The first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was commemorated by thousands of people who gathered on Letna plain in Prague on February 26, 2023. The event was organised by the Million Moments association, the Nation’s Memory, the Embassy of Ukraine in Prague, and the Gift for Putin group. Participants marched around the Russian embassy to the Ukrainian embassy, where they were addressed by President-elect Petr Pavel, Ukrainian charge d’affaires in Prague Vitalii Usatyi, British Ambassador to the Czech Republic Matthew Field, and US Ambassador Bijan Sabet.

Pavel compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler, stating that both leaders abused minorities. He also noted similarities with the Sudetenland in pre-war Czechoslovakia, where Hitler abused the German minority and incited violence that he then used as a pretext for suppression. Pavel commended Ukraine for defending itself heroically, fighting back against the Russian aggression and deserving respect. He also mentioned that Putin has harmed his country and that Russians are now considered barbarians.

The event was peaceful, and no incidents violating public peace occurred. Dozens of police officers from the riot, criminal, and traffic police, including the anti-conflict team, monitored the event. People carried Ukrainian flags and flashlights, which the organisers intended to collect after the rally and send to Ukraine. A video mapping on the Interior Ministry seat showed the beginning of the invasion and subsequent developments in Ukraine. After the opening speeches and video mapping, people went around the Russian embassy to the Ukrainian one. Motorbikes rode in front of the march, and police halted the traffic. The demonstrators booed and shouted “Shame!” outside the Russian embassy. Some people stuck small Ukrainian flags into the ground and lit candles at a cross in a park on Boris Nemtsov square near the embassy.

The Russian aggression against Ukraine has stirred up a massive wave of solidarity in the Czech Republic and abroad. Western leaders have condemned the invasion and imposed sanctions against Russia. The conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, and millions have had to leave their homes to flee from the war. The first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a sad reminder of the war and its victims but also an encouraging reminder of Ukraine’s heroic defence against the aggression.

In conclusion, the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was marked by a peaceful commemoration event in Prague, where thousands of people gathered to express their solidarity with Ukraine. The event was organised by several associations and the Ukrainian embassy in Prague. Speakers at the event condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for abusing minorities and compared him to Adolf Hitler. They also expressed support for Ukraine’s heroic defence against the aggression and commended the country for fighting back. The event was monitored by dozens of police officers, and no incidents violating public peace occurred. The first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a sad reminder of the war and its victims, but it also shows the world’s solidarity with Ukraine in resisting Eastern despotism.

Article by Prague Forum