Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov addressed at the extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Defence Ministers.
Key talking points of the Ukrainian Minister:
After the failure of the blitzkrieg tactics, the kremlin and its generals switched to terror tactics – with mass killings of civilians, destruction, and cruelty. I assure you, this tactic will also fail. The only question is the price Ukraine will pay.
It has now been confirmed that in the three weeks of the active phase of the war, the russian occupiers have already killed 103 Ukrainian children, more than 100 were maimed, and about 3,000 civilians were killed.
The occupiers are committing a real act of genocide in Mariupol. It is being wiped off the face of the earth by aircraft, missiles, and artillery. Local authorities estimate the loss of civilians at about 20,000. And this number is growing every minute.
War against Ukraine is war against the world. Wanting to destroy Ukraine, russia has started the war against humanism, international law, peace, and freedom – values that make us human, not machines or beasts. In the fields and cities of Ukraine, people, our people are fighting against animals in machines.
The Ukrainian army is controlled and combat-ready. Tens of thousands of patriots have taken up arms to defend Ukraine. All our military units act as a single body and according to the plan of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Headquarters in Kyiv.
russia has already lost more soldiers than in the two Chechen wars. More than 13,000 soldiers, more than 400 tanks and 1,200 armored vehicles. We shot down 80 planes and almost 100 helicopters. We eliminated a few russian generals.
But the consequences of the criminal actions of the russian occupiers can be catastrophic. They have already captured two Ukrainian nuclear power plants – Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia. The kremlin is already attacking a nuclear facility, endangering millions of people. It will not be possible to watch the nuclear catastrophe on TV.
Already three million refugees from our country are being rescued in neighboring countries. There may be several times more. The migration crisis over the Syrian war, which was also largely inspired by russia, will be outmatched if NATO sits on its hands.
russia’s goal is to destroy the free world, embodied by NATO and the EU. It is only a matter of time before russia strikes a neutral country or NATO country in Europe.
The kremlin is the collective Hitler of the 21st century. This is not a metaphor or an exaggeration.
Time of words, declarations, declarations of intentions has passed. It’s time to act.
Now is a time for strong decisions that will shape the new world order. Based on law, humanism, truth, and justice. The one where terrorists and tyrants will not be able to dictate will.