Today We Managed to Free Another 95 of Our People from Russian Captivity – Address by the President

Dear Ukrainians!

Today is already the tenth anniversary of the day when the Russian occupiers destroyed a passenger plane in the Ukrainian skies – flight MH-17. A Malaysian Boeing with 298 people on board, including 80 children. Citizens of different countries, from various parts of the world. The Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Germany, Canada, Belgium, the Philippines, New Zealand. And over the time that has passed, it has been possible to fully establish the circumstances of this crime: how it became possible, who provided it. And there is no doubt that the trial and the work of international justice, in general, will inevitably lead to absolutely fair verdicts for everyone who is guilty of this crime. And that is exactly what is needed. No matter how much effort is required – there must be accountability for all those who brought this evil, as they are the evil themselves. And the same applies to the thousands of other Russian crimes of this war and this aggression itself – after all this, a lasting peace can only be based on a satisfied sense of justice for those who suffered from the aggression. And everyone in Ukraine who is working for justice, everyone in the world who is helping us, especially the Netherlands, which in many respects is a leader in the field of justice – I am grateful to everyone, to everyone who is putting the Russian evil in its place and helping us to prevent Moscow from feeling impunity. Bright and eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken by Russia!

Today, our team engaged in the search and exchange of Ukrainian prisoners managed to free another 95 of our people from Russian captivity. They are warriors from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and border guards. Most of the people in today's exchange are privates and sergeants, seven are officers. Many of them have been seriously injured, one of the guys has cancer. Everyone will get the help they need. And it is important that, among these guys, there is one who was considered a missing person. We are looking into all the circumstances of each of our warriors, and it is a blessing when we manage to find those for whom we had the least hope. In total, we have managed to bring home 3,405 people from Russian captivity. We must bring them all back. We are doing our best to ensure this. I thank everyone in the world who is helping. I am grateful to the United Arab Emirates for mediating today's release.

And a few other things.

We are working to make this week really productive in terms of relations with our partners. Today I held a meeting with the foreign policy team of the Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We need strong decisions from our partners that will allow us to put this war on a course to its just conclusion. And I thank everyone who shows appropriate leadership. Honest leadership.

I also signed a decree today that enacts the National Security and Defense Council's decision on the new Maritime Security Strategy of Ukraine. This document takes into account the security changes and innovations that we have ensured, particularly in the Black Sea, in the development of our forces. This is a modern strategy, and we will implement it together with our partners. In the near future, I am going to discuss the details of this Strategy with them. With those who, like us, want stable security for their regions and for the entire world. I thank everyone who is helping! I also thank all employees of our state institutions, our warriors, our special services and all representatives of Ukrainian civil society who were involved in the preparation of the Strategy.

Glory to our people!

Glory to Ukraine!