Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Russian regime is responsible for war in Europe

"The Russian regime is responsible for war in Europe, for the murder of our people, stealing Crimea, the mockery of millions of Ukrainians. And all this for the desire to restore the Soviet Union", - said the Prime Minister of Ukraine on Monday, September 1, visiting Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk awarded medal “For the military service of Ukraine” to an ordinary militia officer of patrol service of special militia Azov of the Main department of the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine in Kyiv region Olexii Mavrin. The award was received by his mother Oxana Pushenko.

The Interior Minister Arsen Avakov awarded for participation in war activities, demonstrated courage and bravery, devotion to the oath personnel firearms to the commander of Dnipro-1 special battalion, major of militia Yurii Bereza, deputy commander of Dnipro-1 special battalion Vyacheslav Pechenenko, commander of Donbas special battalion, captain of militia Semen Semenchenko, commander of Myrotvoretz (Peacekeeper) battalion Andrii Teteruk, deputy head of Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration Borys Philatov.

Yurii Bereza presented to Arseniy Yatsenyuk a piece of the "Grad" that had not hit Ukrainian soldiers. "If you have that, it will not hit Ukraine, it will miss," said the commander of the Dnipro-1 special battalion.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk reminded that 75 years ago the Second World War had commenced: "None of us could think that such pieces from the Russian "Grad" will destroy Ukraine and kill our people. Then Soviet Russia organized joint parades with Wehrmacht troops. The world has drawn conclusions. That won’t do."

Targeting to stop the war, he said, "we need unity inside Ukraine and fortitude, demonstrated by the guys who broke out of the encirclement [near Illovaysk - ed.], didn’t surrender and lead our fighters out": "The first thing we need is our confidence in victory, our unity, fortitude."

"Of course, we expect help from outside. A number of the imposed sanctions have become a step to certain deterrence, but far from resolving the conflict. It’s time to call things by their proper names. Russia and Vladimir Putin have unleashed this war. The Russian regime is responsible for the war in Europe, for murder of our people, for stealing Crimea, for the humiliation of millions of Ukrainians. And all this for the desire to restore the Soviet Union," he stressed.

"The Soviet Union collapsed. And the one who tries to recover any empire will fall as disgracefully as its predecessors," said the Head of Government.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that presently about four hundred wounded soldiers from ATO areas stay in Dnipropetrovsk alone: "We shall send here additional resources to provide treatment and help these guys. Across the entire country there are a lot of wounded, many families were left without father or son. And it won’t do - every human tragedy will return to the one who created this tragedy."

"I believe that we will pass the tests. First of all, we should rely on our own strength. Self-organization of the whole Ukrainian nation, fighting no matter where you are, fighting in each spot, and aid to the front," said the Head of Government.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that he supports the position of the President of Ukraine regarding military commanders and urged on the need “to conduct radical changes in military leadership of the country”.

He thanked the commanders of special battalions, "who didn’t leave the fighters, didn’t surrendered, broke out of the encirclement and are ready to continue fight for our country."