24 February 2022 ~ One Year On
Support for Ukraine grows, but Russia continues an unprovoked attack on the country
Day 366 (24 February 2023)
The Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki visited Kyiv as a stand of solidarity, stating Poland would support Ukraine until Russia left, and also delivered the first Leopard 2 tanks (four) as promised and has stated that training for pilots in the F-16 will commence. He also stated that 60 PT-91 tanks would be delivered shortly.
Poland in Europe, stand by your side. We will definitely not leave you, we will support Ukraine until complete victory over Russia. (Mateusz Morawiecki )
Zelenskyy has given an international press conference addressing the issues that Ukraine faces. He thanked all the allied countries for their support, and stated that Ukraine can win the war as long as the allies provide the weapons and support as promised. He makes another call for jets, with Poland and the UK (and other unnamed countries) stating that they were ready to train pilots on NATO standard aircraft.
Zelenskyy’s message to Russia when asked about Macron’s comment that he wished to see Russia defeated (but not too harshly):
Respect our right to live on our land, get out of our territory, stop bombing us, stop killing civilians and stop the bombardments.
I don't care what happens to Russia. They have their own state unknown country in democracy. If they thought about their own country, there would be no war.
Like many of us, the horrors of Bucha were the worst moments so far of the war. No one can justify shooting people on the street with their shopping bags, or piling up families in a basement after torturing and shooting them. The world had to wake up and accept that chatting to Putin was not going to stop these atrocities, and the arrogance of some politicians for failing to understand that means they have blood on their hands. Rather than support Ukraine with weapons to defend themselves, they chose to talk to Putin while thousands of Ukrainians were murdered in cold blood.
As Zelenskyy addresses the country, he reaffirms that Ukraine will fight to protect its independence and that Ukraine also fights for global democracy.
Great People of Great Ukraine!
A year ago, on this day, from this very place, at about seven in the morning, I addressed you with a short statement. It lasted only 67 seconds. It contained the two most important things, then and now. That Russia started a full-scale war against us. And that we are strong. We are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone. Because we are Ukraine!
That is how February 24, 2022 began. The longest day of our lives. The hardest day of our modern history. We woke up early and haven't fallen asleep since.
Some people were afraid, some were shocked, some did not know what to say, but everyone felt what to do. There were traffic jams on the roads, but many people were going to get weapons. Queues were forming. Some people stood at the borders, but many went to military registration and enlistment offices, and territorial defense units.
We did not raise the white flag, and began to defend the blue and yellow. We were not afraid, we did not break down, we did not surrender. The symbol of this was the border guards of Zmiinyi Island and the route they told the Russian warship.
Our faith has grown stronger. Our morale has been reinforced. We endured the first day of a full-scale war. We didn't know what would happen tomorrow, but we realized for sure: every tomorrow is worth fighting for!
And we fought. And we fiercely fought for every day. And we endured the second day. And then - the third. Three days that we were predicted to last. They threatened that in 72 hours we would not exist. But we survived the fourth day. And then the fifth. And today we have been standing for exactly one year. And we still know: every tomorrow is worth fighting for!
I am grateful to all those who make our resistance possible. These are all our defenders. The Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ground Forces, our infantry and tank-men. Air and Naval Forces. Artillery, air defense, paratroopers, intelligence, border guards. The Special Operations Forces, the Security Service, the National Guard, the police, the territorial defense units - all our security and defense forces. Thanks to you, Ukraine stands. And we endured the furious month and the furious beginning of the war.
And then came spring. New attacks, new wounds, new pain. Everyone saw the true nature of our enemy. The shelling of the maternity hospital, the drama theater in Mariupol, Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Svobody Square in Kharkiv, the train station in Kramatorsk. We saw Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka. The whole world clearly realized what the Russian world really means. What Russia is capable of.
At the same time, the world saw what Ukraine is capable of. These are the new heroes. Defenders of Kyiv, defenders of Azovstal. New feats performed by entire cities. Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Hostomel, Volnovakha, Bucha, Irpin, Okhtyrka. Hero Cities. The capitals of invincibility. New symbols. And with that, new assessments and forecasts for Ukraine.
The first month of the war. And the first turning point in the war. The first changes in the world's perception of Ukraine. It did not fall in three days. It stopped the second army of the world.
We took new hits every day, learned about new tragedies every day, but we endured thanks to those who gave it all they got every day. For the sake of others.
These are our medics who rescue wounded soldiers on the frontline, perform surgeries under fire, deliver babies in bomb shelters, and stay on duty for days and weeks. Like our rescuers and firefighters who pull people out of the rubble and fire 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And our railroad workers who have been evacuating hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians since the beginning of the war without sleep or rest.
And then there were the first offensives, the first achievements, the first liberated territories. The first and not the last Chornobaivka. Expulsion of the occupiers from the Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions. Our Stuhna. Vilkha. Our Neptune and the sinking Moskva cruiser. The first Ramstein. And the second ever Lend-Lease.
