Ukraine's Response to Ongoing War

Dear Ukrainians, and everyone around the world who wants an end

to this war. You can all see that the Russians

have changed their tactics for strikes on Ukraine, and since August

have terrorized our people, our cities, our villages

much more. Today, the first of September, when millions of children

in different countries peacefully go to school, here, in Ukraine,

millions of children, sadly, are forced to go to shelters and

study there, wait there, for Russian attacks

to stop. Air raid alerts all day, all day

"Shaheds." At night, there was another Russian ballistic strike

on Kyiv,

numerous drone strikes on our other cities, on

ordinary people, on ordinary life.

Russia is trying to destroy our energy sector, our

infrastructure. Today, Russian missiles struck another

railway depot, a place where

there definitely wasn't any military equipment, that does not

affect the war. This is purely Russian terror

against civilians.

Since the beginning of this full-scale aggression, Russia has tried

to blockade our ports, and because of Russian strikes on

Ukraine, our airspace is closed to civilian aviation.

Our roads are constantly under Russian attack,

our railways, our universities, our businesses,

even schools and churches are targets for the Russians.

Everything that is here in Ukraine.

We did not choose war, and we certainly did not want this

escalation. It is solely Russia's desire,

Putin's desire to drag out the war and increase the scale

of the strikes. It is Russian aggression that has made the skies

of Ukraine and

Europe, and even Russia itself, dangerous.

The first missiles, the first drones flew from

Russia, crossing the border

of our country from Russian airspace.

This escalation cannot and will not

remain confined to the territory of Ukraine.

It is entirely natural and fair that its

consequences will also be felt in Russia, particularly in Russian skies,

which already are and will increasingly become

a space for our drones, our missiles, which

actively and justly respond to the Russian war, in

response to Russian strikes.

And we exercise our right to self-defense,

striking Russian military targets and that

part of the economy that works for the war.

This is our defense. Today we

want to warn every airline

that uses Russian airspace, every

insurer, everyone who still uses key

Russian airports: Russian skies are becoming

completely unsafe. Ukraine does not

threaten civil aviation as such,

or any civilian aircraft. It is simply drones

Things in Russia's skies will be such that this

must be taken into account.

Although the Russian authorities do not report it properly,

Russian airspace will de facto be closed.

The war

unleashed by Russia is closing

its airspace. We in Ukraine do not want

the loss of innocent lives, so we warn

our partners: in Russia's skies,

safe moments are over. It is important that this

be heard by the ambassadors of states working here, in

Ukraine,

and the ambassadors working in Moscow. Each of them

knows exactly what Russia's war means

for our country, for our people, and must

convey this information to their capitals.

It is important that the relevant

airlines currently flying to

airports, especially in Moscow and St. Petersburg,

and other key Russian destinations hear this.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and the relevant Ukrainian

institutions will provide full information

international bodies about the dangers in Russian

skies.

Civil aviation has no place among drones.

But Ukraine,

Ukraine is a country of peace. And we truly respect that

our partners want to help bring about

an end to this war.

And we support every such attempt.

When the Americans asked us to

pause strikes on Moscow and

St. Petersburg for the twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth

and twenty-seventh of August, we observed this

pause. There were no strikes.

There were strikes on Ukraine.

When another world power asked us to establish

a pause in strikes for a specified time in the direction of

Vladivostok, we ensured

that as well. New meetings are now being prepared in

Moscow. We will take this into account.

We always support every step toward peace, so that

Russia does not make this war endless.

The war must end.

And leaders rightly tell Putin this.

So for the sake of diplomacy, for negotiations, when

partners approach us about this, we

will ensure that Russian airspace is cleared

of drones for specified periods

and in specified directions.

Security

will return to Russia's skies,

will return when genuine movement begins

toward peace. Russia's skies are now for drones,

not civilian aviation, as long as the war continues.

It is important that the world help end it.

I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!