Fellow Ukrainians!
It has been a difficult day after yet another massive attack. In Kyiv, rescue operations and search efforts have been underway since overnight at the sites where homes were hit. Ordinary residential buildings and civilian businesses suffered the most damage. Searches are underway for people under the rubble, and everyone affected is being accounted for. As of now, 21 people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Nearly 100 people have sought medical help. And I want to thank everyone who arrived at the sites of the strikes and is helping people – first and foremost the staff of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Police, and the EMS. Thank you all! People who need help must receive the necessary assistance. It is also important that local authorities not leave people to face their problems on their own. Some buildings have effectively been completely destroyed, and there are families who have lost everything they had. Overall, more than 100 ordinary residential buildings have been damaged. There were strikes not only on the capital, although Kyiv was Russia’s main target this time, but also on the Kyiv region and other regions: Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv and Sumy regions, and communities of our Dnipro region. A significant share of Russian attack drones and cruise missiles were shot down. Ballistic missiles are a more complicated matter. The strike was deliberately planned by the Russians to cause maximum damage: a large number of ballistic missiles, waves of jet-powered “shaheds” and other attack drones, and dozens of cruise missiles. Overnight, 48 missiles and 476 drones of various types were shot down. Unfortunately, not all of them. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of anti-ballistic capabilities, a shortage of Patriots, and our partners, primarily the United States and our European partners, need to be more proactive in providing assistance in this regard. Russia has no argument left for its war other than its ballistic missiles, this kind of terror. Putin still intends to “vanquish” residential buildings rather than end this war. And this can be countered both through sufficient supplies of anti-ballistic systems and through much faster work to develop Europe’s own anti-ballistic capabilities.
In the coming days, there will be a NATO Summit and other formats, and this is exactly what should become one of the key outcomes: air defense. If, of course, NATO still means anything to the Allies. Europe must have its own sufficient capability to defend itself against all types of threats, including this one – Russian ballistic missiles. We have been discussing licenses for the production of Patriots with the U.S. Administration for a long time already. I want to thank all the countries helping through the PURL program, which enables us to purchase interceptors, specifically for Patriots. However, to reliably protect lives, we need our own production. European production here in Ukraine, or jointly with our partners, would, of course, also support the U.S. in operations whenever needed. We hope for a positive response from President Trump to protect lives.I also thank everyone who has expressed condolences to our state today, everyone who has not remained silent, and who condemns Russian terror. When Ukraine applies its long-range sanctions for this war, everyone can see that they are directed against specific facilities that help Russia wage war. First and foremost, against oil facilities, military production sites, and other critical targets. Today, a Russian oil refinery was also hit. Our goal is to force Russia to realize that peace is necessary. Russia attacks in a completely different way. It does so consistently, systematically, and insanely, waging war specifically against people, against life, in a way intended to cause more pain. The world sees this. The world must not stand aside. Partners have Patriot systems in sufficient numbers, and the ability to produce defense systems is there. What is needed are political decisions and real results in protecting lives.
Eternal memory to all victims of Russian terror. I thank everyone who helps Ukraine, especially with air defense! I thank everyone who stands with us, with Ukraine, with our people!
Glory to Ukraine!