"The third month of our defense is over. This is a long time that the world's leading intelligence agencies did not foresee. Even our enemies could not imagine it. And this is what makes the world look at our land, at Ukraine, entirely differently. " The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said this in his video address.
"These are three months of war crimes committed by the russian occupiers; three months of their attacks, destruction, seizings. And three months of absolute heroism of our people defending their own land, their own country," - said the President.
He added that 15,227 Ukrainian men and women had received state awards during this time. Among them, there are 12,550 militaries of the UAF (Armed Forces of Ukraine), 1,801 worriers of the National Guard, 205 border guards, 182 police officers, 167 employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), 138 representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, 99 worriers of the MID (Main Intelligence Directorate), 38 employees of the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine. Also, the list includes the employees of the State Security Administration of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the Judicial Protection Service of Ukraine.
Since 24 February 2022, 155 Ukrainians have received the title of Hero of Ukraine, 75 of them posthumously.
One thousand sixteen municipalities of Ukraine have already been liberated.
Zelenskyy noted that each of these figures is a story of extraordinary courage and self-sacrifice.
It is the heroic defense of Mariupol. It is a success in the battles for Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv. It is a heroic defense in the Donbas. It is the protection of Odesa, Mykolaiv, and the whole south part of Ukraine.
It is protests and resistance in those cities and amalgamated communities of Ukraine that we have yet to liberate.
The President drew attention to the inadequacy of russia's statement that they were allegedly "slowing down" the offensive and explained that the russians were simply trying to justify their failures in trying to break Ukraine down.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that now the situation in Donbas is tough, as russia has thrown there all its available forces. Lyman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Sloviansk - the occupiers want to destroy everything there.
The President emphasized that the longer this war lasts, the greater the cost of protecting freedom for Ukraine and the whole free world will be.
"Therefore, the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine - MLRSs, tanks, anti-ship missiles, and other weapons - is the best investment in maintaining stability in the world and preventing many severe crises that russia has provoked or is planning to do so," - said Zelenskyy.
He said that an international advisory group led by Yermak and former NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen has already been set up. It will include leading experts in security, defense, and diplomacy. Their task is to develop the guarantees that will work not for several months or years but for the lifetime of many generations of Ukrainians.
Today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, agreed on assistance to Ukraine and strengthening sanctions against russia.
The President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, also had a meeting; It was about Ukraine's defense support, further political cooperation, and the provision of all kinds of support, including financial assistance, needed to beat the russian occupiers.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the leaders of the Crimean direction of our policy, in particular with Tamila Tasheva, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
The President thanked all Ukrainian militaries, intelligence officers, border guards, sappers, rescuers, doctors, nurses, police, National Guards, communication personnel, diplomats, volunteers, journalists, and all transport sphere, "Ukrzaliznytsia," and energy area workers.
The President expressed his gratitude to all those who provided logistics, organized evacuation, restored life in the liberated territories, and continued to teach schoolchildren and students. To every woman and man who keeps business running and provides jobs for our citizens. To all who work, save, help and promote Ukrainian interests worldwide.
As previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the most critical humanitarian issues for Ukraine today are the exchange of prisoners of war, the unblocking of Ukrainian ports, and finding the location of illegally deported Ukrainians.