On August 29, Ukraine observes the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine fallen in the struggle for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Eight years ago, hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers died as the Ukrainian army and volunteers retreated from the eastern town of Ilovaisk.
During the withdrawal of Ukrainian soldiers from the Ilovaisk Cauldron, the military and political leadership of Russia have deceitfully breached the agreements on the establishment of the ‘green corridor’. Armed forces of the aggressor state shot Ukrainian soldiers at close range with heavy weapons, committing a war crime – killing an adversary by resort to perfidy. Today, Russian invaders are preparing a similarly barbaric war crime – the trial of Ukrainian POWs - defenders of the city of Mariupol. Any trial of prisoners of war would undermine fundamental norms and principles of international law particularly, corresponding provisions of the UN Charter, the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of 12 August 1949 and the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts.
Thus, we call on our partners to take urgent measures to curb the Kremlin's criminal intentions against Ukrainian defenders.
Despite the superiority of the Russian troops in terms of military manpower and armaments, Ukrainian Armed Forces hold the defense courageously and, thanks to the skillful use of the military assistance of our international partners, continue high-precision strikes on the positions of the Russian occupiers. Providing Ukraine with the modern weaponry is necessary for successful counteroffensives and ending the war and will be the best investment in sustainable peace and prosperity of the entire European continent.
Today, on the 187th day of heroic resistance of Ukrainian people against the full-scale Russian invasion, we also call on our international partners to impose the complete embargo on Russian fossil fuels, to strengthen sectoral and personal sanctions against Russia, Russian elites and state enterprises, and to support creation of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.