Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday urged citizens around the world to take to the streets to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Sharing a video message by Zelenskyy, Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted, “The war of #Russia is not only the war against #Ukraine. started the war against freedom as it is. That’s why I ask you to stand against the war! Starting from March 24 – exactly one month after the Russian invasion All as one together who want to stop the war!” Calling for global protests beginning Thursday, one month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, speaking in English, Zelenskyy said, “From this day and after that, show your standing. Come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities. Come in the name of peace. Come with Ukrainian symbols to support Ukraine, to support freedom, to support life.”
“Come to your schoolyards, your streets. Say that people matter, freedom matters, peace matters, Ukraine matters,” he added.
“In downtowns of your cities, all as one together who want to stop the war,” he said further.
In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kyiv forces.
Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted – the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, “who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.”
However, the Western countries have strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and imposed heavy sanctions on Moscow.