Dear Ukrainians,
Rescue operations are currently underway in Dobropillia, Donetsk region, after a Russian bomb struck right in the city, hitting a local store and ordinary market stalls. At this moment, the number of victims caused by this strike is not yet confirmed. So far, we know that eleven people have been injured and two killed. My condolences to their families. All services are involved and doing everything they can to save as many people as possible. This is just horrendous, dumb Russian terror. There is no military logic behind their strikes, simply an attempt to kill as many as possible. The present-day Russia is all about vile strikes like this. We will respond. We will work with our partners to force Russia to end this war. And we must also increase our own strength to achieve that. This is exactly what we are focused on now.
Today, the legal procedures to reshuffle the Government have already begun – Members of Parliament supported the resignation of the Prime Minister. This morning, we held a highly focused meeting with Denys Shmyhal, specifically on defense matters, also joined by Rustem Umerov and Herman Smetanin. We agreed on new approaches to managing the defense sector. The Ministry of Defense will have greater influence over weapons production, and there must be more Ukrainian-made weapons – more of them in the hands of our warriors on the frontline.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense will conduct an audit of all agreements with our partners – this includes supplies under aid programs, as well as investment in our Ukrainian weapons production, and all our joint projects. We are speeding up all processes to the fullest extent. Today, I have already signed and submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the documents proposing Denys Shmyhal as the new Minister of Defense. Strategic industrial sectors will also be managed through the Ministry of Defense.
Herman Smetanin will head Ukroboronprom. The task is very specific and clear. Currently, Ukrainian weapons account for nearly 40% of those used on the frontline and in all our operations. This is already significantly more of Ukraine’s own weapons production than at any point since our independence. The volumes are indeed substantial. But we need even more.
And what we need is greater capacity to push the war back onto Russia’s territory – back to where the war was brought from. So that they feel what they’ve done, and what the cost is of Putin’s refusal to implement a ceasefire and pursue real peace. We must reach the level of 50% Ukrainian-made weapons within the first six months of the new Government's work by expanding our domestic production. I am confident this can be achieved, though not easily.