Ukraine has surprised the world. Ukraine has inspired the world. Ukraine has united the world. There are thousands of words to prove it, but a few will suffice. HIMARS, Patriot, Abrams, IRIS-T, Challenger, NASAMS, Leopard.
I thank all of our partners, allies and friends who have stood side by side with us throughout the year. I am glad that the international anti-Putin coalition has grown so much that it requires a separate address. I will deliver it shortly. Definitely.
I also thank our foreign policy army. Divisions of our diplomats, ambassadors, representatives in international organizations and institutions. All those who are fighting the occupiers with fire and sword of international law, achieving new sanctions and recognition of the terrorist state as a terrorist state.
The war changed the fate of many families. It rewrote the history of our families. It changed our customs and traditions. Grandfathers used to tell their grandchildren how they beat the Nazis. Now grandchildren tell their grandfathers how they beat the Rashists. Mothers and grandmothers used to knit scarves, now they weave camouflage nets. Children used to ask Santa for smartphones and gadgets, but now they give pocket money and raise money for our soldiers.
In fact, every Ukrainian has lost someone in the past year. A father, a son, a brother, a mother, a daughter, a sister. A loved one. A close friend, colleague, neighbor, acquaintance. My condolences.
Almost everyone has at least one contact in their phone who will never pick up the phone again. Will never answer a text message "How are you?". These simple words have acquired a new meaning during the year of war. Every day, millions of Ukrainians have written or spoken this question to their loved ones millions of times. Every day, someone did not receive an answer. Every day, the occupiers killed our relatives and friends.
We will not erase their names from the phone or from our own memory. We will never forget them. We will never forgive that. We will never rest until the Russian murderers face deserved punishment. The punishment of the International Tribunal. The judgment of God. Of our warriors. Or all of them together.
The verdict is obvious. 9 years ago, the neighbor became an aggressor. A year ago, the aggressor became an executioner, looter and terrorist. We have no doubt that they will be held accountable. We have no doubt that we will win.
In the summer we felt it. We passed 100 days of war. We received EU candidate status, returned Zmiinyi Island, heard the first "Bavovna" in Crimea, saw fireworks at the occupier's warehouses and Antonivskyi Bridge.
August was the first month when the occupiers did not take a single Ukrainian city. Threats and ultimata about denazification were replaced by gestures of goodwill. And we felt then that our victory was inevitable. It is close. It will come.
And then came the autumn. And our counteroffensive. The liberation of Izyum, Balakliya, Kupyansk, Lyman, the Kherson region and the city of Kherson. We saw how people there met our military. How they cherished the Ukrainian flag. How they were waiting and returned to Ukraine.
I want to address those who are still waiting. Our citizens who are now under temporary occupation. Ukraine has not abandoned you, has not forgotten about you, has not given up on you. One way or another, we will liberate all our lands. We will do everything for Ukraine to return. And to all those who are now forced to stay abroad, we will do everything for you to return to Ukraine. We will do everything to make it possible.
We will fight and bring back every single one of our captive soldiers. Only all this together will be a victory.
We can see it even in the dark. Despite the constant massive missile attacks and power outages. We see the light of this victory.
In their memories of their first feelings on February 24, 2022, people mention shock, pain, and uncertainty. A year after the full-scale invasion, the faith in victory is 95%. The main emotion we feel when we think about Ukraine is pride.
For every Ukrainian man, every Ukrainian woman. Pride for us. We have become one big army. We have become a team where someone finds, someone packs, someone brings, but everyone donates.
I am grateful to our people, grateful to our multi-million army of volunteers and citizens who do care, who can collect and get everything necessary.
We have become one. Our journalists and media are a united front fighting against lies and panic.
We have become one family. There are no more strangers among us. Ukrainians today are all fellows. Ukrainians have sheltered Ukrainians, opened their homes and hearts to those who were forced to flee the war.
We withstand all threats, shelling, cluster bombs, cruise missiles, kamikaze drones, blackouts, and cold. We are stronger than that.
It was a year of resilience. A year of care. A year of bravery. A year of pain. A year of hope. A year of endurance. A year of unity.
The year of invincibility. The furious year of invincibility.
Its main result is that we endured. We were not defeated. And we will do everything to gain victory this year!
Glory to Ukraine!
A G7 summit was held, and Zelenskyy was invited to attend via video link. The G7 reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine financially and in military terms until Russia leaves Ukraine.
Ukraine holds Bakhmut and Russia does not declare they have occupied the territory as some analysts thought. It is however a very bloody battle and brave Ukrainians hold their line.
Belarus are reported to be carrying out ‘combat readiness’ measures, basically saying they are ready to fight to defend themselves even though no one is attacking them. Ukraine has tightened the defences by the Belarusian border as they have a right to since Belarus allowed Russia to start the invasion from their land last year
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The UN resolution passed last night shows support for Ukraine. Those that opposed were: Russia, Mali, Eritrea, Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua and Syria.
