Ukraine will create its personal Christmas miracle, Zelensky says in defiant message

Ukrainians will create their very own miracle this Christmas by displaying they continue to be unbowed regardless of Russian assaults which have plunged thousands and thousands into darkness, President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned in a defiant message on Saturday.

Talking 10 months to the day since Russian launched a conflict that has killed tens of hundreds and displaced thousands and thousands extra, Zelensky mentioned that whereas freedom got here at a excessive value, slavery would value much more.

“We endured in the beginning of the conflict – we withstood assaults, threats, nuclear blackmail, terror, missile strikes. We’ll endure this winter as a result of we all know what we’re preventing for,” he mentioned.

Relentless Russian missile and drone assaults since October have brought on huge injury to the power-generating system, frequently leaving main cities with out water and warmth.

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Zelensky made his remarks in a video handle to Ukrainians who have fun Christmas in December. Most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians and mark the event in early January.

“Even in full darkness, we are going to discover one another to hug one another tightly. And if there is no such thing as a warmth, we are going to embrace one another for a very long time to heat each other,” he mentioned.

“We’ll smile and be glad, as at all times. There may be one distinction – we is not going to await a miracle, since we’re creating it ourselves.”

The clip, which lasted slightly below 9 minutes, was filmed outdoors at night time with just some white lights and a Christmas tree within the background.

Zelensky famous Ukrainian troops have been preventing battles within the japanese Donbas area whereas others have been in exile each dwelling and overseas, having fled the Russians.

“We have now been preventing them for greater than 300 days and eight years. Will we enable them to attain what they need?” he mentioned, referring to Russia’s 2014 occupation of Crimea.