Address by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal

Heroic people of Ukraine! 

For more than 2 days now, our troops have been destroying the occupiers on land, at sea and in the sky. 

Thousands of Russian soldiers were killed, and hundreds were taken prisoner. 

Our army is defending all parts of the frontline. The enemy had expected a cakewalk, but, instead, ended up in a real hell. 

Ukraine is rising! Tens of thousands of volunteers, reservists and territorial defense fighters

have already joined the defense of our land. 

The Russian leadership does not understand that it is at war not only with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but with the whole Ukrainian nation. And this nation has already risen to the liberation war against the occupiers. 

The enemy has never achieved its goal, and, therefore, began shelling peaceful population and civilian infrastructure. They shoot at kindergartens, hospitals, and households; they shoot down ambulances and buses with children. The Russian command must appear before the tribunal for these crimes!

The enemy must definitely be punished for killing Ukrainian children! UKRAINE WILL NEVER FORGIVE!

We stay in Kyiv and continue to work hard. An extraordinary meeting of the Government has taken place today, and a number of important decisions have been made.

First! Ensuring sustained operation of food producers under conditions of martial law. The maximum billing time for socially significant domestic food products will be no more than ten calendar days from the invoice date submitted by the suppliers.

Second! According to the recently passed order, the State Reserve Agency is required to provide sufficient diesel fuel supplies for the needs of the military.

Third! An ordinance on the transfer of property confiscated by a court order and the State Customs Service to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was adopted.

Fourth! We have established the procedure to coordinate humanitarian aid supplies and their further delivery to the Ukrainians. The State Border Guard Service and the State Customs Service shall secure a simplified border-crossing regime for humanitarian aid vehicles. For their part, the civil-military administrations, together with the National Guard, National Police and State Emergency Service, will ensure acceptance, distribution, and warehousing of humanitarian aid. 

It has to be reminded that yesterday we adopted Resolution 5155 ‘On Recognition of Humanitarian Aid as Goods Required for National Security and Defense’. According to this resolution, for the time while martial law is enforced, the territorial defense leadership will have the right to decide on varieties of goods and humanitarian aid required for national security and defense. Such shipments will be allowed to cross the state border of Ukraine immediately.

Fifth! We have adopted a resolution on payment and delivery of pensions and cash aid for the period of martial law. Whenever any people find themselves unable to receive the money in their communities, or if it is not possible to wire it to the specified account, the pensions and cash aid will be handled through money orders. The Ministry of Social Policy, together with the Pension Fund and other bodies, will contact the recipients through personal e-accounts of the Pension Fund to actualize their place of residence.

And the sixth! The government has decided to temporarily close all the BCPs across the state border of Ukraine with Russia and Belarus. And now, one very important point!!! Citizens of Ukraine who are still in those countries and want to come back home will be able to enter Ukraine. Come back and prove that you stand up for the good!

I want to appeal once again to all civilized countries. It is time to choose your side! Are you on the side of child killers, or you are on the side of a great European nation that protects its freedom and its country from the aggressor? Give Ukraine defense weapons!!! Help us with equipment and materiel! Isolate Russia in all areas where possible! And we will continue to defend our country in the meantime. 

We thank our friends from Poland, Latvia, Czech Republic, Netherlands, USA, United Kingdom, and other countries who have already sent and continue to send us weapons. The Ukrainian people will never forget this! 

My Fellow Ukrainians, keep holding the line! We are on our land! Glory to the Ukrainian army! 

Glory to the Ukrainian people!