Kiev: The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska condemned the Kremlin’s ‘mass murder’ of civilians, including children on Tuesday, in an open letter to the global media, on the Russian invasion. In a heart-felt statement, Zelenska said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was impossible to believe, and termed them as ‘most terrifying and devastating’.
‘On February 24th, we all woke up to the announcement of a Russian invasion’, Zelenska wrote in her open letter. ‘Tanks crossed the Ukrainian border, planes entered our airspace, missile launchers surrounded our cities. Despite assurances from Kremlin-backed propaganda outlets, who call this a ‘special operation’- it is, in fact, the mass murder of Ukrainian civilians’, she penned.
Also read: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo suspend business in Russia amid Ukraine invasion
She singled out the child casualties as ‘perhaps the most terrifying and devastating’, naming several of those killed. ‘Eight-year-old Alice… died on the streets of Okhtyrka while her grandfather tried to protect her,” she said. “Polina from Kyiv… died in the shelling with her parents. 14-year-old Arseniy was hit in the head by wreckage, and could not be saved because an ambulance could not get to him on time because of intense fires’, the First Lady added. ‘When Russia says that it is ‘not waging war against civilians,’ I call out the names of these murdered children first’, she said.
An Open Letter to the Global Media by Olena Zelenska.
Recently, an overwhelming number of media outlets from around the world have reached out with requests for interviews. This letter serves as answer to these requests and is testimony from #Ukraine. https://t.co/lAQ8zb8Rnc pic.twitter.com/COtsJZaWc9— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – Ukrainian Parliament (@ua_parliament) March 8, 2022
Zelenska’s message focused on the suffering of the civilian population as millions have fled their homes to escape the Russian military assault. ‘This war is being waged against the civilian population, and not just through shelling’, she asserted. ‘Our roads are flooded with refugees. Look into the eyes of these tired women and children who carry with them the pain and heartache of leaving loved ones and life as they knew it behind’ Se said, and cited problems getting vital medical treatment. She also called for ‘those in power to close our sky’. NATO has ruled out a no-fly zone. She also thanked all the citizens who fought for the country, and to all those who extended support to the nation.
Zelenska, 44, has two children with her husband, a former comedy actor. President Volodymyr Zelensky has been hailed for his wartime speeches, and Zelenska has a background in writing for his comedy production company. She has spearheaded a campaign for better school meals and has accompanied Zelensky on international trips, meeting Prince William and his wife Catherine in Britain in 2020.
Post Your Comments