Mr. Chairperson,  

There is a village near Kyiv known as Peremoha or in English “Victory”. It was renamed in 1945 to erase the horrors of past years.

However, on February 28, 2022, the first day of the occupation, russian soldiers executed five men in this village. With this, they brought back the horrors of the past.

By the end of the occupation on March 30, 2022, up to 20 people had been killed there. Some of the corps were burned.

A year ago, on May 9, 2022, the russian president decorated the same brigade responsible for crimes committed in the village of Peremoha.

“For the heroism and bravery”, putin’s decree says.

On its part, the Ukrainian Parliament’s decree provides a proper definition to these “heroism and bravery” as: “Organization and implementation of mass murders, executions, torture, deportations, creation of artificial conditions for the occurrence of hunger and other types of mass physical terror, genocide, persecution for ethnic, national, religious, political and other motives”.

This very decree was adopted on May 2, to recognize ruscism as a new type of totalitarian ideology and practice formed in the russian federation under the leadership of president vladimir putin and is based on the traditions of russian chauvinism and imperialism, the practices of communist regime and national socialism”.

It is time to recognize threats that the Ruscism embraces in order to defeat it, just as Nazism was in its time.

Mr Chairperson, 

As the whole world was commemorating the end of the Second World War, russia massively bombed Ukraine with missiles.

On the night of May 9, 23 out of 25 missiles were shot down over Ukraine.

This is what means: “We can repeat it”, as they say in russia. 

The russian invaders have also stepped-up airstrikes on Ukraine with Iranian Shahed drones.

The most recent attacks took place on 4 May with 24 drones and on 8 May with 35 UAVs.

On the same day, May 8, russians attacked Odesa and the region with Kh-22 missiles.

As reported later by the Red Cross Society of Ukraine, a warehouse rented by the Society was destroyed. Humanitarian aid in a warehouse was completely destroyed by fire.

This was yet another attack on universally recognized humanitarian principles.

Like an attack conducted by russia on May 6, which claimed the lives of nine Ukrainians in the Kherson region. These people were engaged in humanitarian demining activities aimed to ensure people’s safety.

In the meantime, russia grossly violates its other obligations under international humanitarian law by depriving the ICRC of access to the Ukrainian prisoners of war.

So as the OSCE continues to face russia’s ignorance of its commitments before the Organization given that the three OSCE officials have been illegally detained for 14 months.

Moreover, moscow continues the illegal practice of taking civilian hostages from the occupied territories.

The whereabout and fate of thousands of Ukrainian citizens are still unknown.  

And the numbers of these hostages are to raise.

Reportedly, the russian occupation administrations have started forcible relocation and deportation of people from the Zaporizhzhia region, including preschool and school-age children.

As the Zaporizhzhia region is in focus, a matter of special concern is also the pressure that ZNPP staff members are facing.

This is a gross violation of nuclear safety and security principles by russia.    

Dear colleagues,

Despite all efforts and barbaric tactics of human waves, moscow is far from capturing such cities as Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka.   

Moreover, as officially confirmed, russian hypersonic Kinzhal-type ballistic missile was shot down.

These examples clearly show how the support of partners works.

And we can only imagine how many lives were saved due to this one interception of Kinzhal missile.

At the same time, we can just imagine how many more lives would have been saved if Ukraine had received other defensive platforms, including modern planes and long-range weapons.

This additional military equipment would deprive russia of any hopes to conquer Ukraine.

Like, more and stronger sanctions will drain russia’s resources to kill.

And I would like to recall words said yesterday by Oleksandra Matviichuk, the head of the Centre for Civil Liberties which was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

“Ukraine is not fighting only for territory. Ukraine is fighting for the people that live there”.

For people who live under a constant risk of being executed, kidnapped, raped, looted, deported, tortured.

This risk will last as long as the boots of the russian soldiers remain on Ukraine’s soil.

That’s why we have to apply all possible tools to ensure Ukraine’s victory and liberation of all our territories.

Because children deported by russia have no time to wait. They must be returned to their homes as soon as possible.

Like those children who remain in the temporarily occupied territories and also face the same assimilation genocidal practices implemented by russian occupation authorities.

Because human lives and their rights and freedoms must be our only compass in these dark times. No compromise is possible on that.

This is the idea that is at the very heart of the Helsinki Final Act. This idea helped to break the Soviet wall of tyranny and repression.

And this is the idea that we have today to protect with all possible means given that russia wants to rebuild this wall.

Let’s remember what a cold shower for the russian authorities was the arrest warrant against the russian president issued by the International Criminal Court.

We need more such resolute actions by the international community.

This is how the prevention must work. And justice cannot wait.

 That’s why my delegation is grateful to those participating States who joined the Summit of the Special Tribunal’s Core Group two days ago.

37 participants confirmed their resolve to hold Russia’s top leadership accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The establishment of this Special Tribunal will not only ensure justice but will have also a strong preventing effect on those who still believe in russia’s impunity.

Let’s remember what the words “never again” mean. This was the promise in 1945 when the crime of aggression for the first time in history was criminalized in order to prevent future wars.

We have to follow and implement that promise.

And I would like to conclude my statement with a quote of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Now, as 80 years ago, Ukraine is fighting against total evil. Now, just like 80 years ago, Ukraine is fighting for the future – its own and that of the whole of Europe, the whole free world. Now, as 80 years ago, we rely on the common strength of free nations and know that together with them we will always be part of a free Europe that will not submit to evil. And together with all of free Europe, we will celebrate Europe Day on May 9 in Ukraine. A united Europe, the basis of which should be and will be peace. Our Europe, which Ukraine has always been, is, and will be a part of”.

I thank you, Mr Chairperson.