Everyone who takes captives on the front is accelerating freedom for Ukrainians - President Vladimir Zelensky's address

Dear Ukrainians, Ukrainians! The rescue operation in the Pokrovsk Donetsk region is currently underway. After Russian rocket strokes. Iskander missiles against ordinary residential buildings. All our services work on the spot. Unfortunately there are victims. There are wounded, there are dead. My condolences to my relatives and loved ones . . . Unfortunately, there is a repeat rocket stroke among the SES employees.

Colonel Andriy Omelchenko, Deputy Chief of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Donetsk region. Eternal memory . . . And I want to celebrate the rescuers today. Our SES employees. Those who work in different cities of Ukraine for the sake of life. In order for Russian terror to lose, because life is saved. Employees of the SES of Kherson Oblast: Sergeant of the Civil Protection Service Vitaliy Murzenko and Lieutenant of the Civil Protection Service Vladimir Yavtushenko.

Employees of the SES of our Kharkiv region: Civil Protection Master-Satent Sergey Gladky and Colonel of the Civil Protection Service Andriy Solyanikov. Employees of the SES of Dnipropetrovsk region: Sergeant of the Civil Protection Service Konstantin Poturaiko and Captain of the Civil Protection Service Vitaliy Denysenko. Everyone has repeatedly participated - direct participation - in the elimination of the consequences of the strikes of terrorists, in the rescue of our people's lives.

And, of course, all employees of the SES of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Zaporizhzhia, Odessa region. I thank the whole staff of the SES of Ukraine! Today, there is an important result in our exchanging team. Another 22 guys are home, in Ukraine. 20 of them are soldiers and sergeants, two are officers. Warriors of the Armed Forces. Among them are wounded. They were captured in different directions of the front. But now at home.

And we will do everything to bring back to Ukraine all our people who are now in Russian captivity. We remember everyone and look for anyone who is in the list of missing missing. Fortunately, it is possible to return ours. And it is important that this is a common task. Tasks and those who organize exchanges: Yermak, Budanov, Kid, Klimenko. Thank you guys! And the tasks of those who replenish the exchange fund for our country. Anyone who takes captives on the front, who is active on the front line.

Every such warrior accelerates freedom for Ukrainians. It is important to remember this. This day began with a selector meeting. First of all, the military. Report on the situation on the front - our offensive actions, opportunities of our movement and dynamics of movement. He reported the head. Of course, there were reports on the supply of shells and equipment on our weapons production. Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Strategy. We constantly increase volumes! Both in supply and in production.

But we constantly remove the bureaucracy, make more flexible regulation. Our defense-industrial complex will reach the level that the state needs. Ukraine has this power. And I thank this power to everyone who is working on Ukrainian production now! Front. I will note the Bakhmut direction. 3rd and 5th separate assault brigades, assault brigade of the National Police "Lyut", 92th separate mechanized brigade. There are success in destroying the invaders, important successes.

I thank you, warriors! One more. August 7th. Every year, the world remembers Russia's aggression against Georgia. It's been 15 years. The Russian occupation remains - this wound on the body of the Georgian state remains. Many words have already been said that if the world was decisive then, in 2008, there would be much different. Even then, Russia had to understand that the aggression was paying the aggressor most. It should understand this right now.

When Ukraine wins in this war, it will not only stop the expansion of Russian aggressive appetites, not only will save other peoples from what we are experiencing - both Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. Our victory will return normality to all - will remove the Russian occupation.