I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!
Today, I held a Staff meeting. The main focus was the protection of our skies: everything related to air defense and our unmanned component. Attending the Staff meeting were the military, our intelligence, and heads of the regional administrations, specifically from the areas facing the greatest threats – the frontline regions and those bordering Russia. Our Chernihiv and Sumy regions, Kharkiv and the region, Donetsk region, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro region, Kherson and the region. We are preparing special solutions that can strengthen our defenses, particularly in those regions and inflict greater losses on the occupier – especially on those Russian units that are tormenting our cities, tormenting our people in Nikopol, in Kherson, and in other cities within their easy reach. They are essentially conducting a “human safari” and training drone operators through the killing of Ukrainians on the streets, on the roads. We need more protection and more of our own active operations. The Unmanned Systems Forces – Magyar's Birds, and other relevant units – will be deployed much more widely and receive additional resources. We already have expanded functionality for the military – we have discussed it in various brigades – and beginning on December 1, the electronic points system, e-points, is to start working for the evacuation of the wounded using ground robotic complexes, as well as for other uses of GRCs by combat units. The decision is ready. We are also fully ensuring direct financing for brigades for their needs – for drones, for procuring components. Also, we are working with partners to increase engagement in the PURL initiative – a program that enables us to purchase American weapons, including air defense systems and missiles for them. A particularly crucial part of this program is missiles for the Patriots. Last night, the Patriots performed very well, successfully intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. Yet we still need considerably more forces, systems, and compatible missiles to protect lives. This week, the Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway – along with our Baltic friends, decided to commit an additional USD 500 million to the PURL initiative, which will be a substantial help for us. We are also working on deliveries of other advanced air defense systems and strengthening our aviation – a major deal with France is in preparation and will be finalized soon, I am sure – our historic agreement. We are setting up a deal with Greece as well – on energy to maximize options for gas supplies to Ukraine, both for this winter and strategically for the long term. Agreements with various European countries, from Norway to Greece, will ensure our state's gas supply guarantees. I thank all the partners who are helping us. We also had important discussions today with our military regarding our missile program and its progress. Our “Long Neptunes” have already proven themselves in delivering long-range sanctions against Russia, and each month we’re achieving greater results with our missiles. Thank you to the manufacturers. I am very grateful to our warriors for this. Russia will find it harder and harder to turn a blind eye to this war – now it becomes loud enough, and one can see what is really happening, because we have our Ukrainian entirely just responses to everything Russia is doing against us, against our people. Just today, and just in Kyiv alone, six people were killed as a result of a Russian attack. My condolences to the families and loved ones. Over thirty people were injured, including children. There were also strikes on our other cities and villages. Ukraine must do everything to ensure that not a single Russian strike goes unpunished. Our weapons, global sanctions, and political pressure on Russia – all of this is working. And it will be even more effective. I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine! I thank all who defend our state and Ukrainian interests.
Today, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko delivered her report. The Government has already begun an audit of all state-owned companies, and the inspection results will be passed to law enforcement and anti-corruption bodies. And the Government must provide them with full support. That is exactly what I expect.
Glory to Ukraine!