Ukraine鈥檚 leader pledged Friday to push for victory in 2023 as he and other Ukrainians marked of that upended their lives and Europe鈥檚 security.
It was Ukraine鈥檚 鈥渓ongest day,鈥� said, but the country鈥檚 dogged resistance a year on has proven that 鈥渆very tomorrow is worth fighting for.鈥�
On a day of commemorations, reflection and tears, the Ukrainian president鈥檚 defiant tone captured of resilience in the face of Europe鈥檚 since World War II. Zelenskyy, who has himself of Ukraine鈥檚 refusal to bow to Moscow, said Ukrainians proved themselves to be invincible during 鈥渁 year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity.鈥�
鈥淲e have been standing for exactly one year,鈥� Zelenskyy said. Feb. 24, 2022, he said, was 鈥渢he longest day of our lives. The hardest day of our modern history. We woke up early and haven鈥檛 fallen asleep since.鈥�
Ukrainians wept at memorials for their tens of thousands of dead 鈥� a toll growing inexorably as in particular. Although Friday marked the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, combat between Russian-backed forces and Ukrainian troops has raged in the country鈥檚 east since 2014. New video from there shot with a drone for The Associated Press showed how has been razed, along with others.
The killing continued: Russian shelling killed another three civilians and wounded 19 others in the most recent 24-hour spell, Ukraine鈥檚 presidential office said.
Around the country, Ukrainians looked back at a year that changed their lives and at the clouded future.
鈥淚 can sum up the last year in three words: Fear, love, hope,鈥� Oleksandr Hranyk, a school director in Kharkiv, Ukraine鈥檚 second-largest city, said.
Lining up in the capital, Kyiv, to buy anniversary commemorative postage stamps, Tetiana Klimkova described her heart as 鈥渇alling and hurting.鈥�
Still, 鈥渢his day has become a symbol for me that we have survived for a whole year and will continue to live,鈥� she said. 鈥淥n this day, our children and grandchildren will remember how strong Ukrainians are mentally, physically, and spiritually.鈥�
Although , peace was nowhere in sight. Ukraine previously rejected a pause in the fighting for fear it would allow Russia to regroup militarily after bruising battlefield setbacks.
Zelenskyy gave qualified support to China鈥檚 apparent new interest in playing a diplomatic role, saying: 鈥淭he fact that China started talking about Ukraine is not bad.鈥�
鈥淏ut the question is what follows the words,鈥� he said during a wide-ranging news conference. 鈥淭he question is in the steps and where they will lead to.鈥�
A 12-point paper issued by China鈥檚 Foreign Ministry also urged an end to sanctions that aim to squeeze Russia鈥檚 economy.
That suggestion also looked like a non-starter, given that are working to further tighten the sanctions noose, not loosen it. Both the U.K. and U.S. imposed more sanctions Friday.
Ukraine is readying another military push to roll back Russian forces with the help of weaponry that has poured in from the West. NATO member Poland said Friday that it had delivered four advanced Leopard 2A4 tanks, making it the first country to hand the German-made armor to Ukraine.
The prime minister of Poland said on a visit to Kyiv that more Leopards are coming. Poland鈥檚 defense minister said contributions from other countries would help form Ukraine鈥檚 first Leopard battalion of 31 tanks.
鈥淯kraine is entering a new period, with a new task 鈥� to win,鈥� Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.
鈥淚t will not be easy. But we will manage,鈥� he added. 鈥淭here is rage and a desire to avenge the fallen.鈥�
Air raid alarms didn鈥檛 sound Friday in Kyiv, alleviating concerns that Russia might unleash another barrage of missiles to pile yet more sadness on Ukraine on the anniversary.
Still, the government recommended that schools move classes online, and office employees were asked to work from home. And even as they rode Kyiv鈥檚 subway to work, bought coffee and got busy, Ukrainians were unavoidably haunted by thoughts of loss and memories of when missiles struck, troops rolled across Ukraine鈥檚 borders and a refugee exodus began a year ago.
