“We must join forces”: Lithuania marks the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

The Russian offensive, which began on February 24, 2022, brought enormous losses to Ukraine, and Moscow received unprecedented condemnation from the West and sanctions.

The events in Vilnius began with a support and solidarity march from the monument of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko to Cathedral Square.

VIDEO: Thousands of support for Ukraine in Vilnius and memories: “I corresponded with my wife on Tinder and there was a war”

Ukrainians living in Lithuania also took part in them, most of them came to the country following the Russian invasion. A total of more than 84 thousand are registered in Lithuania. war refugees.

“This day is the end of a great phase of my life,” Jana Lomachenska, a 30-year-old refugee from Ukraine, who works as a financier, told BNS.

The participants of the march carried the flags of Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania. Banners with the words “Glory to Ukraine” or “Make Russia answer” were also seen in the crowd.

VIDEO: For our soldiers of freedom: thousands of people support Ukraine in Lukiški Square

Ukrainian, 38-year-old Nikita Barysov told BNS that he came to thank Lithuania for its support and try to show the world that the war continues.

“We have to join forces in order to put Russia on its shoulders,” said the programmer who has been living in Lithuania for eight years.

“Fight for all of Europe”

The participants of the aforementioned march marched to the Cathedral Square, where the 87th rally dedicated to supporting Ukraine was held.

Rallies organized by the writer Arkady Vinokur have been held here every Monday since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, many ambassadors of EU and NATO countries and other countries also participated in the rally this time. All the ambassadors said “Glory to Ukraine” into the microphone from the stage.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskis and the Speaker of the Parliament Ruslanas Stefančiuks addressed the participants of the rally remotely, thanking Lithuania for their support. An appeal by Ukrainian soldiers is also shown.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Lithuania Petro Bešta also thanked Lithuanians from the stage for helping his country “with their actions and words”, empathy and indifference.

The diplomat promised that Ukraine would continue the fight.

“This is an existential struggle for the whole of Europe. We desire freedom, independence and we will defend it”, said P. Bešta.

Donated millions

A total of several thousand people participated in the Solidarity with Ukraine events in Vilnius.

“We must always remember this day, remember that it is worth supporting (Ukraine – BNS), that the war is not over, that you cannot sleep while it is going on,” said Gustas Liaugminas, a 30-year-old engineer who participated in the anniversary commemoration events, to BNS.

“We want to support Ukrainians who fight not only for themselves, but also for us,” 55-year-old economist Alma Venckutė told BNS. “We want everything to end as soon as possible and we want to help them as much as we can.”

Since the end of January, the largest support campaign for Ukraine “Radarom!” has been taking place in Lithuania. The campaign will end on Saturday evening with a concert in Lukiškiau Square.

During “Radarom!”, funds are collected for the so-called safe soldier packages for Ukrainian soldiers. About 7.5 thousand The EUR package includes a night vision monocular, a laser sight and an individual “anti-drone” manufactured by Lithuanian companies.

Currently, Radarom! has collected almost 5.7 million. euros.

Having urged that there is still time to donate to the campaign, Jonas Ohman, the head of the “Blue/Yellow” support organization for Ukraine, called on the West to send troops to the country that is resisting the invasion.

“I’m not talking regarding sending people to the front. I’m talking regarding logistics, service,” Mr. Ohman said at the rally in Cathedral Square.

“The time when we might stand on the sidelines and wish them (Ukrainians – BNS) success is over. It’s time to move,” he added.

Russia threatens ‘every one of us’

On the occasion of the second anniversary of the invasion, the leaders of Lithuania also shared warnings regarding Russia, thanks for the support to Ukraine and calls not to get tired.

Addressing the people of Lithuania, President Gitanas Nausėda stated that the hatred fostered by Russia threatens the world order “for each of us”.

“Every weapon we transfer, every shipment of humanitarian aid, every euro we donate saves lives and brings Ukraine closer to victory. Our common victory. The victory of our freedom”, said the president.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė called for untiring support for Ukraine, despite the gloomier moods due to Ukraine’s counter-offensive last year, which did not meet expectations, stalling Western aid, and the ongoing siege by Russia, despite the casualties.

“What never gets tired is Ukraine. Ukraine has not given up its hearts and its weapons for ten years, defending not only itself, but all of us. Therefore, we have no right to be tired,” said the Prime Minister.

“Today we are here to say to the whole world, to Ukraine, but first of all to ourselves: we will not tire. We support and will support Ukraine with everything we can,” said the Prime Minister.

Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen said she believed in victory.

“During these two years of war, we saw everything – confusion and talk that Ukraine would not hold out for long, but there was also unprecedented Western solidarity. We saw the enemy’s repulse from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, but also painful, incomprehensible interruptions in the delivery of military aid,” said the head of the parliament.

“Everything has happened and everything will happen, but I firmly believe that later we will look back on all these events as larger or smaller steps towards the final victory,” she added.

Solidarity with Ukraine events were also held in other Lithuanian cities.

According to the data provided by the government, Lithuanian state support to Ukraine from February 2022, including assistance to tens of thousands of war refugees who came to Lithuania, amounts to more than one billion euros.

Ukraine received the most military support – 505 million. euros.