Conmemorating a Year of Infamy

"[Ukrainians proved themselves to be invincible during] a year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity."

"We have been standing for exactly one year. [February 24, 2022 was] the longest day of our lives"

" The hardest day of our modern history."

"We woke up early and haven't fallen asleep since."

"Every tomorrow is worth fighting for."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a commemorative event in Kyiv, Ukraine, on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2023.

 

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of an event no nation would choose to contemplate; much less a following year of torment, grief and misery. Ukraine's president stood on this day of commemoration reflecting the year of his people grieving irreplaceable losses, of fathers, sons, husbands, brothers. Of the destruction of a nation's infrastructure. Of the virtual Sword of Damocles ready to strike at any time. And strike it did, at  hospitals, theatres, shopping centres, apartment blocks, electricity depots and defenceless peacetime towns.

 

Tens of thousands of people dead through a catastrophic invasion whose sole purpose was territorial conquest, to satisfy the imperialist expansionist lust of a dictator re-writing history to suit his version of the necessity to 'defend' Russia against the malign plans of the United States and NATO in their bizarre proxy war to defame and destroy the Russian empire; current and nascent. 

The large and inexorably expanding death toll of both Russian servicemen and Ukrainian fighting men and civilians sees Ukrainians weeping at memorials for the tens of thousands of their dead. And fearing the reaping on the battlefield in Ukraine's East and North of the Angel of Death, scything down their men defending their freedom from a bloodless hegemonic state intent on once again tethering Ukraine as a Russian satellite .

Russian shelling of civilian enclaves is never-ending. From Kharkiv a school director muses: "I can sum up the past year in three words: Fear love,  hope". "This day has become a symbol for me that we have survived for a whole year and will continue to live", although her heart was "falling and hurting", said Tetiana Klimkova in Kyiv. "On this day, our children and grandchildren will remember how strong Ukrainians are mentally, physically and spiritually."

"Ukraine is entering a new period, with a new task -- to win."

"It will not be easy. But we will manage."

"There is rage and a desire to avenge the fallen."

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hands a flag to a serviceman at a ceremony on Friday, the one-year anniversary of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP

Beijing appears to have made an effort to intervene in the conflict, calling for a resolution of the conflict, for peace to resume. A nation's sovereignty should be respected, China avers. And one's mind goes to Tibet, to Xinjiang, to Hong Kong and to Taiwan. And the fears of China's neighbours resulting from Beijing's aggressive territorial mandates for control of land, sea and air in regionally contested areas. Where there too, the United States is accused of interfering in regional disputes, while declaring its support for China's uneasy neighbours.

Above all, according to China's Foreign Ministry, an end to sanctions aiming to squeeze the Russian economy as a penalty for its military invasion, must be lifted, according to a 12-point paper issued by China. At the very time when the U.S. and European nations are discussing increased sanctions against Russia and its stakeholders.

Yesterday and today and tomorrow the minds of Ukrainians are distracted by thoughts of loss, memories of the missiles that keep striking, of the troops rolled across Ukraine's borders and the millions of Ukrainians forced to flee as refugees and displaced persons. "We fiercely fought for every day. And we endured the second day. And then, the third. And we still know; Every tomorrow is worth fighting for": their president tells the people of Ukraine.

Zelensky used the first anniversary of the war to rally his troops and renew his calls for international assistance for his country.   Gleb Garanich/Reuters