The “Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation” could not be more misnamed this year in Ukraine. Seventy-seven years after the end of the last world war, May 8 in Ukraine was another day of violence, blood and tears. “Russia has forgotten everything that was important to the victors of the Second World Waraccused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his daily video message to Ukrainians, as if it wasn’t May 8 today, as if tomorrow wasn’t May 9, when the key word should be peace for all normal people. » Moscow celebrates for its part the victory of 1945 on May 9.
The day of May 8 began with the showing of a black and white film in which President Zelensky gives a long and poignant speech in front of gutted and charred buildings in the town of Borodyanka, northeast of kyiv, in the region which was occupied by the Russian army between the outbreak of the war, on February 24, and its withdrawal, on March 31, after five weeks of fruitless offensive against the capital.
“Every May 8, together with the civilized world, we honor those who defended the planet against Nazism. We know the price paid by our ancestors for their wisdom. We know how important it is to preserve and transmit it for eternity. But we had no idea that our generation would witness the desecration of those words.”said Volodymyr Zelensky, referring to the echo “painful and cruel” what is the expression this year “Never again! ».
“Darkness has descended on Ukraine. The evil has returned. With a different uniform, with different slogans, but with the same intention”added the Ukrainian President, citing ” the crimes “, “hate”, ” xenophobia “. For him, the Russian aggression of today is worth the German aggression of yesterday, “despite the new mask of the beast”. accusing Russia of “challenging humanity”Mr. Zelensky promised the Ukrainians ” victory “ and ” the peace “.
Another day of relentless war
Then the day was, like the other days, that of an implacable war. Bombardments on Odessa, for the second consecutive day. Offensives on the eastern Donbass front, around Lyman, Popasniansky, Sievierodonetsk and Avdiivka. Attacks around Kherson. The day ended with the announcement of the bombardment the day before of a school in the village of Bilohorivka, where sixty civilian refugees there were killed.
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