For long 709 days we worried, prayed, actively worked, organized protests for this day to happen today. This is the day when Nadiya returned to Ukraine, and the hope and the firm belief in our victory came with her. Just like we returned Nadiya, we will return Donbass and Crimea under Ukrainian sovereignty.
Nadiya has become a symbol, a symbol of honor and inflexibility, that Ukraine became — just like a Ukrainian woman, an officer of the armed forces of Ukraine. We are proud of the conduct that Nadiya expressed, being hostage to Russian aggressor for the long 709 days.
Mother and sister were the people waitng for Nadiya more than anyone else. Now I can already say that this was not the first attempt to bring back Nadiya. The last date that was set was 22 May, before that was May 18, there were a lot of other dates that for some reasons did not go through. But we can say: this is our common victory!
I would like to thank you for your active participation and support of all pro-Ukrainian coalition of the world, national leaders – German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, US President Barack Obama, the EU Member States leaders who jointly decided to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation. Leaders of all countries: Poland, Lithuania, the UK, Spain, Italy, all without exception, the leaders of the far distant Australia and Japan, which stated clearly: Nadiya Savchenko must go home.
But this is only the beginning. After all, we expect to return home Salashenko, Afanasyev, Sentsova, Kolchenko and many other Ukrainians, who are currently being held hostage in the Russian Federation, and in the occupied territory. I am glad that Nadiya can join the fight.
I want to announce that these steps would be impossible without the Minsk Agreements, which clearly stated Russia’s commitment to free all the hostages that (the agreement) are substantial part of the UN Security Council’s decision on the basis of which sanctions against Russia were applied.
After the speech of the head of state Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko took the floor, now free from the Russian prison. Her words ran as follows:
“Glory to Ukraine!” Thanks mom for waiting for me, thank you sister, for fighting, if I did not have a sister like that, I would have died. Thanks to the people of Ukraine and the world. I must tell you that if the people did not discuss my case the politicians would not have done anything. Perhaps the essence of democracy is that the people speak up and are heard, and they forced others to hear them.
They will listen to us, because we are Ukrainians. People gave their lives for it, many of them did. And we will have our voice always heard. Thanks to all the guys who died for Ukraine. I apologize for being still alive. But I’m always ready to go into battle for Ukraine, to the bitter end. Ukraine has a right to be, oblivious to anyone’s rotten soul and head. And we will! Because we are the Ukrainians, because we are the people, because we are a nation.
I’m not going to talk about nasty people. I do not want to convey to you my rage, anger and hatred. I hope that in time of these feelings I will only have wisdom. I do not want people to want war, I want people to want peace. But, unfortunately, the world is only possible through war. Often there is a line, after which there is no other way.
It is good that there are Minsk Agreements, very good that they will be executed, because we will do everything to ensure that they are implemented. First of all I think I want to say hello to the Russians and to say that there is nothing to fear, they must get up from their knees! I understand that this is not a country for which it is easy to get up from the knees. But if they also want to live in harmony, like us, they have to get up from knees, and we must not allow them to come here. Do not let them come farther than they think they can. We will be working on it. I will work hard to bring back everyone who is imprisoned and still alive. For as few as possible of them to die. And we will work to ensure that Ukraine was strong, that we would never be in oblivion as people. I will fight for the Ukrainians to have a right to be and to live with dignity in our own land. To Ukraine! Ukraine above all!”
After these words, Nadiya Savchenko was presented with state award of Ukraine – the title of Hero of Ukraine.
