Russia's Evil War On Ukraine Started One Year Ago. Here's What Volodymyr Zelenskyy Has To Say About That.

Click right now, he's doing a press conference right now!

One year ago today, Vladimir Putin decided it was time to start an unprovoked genocidal war against Ukraine. Why? He told us. Because he has a delusional, bonkers view of history that relies on myths of former Russian greatness that simply never existed. Because he has this historical idea of Russia's borders that doesn't comport with any kind of reality. Because under his leadership, his country has turned into such a shithole that he can't stand having a burgeoning democracy on his border, certainly not one that used to be a Soviet satellite.

He thought he was going to come in and have a sweet little war and Ukrainians would lie down and take it. One year later, how pathetically mistaken he was has been been laid bare.

There will be much to read today -- we look forward to diving into Politico's oral history of the run-up to Russia's invasion from the perspective of Washington national security insiders -- but for now let's focus on the message of Ukrainian President and hero Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Here are some excerpts:

“President Zelensky has marked the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a message of defiance to his people, vowing that his country “will defeat everyone””

— The Times and The Sunday Times (@The Times and The Sunday Times) 1677225319 

Here is the English translation from the video, in case you haven't been doing your Ukrainian on Duolingo lately.

A year ago, on this day, from this very place, at about 7 a.m., I addressed you with a short statement. It lasted only 67 seconds. It contained the two most important things, then and now: that Russia started a full-scale war against us, and that we are strong, we are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone, because we are Ukraine.

That is how February 24, 2022, began, the longest day of our lives. The hardest day of our modern history, we woke up early and haven't fallen asleep since.

We will never rest until the Russian murderers face deserved punishment, the punishment of the international tribunal, the judgment of God, of our warriors, or all of them together.

The verdict is obvious. Nine years ago, the neighbor became an aggressor. A year ago, the aggressor became an executioner, looter and terrorist. We have no doubt that they will be held accountable. We have no doubt that we will win.

Wow. Note how he traced it all the way back to 2014. Putin's invasion started nine years ago. 

Elsewhere in the video, Zelenskyy said that "No one will attack freedom again if he knows that the free world is determined enough to defend freedom. No one will repeat February 24 of last year if he knows that not a single occupier remained on the entire territory of Ukraine."

Hey, remember when Donald Trump was blackmailing that guy to "do us a favor though" tomanufacture dirt on Joe Biden, to help Trump steal the 2020 election, while he held up aid and Javelin missiles Ukraine needed to defend itself from Russia? Amazing how a few years later the story of that impeachment is so much easier to understand for the average person.

Here's Zelenskyy's full address, Ukrainian with English subtitles:

 www.youtube.com 

Somehow after that we don't have any desire to opine on Marjorie Taylor Greene, that vile scourge, going on Tucker Carlson's show last night to lie and say there isn't bipartisan support for sticking it out with Ukraine as long as it takes -- 50 percent support, according to a new Fox News poll. She also referred to Russia's genocidal war as "this war against Russia in Ukraine" and referred to her colleagues as "the idiots I work with in Congress." We don't feel like wasting a lot of time rebutting Tucker Carlson, who called Zelenskyy a "Ukrainian pimp" during that same interview. We're sure it'll end up on Russian TV, of course.

By the way, is Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott still cool with all that? We feel like people should ask that question occasionally, or every single day.

Anyway, Zelenskyy is also speaking this morning and taking questions. Here's your video of that, which you'll have to rewind because it started a few minutes ago:

 www.youtube.com 

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