Statements by the President of Ukraine

During his address to the nation, President Zelenskyy compared the Russian aggression against Ukraine to the start of war against Europe, against its unity, basic human rights, against all rules of co-existence on the European continent.

“Air raids, tanks march and rocket shelling of Ukrainian cities in the last two days remind of the scenes that Europe witnessed during WWII. Although Europe repeatedly said “Never again”, in 2022, i.e. seventy-five years after the end of the Second World War, we see history repeating. I am confident that all of you, the entire Europe, see that unfold.

But we are not entirely clear about what we plan to do about it? How do you plan to protect yourself, if you are so slow in assisting us in Ukraine?

The President thanked the US, Canada, the UK, EU, Australia and New Zealand for introducing sectoral sanctions against Russia, in particular, against all largest banks, largest industrial enterprises and Russian access to Western technologies. However, as Zelenskyy noted, “Russian tanks continue shelling residential buildings in our cities, armed vehicles continue attacking civilians.”

The President urged Europe to cancel visas issued to Russian citizens, exclude Russia from SWIFT, recall its Ambassadors, close airspace, introduce oil embargo.

He added that ordinary people can also act by organizing street protests demanding their governments take action to stop the Russian aggression. 

“Everyone can come to our Embassy and offer assistance. Talk to your governments and demand that Ukraine receives more assistance – more financial, more military assistance.

By helping us, you are helping yourselves! If you have combat experience, you can come to our country and together with us protect Europe!” – said Zelenskyy.

He also directly addressed Russian President Putin: “Battles take place all over Ukraine. Let us sit at the negotiation table to stop human losses”.

The President closed his address by thanking the Ukrainian Armed Forces: “Stand strong. You are all we have!”

Rocket launcher "Grad" hits an orphanage in Vorzel

During the fighting, the Russian military allowed the shells of multiple rocket launcher "Grad" to hit one of the orphanages in Vorzel, Kyiv region, which housed 50 children. At the time of the shelling the children and staff of the orphanage were in other premises. Orphans were not evacuated from the area, there are no bomb shelters or basements on the territory of the orphanage. The Prosecutor's office is taking measures to evacuate them.

Ukrainian Ministry of Defense

Because of damaged runway in Gostomel airport, Russian occupiers are heading from the territory of Belarus in the direction of Gomel-Chernihiv-Kyiv;

Russian IL-76 with paratroopers on board have landed at the airport in Gomel (Belarus);

Ukrainian army has stopped the aggressor in Chernihiv oblast

Occupiers are trying to surpass Chernihiv in order to attack the capital of Ukraine. The city of Konotop has been lost;

In the south, the enemy has reached the line of Kherson – Nova Kakhovka – Kakhovka, in order to hold the dam of North Crimean Canal and establish provision of water to temporarily occupied Crimea. There is a fight for the city of Melitopol;

In Donbas, the enemy keeps shelling at the Ukrainian military. Nevertheless, the occupiers have not managed to reach out of the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts;

Ukrainian army defends Kharkiv and Valuykiv, the military have managed to stop the enemy and have consolidated their position;

Air forces repel the blows of the enemy, they go on fighting and perform reconnaissance.

Ukrainian MiG-29 destroyed Russian Su-35 - Air Force of the Armed Forces.

Sumy military administration: Uragan fired the city of Okhtyrka. The shelter and kindergarten were hit. There are dead and seriously wounded, including children.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

As of 6 am

The defense forces resist a significant offensive group of Russian occupiers.

The enemy inflicted an airstrike on units near the city of KROPYVNYTSKY.

Russian helicopters were seen in the areas above Vilkovo and Tiraspol.

Overwhelming enemy armored vehicles were stopped by airborne assault troops of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near settlements of DYMER and IVANKIV, near TETERIV River. The bridge across the river was destroyed.

As of 10:00 a.m.

Russian military aircraft was shot down near the town of Voznesenske in the Cherkasy region, the pilot ejected.

At 2:05 a.m. an armored group of Russian occupation forces tried to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the area of the town of Trokhizbenka. Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 2 Russian tanks and 1 infantry fighting vehicle and forced the enemy to retreat. The combined forces are confident in holding their own positions and giving a decent rebuff to the invaders.

Units of Operational Command “North” have liquidated circa 20 units of the enemy’s tanks on the Menska direction in Chernihiv oblast. Precise losses of manpower are yet to be established.

Also, a subunit of “North” has liquidated columns of the enemy’s vehicles that was moving from Ripky to Chernihiv. Aggressor’s losses amount to 10-15 units.

The Russian occupiers continue the offensive operation against Ukraine in selected areas with the use of high-precision long-range weapons and operational and tactical aircraft. 

Aviation is controlled and guided by A-50 aircraft from the territory of the Minsk Region in the airspace of Belarus and the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. In order to intimidate the population of Ukraine, the enemy is increasingly choosing to destroy civilian infrastructure and housing. 

It is also known that Russian IL-76s with paratroopers on board landed at the Belarusian Gomel airfield.

Due to the damage to the runway of the GOSTOMEL airbase, the enemy decided to move on its own from the territory of Belarus in the direction of GOMEL-CHERNIGIV-KYIV.

In the Sivershchyna, units of the 1st detachment on the BILOUS river stopped the enemy.

Now the enemy, having received a worthy rebuff from the defenders of Chernihiv, is trying to bypass the city and attack the capital. For the same purpose, the attack on KYIV, not counting the losses, the enemy rushes in the direction of KOZELETS-BROVARY and the direction of KONOTOP-NIZHYN-KYIV. The city of KONOTOP was lost.

To the south, the enemy continues to carry out their plans of aggression and entered Kherson, Nova Kakhovka, Kakhovka with a goal of gaining control of the Pivnichnomorskiy canal dam in order to supply the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula with water. The enemy is fighting for the Ukrainian city of Melitopol.

In the Donetsk direction the situation is unchanged: the enemy has no success, the goal of reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions has not been achieved. The enemy does not stop the shelling of the joint forces.

In the Slobozhanshchyna region of KHARKOV and VALUYKIV, units of the Defense Forces continue to conduct defensive battles, stopped the enemy and gained a foothold along the defined boundaries.

The Air Force repulses enemy air strikes. Continues to conduct systematic combat operations. Conducts constant air reconnaissance.

In general, the joint forces are conducting a defensive operation and trying to stop the enemy along the entire line of contact.