Australia and New Zealand announce further sanctions against Russian entities, and further military aid. It is apparent that this war will continue perhaps into next year as the US has said the promised Abrams may not be delivered until 2024.
China has been an issue, and Zelenskyy has said that they need to be part of the peace talks because it is evident that they are supporting Russia. China has called upon the West to lift sanctions against Russia in order for Russia to be in a place to take part in peace talks and look to a ceasefire. Obviously, China do not understand the premise behind sanctions and that they are implemented to stop an aggressor. A ceasefire is unsatisfactory because Ukraine are defending themselves and are not firing unless they are being fired upon or are threatened.
Intelligence suggests that China is considering supplying drones to Russia to use against Ukraine. The X’ian Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technology has allegedly agreed to produce 100 ZT-180 prototypes drones for Russia by April 2023.
China (Wang Wenbin, the Foreign Ministry spokesman) has also accused the West of supplying weapons to Ukraine via criminal smuggling groups. Ukraine deny this, and it is a well-known fact that the US has made sure that the delivery of all equipment is registered and tracked, and arrives via Poland through the official channels. The reason for the accusation is support Russian propaganda in a bid to stop military aid being delivered to Ukraine
Even Stoltenberg (NATO) has expressed doubts over China’s proposed 12 point peace plan because they make no reference to the fact that Russia is responsible for the war. China abstained during the last round of UN votes to oppose the war, but that doesn’t mean they support Ukraine but publicly do not wish to support Russia through fear of being sanctioned. China claims to be neutral, but sanctions would hit China hard. Among the points are an opposition on the use of nuclear weapons, but it is Putin that makes that threat, and then China states that sanctions not authorised by the UN Security Council should end. As China and Russia veto all actions, it means that there have been no UN Security Council sanctions. China also stresses that territorial integrity needs to be respected, but that’s probably because they need to say that so that they can regain control of Taiwan.
Three lawmakers from a pro-Kremlin party have been stripped of their mandates. Members of the For Life party have had their mandates revoked. Oleh Voloshyn, Natalia Korolevska, and Yuriy Solod were named, and while some claim this is undemocratic, if Ukraine wishes to join the EU and NATO, it needs to removes all elements that could lead to corruption.
Even fence sitting Scholz has made a speech and sated that Putin can stop this war, and he must do by admitting his ‘imperialist goal’ cannot be achieved.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, a governor in Belgorod has apparently been admitted to hospital with food poisoning. Perhaps he has been staying clear of windows?
Russia continues to launch missiles against Ukraine, and they illegally occupy a fifth of the land.
The day has been filled with tributes to the fallen, in memory of the victims, and a minute silence was held in the UK. Reporters have shared what they did this time last year, and how the invasion began. The year has been an education for many in the West who have been indoctrinated with narrative that Ukraine is part of Russia. We now know it is not, and it is not a local conflict as Putin likes to call it.
My own collection last year was of surprise when I saw Ukraine offering weapons to civilians to protect themselves. It reminded me of the American Civil War where people had to defend themselves. Was the Ukrainian army that unprepared? The truth we now know is that there were pro-Russian collaborators who had prevented a proper defence, and many of these people had left Ukraine just prior to the invasion. I expected the international bodies to have stepped in and to have prevented the war, but it seems they were weak and compromised. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine could see what was happening, but didn’t do enough to seek aid for Ukraine and officially bolted on 31 March 2022, although many staff members had already fled by then.
NATO was slow to comment on the invasion, and the French and Germans were keen to talk Putin down. We all know that was a waste of time, and the UN were also slow to act, and evacuations from targeted areas seemed to have been hindered where the UN failed to use its powers to assist in them.
On 24 February 2022, Putin announced around 5.30 a.m., that Russia had launched a special military operation. The invasion began around 4 a.m.,when soldiers carrying out military drills were instructed to fire for real and to cross the border from Belarus into Ukraine
Zelenskyy addresses the people of Ukraine and tell them that Russia has invaded the country. Later that day, martial law is imposed and mobilisation is called for so that 18-60 year old men cannot leave the country and must sign up to fight.
By 6.30 a.m., explosions were heard in Kyiv and across the country as people woke up to war in their country.
NATO launched defences in the area as Ukraine is bordered by several NATO countries.
A year later, some weapons have been supplied to Ukraine but not enough for them to win the war. They have survived through sheer grit and determination, and it’s time for the West, NATO, the UN, and the EU to live up to their charters and to protect democracy from dictators.
Thank you to E -L for the review of the year long 'special military operation' which is really all-out WAR, and the very moving address by President Zelensky. There is a solidarity march this evening here in Toronto to mark the one year anniversary of the WAR. I would like to take part, but at 90, I'm taking care of my 93 year old husband and have been listening via TV to the various people who are speaking at the peaceful demonstration of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.