President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the start of a new academic year and the IAEA mission at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

"Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

Today in our country, a new academic year has begun as it should. Despite everything. Half a year into full-scale war. Extraordinary destruction inflicted upon us by the occupiers. But the education of Ukrainian children continues.

It happens in various formats but everywhere systematically and professionally. And I am grateful to all our educators who continue working and ensure with their attention to children that every young Ukrainian has a chance to become educated and live a dignified modern life. Over 300 thousand first-graders, nearly four million students — such is the scale of September 1st this year.

So, besides many other conclusions, today we can make an extremely important political conclusion — about the resilience of our state and the strength of our society. Our educational institutions are functioning. Our state and local communities ensure the resumption of education even in those areas where schools were destroyed during the occupation.

Today I was in Irpin, Kyiv Oblast. I saw the start of work at such a school — it has been restored. 1300 students and pupils will receive their education there. Children are entering first grade as they should. I was happy to see how they begin learning and under what conditions this happens. A good, comfortable, warmly human school. And so it will be throughout the entire territory of our country from which we will definitely expel occupiers.

No matter what they destroy, we will rebuild everything, we will reconstruct everything. No matter how much they want to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainian things, our children will still go to their schools and universities and freely acquire an education. A national education. Humanistic education. Such education that is built not on lies and propaganda spread by a state-terrorist but on real knowledge, openness to the world, and the best human values.

Today the IAEA mission arrived at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. It's good that this happened despite all Russian military provocations and cynical shelling of Enerhodar and station territory. Ukraine did everything to make this mission happen. But it's bad that occupiers are trying to turn this important IAEA mission into a fruitless tour around the station. I believe we will manage not to allow this.

It is good that representatives of the IAEA have an opportunity to make objective conclusions about risks that arose at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for the first time in history. Risks that emerged precisely because of occupiers. The main thing is that there should be a willingness to make truly objective conclusions. Constant shelling, presence of Russian military and weapons on the station territory, mistreatment of Ukrainian personnel and attempts to hand over the station to representatives of 'Rosatom' who are simply incapable of responsibly handling such an object... These are the reasons for threats.

We have clear data that Russia did a lot of cynical things to deceive the mission. In particular, by frightening Enerhodar residents. Occupiers forced people to lie to IAEA representatives — handing over some papers, signing something, saying something.

When we met with Mr. Grossi and members of the mission in Kyiv, we agreed that the mission would definitely be accompanied by journalists from Ukrainian and international media outlets. Independent journalists. So that the world could see the truth. See what is really happening. Unfortunately, this was not done despite promises. Unfortunately, occupiers did not let journalists in but organized a mass of their propagandists. Unfortunately, IAEA representatives did not protect independent media.

We hope that the mission will still make objective conclusions about the situation at the station. Under the control of our experts for over three decades have been 5 objects — the Chernobyl plant and four operating NPPs. There were never any IAEA remarks on the operation of these facilities until Russia invaded our territory and brought its sacrilege here.

When Russian military finally leave Zaporizhzhia station territory, when they take their weapons and ammunition, when they stop shelling Enerhodar and neighboring areas and their provocations, the Zaporizhzhia station will be able to return to completely safe operation under Ukrainian control.

And what must happen — this is demilitarization of the station territory. This is the goal of Ukrainian and international efforts. And it's bad that we have not yet heard corresponding calls from IAEA. Although we talked about this with Mr. Grossi at our meeting in Kyiv. This was a key — key! — security point of our agreements. It was said clearly: demilitarization and full control by Ukrainian nuclear authorities.

I met today with the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs who arrived in Ukraine. I thanked him for support — this is very useful support, especially in defense. We discussed further steps to protect Ukraine and all of united Europe, sanctions policy, and recovery of our state after military actions.

I held my first meeting with the new Israeli Prime Minister Lapid. I emphasized the need for Israel's joining of sanctions against Russia, sanctions for everything brought by this war. Evil that must never return again.

I addressed the Polish people — September 1 is the anniversary of the start of World War II. In this address, I said an important thing: just as that aggressor was defeated and condemned, this one will inevitably be defeated and condemned too. When free world unites and the victim of aggression does not stand alone, when no one makes shameful pacts with evil, war ends in victory for good.

I signed another decree on awarding our warriors. 155 participants in combat operations have been awarded state honors, including 22 posthumously. Overall since February 24, state honors have already been awarded to 28,042 Ukrainian soldiers. Those who heroically defend our country at all fronts. Who drove the enemy out of the north, who beat occupiers in the east, who destroy them in the south and, importantly now, work on liberating our Crimea.

And especially today I want to thank our defenders on the Kharkiv front — 92nd brigade, all soldiers and battalion commander Fedosenko. Thank you for your bravery, boys!

And also our Air Force. Yesterday air defense forces worked very well in Donetsk Oblast — they shot down another enemy helicopter, already the 205th since the start of full-scale war, and two drones. Overall, more than 800 Russian drones have been destroyed. Today our Air Forces did a good job against enemy rockets — thank you for the result!

Thank you to everyone who defends Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!»