Protest On The Dam Against Ukraine War Attention Should Not Relax

About a thousand demonstrators protested on Dam Square on Friday afternoon against the invasion of Ukraine, which started exactly one year ago "This is not just a battle between Ukraine and Russia.

" More than 8 million refugees, 10,759 injured civilians, 1,110 health care facilities destroyed, 450 children killed and, of course, 365 days since the Russian invasion of Ukraine The numbers were dizzy on Friday during the protest against the war in Ukraine, which started exactly a year ago.

Hundreds of people dressed in blue and yellow walked from Museumplein to Dam Square, "to protest against Russian aggression, war crimes and the occupation," the organization said The main message of the peace demonstrators: the war is not over yet.

“People are slowly getting tired of war,” said 37-year-old Olena from Ukraine "But the invasion is still going on and Ukraine still needs support.

" Svetlana Potei, 28, and her husband Denys Fedosenko (26) from Bukha hope to show that Ukraine is not forgotten “February 24, 2021 feels like yesterday,” says Fedosenko.

“Since then every day has been a fight ” Many in attendance held posters with invasion numbers or anti-war slogans.

Traditional Ukrainian music played in the background, such as the song Chervona kalyna: a hymn about the Gelderland rose, symbol of the fight against Russia “Beautiful, isn't it,” says Kyrylo Yehortsev (28), walking behind a meter-long Ukrainian flag that was unrolled at the start of the march.

Yehortsev took a day off from work on Friday to reflect and commemorate “This day has changed the life of all Ukrainians.

But it is also important on other days that people do not forget what is going on ” The demonstration was organized by, among others, the Ukrainian Foundation in the Netherlands, Amnesty International and peace organization Pax.

Members of Parliament Laurens Dassen (Volt), Suzanne Kröger (GroenLinks), Christine Teunissen (Party for the Animals) and Kati Piri (Partij van de Arbeid) also spoke at Dam Square Oleksandr Tomashchuk of the Ukrainian Foundation in the Netherlands emphasizes that not only the large-scale invasion of Ukraine was considered, but the whole nine years of war – which started with the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

“We want to raise awareness of the war keep,” says Tomashchuk “Attention must not slacken, not now.

And besides, this is a moment of commitment, on which the Dutch and the Ukrainian diaspora come together in the Netherlands ” Like the 51-year-old Dutch Nina, who walks with a poster on which she calls for conversation, instead of violence.

"I'm angry because it's men again who look for solutions in guns and violence," she says “Recently I saw a picture of men on a tank with twinkles in their eyes.

It is time for women to be heard more ” According to Tomashchuk, it is especially important to understand the context of the war.

“This is not just a battle between Ukraine and Russia,” he says “This is a battle between democracies and autocracies.

That is why we must stay united ” Speech by Deputy Mayor Rutger Groot Wassink “A year of bloodshed, destruction and unimaginable suffering,” said Deputy Mayor Rutger Groot Wassink in his speech.

He reflected on the invasion exactly one year ago, the random killings in Bocha, the destruction of Mariupol and the trenches around Bachmut He called Putin an "irrational, cruel and despicable leader" and a "cynical dictator who cares nothing about the lives of thousands upon thousands of Ukrainians and ruining many others.

" “Nobody expected this war to start No one expected it to take this long.

And unfortunately no one can predict when and how it will end And that's why, my Ukrainian friends, I'm standing here with no real answers.

No real comforting words This war will end one day, but I don't know when, not how and at what cost.

What I do know is that we are strong and united ” Amsterdam has done its best to make refugees feel welcome, said Groot Wassink.

He acknowledged that it was not always easy to find a suitable place to live "But that didn't stop us.

" He promises that the city of Amsterdam will continue to support the people of Ukraine – in wartime and when the country can be rebuilt “Even in times of emergency, we must think ahead.

Keep faith and be resilient And whatever happens next, be there for each other.

Glory to Ukraine!” Do you have a tip or comment for the editors? Send a message to our tip line “Even in times of emergency, we must think ahead.

Keep faith and be resilient And whatever happens next, be there for each other.

Glory to Ukraine!” Do you have a tip or comment for the editors? Send a message to our tip line “Even in times of emergency, we must think ahead.

Keep faith and be resilient And whatever happens next, be there for each other.

Glory to Ukraine!” Do you have a tip or comment for the editors? Send a message to our tip line .