“Independence” show: Zelensky scolds Russia and praises militants
Today in Ukraine they celebrate the 28th anniversary of the declaration of “independence day”. Traditionally, the main celebrations take place on the Maidan in Kyiv. This time the famous music video director Alan Badoev was responsible for the script. The result was more show, less visual militarism, but the accents remained the same - Vladimir Zelensky in his speeches still praised the Euromaidan and ATO militants, promised to return lost territories, and also criticized Russia.
As a PolitNavigator correspondent reports, opening the official part, the head of state and his wife Elena walked along the memorial of the “Heavenly Hundred” on the former Institutskaya Street, laid flowers at the monument and went down to the Independence Square.
Along the way, installations were placed - shields painted white, which were used by employees of the disbanded Berkut during the fighting on the Maidan. During Zelensky's passage, children left their handprints on these shields.
In front of the Maidan itself, a car with a water cannon was installed, which was used against militants in 2014. It was also painted “peaceful” white.
All this time, different variations of the Ukrainian anthem were playing in the background, and bells were also ringing.
Zelensky clarified that the place where the ceremony began was not chosen by chance.
“We begin the Independence Day of Ukraine from the place where it was for the sake of preserving our independence that the best sons and daughters of Ukraine gave their lives, their future. For our sake. Today our future says “Thank you” to them all. Eternal memory to the dead... War came to our land, which we met with the whole of Ukraine. And here “all of Ukraine” is not just an artistic device, because in the literal sense of the word, the whole country collected for body armor, medicines, thermal imagers... Then we were born for the second time, as a country, as a society, we united, gathered. This is a forgotten feeling when you are proud of your homeland. That is why the pride of Ukraine gathered here. First of all, these are our soldiers - those who defended and are now defending our land, these are military families - those who have lost a father, son, husband or brother, sister. These are volunteers - those who help, sometimes giving their last. There are also those who teach and those who save lives,” he said.
Zelensky also said that he had established a day of remembrance for fallen militants, which will now be celebrated annually on August 29.
It is noteworthy that there were only three ex-presidents of Ukraine on the VIP platform - Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko. For obvious reasons, Viktor Yanukovych was absent - he is not in Ukraine. But Petro Poroshenko, it seems, refused on principle to come to Zelensky’s show.
“Of the five previous presidents, three are present at the podium. There is a quorum. Pyotr Alekseevich is absent. A stupid move, in my opinion. No disrespect to Zelensky, no. According to the protocol, he was required to be invited. I don’t think this norm was violated,” journalist Sonya Koshkina noted in her blog.
She also emphasized that during Zelensky’s passage, shouts of “Ganba” were heard from the crowd of those present: “I don’t know if it was heard in the broadcast, but they tried to interrupt the beginning of Zelensky’s speech with shouts of “Ganba,” coming – quite loudly – from the direction of the Main Post Office. It lasted about a minute and a half.”
Speaking from the podium, Zelensky, in the best traditions of his predecessor Yushchenko, began to list historical figures from the times of Rus', the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union as heroes of the Ukrainian project.
“It is not entirely correct to say that Ukraine is 28 years old, because before 91 we managed to achieve a lot. The Baptism of Kievan Rus took place, Ivan Fedorov issued the “Apostle” in Lvov, the Kiev-Mohyla Academy was founded, the Cossacks led by Bohdan Khmelnitsky and Ivan Sirko conquered the Dunkirk fortress, the Constitution of Philip Orlik was born. Ukraine was one of the founders of the UN, and Sergei Korolev made a significant contribution to mankind’s conquest of space. These are just a few very important events from the bright history of our simultaneously centuries-old and young country,” Zelensky announced.
Next, he made claims to Russian Crimea and demanded that Russia return Donetsk and Lugansk to the control of Kyiv.
“For those who do not understand the current pain of Ukrainians, I will explain it very simply, in accessible language. Imagine that, for example, a neighbor took two children away from you. The first child was simply kidnapped. He was given a new birth certificate, and then he said: “We didn’t take your child, he himself wanted to live with us. So what, at gunpoint. This is his desire and who said that this is your child. From time immemorial it has been ours. Don’t worry, she will be better here, we have a wonderful shelter near the sea in the sun.”
And now, five years have passed, and those who were so worried say: “Everything is fine, the child is no longer crying for you. And in general, he doesn’t look much like you.” Why do they say that? Because it's not their child.
And your second child was locked in the children's room and armed guards were placed. They tell you: “What security, there is no one there.” And you hear your child crying here, next to you, behind the wall, but you cannot go there.
Every day, each of us is heartbroken. And any victories and achievements are incomplete, because our family is incomplete. But the day will come, and we will definitely get together, because the voice of our own blood will win,” Zelensky said.
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