Ukrainians mourn and vow to continue the fight. Last Minute ASIA, CURRENT, UK, Russia headlines and events

Ukrainians today commemorated their losses in the first year of Russian occupation. While Kyiv vowed to fight to victory, Russia noted that it had made progress in the war in the east and that there were no signs of an end to the war.

Emotional President Volodymyr Zelensky presented medals to soldiers and the mother of a slain soldier in a ceremony that took place on Hagia Sophia Square in Kyiv. Zelensky could not hold back his tears during the anthem.

In a televised speech, Zelensky said: “We have become one family. There are no more strangers among us. Ukrainians hugged Ukrainians. They opened their homes and hearts to those who were forced to flee the war.”

“We tolerate all threats, bombings, cluster bombs, cruise missiles, kamikaze planes, power outages and cold,” Zelensky said, adding that they would do everything to achieve victory this year.

Zelenskiy later attended an online summit where US President Joe Biden and the G7 countries were supposed to pledge support and tighten sanctions against Russia.

Biden tweeted: “Today I will repeat what I said a year ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. A dictator determined to rebuild an empire can never destroy the people’s love of freedom. Cruelty will never crush the will of the free. And Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. It will not happen. Never,” he said.

For ordinary Ukrainians, who spent most of the year hiding in bunkers and supporting the war as best they could, the anniversary meant accountability.

Valentina Krisan, 75, from Kyiv, said: “I buried my son, who died while serving in the army. I also buried my wife. I was left alone, I have a very, very difficult situation. Valentina concluded her words with the words: “I wish you all a wonderful, peaceful day. I wish that such a war will never happen again in your life.”

Important buildings are painted blue and yellow.

Ukraine’s allies around the world have also expressed support. The blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag lit up the Eiffel Tower, the Brandenburg Gate, the Empire State Building and the Sydney Opera House. The street in front of the Russian embassy in London was also painted blue and yellow.

sydney opera

“After this war, life will go on because Ukraine will win,” said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Eiffel Tower

No major events dedicated to the first anniversary of the war were held in Russia. Fireworks took place yesterday on Defender of the Fatherland Day, which is celebrated annually, and on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin attended a variety concert.

In the year after Putin ordered the invasion, which he said was necessary to protect Russia’s security, thousands of Ukrainian civilians and thousands of soldiers from both the Ukrainian and Russian sides are believed to have died.

Ukraine regards the invasion as an attempt to seize an independent country. Having repelled an attempt by Russia, which had military superiority at the beginning of the war, to seize Kyiv, Ukraine subsequently managed to regain control over part of the occupied territories. But Russia still controls about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory.

While Russia destroyed many cities in Ukraine, it forced a third of Ukraine’s population to leave their places. Russia, which left corpses on the streets of occupied cities and then fled, denies any allegations of war crimes.

Russia, which has launched its largest mobilization since World War II and recruited thousands of people to it, has launched a winter operation based on intense trench fighting in recent weeks. However, the trench warfare, which became the bloodiest battle for both sides since the beginning of the war, did not bring much benefit to Russia.

No peace on the horizon

There are no signs of peace between Russia and Ukraine in the near future. Putin now defines the war as a struggle for Russia’s existence and notes that he is fighting against the combined strength of Western countries. Kyiv emphasizes that there will be no peace until Russia leaves.

According to the latest news from the battlefield, the Russian private mercenary unit Wagner claimed to have captured another village near the small mining town of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Russia is advancing, albeit slowly, towards the encirclement of Bakhmut. However, Russian soldiers were unable to take the city in time to inform Putin that victory had been declared in Bakhmut on the first anniversary of the war.

The Russian attacks, which cost heavy losses, did not lead to further successes at the front. Ukraine, on the other hand, is waiting for a supply of new weapons from Western countries before launching a counterattack.

“Four Leopard tanks arrived in Ukraine”

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who is visiting Kiev, said that four German-made Leopard tanks had arrived in Ukraine.

The UK has announced new sanctions against Russia. Other Western countries are also expected to announce new sanctions against Russia, led by President Joe Biden, at the online G-7 summit.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States will provide an additional $2 billion in support to Ukraine and that the new steps the G-7 countries must take will target countries seeking to fill a supply gap for goods that are in limited supply. . was cut off from Russia due to sanctions.

“The international community must come together to show solidarity and impose strong sanctions against Russia,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, current chairman of the G7 group. At the meeting of finance ministers of the G-20 group, which includes Russia, host country India did not mention the war in Ukraine. Western countries are insisting on their stance against war in a statement to be released at the end of the G-20 finance ministers’ summit.

China, which signed an “unrestricted” partnership agreement with Russia shortly before invading Ukraine and showed support for Russia by sending a senior diplomat to Moscow this week, has announced a peace plan that adheres to the principle of neutrality. In recent weeks, Washington has indicated that it is worried about the possibility of China providing military assistance to Russia, but Beijing has rejected this possibility.

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