Mister Chairperson,

Thank you for your words of support, sympathy and condolences.

Last Friday the Russian Federation shocked Ukraine and the world with its cruelty and barbarity.

Moscow has once again demonstrated its disregard for human life and efforts aimed to end this brutal war.

An Iskander ballistic missile hit a residential area in Kryvyi Rih.

Russia, as always, lied about the alleged military targets of this strike.

The facts from the crime scene show that this was planned terror against civilians.

The video from the restaurant’s cameras proves that there were no military, only a few civilians; and the restaurant itself remains intact.

Ordinary residential buildings and a children's playground were at the epicenter of the strike.

This missile was equipped with a cluster warhead. It simply exploded above ordinary civilians going about their routine life and children playing in the street.

UN Human Rights “documented damage from hundreds of pieces of shrapnel to buildings, playground swings and slides, trees, and on the ground”. This exposes yet another Russia’s lie that this was a high-explosive warhead.

Instead, Moscow wanted to take as many lives as possible.

As a result, 20 people were killed, including 9 children.

More than 80 people, including 12 children, were injured to varying severity.

The missile reached Kryvyi Rih from the Taganrog region of the Russian Federation in just a few minutes. Just a few minutes between life and death.

In a moment, Russia turned the children's playground into a site of mass murder. Another line was added to the long list of such places in Ukraine.

A few days ago, this playground was full of joy and children’s laughter.

Today this playground is covered with innocent blood and tears of pain, with memorial candles and toys.

My delegation is grateful to every delegation for condemning this terrible attack and expressing condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones. Your support means a lot today.

And I want to name every child killed by Russia on Friday.

3-year-old Tymofii.

7-year-old Radyslav.

7-year-old Arina.

9-year-old Herman.

15-year-old Danylo.

15-year-old Mykyta.

15-year-old Alina.

16-year-old Kostiantyn.

17-year-old Nikita.

Tymofiyko died in the hospital. At the moment of the explosion, he and his grandmother were returning from the playground.

According to the boy’s mother, “Timofiyko was a very energetic child, fascinated by space and space rockets. He loved collecting ladybugs and various beetles”.

Radyslav was in the car with his family, sitting behind his father. His father remains in hospital. His mother and 8-month-old sister are at home under medical supervision - the girl was wounded by shrapnel.

Arina was killed along with her grandfather.

And Herman’s mother was rushing into the street as soon as the missile alert was announced. He was found on the swings. Herman used to say to his parents: “Mum, Dad, I love this life so much!”

Alina, Danylo, Mykyta, Kostiantyn and Nikita were full of plans. Like every teenager, they had maximalist expectations of this life. No more.

And as a father, I can’t even imagine the pain and suffering of Danylo’s parents as they held the hand of their dying son.

Moreover, Danylo and Alina were in love. They were together during the attack. As Danylo’s father said at the funeral, I quote: “My son Danylo was a very bright person. He is and will be. Unfortunately, we have met Alina only today. But knowing my son, I would say: Alina, you are in good hands. Children, you are always with us.” Danylo and Alina were buried together yesterday.

Some children are still in critical condition.

Among them is an 8-year-old boy, who has already lost his mother. She covered her little son with her body trying to protect him from the missile.

Were they a military group, as Russian propaganda claimed? Definitely not.

But what the Russian leadership and military did – was another war crime.

According to OHCHR, “this is the deadliest single strike harming children which has been verified since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022”.

Yet, the pain and suffering were not enough for the Russian leadership.

While the rescue operation was still ongoing, a drone attack was launched on Kryvyi Rih. Could Russia's actions be more cynical?

Seven people were wounded. One person was killed.

And this attack contributed to the OHCHR's conclusion in its recent report that the number of child casualties has increased since 2024 due to intensified attacks by Russia and the increased use of long-range missiles and drones.

Despite ongoing diplomatic activity, the killing of children has already become routine for Russia.

Dear colleagues,

This war must end. Ukraine wants this as no one else in the world.

But Russia does not.

As I said last Thursday, the day before the attack on Kryvyi Rih, Moscow still believes that its tactics of genocide and terror can pay off.

Every day Moscow reminds us that its words cannot be trusted.

But every new crime committed by Russia is a stark reminder that Moscow can only be forced to end the terror and accept a just peace.

A peace that protects human life, ensures our freedoms and strengthens our future security.

Therefore, we are grateful to the Finnish Chairpersonship for convening this meeting.

It allows us to add our voices to the pressure on Moscow.

Today's meeting should also remind Russia of the inevitability of accountability. The OSCE has all the relevant instruments to contribute to this.

Russian diplomats too must be held accountable for their lies and manipulations.

After all, what the difference between pulling the trigger and deliberately lying to cover up the crime? Both have blood on their hands.

And the OSCE can also render practical assistance to those affected, including through the expansion of existing projects, in particular on psychological and social support for children.

At the same time, such meetings are also important to discuss how to make Ukrainian skies safe and bring peace closer.

These steps must include:

- delivery of additional air-defense systems, especially capable of shielding our people from ballistic missiles; we have enough capabilities to protect the skies together;

- new, tougher sanctions that will defund Russia’s war machine;

- full economic, political and international isolation of the Kremlin regime.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank all our allies, partners and friends – both participating states and partners for cooperation - for their continued political, financial, and military support to my country in exercising our right to self-defense.

This war against children in the playgrounds must be ended.

I thank you, Mr Chairperson.