On October 28, 2014 Ukraine marked the 70th anniversary of deliverance Ukraine’s land from nazi occupation.
During the World War II, Ukraine was in the midst of fierce battles. According to historians, during military operations on the territory of Ukraine about three million Soviet soldiers died and approximately 1.4 million were hosted. Just about 3.9 million people were killed (every sixth resident) on the occupied territory of Ukraine.
The Nazis carried out a forced evacuation of more than 2 million Ukrainians to Germany in order to force them working there.
More than 700 cities, 28 thousand villages and 16 thousand industrial plants were fully or partially destroyed. Millions of homes were destroyed or burned down leaving roughly 10 million people homeless.
We pay tribute to soldiers who died in battles for the liberation of Ukraine as well as to civilians suffered from the activities of nazi occupants. Ukraine will always remember those who defended it with the cost of their lives and saved it during the years of war.
As a part of the former Soviet Union, the Ukrainian people contributed significantly to the Victory and the Ukrainian Republic was among the states-founders of the UN that confirms the recognition of its role. After nazi troops attacked the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, Ukraine became one of the most important theatres of hostility between the nazi forces of Germany and its allies and the Soviet army. Military operations on the territory of the Ukraine continued from the first day of the war until October 28, 1944, when the territory of Ukraine was finally liberated - that is 1225 days.
Bearing in mind the high price paid by Ukraine for the liberation of Europe from the nazi regime, nowadays our state stands for strong strengthening the security situation on the European continent.
The successful results of early parliamentary elections held on the 26 of October and recognized by all democratic states is one more critically important demonstration of our readiness to start performing comprehensive reforms aimed at achieving political and economic stability in Ukraine. We call on all people of good will to unite their efforts to say firm “No” to forces of fascism and terrorism whenever they arise. Reminding these terrific days we pay tribute to all nations, including Cypriot veterans of the second World War, who contributed to the Victory over fascism.
While Ukrainian people still remember the horrors of nazi occupation, the part of the territory of Ukraine is once again occupied by a foreign state. Ukrainians are forced again to defend their freedom, independence and territorial integrity of their homeland.
The cynicism of the current situation is that Russia came with guns to Ukrainian land, to the people who had been fighting together with Russians and other nations of the former USSR against nazi invasion.
Breaking the fundamental principles of International law and the Budapest Memorandum, Russian regular troops occupied the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, invaded the East of Ukraine while supporting terrorists who unleashed a war against Ukrainian state and Ukrainian people. Consequently, Russia became one of those against whom it had been fighting 70 years ago.
Nowadays, aggressive Russian policy is perceived by the world community as a threat to international peace and security.
Ukraine expects that the events of 70 years long-ago, and the memory on the millions of people who died in World War II as well as the thousands of victims of the current aggressive policy of the Russian government, will eventually force leaders of the Russian Federation to take real steps aiming at removal of troops from the occupied territories, the cessation of fire, the settlement of the situation in the Donbas and Crimea on the basis of respect of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.