“We are united and angry as never before”

“We are united and angry as never before,” noted one of the organizers of the action.

Representatives of culture, art and science made a statement the day following the march. Ukrainian painters, scholars and researchers called on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine’s borders. 

Their statement reads, “As representatives of culture and science: we, writers, artists, actors, and scholars address world leaders with a call for peace. Today, Ukraine needs peace as never before. The build-up of Russian military forces near the borders of a European state and constant talks that the war will start tomorrow make us deeply concerned and worried. That’s why we call on all the world leaders to do everything they can so that the Ukrainian state and its people can live in peace. We also call on Russia to pull back immediately its forces. The Kremlin leaders say that they are for peace. Let them prove it.”

The call for peace followed a stark warning made last Friday by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan that Russia had concentrated on Ukraine’s borders a big military force which is enough to launch a large-scale operation against Ukraine. Sullivan explained what the invasion of Ukraine might look like. 

“That military action could begin with an aerial bombardment. Innocent civilians could be killed regardless of their nationality. It would then be followed by an onslaught of a ground force moving across the Ukrainian frontier,” said Jake Sullivan.

According to the U.S. National Security Adviser, it is still unclear whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has already given a final order to begin the intervention. Sullivan believes that the onslaught could begin any moment “before the end of the Olympics.”

According to the British The Guardian, Joe Biden has warned the leaders of NATO and the European Union that in the opinion of the Administration Putin has made a decision to attack Ukraine and the intervention can take place one of these days.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of Russia categorically denies the talks about the preparations of any intervention. Thus, Russian diplomats have voiced their conviction that “there exists a political conspiracy by the leaders of Western countries and the targeted media strategy, the conspiracy which is engineered to intentionally fuel up tensions around Ukraine. The massive and well-coordinated false information input pursues geopolitical objectives particularly an attempt to divert attention from their own aggressive actions.”

Amidst the deteriorating situation in the Ukrainian border and a threat of the military intervention of Russian troops in Ukraine, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal addressed the people of Ukraine. He called on Ukrainian citizens to remain calm. He stressed that the Ukrainian army is ready to fight back the aggressor. According to the Prime Minister, Russia is a dangerous neighbour who seeks to destroy the country, but the army of Ukraine has everything necessary to repel the enemy at any time.

For his part, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has stressed that Ukraine must count on its military and the people and be ready to confront the aggressor any day.

Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhny have assured the Ukrainians that the armed forces will give a worthy answer to the encroachment of the enemy.

They made a joint statement which reads, “The army and volunteers were able to withstand in 2014 when the ‘brother’ stabbed a knife in our back. At the time, many were not psychologically prepared to resist those with whom they only yesterday sat at the same table. Today the situation is different. The Kremlin knows this fact. And it is an important element of deterrence. Anyone who at least once looked into the eyes of our warriors is sure that there will be no repetition of 2014. The aggressor will not be able to take either Kyiv or Odessa, Kharkiv or any other Ukrainian town. We are ready to fight back and will not surrender Ukrainian lands.”

According to the commander-in-chief, the Ukrainian armed forces number 420 thousand servicemen who have faced death many times. They are patriots and specialists in their business and are ready to defend their native land.

Zaluzhny has noted that the leaders of the army calculate all possible scenarios of how developments may evolve and are ready to meet them. The defense minister and the commander-in-chief have called on the Ukrainians to remain calm and support their army.

On February 12, President Biden spoke with President Putin. Biden warned Putin that the United States would give a swift and decisive response in case of Russian intervention of Ukraine.

The White House statement published on February 12 reads, “President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios.”

Following the phone conversation with Putin, President Biden called Zelenskyy. The American President assured the Ukrainian President of a swift and decisive respond to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The newspaper Voice of Ukraine