100 days of war. Address of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Ukrainians

Great people of Great Ukraine, exactly 100 days ago we all woke up in another reality, exactly 100 days ago other versions of ourselves woke up. When Ukrainians are awakened not by a ray of sunshine, but by explosions, by missiles hitting our homes, then completely different Ukrainians wake up. In 2014, Russia came to us with one word, with a new word, and that word was—war. On February 24, Russia added another word to it, creating the phrase—full-scale war. And over the course of 100 days, we found, received, saw, or wanted to erase other words.

There are not many of them, they are different, but they reflect what we have gone through. Among these words are some new to us, and those that were forgotten even by our parents, but which we had to recall. Some are well-known to everyone on the planet, and others that all people must remember with horror. Painful words, and those that truly give us hope. All are important, all of them. It would be right for us to remember today exactly 100 days, 100 words. First of all—these are two words. Our—hero. That is, first and foremost, the people who, from the night of February 24 until today, have been defending our state.

And then Ukrainian words. Palyanytsia, armed forces, Stugna, Cossack, Snake [Island]. And, of course, Chornobaivka—this is one word that has sounded many, many times, and in which everything is visible, both about our resistance and about our enemies.

And also foreign words that have become native to Ukraine. Bayraktar, Harpoon, HIMARS, Starlink, Rzeszów and, of course, Lend-Lease. One more word. Just one, but one that reflects 100 days of struggle, 100 days of diplomacy, 100 days of support. And a word that reflects something important in our character.

Specifically in the Ukrainian character. Javelins, which caused fear in the enemies because they did not expect that armor would not save them. And then a smile. Our smile, when Ukrainians also painted a Holy Javelin. And the word for which everyone, everyone in Ukraine raises a glass. Neptune.

Every day, words appeared for us that for each and every one of us are now much bigger than just words. Heavy words. Hostomel, Borodyanka, Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Izyum, Melitopol, Mariupol and Azovstal. And along with them: army, arty, marines, border guards, intelligence, National Guard, police, territorial defense, aviation. Our heroic pilots. And also the word "ghost." The Ghost of Kyiv, who destroyed enemies and remained alive.

We might not have heard all these words as many times in our entire lives as we have in these 100 days. And every time we hear them, we know that it is they who give us the time and opportunity to live. To live as long as we are allotted. Allotted by God, not by the enemy. God—this word, this address, it has sounded more than once and always specially.

There were also words that our enemy wanted to erase. Volnovakha and Saltivka, Popasna and Severodonetsk. These are words that we will certainly write again, but in our way, just as we did Bucha and Mariupol. And we will certainly write them next to the word "tribunal." So that other words—filtration, deportation, torture, execution, carpet bombing, missile strike—will certainly receive an answer. An answer consisting of just one word: justice. Justice, which will be the final point after words that are temporary for us. Occupation, Mordor, orcs. Of course, they will leave our lexicon. We will certainly drive them out of our land.

There were also words that gave hope and for which we fought. We fought especially for humanitarian corridors, which became a road of life for hundreds of thousands of people. And which allowed us to overcome another word—the terrible word "blockade."

From the first day, words have remained with us between which there is a distance. Like between darkness and light. One word we avoid, the word refugees. And with the help of another word, we believe that millions of our people have a future. It will be at home in Ukraine. And this word is displaced persons.

Much has changed. When we hear the word "Patron," we remember Ukraine's most famous sapper. And when we hear "marathon," we understand that it is not about sport at all.

And of course, many deadly dangerous words were brought into our lexicon. Things that no Ukrainian man or woman ever wanted to see, and which no normal person can be proud of. Iskanders, Kalibrs, Solntsepeks, phosphorus bombs and others. For some reason, we did not see their praised Armata tank.

I think they were afraid of our new phrase "tractor troops."

And one more phrase is worth mentioning. The second army in the world. At first it looked threatening, then dangerous. After Bucha, it caused only disgust, and now, perhaps, a bitter smile. Because what is left of it, of the army that was called the second army in the world? War crimes, shame and hatred, and numbers. Numbers instead of words. When you see every morning the number of dead, the number of wounded, the number of shellings, the number of missiles, when next to the word "children" every morning is a new figure—today it is 261.

The Russian invasion has already killed 261 children. For what purpose—there are no words that can answer this question.

Words have appeared that are now very frequent, which sound daily. But we must ensure that for our children, they no longer mean what they mean to us today. So that they can perceive them only as history. First and foremost, these are the words ruins, but also siren, air raid alert, curfew, checkpoint, barbed wire, and the word "mines."

There will be many more words that everyone will know, which will have meaning for everyone and which will give a chance to millions. These are the words reconstruction, candidacy and membership, guarantees and security, and definitely the word "return." Of course, based on the word that was a dream and will become a reality: liberation.

These are the words of our future. These are words about what we will do with our red viburnum, with our glorious Ukraine. Words about where the enemy warship is heading and will always head, about what to do with the occupiers, when someone says "Vova!". And of course, our already folk "Good evening, we are from Ukraine." From that Ukraine where the field blooms and she turns gray.

From that Ukraine that stands, will stand, and shall stand. Ukraine, whose glory and freedom have not yet perished, Ukraine, to which we say glory. Glory to Ukraine, glory to the nation, and the continuation is known to everyone. Death to the enemy. Because there are three words for which we have been fighting for 100 days, after eight years.

Peace. Victory. Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine.