Mr. Chairperson,  

Russia is still trying to turn the tide of its war of aggression.

Against the backdrop of its strategic failure, the russian federation, as a pure state terrorist, uses its traditional methods – artillery barrage of the settlements on the frontline, drone and missile attacks on cities in the nighttime, and indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructure.

Moscow hopes that terrorist tactics will help it.  For instance, this night there was an attack with 20 Shaheds and two cruise missiles Kalibr.

On July 11, the russian military attacked Ukraine with 28 Shahed drones. Also, russians carried out 65 air strikes and 71 MLRS attacks on the same day. The day before there were 22 airstrikes and about 30 MLRS attacks. On July 9 – 30 airstrikes and 47 MLRS attacks. Such attacks happen every day.

Each such attack causes deaths and wounds, the destruction of houses and civilian infrastructure, and contamination of land with unexploded ordinances and mines.

On July 8, a day with 52 airstrikes and 60 MLRS attacks, russia killed 8 people and wounded 13 only in Lyman, in the Donetsk region. On July 9, russia’s air bomb killed 7 people in Orikhiv, in the Zaporizhzhia region. An 8-year-old girl lost both parents. 

And this night, one person was killed and three injured in Kyiv.

The continued occupation of the ZNPP and the violation of principles of nuclear safety is another evidence that russia remains the biggest threat to European security. 

Recent calls of russia’s former president to bomb nuclear power plants in Ukraine and facilities in Eastern Europe could signal about possible false flag provocations being prepared by moscow.

Russia still believes that it can fool the world around. The overnight attack on the Odesa port, on July 11, which damaged a grain terminal, also reminds us of the food dimension of russia’s terrorism.

Since the beginning of July, only six vessels have left Black Sea ports. The Pivdennyi port has been not operational for more than two months due to russia’s actions. Since June 26, the russians have refused to inspect ships heading to Ukrainian ports.

However, it is worth reminding that since August 1, 2022, Ukrainian farmers have exported within the Black Sea Grain Initiative over 33 million tonnes of agricultural products to 45 countries worldwide.

Therefore, Russia's calculations are more than clear - to provoke an increase in food prices and exacerbate the crisis in countries in need.

Therefore, together we must ensure that trade navigation in the Black Sea is unhindered and Ukrainian grain is present on the markets in the necessary volume.

At the same time, these irresponsible actions, the number of attacks, nuclear threats, and food blackmailing speak volumes for the necessity to recognize russia as a state terrorist.

It's not about labeling. This is about bringing russia to account. And this is about our responsibility before the future generations.     

As its bloody campaign continues, Russia is also trying to create a pseudo-legal reality in the occupied territories. This includes forced passportization which is accompanied by the intimidation of people.

For instance, in Starobilsk, Luhansk region, the russian occupation administration issues so-called russian resident cards to all employees of the local hospital.

In case of refusal, citizens of Ukraine face the so-called deportation from the occupied territories, as well as a threat of the confiscation of their homes.

In addition, on July 6, the russian president signed Decree No. 495 “On some issues related to the specifics of the legal status of citizens of the Russian Federation who hold Ukrainian citizenship”.

This act provides for the verification of Ukrainian citizens. The kremlin wants to know whether they took actions, aimed at realizing their rights and responsibilities stemming from the Ukrainian citizenship.

This is yet another repressive step of the russian occupation administration aimed at identifying “unreliable” and non-loyal local residents.

The invader is also planning elections in the occupied territories for September. As stated in the Resolution adopted on 7 July by the Central Election Commission of Ukraine, they shall be illegitimate, and their results shall have no legal consequences and must not be recognized by the international community.

Even after absurd and mockable fake-referendums last year russia doesn’t want to learn lessons. That all these pseudo-legal steps will not change the reality. That these steps are worthless.

That these steps will not stop the liberation of Ukraine’s territory.

And that the only effect of these steps is further ruining russia’s state and aggravation of its responsibility, which is inevitable in the future.

Dear colleagues,

Russia’s war broke many lives. It affected every family in Ukraine.

And this also affected the OSCE family. A few days ago, I received a letter from Marharyta Shabanova, the wife of Dmytro Shabanov, one of the OSCE officials illegally detained by russia for about a year and a half.

Her letter is quite short and I want to quote it – “I would like to know if you have any information for me or advice on whom I can turn to for support and help to release my husband - the OSCE employee, Dmytro Shabanov. I thank you very much in advance for your support”. End of quote.

I believe everyone will agree with me that we, as the OSCE, bear a special responsibility before the people who have entrusted their lives to this Organization, because the OSCE staff usually operate in challenging environments.

Before people who believe in the principles and commitments of this Organization. Before people who help our Organization to fulfil its mandate on the ground. After all, we all share the CIO motto: It’s about people.

Therefore, the families of the detainees and the participating States should be regularly briefed about the measures taken for their release.

At the very least, the russian federation should be publicly shamed and be held legally responsible for this crime.

Moscow, not Donetsk or Luhansk, must be demanded every day to release immediately the OSCE employees. It is not only about Ukraine, but about the OSCE credibility and future.

At the same time, the stolen OSCE vehicles are another reminder that we cannot allow russia to act like a small-time racketeer within the Organization. Because impunity generates new crimes.

This brings me to Crimea, where people have been held hostage by russia for nine long years. To Crimea, where we faced the first cases of children’s deportation, illegal detention, arbitrary execution, forced russification, erasure of national identity, demographic changes and so on.

Now these cases are being registered in the newly occupied territories, however, in industrial-scale volumes. To Crimea which is a telling example that our commitments must be timely translated into actions aimed to protect these commitments in the face of aggressor’s threats.

Therefore, we believe that the OSCE leadership must participate in this year International Crimea Platform Summit.

The restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty over all occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, is not only the legitimate right of our country, but also a necessary prerequisite for the restoration of the international legal order and the integrity of the Helsinki Final Act.

Dear colleagues, 

I would like to conclude my statement with words of gratitude to the Lithuanian delegation for the Ukrainian flag from Bakhmut, which is flying these days in Vilnius.  

This flag from Bakhmut is the best reminder of the highest price Ukraine pays for our common security and values. With blood and lives of our brave women and men.

This flag from Bakhmut is a mirror of security gaps in Europe we have to rectify.

This flag from Bakhmut in Vilnius is a measure of the progress that we, Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic community, have made so far in assessing the russian threat and addressing its aggression.

And this flag from Bakhmut stands on the path which must end only with Ukraine’s victory, Ukraine’s full-fledged membership in the EU and NATO as well as with russia’s verdict issued by a Special tribunal.      

As the President of Ukraine said at the ceremony of raising the flag, “There, in the ruins of Bakhmut, on the fields of other battles in Ukraine, russian aggressive ambitions will remain crushed. And it is not Ukraine or anyone else in our Europe, but they, the russian aggressive ambitions, that will lie in ruins”. 

 

I thank you, Mr. Chair.