President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the National Guard of Ukraine and the graduation of officers from the National Academy of the National Guard and the Kyiv Institute of the National Guard, the presidential office reports.
"For 10 years now, the word 'National Guard' has meant pride and strength, the necessary result in battle and reliability for the state of Ukraine. At the beginning, in 2014, this word - a 'national guard' - began with the meaning of a 'volunteer'. This is still the case today. And every year adds another meaning to our National Guard of Ukraine, namely it being indispensable," Zelenskyy stressed.
He noted that the National Guard, along with the Defence and Security Forces, is taking part in battles against Russia, fighting strongly and courageously. In particular, the National Guard's aerial reconnaissance units are extremely effective in terms of the number of Russian equipment and enemy soldiers destroyed. More than 500 mobile and stationary fire groups of the National Guard destroy Russian missiles and drones every day. And the National Guard bomb experts are clearing the Ukrainian land of Russian mines.
"In addition to combat, the National Guard of Ukraine also performs a protective function within our country - it helps to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes and maintains security. I am grateful to all the soldiers and commanders who serve the Ukrainian people and state in the full sense of these words. I am proud of the National Guard of Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.