Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at a Government session

Good afternoon, esteemed colleagues, dear Ukrainians.

russian terrorists has today once again revealed their so-called willingness to negotiate and achieve peace. Another massive missile attack. Indiscriminate shelling, residential sector was hit. They are trying to destroy the energy infrastructure. And all this during the G20 summit. This is a demonstration of weakness and defeat of the aggressor. For russia, punishment for crimes will be inevitable.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have liberated the right-bank Kherson region and the city of Kherson. The only regional center that the russian army managed to capture over the past 9 months has returned under the control of Ukraine. This is a determining and turning point of this war.

Yesterday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Kherson. On his order, the Government launches an action program to restore the de-occupied region. We are returning normal life to Kherson region. We will help people with all the necessary things and restore everything destroyed and stolen by russian terrorists. Our objective is to heal the wounds left by the ‘great russian world’.

First of all, today the Government will allocate UAH 100 million for the priority restoration of the Kherson region. The funds will be directed to cover the critical needs of the region. This is the first step towards the restoration and revitalization of Kherson region, and we are taking it right now.

The safety of the residents of the region remains an essential issue. The territory of Kherson region is mined to the maximum extent. The complexity of minefields is the highest among all de-occupied territories. Hundreds of pyrotechnics are engaged in demining, now 10 pyrotechnic units of the National Police and 17 units of the State Emergency Service are working there. The priority is to clear the main roads and critical infrastructure.

Along with demining, police departments, fire and rescue units, units of the State Migration Service are resuming their work in Kherson region. Criminologists are also working, and they have already recorded more than 400 war crimes of the russian military. We also document the damage to the entire infrastructure of the region.

As of November 14, over 3 thousand residential and non-residential infrastructure objects were either destroyed or damaged, including 123 objects in Kherson. The occupants ruined 23 healthcare institutions, 22 educational institutions, 33 bridges, 14 railway stations in Kherson region. Gas, electricity, water and heat supply facilities have been devastated.

But we launched the work on the rebuilding of critical infrastructure. We are returning gas supply in those hromadas where it is possible. Where this is not possible, we are working towards alternative ways of gas delivery. In the city of Kherson, the situation with electricity and water is complicated due to destruction, massive mining and the seizure of equipment by the occupiers.

However, the operation of utilities has already been restored. Specialists of "Ukrenergo" and regional power companies are also on the spot. We are working in two directions. The first is the restoration of damages and the provision of alternative connections. The second is to provide the region with generators and other mobile energy sources to the maximum extent possible.

The first two fixed base stations of mobile communication have already been put into operation in Kherson. It is planned to restore communication in the entire de-occupied territory by November 20. Also, by the end of the year Internet providers plan to recover Internet connection in most communities of Kherson region.

The second key issue is social and humanitarian support for the residents of the region.

Regarding social assistance and payment of pensions. All this time the Government has been crediting pensions and other payments to the residents of Kherson region. Only during 15 days of November, UAH 620 million was allocated for pensions, UAH 124 million – for various types of social assistance, UAH 26 million – for subsidies. Ukrposhta is already operating in 79 settlements of Kherson region. Two branches are now being opened in Kherson. Mobile branches are operating. Thanks to this, all those who receive pensions through Ukrposhta will be able to pick them up in the near future.

At the same time, the state-owned Oshchadbank and Privatbank are now working to reopen the branches as soon as possible.

As for the educational process, 157 schools of Kherson region work remotely, 87 of them are institutions in the de-occupied territories. More than 36 thousand children in the liberated communities have already been covered by distance learning. Almost 4 thousand teachers continue to teach children according to Ukrainian curriculum.

Regarding the situation with medicine. Some hospitals were looted, russian troops stole ambulances and some medical equipment. The Ministry of Health is already delivering mobile X-ray machines, ventilators and other necessary things. It is planned to transfer 9 additional ambulances to Kherson. In recent days, humanitarian supplies with medicines have been delivered uninterruptedly.

The work is carried out in all areas. The task set before us by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to return life to the de-occupied territories. And we are doing it.

It is difficult to imagine all the horrors of many months of occupation that our citizens in hundreds of settlements of the country have gone through and, unfortunately, are still going through. We want every Ukrainian citizen who is still under occupation to hear: the Ukrainian flag will fly again in your city, as it did in Kherson.

We will win. And President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the G19 summit, offered a very clear formula for peace:

- radiation and nuclear safety (or in other words, complete demilitarization of Zaporizhzhia NPP and the city of Enerhodar);

- food security (food corridors should work from all Ukrainian ports without restrictions);

- energy security, which is once again being violated by the terrorist russia;

- release of all prisoners and deportees;

- implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the world order;

- withdrawal of russian troops and cessation of hostilities;

- return of justice;

- counteraction to ecocide;

- prevention of escalation;

- and the last one – confirmation of the end of the war.

All these points are not only the way to peace in Ukraine, but also the way to a safer Europe.

No one in the world wants peace more than Ukraine and Ukrainians. We are confident in our abilities and in our rightness.

Peace is possible only if the steps proposed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy are implemented. And every day we are all united in order to bring this peace and our victory closer.

Thank you for your attention. Glory to Ukraine!