Address by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Oct. 20, 2022

All world leaders should make Russia understand that the terrorist attack on the Kakhovka HPP will be equated to the use of weapons of mass destruction

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today I took part in the meeting of the European Council. The topic of protection of Ukraine and our energy security was among the key issues at this summit. I informed my colleagues about the new terrorist steps of Russia and about our needs to protect ourselves from this form of terror directed against the energy system.

Russian troops continue to strike our power plants with missiles and drones. In the end, such Russian meanness will also fail. We are doing everything to get more modern and effective air defense and missile defense systems for Ukraine.

And there will be a day when we announce that the Ukrainian sky has become completely protected from Russian missiles, Iranian drones and any other carriers of evil.

Russia tried to blackmail Europe with gas and oil, organizes sabotage on underwater gas pipelines and critical cables in Europe, tried and is still trying to freeze people… And what happened?

Russia has only lost its weight in the European energy market, which it has been gaining since Brezhnev’s era, and will definitely be treated as the most reckless international criminal. This will remain with Moscow for a very long time even after this Russian leader.

Russia is trying to destroy the energy system of Ukraine, to make our people suffer even more, but this only mobilizes the international community to help us even more and put even more pressure on the terrorist state. And all our expenses for the protection of our energy facilities and for the restoration of our infrastructure after Russian terrorist attacks will be reimbursed at the expense of Russian assets.

Each of the terrorists will be personally responsible for what he does. Before the court. And the terrorist state will pay for its terror. With isolation, degradation and assets – both of state and quasi-private entities connected with this Russian regime.

I informed the Europeans today, during the meeting of the European Council, about the next terrorist attack, which Russia is preparing for at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. According to our information, the aggregates and dam of the Kakhovka HPP were mined by Russian terrorists.

Now everyone in the world must act powerfully and quickly to prevent a new Russian terrorist attack. Destroying the dam would mean a large-scale disaster.

Of course, we understand that the occupiers do not care what happens to the territory of Ukraine. With this terrorist attack, they can destroy, among other things, even the possibility of supplying water from the Dnipro River to Crimea. In the event of the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP dam, the North Crimean Canal will simply disappear. And if Russia is preparing such a terrorist attack, if it is seriously considering such a scenario, it means the terrorists are clearly aware that they will not be able to keep not only Kherson, but also the entire south of our country, including Crimea.

We must now all together – all Europeans, all world leaders, all international organizations – make it clear to the terrorist state that such a terrorist attack on the Kakhovka HPP will mean exactly the same as the use of weapons of mass destruction. The consequences for Russia should be corresponding.

The world must react preventively. This is key now. The principle of preventive response to security threats should finally become one of the basic principles of international politics.

Today I had a productive call with the President of Germany. I thanked him and the German people for supporting Ukraine in the struggle for freedom and for the decision to provide concrete assistance to our country.

In particular, Germany became the first country to supply us with the modern IRIS-T air defense system. We expect the delivery of other such systems both from Germany and from our other partners.

I held talks with the President of Switzerland, who arrived in Kyiv today. This shows the whole world that Switzerland does not remain morally neutral when such a terrorist war is being waged against Ukraine and the whole of Europe. Switzerland has supported EU sanctions packages and provides us with humanitarian aid.

The issues of reconstruction of Ukraine and the possibilities of Switzerland to invest in the development of our economy and infrastructure were discussed substantively today with Mr. President.

We also discussed the issue of compensation for damages caused to Ukraine by Russian terror. I am grateful that Russian assets worth $6.5 billion have already been frozen. This work must be continued. And this is something in which Switzerland must not remain morally neutral either.

The possibilities of Switzerland to help with digitization in Ukraine and restoration of telecommunications systems in the liberated territories were discussed separately and substantively.

The situation on the frontline remains difficult. Especially in Donbas – the same Bakhmut direction – and in some directions in the south. But we stand our ground. We defend our land. We move gradually, ousting the enemy. And we will definitely ensure victory for Ukraine.

In the evening, I signed another decree on awarding our warriors. 148 defenders of Ukraine were awarded orders and medals.

Today, at the request of our military command, I would like to celebrate warriors from the 7th anti-aircraft self-propelled artillery battery of the 3rd anti-aircraft missile division of the 1039th anti-aircraft missile regiment. During another Russian missile strike, the battery provided protection in the north of our country and destroyed an enemy missile in the Vyshhorod district of the Kyiv region. Thank you guys for the excellent service and consistently good results! Every downed Russian missile means saved lives of our people.

Today we have both downed missiles and downed Iranian drones. Unfortunately, we do not shoot down all of them yet. There are also hits, there is destruction. But we will do everything to provide full protection to our sky.

Terrorists always lose. Freedom always wins.

Thank you to everyone who fights and works for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to our strong people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Source: President of Ukraine’s official website