We Can Now Say: Our Air Defense Has Been Bolstered, We Will Be Able to Do More in the Skies – Address by the President of Ukraine

21 July 2024 – 21:05

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

There have been several important reports today.

First of all, there was a substantial report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the frontline situation. The Commander-in-Chief himself visited some of the brigades. The key issue is the provision for our military. What exactly is lacking – with regard to each direction and all our main positions. Distribution of ammunition and a sufficient number of drones, above all.

It is very important to ensure that in all key directions, we have the means to inflict maximum losses on the enemy.

Next, there was a report from the Air Force Commander. Regarding the work of our firing groups in shooting down “Shaheds” and countering Russian missiles. We can already say that our air defense has been bolstered. The German “Patriot” system has arrived in Ukraine, and I would like to thank Germany and the United States for this step. We will be able to do more in the skies. Of course, there is still much work ahead, and this is far from guaranteed protection, but nevertheless, it means more strength for Ukraine.

The third for today is the report from the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine. There are good results in countering collaborators. There are also some things that we cannot publicly disclose at the moment. It’s just not worth it. The occupier must feel it.

Fourth, a report from the Minister of Internal Affairs on the investigation into the murder of Iryna Farion. It is a difficult process, but all necessary forces are engaged, and more information is emerging about the perpetrator of this crime.

Fifth, reports from government officials, primarily regarding energy. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the Minister of Energy. I would like to highlight the work of all our repair crews, workers at our nuclear power plants, and everyone involved in stabilizing the supply. Everything necessary is being done to provide more electricity.

We understand that we are dealing with terrorists and the Russian strikes do not stop. But still, Ukrainian power engineers are trying to reduce the deficit.

I would like to thank everyone who helps us! Glory to our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

President Zelenskyy sat for an interview with the BBC a few days ago. Here’s the video:

The cost:

Tomasz Senkala, 22-year-old Polish citizen, died at the frontlines defending Ukraine.

Tomasz Senkala had been in Ukraine since last fall, serving in the International Legion.

Eternal memory and eternal glory to fallen Warrior. pic.twitter.com/SFlc2OfqEy

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 21, 2024

Here’s more on the loss of Ukrainian Soldier and powerlifting champion Andriy Mazanovych:

The powerlifting champion of Ukraine and Europe Andriy Mazanovych died defending Ukraine from russians. He will not be able to participate in 2024 Paris Olympics because russians killed him.

1/n

2/ Yet, the International Olympic Committee has admitted 15 russian athletes to the Paris Olympics. While Ukrainian athletes are killed by russians, russian athletes are rewarded by the IOC. 

3/ Don’t even try telling me that these are different russians and that they are not accountable for the actions of their government. No, they are accountable for their silence, complacency and inaction. Most actually support their government and genocide against Ukrainians. 

4/ Sport and government are inseparable in russia. Sport is financed by the state. Olympic medalists are paid by the russian authorities. 

5/ Russian athletes are members of the russian military. Despite the “neutral” flag at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, russian military athletes won 14 out of 32 medals. The same military servicemen who kill Ukrainians at this very moment. 

6/ Most russian athletes support the war and the russian regime. These athletes can be found standing side by side with Putin at every major event, giving patriotic speeches, and proudly wearing the “Z” sign. 

7/ Russia uses sport to spread its propaganda. Even if the russian athlete wins the Olympics under a white flag, the russian state will use it as a propaganda for its imperialistic purposes. 

8/ Ukrainian athletes must be protected. Hundreds of them were killed by russians, dozens lost their limbs and will never be able to compete in the Olympics. 

9/ And those athletes that have survived and can compete in the Olympics are severely handicapped because hundred of sports facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed by the russian military. 

I’ve never been a fan of the Olympics. Neither the summer or winter ones do anything for me. The only things I ever watch are the Rugby 7s and the soccer. And even then if I miss them I don’t care. I expect I won’t even watch those this year.

The German Patriot system has arrived in Ukraine:

+1 German-provided PATRIOT system arrives in Ukraine to defend the people and the country from evil.

Kudos to Germany for doing what is right in the dark time.

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 21, 2024

France:

Newly elected members of the French parliament refusing to shake hands with the far right is extremely satisfying. A particular shout out to the rock paper scissors gag. pic.twitter.com/shyBc1cx75

— Brendan May (@bmay) July 21, 2024

Aux Armes, Citoyens!

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe:

Chris Cavoli in response to my question at Aspen: “I think it is underappreciated in … the United States, just how much our European allies have awakened to the fact that the house is on fire….This is not a show, and this is not just rhetoric” https://t.co/tEnJWV9tnv

— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) July 21, 2024

Here’s the details from the DOD: (emphasis mine)

Cavoli spoke at the Aspen Security Forum today and said the NATO alliance is in the midst of a major change in focus and readiness. “There is a lot of work to be done, and there are big challenges looming — some of them are right in our face, right now,” the general said.

