As the world observed the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the country's President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a message of defiance against Russia, saying "that 2023 will be the year of our victory".
The 45-year-old shared moments from the year-old war in a short video, saying that despite the pain and sorrow, his countrymen have been bravely resisting and fighting the invading Russian forces.
"On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but the blue and yellow one. Not fleeing, but facing. Resisting and fighting. It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith, and unity. And this year, we remained invincible. We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory," the caption accompanying the video read.
On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but the blue and yellow one. Not fleeing, but facing. Resisting & fighting.
- Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2023
It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith, and unity. And this year, we remained invincible. We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory! pic.twitter.com/oInWvssjOI
In another video, Mr Zelensky recalled how he addressed Ukrainians a year ago in a hurried statement.
"A year ago on this day, from this same place around seven in the morning, I addressed you with a brief statement, lasting only 67 seconds," Mr Zelensky said in a 15-minute speech, the video of which was released to the media.
"...we are strong. We are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone. This is how it began on February 24, 2022. The longest day of our lives. The most difficult day in our recent history. We woke up early and haven't slept since," he is heard saying in the video titled "the year of invincibility".
Western military officials estimate casualties on both sides of the conflict, the biggest in Europe since World War Two, at more than 100,000 killed or wounded.
"Almost everyone has at least one contact in their phone that will never pick up the phone again," Mr Zelenskiy said, according to Reuters. "He who will not respond to the SMS 'How are you?'. These two simple words got a new meaning during the year of the war."
Mr Zelenskiy, who has been leading from the front since Russian forces entered his country on February 24, also praised his people.
"We became one big army," he said. "We have become a team where someone finds, someone packs, someone brings, but everyone contributes."
Mr Zelenskiy has been instrumental in garnering financial and military aid from around the world to sustain Ukrainian defences. The US has promised millions worth of weaponry, including artillery ammunition, anti-armour systems and air defence radars, to Ukraine.
Recently, President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv in a strong show of support ahead of the war's one-year anniversary.
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