“Four years since Putin took Kyiv in three days”: Zelenskyy’s address to Ukrainians on the anniversary of the invasion
24 February 08:38
On February 24, on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Ukrainians with a video message. The head of state emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan to “take Kyiv in three days” had finally failed. The head of state said this in a video message, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“We have not lost our statehood.”
In his address, Zelensky emphasized the symbolism of the date:
“Today marks exactly four years since Putin took Kyiv in three days. And that says a lot about our resistance, about how Ukraine has been fighting all this time.”
The president reminded that behind these words stand millions of Ukrainians — their courage, endurance, and hard work from the first days of the invasion.
“Looking back at the beginning of the invasion and looking at today, we have every right to say: we have defended our independence, we have not lost our statehood, Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not broken the Ukrainians, he has not won this war.”
The path from February 24, 2022
Zelensky noted that Ukraine has come a long and difficult way — from the first missile strikes to the current stage of the struggle for freedom.
According to him, the state has survived thanks to:
- the unity of society;
- the support of international partners;
- the strength of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- the resilience of its citizens.
The president stressed that the struggle continues and that Ukraine will continue to do everything possible to achieve peace and justice.
Fourth anniversary of the invasion
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At that time, Russian propaganda claimed that it would take “three days” to capture Kyiv. However, the Ukrainian army and people thwarted these plans.
The fourth anniversary of the war was an occasion to take stock and remember the price of freedom and independence.
