Address by the Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov

Dear Ukrainians!

We have withstood 11 days of heroic resistance.

Due to the enormous losses suffered by the enemy, the fighting efficiency on the part of the invaders has been temporarily reduced. However, the russian invaders concentrate forces and budgets for a new wave of attacks.

Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mykolaiv are the main priorities.

Stay awake! Russian troops will be fiercely repulsed everywhere. 

“Russian world” is trying to strangle the

hero-city Mariupol with a humanitarian crisis. The Government is doing everything possible and impossible to provide humanitarian corridors.

It is hard to do. Because russian terrorists do not keep all agreements, they do not feel sorrow even to kids, women or wounded people. Instead, they shelled residential houses into peaceful civilians during the evacuation. Even animals do not act like they do.

We use every minute to strengthen our defence. Every effort is made around the clock to ensure that the needs of our defenders are met.

More than 140,000 Ukrainians, primarily men, have returned from Europe. Tens of thousands have joined the Territorial Defence Forces. Of course, there are escapers. But the whole world sees the Ukrainian people fighting for their country.

More than 20,000 requests from foreigners who are ready to come to Ukraine and defend the world against russian Nazis on the Ukrainian front. To keep the Kremlin's evil from spreading.

I will not comment on the supply of arms and ammunition - this is a diplomatic issue. Let the enemy be surprised. Know this: there has been significant progress.

Among other things, more than 50,000 helmets and bulletproof vests have already been delivered, on their way to Ukraine or contracted in the last three days.

We "intercept" uniforms already sewn for the armies of NATO countries from suppliers. So let our defenders be dressed differently. The main thing is to make it comfortable to beat up the enemy.

Our troopers show great skill in destroying the russian invaders on all fronts of defence.

The actions of our artillerymen in the Mykolaiv region will go down in the books. So will the counterattacks by the Ukrainian defenders of Kharkiv and Luhansk Oblast.

We are working to obtain air and missile defence assistance from partners. But it is not the promises made that give confidence in the certainty of our Victory, but the Ukrainian Air Force. And unique Ukrposhta managers shooting down planes with russian war criminals.

Our ancestors ploughed the land with a sabre and a musket at hand in Cossack times. Today, some villages can arm a mechanised battalion with reinforced tank companies with trophies during the sowing season.

War is the suffering that russia has brought us. Russia brought into the homes of the whole world. We lose our people every day. We remember everyone, and we will avenge them all.

Our most significant advantage over the enemy is the cohesion of Ukrainian society. Russia does not understand self-organisation and genuine trust between the government and the citizens.

For decades, they have been destroying people's freedom and dignity to get a submissive population.

There are more of them, that's true. They predominate at sea and in the air.

Just for now. For now.

After all, one Ukrainian soldier and one Ukrainian citizen at war are worth dozens of russian occupiers.

The Ukrainian people have a very different inner motivation. An order of importance is more resilient. On the ground, we have already proved this.

The time is fast approaching when the Russian army conscripts will start hiding in all the cellars of russia to avoid being sent to war with our defenders and protectors.

We will return all temporarily captured towns and villages. Kherson, Kakhovka, Melitopol, Berdyansk and Henichesk have shown that the occupiers should leave while it is not too late.

Hold the line!

Glory to Ukraine!”