Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

The Russian Federation continues to circulate misinformation about weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine.

After a series of absurd statements by Russian officials about the alleged creation of a "dirty" nuclear bomb in Ukraine, the Russian disinformation machine has switched to the biological weapons.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has refuted information circulated by Russian propaganda media about the alleged "emergency stripping of the military-biological program funded by the US Department of Defense" and "destruction of especially dangerous pathogens." The Ministry of Health of Ukraine also stress that there are no American laboratories in Ukraine.

All laboratory facilities in Ukraine perform a single general function - the indication and identification of pathogens of infectious diseases that have significant epidemic potential and/or international significance and are subject to regulation in accordance with international health regulations.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine also drew attention to the fact that the documents published by Russia do not mention particularly dangerous biopathogens, development of which Russian propaganda attribute to Ukraine.

Russia's military aggression has significantly weakened Ukraine's national biological security system. In particular, by seizing Ukrainian research and sanitary-epidemiological institutions in the temporarily occupied Crimea, as well as in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russia deliberately ignores the requirements for providing information on the status and location of pathogens that were stored in these facilities and used in the development of vaccines as well as for diagnostic purposes for the benefit of the Ukrainian people.

Under the ongoing armed invasion of the Russian troops into Ukrainian territory, the Government of Ukraine is making every effort to ensure strong protection of all laboratories in the controlled territories.

In this context, any attempt by Russia to seize biological materials is extremely dangerous and could pose a threat to both the security of Ukraine and the whole Europe.

Russia's public statements about the alleged development of biological weapons in Ukraine should be considered as misinformation and provocation.

Ukraine calls upon the international community to increase pressure on Russia to comply with its international obligations, including the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons, and not to pose additional security risks to the biological agents.

(https://www.facebook.com/UkraineMFA)

POLICY

Third round of talks

During the third round of talks in Belarus, the delegations of Ukraine and Russia clarified the details of the functioning of humanitarian corridors to provide more effective assistance to people in the cities most affected by the Russian shelling. This was stated by Adviser to the Head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podoliak after the meeting.

"We have received some positive results in terms of logistics of humanitarian corridors. They will be amended, and we will receive more effective assistance to people who are currently suffering from the aggression of the Russian Federation," he said.

Intensive consultations will be continued on the basic, political bloc of settlement, in particular on the ceasefire and security guarantees.

"There are no results that significantly improve the situation yet," Mykhailo Podoliak said.

"However, I emphasize once again that the consultations will be continued and we will get the result," the Adviser to the Head of the President's Office summed up.

https://bit.ly/3vKG2Qr

Office of the President of Ukraine

The address of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

- My team and I are staying in Kyiv, on Bankova street. We are not hiding and not being afraid of anyone. We will stay here as long as it takes to win this war.

- I’m proud of Ukrainians, civilians who defend their cities, towns, villages even without special armament, as our main weapon is bravery and strength of spirit to tell the aggressor: “This is my land, go away!” All Ukrainians who protest against invaders are heroes

- In the south of Ukraine a powerful national front of resistance unfolded, which was completely unexpected by the enemy. The spirit of a true Ukraine reigns in those cities, because the truth is on the side of Ukrainians who defend their homes.

- We will rebuild Ukrainian cities like Energodar or Chornobil and make them even better. Today invaders fired at the old bakery in Makarov and hit the church in Zhytomyr. It is impossible to explain the logic of such barbaric actions.

- The third round of talks took place in Belarus today, but it`s not the last one, we are waiting to be able to tell Ukrainians how we will come to peace.

- Today I signed a decree to award 96 Ukrainians, our military men and women, with the title of Hero of Ukraine. We are grateful to every hero and every ordinary soldier, we highly value our armed forces.

(https://www.facebook.com/president.gov.ua/videos/1363187767478482)

Ronald Reagan Medal of Freedom for President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova received the Ronald Reagan Medal of Freedom for President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which was presented by the head of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Frederic Ryan.

Frederick Ryan stressed that this high award honors the leadership of the President of Ukraine and the steadfastness of millions of Ukrainians who defend their right to choose their own future and inspire the entire civilized world to fight for the values of freedom and democracy to which Ronald Reagan dedicated his life. 

The Freedom Medal was established by the President Ronald Reagan Foundation in 1992. It is awarded to outstanding world figures for "making a significant and lasting contribution to the development of freedom in the world." During the entire existence of the award, only 10 people became its laureates.

(https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=337609348395936&set=a.299186838904854)

Prime Minister of Ukraine Briefing

140,000 Ukrainians, primarily men, have returned home to Ukraine. They are ready not only to defend their homes but also to work for victory. Ukrainian companies are prepared and invite various specialists to work. Following instructions from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the government has formed a package of decisions to support Ukrainian business during the war.

First: Ukrainians will be exempt from paying the Single Social Payment for physical persons of entrepreneurs of groups 1 and 2 during martial law and within a year after its completion.

Second: Ukrainian Government will exempt enterprises and individuals of entrepreneurs of the 3rd group from paying the Single Social Payment for employees drafted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other armed groups, including territorial defense. The state will pay the fee.

Third: Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is postponing the payment of taxes for all entrepreneurs who cannot pay them.

Fourth: Registration of Settlement Operations will be postponed for all individual entrepreneurs.

Fifth: the government will abolish all the market and consumer supervision measures in all matters except price regulation and pricing control. A moratorium on inspections of all types for business has already been established.

All these decisions and several other additional decisions are necessary for this support package to work, have already been adopted, or will be approved by the authorities shortly. The government and local authorities are also actively taking additional measures to stabilize prices for the products of first necessity. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a decision that allows Regional military administrations, together with the National Police of Ukraine and the State Service for Medications and Drugs Control, to monitor the prices of socially important: food, medicine, and fuel. Also, a significant number of the government and local authorities is working to ensure the proper functioning of critical infrastructure, including those parts of it that supply people with electricity, heat, and water.

It was decided that 12 Ukrainian thermal power plants will now receive gas from Naftogaz of Ukraine for 7 hryvnias per cubic meter. This will allow the relevant companies to buy the necessary volumes of natural gas to continue to operate stably and supply electricity to Ukrainian families despite possible disruptions in the supply of coal products, which is also very important.

“I would also like to thank the Ukrainian energetic power engineers, who hold a vital energy front for the country. You make miracles every day so that, where possible, Ukrainians stay with light, warmth, and gas. Every family is grateful to you.” stressed Shmyhal

(https://fb.watch/bCaJ8VQzPi/)