Back then, there were fears the country might fall within weeks. Zelenskyy referred to those dark moments in a video address.
鈥淲e fiercely fought for every day. And we endured the second day. And then, the third,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd we still know: Every tomorrow is worth fighting for.鈥�
The anniversary was also poignant for as bombs began killing and maiming.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tragedy for the whole country, for every Ukrainian,鈥� said Alina Mustafaieva, who gave birth to daughter Yeva that day.
鈥淢y family was lucky. We didn鈥檛 lose anyone or anything. But many did, and we have to share this loss together,鈥� she said.
Tributes to Ukraine鈥檚 resilience . The Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Colosseum in Rome was among monuments illuminated in Ukraine鈥檚 colors 鈥� yellow and blue. In Berlin, a wrecked Russian tank was put on display.
Anti-war activists in Belgrade, Serbia, left a cake covered with red icing representing blood and a skull on top on a pavement near the Russian Embassy, which police stopped them from approaching.
In , media and rights groups reported more police arrests of protesters who took to streets with antiwar slogans and flowers in various parts of the country.
The war鈥檚 one-year mark kept Ukraine鈥檚 president exceptionally busy. Zelenskyy kicked off the day with an early morning tweet that promised: 鈥淲e know that 2023 will be the year of our victory!鈥�
He followed that up with his video address, in which he also pledged not to abandon Ukrainians living under Russian occupation. 鈥淥ne way or another, we will liberate all our lands,鈥� he vowed. He also addressed troops on a Kyiv square and handed out honors, including to the widow and daughter of a fallen soldier, telling them: 鈥淲e will never forget.鈥� In a Kyiv hospital, he decorated wounded fighters.
Unable to fly by plane from Ukraine while its airspace is closed because of the war, Zelenskyy did the next best thing at his news conference, spending nearly 2 1/2 hours with journalists from around the world. He thanked country after country for its support.
Emotional at times and playful at others, the president offered a glimpse of the people-skills he has used in corralling world leaders to back him and his country鈥檚 cause. He pushed again for more Western weaponry, including combat aircraft flown by the Royal Air Force in Britain that its government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, isn鈥檛 for the moment willing to send.
鈥淲here (are) our aircraft, Typhoon?鈥� Zelenskyy said, switching to speaking in English. 鈥淧lease ask my friend Rishi.鈥�
The news conference was televised live, which was unusual. Generally during the war, Zelenskyy鈥檚 speeches and comments are broadcast with a delay until he has left a location, to protect him from a possible attack.
Zelenskyy argued that Ukraine cannot negotiate with Russia while its aggression continues. 鈥淟eave our territory. Stop bombing us,鈥� he said. He also argued that should be held responsible for war crimes.
鈥淭his is not a child who broke something and can be forgiven,鈥� he said.
Zelenskyy said one of his biggest disappointments in the invasion was seeing people who could have fought leave the country, a reference to officials who fled. He said a low point was when in the recaptured town of Bucha near Kyiv.
鈥淚t was very scary,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e saw that the devil is not somewhere out there, but on Earth.鈥�
A year on, are horrific on both sides, although Moscow and Kyiv keep precise numbers under wraps. Western estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of killed and wounded.
In Kharkiv, Ukrainian serviceman Dmytro Kovalenko was buried Fridayin the city鈥檚 main cemetery for soldiers, which has added 15 new rows of graves this past year. Kovalenko was killed Monday in the fiercely contested eastern city of Bakhmut. Those saying final goodbyes included Andrii Zatsorenko, a friend who lay red carnations on the grave.
鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be giving him flowers,鈥� Zatsorenko said.
鈥淭he war will not end soon,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e have a powerful enemy.鈥�
鈥擩ohn Leicester, Hanna Arhirova And Samya Kullab, The Associated Press
