King pays tribute to ‘remarkable courage and resilience’ of Ukrainians
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The King has paid tribute to the “remarkable courage and resilience” of Ukraine’s people on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion.
Charles, who earlier this week met Ukrainian recruits being trained by UK and international forces, said he hoped the outpouring of solidarity with the nation would bring “strength from the knowledge that, together, we stand united”.
In a message to mark one year on from the start of the conflict, the King said: “It has now been a year that the people of Ukraine have suffered unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation.
“They have shown truly remarkable courage and resilience in the face of such human tragedy.
“The world has watched in horror at all the unnecessary suffering inflicted upon Ukrainians, many of whom I have had the great pleasure of meeting here in the UK and, indeed, across the world, from Romania to Canada.
“Earlier this month I met President Zelensky at Buckingham Palace to express my personal support for the people of Ukraine. It is heartening that the United Kingdom, along with its allies, is doing everything possible to help at this most difficult time.
“Therefore, I can only hope the outpouring of solidarity from across the globe may bring not only practical aid, but also strength from the knowledge that, together, we stand united.”
The anniversary of the conflict was marked by a minute’s silence observed across the country at 11am, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined outside No 10 by his wife Akshata Murty, Kyiv’s ambassador to Britain Vadym Prystaiko and dozens of Ukrainian troops being trained in the UK.
On Monday, Charles met new recruits from Ukraine being taught the basics of combat in just five weeks and described them as “amazing”.
At a military base in Wiltshire he watched as they were put through their paces learning trench warfare – famously used by First World War troops – which has become a factor of the conflict in Ukraine.
During the past 12 months the King has met Ukrainians who have fled the conflict and settled temporarily in the UK a number of times, spoken out to condemn the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and lit candles and left floral tributes at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London.
When Mr Putin launched his renewed invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, many believed his military might would capture Kyiv within weeks or even days.
But the Ukrainian resistance led by Mr Zelensky and assisted by the weapons and support provided by allies, including Britain, repelled the invasion to the east.
At least 100,000 of each side’s soldiers are estimated to have been killed or injured, thousands more civilians have died and more than 13 million people have been made refugees or displaced inside Ukraine.
