Today is a hard time for Ukraine and for all of us.

Russian servicemen are actually holding the region at gunpoint covering their aggression with falsified and legally void “referendum” that will never be accepted by either Ukraine or the civilized world.

Moreover, Russia has concentrated its troops at our border threatening Ukraine with a full-scale war.

All this time in Crimea, they provoked us to begin armed confrontation that would threaten hundreds of thousands of lives. It should have become a reason for military intervention on the plea of protecting Russian people and Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

But this plan was failed due to the right choice of our strategy. Our servicemen demonstrated a true heroic restraint. Ukrainians did not give in to provocations and Russia actually found itself in the international isolation.

Attempts of military blockade in Crimea are temporary and will not lead to the separation of the peninsula from Ukraine. We are willing to negotiate but we will never put up with the annexation of our land.

Our opponents are not Russians who come to the streets of Moscow and support us in our struggle. Our opponent is political government of Russian Federation. They dream to restore the empire. They are in horror of the Ukrainian example where people overcame the totalitarian regime.

It is a democratic, European, successful and prosperous Ukraine which Kremlin is afraid of most. This is a true motive of their aggression.

But it cannot break the desire of Ukrainian people to live in a free state where the government is elected by the people, where freedom and dignity are fundamental values, where every Ukrainian is secure, where there is justice and opportunities for development.

We will build such Ukraine because all these difficulties only make us stronger.

Certainly, there are a lot of mistakes and difficulties but despite terrible economic crisis the government finds money for army and the National Guard. These are the amendments to the State Budget, the Verkhovna Rada has adopted today.

Indeed, we have to economize. First of all, we reduce payments for the state structures. But we will not save on security and defense because the life of every Ukrainian depends on it. Life and security of citizens are fundamental values for us. We will do everything to avoid war and human victims. We will do everything to resolve the conflict diplomatically. But the military threat to our country is real. That is why I have signed a Decree on partial mobilization. It has been approved by our Parliament. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian patriots voluntarily join the Armed Forces and the National Guard to defend the homeland. Our decision is designed for such patriots.

I would like to tell everyone: each day we enhance our defense capacity. Ukraine is ready to protect the inviolability of its land.

All Ukrainians must unite today into a one big family that is ready to protect its home.

In these hard times, we all must demonstrate support to one another, be united, hold the common line against the aggressor and give all the necessary to our servicemen.

It is not a secret that the aggressor does everything to undermine the situation in Ukraine in order to provoke internal disputes, civil strife and show the weakness of the Ukrainian state. Rioters and provocateurs are sent to us. Traitors and separatists are financed. They want to ruin and weaken the country from the inside. That is why any illegal actions, attempts to incite people to mass riots, seizure of premises, rough justice, counteraction to law enforcement bodies and the Armed Forces in current conditions will be regarded as an attempt to facilitate military aggressors and a crime against the state. They will be strictly punished under the Ukrainian legislation and the Constitution irrespective of the region or political slogans covering them.