That looming threat, of course, is Russia, but Cavoli cannot ignore challenges on the horizon, and that includes China.

The general gave an explanation of the situation in Europe since he became NATO’s combatant commander just after the Madrid Summit in 2022. At that summit, NATO leaders immediately implemented a strategy to deter Russia and to defend the alliance’s territory. “This was an enormous sea change,” Cavoli said. “That was the business we were in during the Cold War, but after the Cold War, it was no longer necessary, and we turned our attention to out-of-area operations.”

Those operations in the Balkans, Kosovo and Afghanistan allowed NATO nations to field smaller forces who would deploy for specific times. “[The deployments] happened on a very predictable basis, which allowed for a cyclical force-generating process that allowed us to take many, many economies everyplace else, except for the unit that was deployed,” he said. “All the nations and NATO happily took the peace dividend and built a force that was optimized for that sort of operation.”

Russia launched its second invasion of its Ukrainian neighbor, and that force-generating process was instantly outdated. NATO had to focus — once again — on collective territorial defense. “We need standing forces, and at standing levels of readiness, geographically focused on specific areas,” Cavoli said. “So, we wrote … operational plans to do this.”

These plans are for northwest Europe, the center of Europe and in southeast Europe, and they are “classical plans that describe how to defend a certain piece of geography, with what forces and what methods,” the general said. “This has led to a huge raft of advances that we’re working on in NATO right now.”

Among the biggest is the need for many more NATO troops ready to fight when needed. This requires money and Cavoli is encouraged by alliance progress in meeting the 2% of gross domestic product that now 23 nations have met.

Since Madrid, the nations also now “have a shopping list for military requirements,” Cavoli said. “That shopping list had been put into place. It has been embraced by nations, who are spending the money to do something about it.”

On the military side, the alliance has also changed command and control, the exercise program the force posture across Europe.

“All of these things are really going to lead us to a healthier alliance that’s focused on the core task of collective territorial defense,” he said.

Supporting Ukraine is vital for U.S. and European security, Cavoli said. But people need to consider what’s next. “We can’t be under any illusions: At the end of a conflict in Ukraine — however, it concludes — we are going to have a very big Russia problem,” the general said. “We are going to have a situation where Russia is reconstituting its force, is located on the borders of NATO, is led by largely the same people as it is right now, is convinced that we’re the adversary, and is very, very angry.”

NATO must continue to support Ukraine now and must prepare for the inevitable end of the war in that country. Americans need to understand that Europeans see Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an existential threat. “I think it is underappreciated in … the United States, just how much our European allies have awakened to the fact that the house is on fire,” Cavoli said. “This is not a show, and this is not just rhetoric. This is true concern about the stability of their continent, and the survival of their states.”

Kherson Oblast:

Police explosive experts continue to clear Kherson region of explosive devices under constant Russian fire.

Recently, Russians remotely mined large areas of one of the settlements where people continue to live with PFM anti-personnel landmines.

A fire recently broke out in the… pic.twitter.com/ucCAruCyQP

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 21, 2024

Police explosive experts continue to clear Kherson region of explosive devices under constant Russian fire.

Recently, Russians remotely mined large areas of one of the settlements where people continue to live with PFM anti-personnel landmines.

A fire recently broke out in the area, it caused some mines to detonate, and the remaining mines posed an even greater danger.

The police waited for a “window” in the work of enemy drones, quickly inspected the area and defused the enemy mines.

📹: National Police of Ukraine

Zaporizhzhia Oblast:

A firework on the battlefield.
Another Buk-M1 air defense system destroyed by 🇺🇦 warriors.

📹: 14th Regiment pic.twitter.com/R2I7E2Lta7

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 21, 2024

Chasiv Yar:

Chasiv Yar pic.twitter.com/z8S3drQdea

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 21, 2024

And here’s what Chasiv Yar looks like from aside.

The plague of Russian fascism is coming. pic.twitter.com/uF8eiwl7Nn

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 21, 2024

Southern Ukraine:

Interception of the Shahed kamikaze drone over southern Ukraine tonight. https://t.co/3Q1r4yYMWy pic.twitter.com/nztpAbryWr

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 21, 2024

The Mariinka front:

2nd Battalion of the 46th Brigade repels Russian attacks on the Mariinka front. Video also shows Russian losses of T-90M, BMP-2 and BTR-82. https://t.co/1NpG7iK4Xhhttps://t.co/UlwdExvmLD pic.twitter.com/wamct8kk8s

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 21, 2024

Given where Maria Avdeeva lives, I’m guessing this is somewhere in Kharkiv Oblast:

Seeing all these endless fields of wheat, corn, sunflowers, and oats, you really get why Ukraine’s called the breadbasket—and why Putin’s so desperate to grab more. pic.twitter.com/ZClSDlgvSS

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) July 21, 2024

That’s enough for tonight.

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