I wish you health, dear Ukrainians!
Today, Donetsk region: Kramatorsk, Slovyansk, our combat brigades - communication with our soldiers. I awarded state awards - precisely for their successes in battles - to our best soldiers, those who have shown themselves the most these weeks. We are currently conducting one of our counteroffensive operations - well done guys - in the Donetsk direction, in the Pokrovsk area, in the Dobropillya area. Fierce fighting, but we managed to inflict significant losses on the Russians. In fact, our forces are depriving the occupier of the opportunity to carry out a full-fledged offensive operation in this direction, which they had planned for a long time and counted on. First, Sumy region was theirs, now here Ukrainian units are achieving results for Ukraine. I thank everyone involved. The operation is ongoing - as we determined. An important success for Ukraine. Thank you to the DSHV, assault regiments and battalions, all our infantrymen, scouts, artillerymen, units of the National Guard. Thank you to everyone who provides the unmanned component.
Today was the first report by Commander-in-Chief Syrsky on the results. Since the start of the operation, our soldiers have already liberated 160 square kilometers, and more than 170 square kilometers have been cleared of the occupier. We have significantly replenished our exchange fund - there are already almost a hundred Russian prisoners, and there will be more. Seven settlements in the direction have already been liberated, nine more have been cleared of the Russian presence. Our guys are destroying any group of occupiers who try to enter here. The losses of the Russians only since the start of this counter-offensive operation of ours, only in the Pokrovsk area, only in these weeks, have already been more than two and a half thousand, of which more than 1,300 Russians have been killed.
Ukraine is quite rightly defending its positions, defending its land. And this is a heroic defense. I am proud of our soldiers, I am proud of our people. Ukraine finds protection from every Russian vileness in this war. We are thwarting all Russian plans – plans to destroy our state. Our defense is always active. And we have proven that Ukrainians can achieve the necessary results, even when many in the world expect results from Russia. It is important that partners also act with dignity – exactly as our people deserve support. Russia must be forced to make peace. And Ukraine can do this if we have sufficient strength in our army, sufficient long-range capability. And the world can do this together, together with us, of course – with strong sanctions against Russia, strong pressure, as strong as our people are strong. I want to thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!