Ukraine promises to win and mourns the dead
2023.02.25 02:51
Ukraine promises to win and mourns the dead
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – On Friday, Ukraine paid tribute to its fallen soldiers and promised to keep fighting, while Russia warned the world to accept “the realities” of its war and was subjected to new Western sanctions on the anniversary of the invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented medals to soldiers and the mother of one killed during a ceremony in Kyiv’s St. Sophia Square. During the anthem, he fought back tears.
In a televised address, he stated, “We have become one family… Ukrainians have sheltered Ukrainians, opened their homes and hearts to those who were forced to flee the war.”
“We withstand shelling, cluster bombs, cruise missiles, kamikaze drones, blackouts, and cold, and we will do everything in our power to win this year,”
Zelenskiy attended an online summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies who pledged to intensify their support and reiterated his calls for more Western weaponry.
Biden tweeted, “A dictator determined to rebuild an empire will never erase the people’s love of liberty.”
“Russia will never win against Ukraine. Never.”
Washington announced a new $2 billion package of military aid for Ukraine, as well as a slew of new sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia’s mining and metals industries and companies from third nations that are accused of supplying Moscow with restricted goods.
Canada and Britain, both members of the G7, announced measures that were similar to those already in place. On the other hand, approval of a tenth package of sanctions imposed by the European Union was delayed due to disagreements among its 27 members regarding one aspect.
The anniversary was a time for reflection for Ukrainians who had supported the war effort in any way they could and had spent much of the year in fear and grief.
“When a child is targeted, you simply ask, ‘Why?’ when an innocent person is killed in front of you. “What’ for?” said Alla Nechyporenko, a 50-year-old woman whose husband was killed by a gunshot and her 14-year-old son was injured at a Russian checkpoint near Kyiv, Bucha, early in the war.
A human rights group said that dozens of people were detained by police in Russia for doing things to honor the invasion victims, including just placing flowers, in some cases just for doing so. In Russia, where criticizing the war in public is punishable by lengthy prison terms,
The atmosphere was muted and there were no public events of any kind.
Vera, a pensioner, stated, “I really want peace, I really want it all to end as soon as possible.”
As he walked through Moscow, Igor declared, “Russia must win.” We are looking forward to its successful conclusion. All we can anticipate is that. We can’t do anything else.”
The Brandenburg Gate, the Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House, and the Eiffel Tower were illuminated by Ukraine’s blue and yellow flags (NASDAQ:). House in an international wave of solidarity.
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, claiming that it was necessary to protect Russia’s security, it is believed that tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides have died.
It is viewed by Ukraine as an attempt to subjugate an independent state. Early in the war, its outnumbered and outgunned forces defeated Russia’s attempt to seize Kyiv, the capital, and later retook portions of occupied territory. However, despite its claim to have annexed Ukraine, Moscow still controls nearly a fifth of the country.
In order to achieve peace, the world should acknowledge “new territorial realities” in Ukraine, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.
Ukrainian cities have been destroyed, a third of the population has fled, and the streets of the towns that Russian troops occupied and lost are littered with bodies.
Russia denies war crimes.
As of late, Russian powers, recharged with a huge number of recruits, have pursued extraordinary close quarters conflict, making just little gains regardless of battling that the two sides call the bloodiest up to this point.
Putin claims that he is fighting for Russia’s survival against the West’s combined might. According to Kyiv, there can be no peace until Russia leaves.
Russia’s Wagner private army, commanded by a Putin ally who has argued with the regular military leadership, claimed in the most recent battlefield reports that it had captured another village on the outskirts of Bakhmut, the small mining town in the east that is the focus of Moscow’s offensive.
Although Russia has made clear, albeit sluggish, progress toward encircling Bakhmut, it has not captured it in time to provide Putin with a victory to announce on the anniversary.
Ivan, a Ukrainian radio operator who works on the front line near Bakhmut and is 31 years old, stated, “We’ll be here for as long as needed, as long as we can.”
The costly Russian assaults have not resulted in any significant front-line advances. Before beginning a counterattack, Ukraine, on the other hand, is awaiting new Western weapons.
The arrival of some Leopard tanks has begun.
China and India, two of the world’s largest developing nations, have avoided imposing sanctions on Moscow, despite widespread Western support for Ukraine. The host nation, India, did not bring up the conflict during a meeting of the G20’s finance ministers, which included representatives from Russia.
China, which just before the war signed a “no limits” partnership with Russia and sent its top diplomat to Moscow this week, called for a ceasefire while adhering to its public neutrality policy.
