KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is marking one year since Russia launched a full-scale attack that violently ended decades of relative stability in Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the invasion as “the hardest day of our modern history,” adding: “We woke up early and haven’t fallen asleep since.” He has framed the conflict as a morally charged battle, pledging that Ukrainian forces will fight on with the help of Western arms. The United States announced Friday another $2 billion package for Ukraine, including anti-armor Switchblade drones and laser-guided rocket systems.
In Russia, Friday was a quiet holiday, with scant official mention of the anniversary, though some antiwar memorials sprang up in support of Ukraine, and police mounted a large presence in major cities to prevent any potential unrest. Opponents of the war also mounted protests worldwide, leaving a destroyed Russian tank outside the Russian embassy in Berlin and painting a Ukrainian flag in the street before the Russian embassy in London.
