Paper angels and candles at London’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral mark anniversary of Russia’s invasion
Ceremonies have taken place this morning to mark the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.
A year after the war began events were held in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other world cities.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy handed over a flag to a serviceman during a ceremony titled, ‘February, Year, Invincibility’ on Sofiivska Square in Kyiv.
“We endured. We were not defeated,” Mr Zelensky said, vowing Ukraine will do everything to win, a year on from the invasion by Russian armed forces.
A minute’s silence was held across the UK at 11:00 GMT led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street, alongside Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko, his wife Inna Prystaiko and members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukrainian community groups gather at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle upon Tyne. Ukrainian teenager, Alisa Bushuieva, who was forced to flee with her mother in February last year, played piano to the crowd following a minute’s silence at Peter’s Lane in Liverpool.
Children from St Mary’s Ukrainian School lit some of the 52 candles – one for each week of the war – during an ecumenical prayer service at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in London.
Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski conducted the service, which included a speech delivered by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
The cathedral was decorated by 461 paper angels, one for each child that has died in the past year according to the official statistics.