Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the primary anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Friday with a somber message of defiance to his people, saying “we are going to defeat everyone”.
In a video released to the media and titled “the 12 months of invincibility”, the 45-year-old sat at a desk and recalled how he addressed Ukrainians a 12 months ago in a hurried statement, as Kyiv and the world reeled from Russia’s act of war.
“A 12 months ago on today, from this same place around seven within the morning, I addressed you with a transient statement, lasting only 67 seconds,” he said in a 15-minute speech, as solemn music played within the background.
“…we’re strong. We’re ready for anything. We’ll defeat everyone. That is the way it began on February 24, 2022. The longest day of our lives. Essentially the most difficult day in our recent history. We woke up early and haven’t slept since.”
Western military officials estimate casualties on each side of the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two at greater than 100,000 killed or wounded. Tens of 1000’s of civilians also died, while thousands and thousands more have fled the specter of fighting.
“Almost everyone has at the very least one contact of their phone that may never pick up the phone again,” Zelensky said. “He who won’t reply to the SMS ‘How are you?’. These two easy words got a recent meaning throughout the 12 months of the war.”
Ukrainian forces prevented a swift victory early in 2022, and the conflict, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”, has grow to be certainly one of grinding trench warfare within the east and south.
With leaders of each countries showing no signs of backing down, the prospects of an end to the fighting any time soon look bleak.
Zelensky, who has been instrumental in garnering financial and military aid from all over the world to sustain Ukrainian defenses within the face of a much larger army, praised his people.
“We became one big army,” he said. “Now we have grow to be a team where someone finds, someone packs, someone brings, but everyone contributes.”
He described 2022 as a 12 months of resilience, courage, pain, and unity.
“Its major conclusion is that we now have survived. We had not been defeated. And we are going to do all the things to win this 12 months!”
