Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Warsaw on Feb. 24 for a rally in support of Ukraine.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail
Maria Shmelova stood in a light drizzle at 4 a.m. on Friday and watched flames flicker from a bonfire on the banks of the Vistula river in Warsaw.
About a dozen other people joined her and held up cellphones as 30 more fires were lit across Poland simultaneously. The timing was deliberate, to coincide with the moment the first Russian missiles stuck Ukraine at 5 a.m. Kyiv time on Feb. 24, 2022.
“There was no other choice for me not to be here,” said Ms. Shmelova, who is originally from Ukraine but has lived in Poland for several years. “I had to be here on this day, and, yes, it is difficult. The weather shows us the tears. It is raining at this moment and it is very symbolic.”
The event was one of many held around the world on Friday to mark the first year of Russia’s invasion. People in dozens of countries gathered for tributes, church services, rallies and commitments to do more for Ukraine.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up with the colors of the Ukrainian flag, as were the sails of Sydney Opera House. In Berlin, activists parked a destroyed Russian T-72 tank outside the Russian embassy, while in Belgrade a prominent human-rights campaigner tried to hand a blood-soaked cake with a skull on top to the Russian ambassador. Finns placed candles on the steps of Helsinki Cathedral at a memorial event for Ukrainian war victims, and in Liverpool a teenage pianist from Ukraine played the national anthem in a shopping mall.
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered remarks commemorating the anniversary. Across the country, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress had organized 40 “Stand with Ukraine” rallies.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak led a national moment of silence Friday morning, standing outside Downing Street with a group of Ukrainian soldiers who are being trained in the U.K. In a statement from Buckingham Palace, King Charles said the Ukrainian people had shown “remarkable courage and resilience in the face of such human tragedy.” He added that it was “heartening that the United Kingdom, along with its allies, is doing everything possible to help at this most difficult time.”
In Washington, the United States joined other Western allies in announcing new sanctions on Russian companies and individuals. The Pentagon also announced a further US$2-billion in military assistance to Ukraine.
“A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase the people’s love of liberty. Brutality will never grind down the will of the free,” U.S. President Joe Biden said. “And Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never. Today, a year after bombs began to fall, Ukraine is still independent and free.”
Back in Warsaw, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Russian embassy Friday evening for a rally in support of Ukraine. Then they marched to the Polish parliament, carrying long banners of the Ukrainian and Polish flags.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, joined dignitaries on Friday at the unveiling ceremony for a sculpture dedicated to 'the victims of communism and Russian imperialism in central and eastern Europe.'Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail
Many of the marchers held up signs with names of Ukrainians who have been killed during the fighting. Other signs showed the bombed-out ruins of Kharkiv, Bucha and other cities.
“The whole world must hear us,” said Anhelina Yeromenko, a 21-year-old student from Ukraine who came draped in her country’s flag. “How can we win this war ourselves?”
“It’s very important to be here today,” said Max Lubov, 23, another student from Ukraine. “One year ago I was at the border helping refugees.” Mr. Lubov is studying information technology, and when he arrived in Poland three years ago he had no plans to go home. “Now I will return to Ukraine for sure,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, joined a group of dignitaries at an unveiling ceremony for a sculpture dedicated to “the victims of communism and Russian imperialism in central and eastern Europe.”
“Today is a day of great solidarity of all the free world with Ukraine,” Mr. Zvarych said in an interview afterward. “Here in Poland, we not only pay tribute to the victims of the communist regime of Russian imperialism, but also pay tribute to those victims of current Russian regime.”
He also had a word of warning to people in Canada and elsewhere who may be growing tired of the war. “We shouldn’t feel fatigue when we struggle for our freedom. So if we want freedom to prevail, we have to be together and to fight for the victory.”
As the bonfire on the banks of the Vistula began to extinguish, Witek Hebanowski had no regrets about getting up at 4 a.m. to show his support. “You can sacrifice a little bit of sleep because it’s really nothing to compared to the struggle that the people are in and the tragedy that is happening in Ukraine,” he said. “And it’s every day.”
with files from Associated Press