The first anniversary of the full-scale Russian war against Ukraine is approaching. It means 365 days and nights of a heroic struggle by the Ukrainian people. It means 365 days of heroic deeds by undefeated Ukrainian defenders. Contrary to the established theory and practice of military science, and the predictions and assessments of well-known world analysts, the Ukrainians destroyed Russia’s blitzkrieg plans, — inform ZMIST.
Ukraine’s determined defense happened against all odds as the enemy had a considerable advantage and acted treacherously as Hitler did in 1941, attacking all Ukraine’s territory with massive air strikes and having a considerable advantage in equipment, weapons and their operational deployment. Furthermore, Ukrainian nationwide resistance forced the enemy to retreat from Kyiv and Kharkiv regions, city of Kherson and more than 1,800 other settlements. In order to restrain the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the enemy shamefully recognized the need for additional mobilization, was forced to recruit prisoners, criminals and mercenaries into the military, and still periodically threatens the world with its nuclear arsenal, and continuously terrorizes the Ukrainian civilian population and civilian infrastructure with missile strikes.
The Ukrainians have not only surprised the world, but they have also destroyed the myth of Russian invincibility as well as badly shocked the enemy and its henchmen. It all became possible primarily thanks to the courage and heroism of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the territorial defense, the resistance movement in the occupied territories, and the intense activity and dedication of volunteers and all those who held the rear and helped to recover from the devastation caused by the Russian rocket attacks. This is the result of all the Ukrainians, regardless of their profession, age and gender, having coordinated their efforts, hardening their will, and unwaveringly believing in the victory of Ukraine even in the most challenging times of the war.
The Ukrainians living abroad have been playing a significant role in Ukrainian national resistance against the Russian enemy. Since 2014 often at the expense of personal comfort and tranquility, many of them have been taking initiatives to stand up to Russian invaders, de facto opening the second front in the fight against the enemy. The full-scale Russian aggression in February 2022 did not just mark the beginning but rather turned into a multi-fold increase in the multifaceted robust activity of the international Ukrainian community in support of Ukraine.
In his daily evening addresses, President Zelenskyy appeals to our Western partners to supply more weapons and ammunition, and to expand the types of armaments. Thanks to the Ukrainians abroad, those appeals are instantly shared, replicated, turned into posters and signs, and taken to the streets of cities across Europe, America, Asia and Africa, not allowing foreign authorities and citizens to forget about or dismiss Russia’s war against Ukraine.
It is because of the Ukrainian community aboard that the streets of cities in many parts of the world turn yellow and blue almost every day, shouting again and again that Ukraine is on fire from Russian terror and that it must be extinguished by mutual international efforts. One never knows, but with time we might find confessions in the memoirs of European bureaucrats and high-level officials that just such actions gave them the resolve to make decisions for the benefit of Ukraine.
The activities and tirelessness of Ukrainians abroad in providing assistance to displaced persons, along with the volume and continuity of comprehensive aid collected for the needs of the Ukrainian military and healthcare facilities, and the number and scale of the rehabilitation programs for Ukrainian defenders, are quite impressive. Unfortunately, the space limitation of this article does not allow us to mention everything.
During religious services in their churches and temples in many foreign countries, Ukrainians of different faiths in a loving atmosphere of prayer and contemplation ask for protection of those who continue to defend Ukraine and commemorate the fallen heroes and innocent victims of missile and rocket attacks.
But everything happening beyond Ukraine’s borders, overseas and around the world is not always fully covered in the Ukrainian media. That is why the editorial board of this news Agency decided to launch a series of publications on the contribution of the Ukrainian Diaspora to the victory over Russia.
To this end, we appeal to the Ukrainian communities to send to the Agency’s address materials that will help the readers to better understand how the victory over Russia is being also forged on the second front of national resistance.