Zelensky Responds to Sarik Andreasian's Open Letter About Supplying Phosphorus Bombs to Azerbaijan

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has responded on Facebook to an open letter from Sarik Andreasian, an Armenian film director living in Russia, who accused Kyiv of supplying phosphorus bombs to Azerbaijan for battles in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Zelensky specifically wrote: "I understand, Sarik, that this is truly painful. It’s horrifying when you see firsthand what real war looks like. One should not take on the role of another's puppet. I understand what Russian propaganda is doing and why. But I absolutely do not understand you, as Ukraine has never supplied any phosphorus bombs anywhere. Not at all."

According to the Ukrainian president, "such fabrications are not new." He stated, "Initially, such lies were spread about the war in Ukraine and Donbas. Then about the war in Ukraine and Syria, and now in the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh war. And all of these have the same authors. Don’t you understand why they do this? Therefore, before saying something about Ukraine, sincerely answer a simple question: who benefits from lies about wars and Ukraine?"

Zelensky expressed his personal remorse, saying, "I personally feel sorry that you—a person to whom I opened my home and who knows my inner world and my values so well—have so easily fallen victim to someone else's propaganda. Couldn’t you have asked me personally?"

In his letter to Andreasian, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is against any bloody conflict and does not support escalation, nor does it fuel confrontation. "The reason is that we ourselves have been enduring a very brutal war for seven years. We are categorically against wars and provocations on military themes. This is confirmed by our pursuit of peace," he wrote.

Zelensky acknowledged that they are well aware of "who the authors of such misleading news are and have already developed immunity to it." He stated, "I am convinced that it is the duty of all artists and cultural figures to help with de-escalation, to extinguish aggressive emotions, not to provoke contradictions, and even more so, not to spread fake news. When artists speak, cannons should remain silent, right?" He added that "a large Armenian community resides in Ukraine, which is an organic part of Ukrainian society," underscoring the importance of this fact.

"And yet, I have one question for you, Sarik, that can be asked right now. It is not an easy question since it concerns values, human normality, and sincerity. Where were you when the war invaded Ukraine and our children were dying? When Ukrainian citizens of Armenian descent were dying, which were not in single numbers but in dozens? What did you say at that time against the aggression? Nothing? I understand. Because that was not your war. And today the war is horrific because that horror has also come to your home. For me, everything is clear and simple. I have always supported a just world. And Ukraine does not support the supply of weapons to anyone. Unlike another well-known country that supplies weapons to everyone. Because war is its bread and blood," Zelensky wrote.