On February 24, the nonprofit organizations Volia Fund and Ukraine Defense Support (UDS) organized a solemn rally in Olympia near the Washington State Capitol to mark the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The purpose of the event was to draw attention to the ongoing war, the daily suffering of Ukrainians, and the need for continued international support.
This was reported to Vilni Media by the organizers of the event.
The rally began with a speech by Tetiana Novokhatska, president and co-founder of Volia Fund, who emphasized the key message: "Ukraine is an ally. And Ukrainians are paying with their blood to protect themselves from Russia's genocidal war.
"That is why we say: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Ukrainians understand that the only way to peace is through strength. Ukrainian women and children are being tortured by Russian soldiers. Ukrainian children are being kidnapped, deported and re-educated. And all these people have heard why Russia is doing this - from the Russian soldiers themselves. It is not to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. It is not to prevent Ukraine from joining the European Union. It is to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians. Allowing others to decide the fate of Ukraine without its consent means legalizing aggression, destroying international law and setting a dangerous precedent for the whole world," Novokhatska said.
After the speech, protesters chanted "Ukraine is not for sale!" and "Peace to Ukraine!"
Washington State Representative Janice Zahn (41st District) spoke at the rally and reiterated her support for Ukraine. After her speech, Ukrainian singer Olga Okhapkina performed the Ukrainian national anthem, a symbolic and emotional moment on the Capitol steps.
The beginning of the fourth year of Russia's war against Ukraine was marked by the sound of an air raid siren.
"Eerie, but familiar to every Ukrainian. The short but powerful recording, played at noon on the steps of the Capitol, demonstrated what millions of Ukrainians hear every day as they endure missile, drone and bomb attacks," Novokhatska said.
The sound was played by volunteers from UDS and the Volia Fund, including Ukrainian refugees who fled their homes because of the Russian invasion. Their goal was to remind the world of the war crimes and destruction Russia is committing in Ukraine.
For example, in just one week this month, Russia carried out more than 760 airstrikes with guided bombs, some 660 drone attacks, and nearly 50 rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities and villages, causing scores of civilian casualties.
UDS volunteer and Ukrainian refugee Lina Ngo emphasized the importance of the struggle.
"As a Ukrainian refugee who loves her country and friends fighting for our freedom, I cannot let the third anniversary of the Russian invasion pass without raising our voice. I hope that this siren call will help to make it happen: Ukraine lives September 11 every day," says Lina Ngo.
Tetiana Novokhatska also emphasized the global consequences of the war.
"We cannot allow support for Ukraine to fade over time. If that happens, any authoritarian regime will be able to conquer another country simply by prolonging the war until the world stops paying attention. Ukrainians are the only force stopping the world's largest army from marching across Europe. We must unite in support of Ukraine if we do not want the world order to collapse," Novokhatska said.
Finally, participants honored those who died in the war with a minute of silence, after which Lina Ngo called on everyone to continue to use their voices to support Ukraine and to appeal to politicians for help.
The organizers also expressed the hope that such events would remind the world that Ukraine's struggle is not just a regional conflict, but a struggle for global security and justice.
Photo: Volia Fund
Author: Inna Mikhno