and women who defend our country, standing up for it at the call of a pure Ukrainian heart.

Today's decrees honor 363 Ukrainian volunteers, 47 of them posthumously.

Hundreds of thousands of our people have become Ukrainian volunteers since February 24 and since 2014, defending Ukraine from Russian aggression. Millions are helping! They are searching for everything necessary for defense, healing and rehabilitating the wounded, rescuing after Russian strikes, and working for Ukraine and Ukrainians. The strength of our defense and security forces is in the strength of our people.

And the strength of Ukrainians and the state as a whole is based on the fact that Ukrainians become warriors at a crucial time - they do not lose their grip, they fight, they do not seek what doesn’t belong to them, they do everything to regain their own.

We will win this war. We are doing everything for this. We support each other. We reinforce the state. We unite the world for the sake of our victory, which actually consists of the actions of all those who are fighting for Ukraine, who are fighting for our country and for their brothers-in-arms, who are doing everything in order not to let the enemy take either our land or Ukrainian glory.

I would like to express special gratitude for this chevron, Da Vinci chevron of Hero of Ukraine Dmytro Kotsiubailo, which was handed over to me today by Ms. Alina Mykhailova. And for another chevron from the guys, which was handed over at the ceremony. It is an honor for me. Thank you.

I held a meeting of the Staff. There were reports from the Commander-in-Chief, intelligence, and commanders of directions.

The main focus is on the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops and Bakhmut. There is a clear position of the entire Staff: to reinforce this direction, to inflict maximum possible damage upon the occupier.

General Tarnavsky then reported on the Tavria, which is part of the Donetsk and southern directions. General Moskaliov reported on the situation for the Odesa operational and strategic group of troops. General Nayev reported on the North.

Of course, we are constantly considering the supply of ammunition and weapons at the Staff’s meetings.

We are constantly working with our partners to increase pressure on Russia.

Today, Mrs. Prime Minister of Iceland paid a visit to Kyiv. A country that helps Ukraine politically and humanitarianly, that adds its voice to the global coalition of defenders of Ukraine and freedom.

We discussed cooperation in the Euro-Atlantic and European directions, in international structures. One of the key issues is the punishment of the terrorist state and all Russian murderers. We are preparing for the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe to be held in the capital of Iceland, which may be of great importance for bringing Russia to justice for its aggression.

Today, I also spoke with Mr. Murdoch, CEO of Fox Corporation and Co-Chairman of News Corp, one of the leading media organizations in the United States.

A year ago, on this very day, a group of journalists working for Fox came under fire from the Russian military in the Kyiv region, in Horenka. Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova were killed, and Benjamin Hall was seriously wounded. In total, dozens of media workers have been killed and injured in a little over a year. We value every life, and we remember each and every one of them.

Honoring them, honoring all those whose lives or health were taken by this war, we are making every effort to bring the end of Russian aggression closer. To bring the punishment of the terrorist state closer. We are making every effort to bring the Ukrainian victory closer.

Glory to all those who are now fighting for our country! 

Glory to all who stood up for Ukraine!

Blessed memory and eternal honor to all those whose lives were taken by Russian shelling and strikes!

Glory to Ukraine!

Photo, video: Office of the President of Ukraine