JEDDAH: Ukraine\u2019s president led the world on Friday in marking the anniversary of the Russian invasion of his country and the start of Europe\u2019s deadliest war since 1945.<\/p>\n
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainians had proved themselves to be invincible during \u201ca year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity.\u201d Feb. 24, 2022, he said, was \u201cthe longest day of our lives. The hardest day of our modern history. We woke up early and haven\u2019t fallen asleep since.\u201d<\/p>\n
At a ceremony in St. Sophia Square in Kyiv, Zelensky gave medals to soldiers and the mother of one killed, and fought back tears as the national anthem played.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have become one family … Ukrainians have sheltered Ukrainians, opened their homes and hearts to those who were forced to flee the war,\u201d he said. \u201cWe withstand all threats, shelling, cluster bombs, cruise missiles, kamikaze drones, blackouts and cold … And we will do everything to gain victory this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zelensky repeated calls for more Western weaponry and took part in an online summit with US President Joe Biden and other leaders of the G7 group of wealthy states, who pledged more support for Ukraine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll repeat today what I said one year ago as Russia invaded Ukraine,\u201d Biden said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase the people\u2019s love of liberty. Brutality will never grind down the will of the free. And Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never.\u201d<\/p>\n
Washington announced a new $2 billion package of military aid for Ukraine, and a raft of additional sanctions and tariffs hitting Russia\u2019s mining and metals industries, as well as companies from third countries accused of supplying Moscow with restricted goods. Other G7 countries unveiled similar measures.<\/p>\n
For Ukrainians who have spent much of the year in bomb shelters, the anniversary meant reflection. \u201cI buried my son who died in military service. I also buried my husband. I\u2019m on my own now and it\u2019s very, very hard,\u201d said Valentyna Krysan, 75, a shop employee in Kyiv.<\/p>\n
Allies showed their support for Kyiv. Ukraine\u2019s blue and yellow colors lit up the Eiffel Tower, the Brandenburg Gate, the Empire State building and the Sydney Opera House, and were painted on the street outside the Russian embassy in London.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides are believed to have died since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, saying it was necessary to protect Russia\u2019s security.<\/p>\n
In recent weeks, Russian forces, replenished with hundreds of thousands of conscripts, have launched a winter offensive of intense trench warfare, making only small gains despite fighting that both sides call the bloodiest so far.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
JEDDAH: Ukraine\u2019s president led the world on Friday in marking the anniversary of the Russian invasion of his country and the start of Europe\u2019s deadliest war since 1945. Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainians had proved themselves to be invincible during \u201ca year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity.\u201d Feb. 24, 2022, he said, was \u201cthe longest […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-316013","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n