The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday expressed confidence in his country’s victory over invading Russian forces with fears mounting of strikes on the war’s first anniversary.
The nearly year-long conflict has seen Western leaders step up their support for Kyiv, and on Thursday G7 ministers discussed new sanctions on Russia as the UN General Assembly prepared to vote on a motion calling for “lasting” peace.
“We have not broken down, we have overcome many ordeals and we will prevail. We will hold to account all those who brought this evil, this war to our land,” Zelensky said on social media.
In the capital Kyiv, which saw Russian troops at its doorstep at the start of the invasion last February and relentless attacks on energy infrastructure since, residents remained defiant.
“This has been the most difficult year of my life and that of all Ukrainians,” said Diana Shestakova, 23, who works for a publishing house and whose boyfriend has spent the last year away in the army.
“I am sure that we will be victorious, but we don’t know how long we will have to wait and how many victims there are still to come.
