I want to complement the post on our social media (https://x.com/GUAMSecretariat/status/1976574357615869966) with personal remarks, after another night of terror we lived through in Ukraine on October 10, 2025. I want to draw a parallel here and refer to my P.S. to my Address on the 25th anniversary of GUAM, marked on October 10, 2022. Then we were in the eighth month of a full-scale aggression of the RF against Ukraine (https://guam-organization.org/en/address-of-the-guam-secretary-general-dedicated-to-the-25th-anniversary-of-the-establishment-of-the-organization/). I believe this might give a better understanding of the evolution of this war, its impact on us all, living in Ukraine and outside.
On October 10, 2025, Ukraine withstood yet another brutal combined drone and rocket attack across the country. Over 450 drones and over 30 rockets targeted critical life-supporting infrastructure. One of the destinations was Kyiv. As usual, residential areas have also suffered. It was another nightmare that brought death, destruction, blackouts, and cuts in water supply, etc.
First and foremost, on behalf of the GUAM Secretariat, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and sympathy and unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Irrespective of the gravity and danger of the situation, we continue functioning from our Headquarters in Kyiv. We firmly stand together with Ukraine in this struggle.
What has changed in the tactics of the aggressor since then? Not much. Same brutality, cruelty, barbarism, cynicism, however, on a larger scale, and with bigger anger. Now, they do killings and destruction in a “smarter” way, with more calculation and sophistication. Then they didn’t have the experience of modern warfare. So, they are learning and mastering their war machine, utilizing new technologies, even AI. Then they didn’t have Iranian drones, human resources, and rockets from North Korea, and support and supplies from a few others.
Then, they expected to conquer the whole country in days. But failed. Therefore, they massively and indiscriminately utilized all the military arsenal of rockets and other heavy armaments left from Soviet times, in total desperation. Eventually, they exhausted it, all in vain.
Then and now, the goal remains the same: to break the spirit and will to resist, to coerce and subjugate the whole nation. Now, the voicing has changed. They demand that they be given territories they were unable to conquer, but which are “enshrined” in their constitution, as a precondition to stopping the war. Which is a lie and a trap? They will not end the war but postpone it if perpetrators remain unpunished.
So, what now?! Will they achieve their goals? Absolutely not! The spirit of Ukrainians, the unity, is as strong as ever. Unfortunately, Ukrainians are paying for their freedom with blood and the lives of their best sons and daughters. Of different ethnic origins! One can see and feel it at People’s Memorial on Maidan of Independence, which spontaneously started three years ago and has grown into something remarkable and heartbreaking, revealing the true nature of Ukrainians. It turned into a symbol of the unbreakable will and resistance! The cherished dream for freedom and independence! Memorial in tribute to all those who gave their lives for that purpose, of eternal remembrance, surrounded by love and care.
Russians are also losing their men at a significantly higher rate and number. Then, in February 2022, I had some hope that common sense would prevail, and the Russian citizens would acknowledge the tragedy of this senseless, unnecessary “SVO”, which leads the whole country and society to a disaster. I hoped they would rise in mass against it. After all, their leaders kill Ukrainians and destroy the country in their name and allegedly on their behalf.
In my appeal to the citizens and nations of Russia on February 27, 2022 (https://guam-organization.org/en/appeal-of-the-guam-secretary-general-altai-efendiev-to-the-citizens-and-peoples-of-the-russian-federation/), on the fourth day of the illegal invasion, I urged them to take immediate action to stop the madness. Otherwise, face the universal curse and hatred and the state of a pariah nation. Now it looks like they have chosen the second.
This is the most shocking observation in my life. The situation in Russia exposes the whole, ugly face of an empire that uses its brainwashed, dehumanized, zombified population as an instrument in achieving its pseudo-objectives.
Frustratingly disappointing is the response by the international community and global powers to this illegal, criminal, genocidal war started by a UNSC permanent member. All the bombastic declarations about the rule of law, norms, and principles of peaceful coexistence, democratic values, and the preciousness of human life proved to be empty and meaningless. Instead, personal egos, cynicism, interests, big and mighty versus smaller states’ attitudes, prevail in international relations. This puts humankind on a perilous path.
But now, as then, I’m confident and repeat the same: Ukraine will win and will be free! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to their Armed Forces! I can’t wait to see that Day!
