KYIV, Ukraine – Air raid sirens sounded in the capital, but the attacks did not land. A concert was recorded playing in a bomb shelter. And in a golden-domed monastery, a solemn ceremony honors the soldiers and prays for their victory.
Ukrainians marked their Independence Day – and marked 6 months since Russia began the invasion – with a determination to remain silent on Wednesday, fearing Moscow’s attacks would not materialize immediately. immediately, and President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to win the war.
In a deft speech, cleverly produced before Russian tanks were burned and destroyed on the capital’s central avenue – pre-recorded for security reasons – Mr. Zelensky said Ukraine is a country “reborn” in conflict with a new sense of cultural and political identity, now completely separate from Russia and a country that has united democracies with a sense of national identity. new on purpose.
With his aim of commenting as much to foreign sponsors as to a domestic audience, the speech was Mr Zelensky’s latest attempt to urge his country to hold its ground, as dozens of Thousands of soldiers were concentrated in trenches on the 1,500-mile-long devastated frontline—out of towns and villages.
“Every new day is a new reason not to give up,” he says. “Because, having been through so much, we have no right not to go to the end. What is the outcome of the war for us? We used to say, ‘Peace.’ Now we say, ‘Victory.’
Mass gatherings are banned in the capital Kyiv due to warnings from the United States and other countries that Russia could step up missile attacks to coincide with Independence Day, the 1991 anniversary of Ukraine’s separation from the Soviet Union. write. Late in the afternoon, cluster munitions struck in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine, injuring two civilians, and hitting near the town of Poltava in central Ukraine, officials said.
That is the baseline level of Russian long-range firepower entering Ukraine in recent weeks, not the level of reinforcement the country has prepared for.
Ukrainians are determined not to let the Russian war spoil their holiday. Perhaps the most visible sign of Kyiv’s determination is the setting Mr. Zelensky chose for his address: Russian tanks and artillery columns displayed along the central street of Kyiv.
In Russia, the state media does not prominently cover the six-month mark. Russian Defense Minister Sergei K. Shoigu said that Moscow intends to slow down the military operation in Ukraine to reduce civilian casualties. “We are doing this on purpose,” he said. Moscow has failed to fulfill previous commitments to protect civilians or reduce attacks.
Military analysts argue that Russia has not captured significant new territory in Ukraine for weeks, as military analysts say Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to take it. position in the protracted war. The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it has sent nearly 3 billion dollars in weapons and equipment previously approved by Congress, the largest US military aid package for Ukrainian forces.
Although Russia maintains an advantage in weapons and manpower, and currently controls about 20% of Ukraine, military analysts say Western support is helping to reshape the war, at least. is at the present time. Russian forces are shifting to a more defensive posture in the occupied southeast, and Ukraine is using long-range missiles and newly arrived weapons to try and degrade its ability to fight. Moscow’s fight.
It remains unclear when – or if – the continued offensive will lead to Ukraine recapturing large amounts of territory. Ukrainian officials say their strategy includes both overt military strikes and covert operations designed to sow chaos. In Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, Ukrainian forces and partisan fighters were responsible for the explosions at ammunition depots and airfieldsaccording to a senior Ukrainian official.
In recent days, there have also been high-profile attempts to assassinate Russian proxies in Mariupol, Melitopol and Kherson – three of the largest cities currently occupied by Russia. Ukrainians on Tuesday also bombed the headquarters of the Russian occupation government in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.
“None of the occupants feel safe on our land,” Mr. Zelensky said on the eve of Independence Day. “All collaborators know they have no future.”
Anton Troianovski contribution report.
