Zelenskyy: Russia will be Held Accountable

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, in his address on the occasion of the 33^rd anniversary of his country’s independence, warned the Kremlin in words that would not lead to confusion or misinterpretation that Russia would be held liable for its crimes and destruction in Ukraine.

For every civilian killed, for every child killed, for every girl and woman raped, for every church, home and hospital destroyed, for every forest, field and river polluted.

Zelenskyy declared: “We know what independence looks like. On the morning of February 24, it was in our eyes. Today, independence is in the trenches in all directions. It is in our cities and villages: in each episode when we find the best in ourselves, find Ukraine in ourselves, and fight for it. Independence today has tired eyes that have seen it all. Independence smiles when Ukrainians succeed. Independence is silence when we lose our people. Independence is the oath to never forget the fallen heroes. Independence tastes of smoke and dust on the battlefield and in civilian life. Independence descends into the shelter during an air raid alert to survive and to rise again to tell the enemy again: you will not succeed. You will fail. You will not prevail. And you will be held accountable for everything.

This is how we feel freedom. This is what Ukraine looks like. This is what independence looks like. And this is what it sounds like:

“Happy Independence Day, Ukrainians!”

Openly alerting Moscow about Ukraine’s intentions in this Russian war against its democratic existence, Zelenskyy said a Ukrainian national trait is to pay back debts. “And whoever wished misery upon our land shall find it in their own home. With interest. Whoever seeks to sow evil on our land will reap its fruits on their own territory,” he declared.

As we say in the USA, his words apparently are not idle threats but rather real promises.

“This is not a prophecy, not gloating, not blind revenge; it is a pattern. It is justice. A boomerang for evil. And its launch began not far from the place where I am recording this address. The Sumy region. Mohrytsya. The river of Psel. A few kilometers from our border.

“The border between Ukraine and oppression, between life and death. The border between an independent European state and the number one terrorist organization in the world.

“913 days ago, Russia unleashed war against us, including through the Sumy region. It violated not only our sovereign borders, but also the limits of cruelty and common sense. It was endlessly striving for one thing: to destroy us. Instead, today we celebrate the 33rd Independence Day of Ukraine. And whatever the enemy was bringing to our land has now returned to their home.”

Ukraine’s successful invasion of nuclear Russia was the vehicle that brought Moscow’s war directly to the Russian people. As Ukrainians have experienced since February 22, 2022, Russians do so now. They will feel every missile, every death, every tear.

However, there is a significant difference. Russia invaded Ukraine and indiscriminately killed innocent, unarmed Ukrainian men, women and children. Not by accident, not as collateral damage. But in a targeted fashion.

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army’s invasion of Russia is different.

He confidently declared: “Ukraine astonishes once again. Russia reverts once again to its repertoire. This is how the world media generally portray the events in the Kursk region. They show how Russia treats its citizens, whom it calls “the population.” How Russia “does not abandon” their own. How their soldiers loot their local shops. This is what Putin's Russia looks like in the eyes of the world. And in the same way, the entire world sees how our warriors provide water, food, and medicine to the local people, who say: ‘It's good that you are here now, not the Kadyrovites.’ This is what Ukraine's dignity looks like. Civility. The virtue of our independence.”

Ukrainians, who have fought against many invaders for ten centuries for their independence appreciate what it means to be free, Zelenskyy said. They also know how difficult it is to revive and restore their lost independence, and how difficult it is to defend it.

“But we know: everything depends on us,” he emphasized.

How true that is today. Ukrainian soldiers, pilots and sailors – men and women – are defending their freedom and simultaneously safeguarding Europe. All they want and require are the weapons to do so.

“And no one else in the world will say: ‘Where is Ukraine?’ Because every continent now says: ‘Ukraine must win.’ This fuels our independence. Our Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

Many have helped Ukraine in this uneven war, and Zelensky expressed gratitude to all of them:

“I thank everyone who helps our warriors and our state, all those who live and work to keep our independence working and living. Our medical workers, our rescuers, our firefighters, power engineers, our volunteers and entrepreneurs, police officers and farmers, railroad workers, teachers and students. All of them. Ukrainians here, Ukrainians abroad, who help, find, send the necessary supplies, tell the world about Ukraine. And everyone who stays with Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories. All Ukrainians whose strength has no borders, whose will is boundless. All those to whom I am immensely grateful.”