He first became famous as a comedic actor in a TV series in which he played an average character who almost accidentally became president. The world is also noticing the rise of a Churchill-like figure in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Thousands throughout the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Japan, Brazil, the United States, and many other countries are rallying in support of Ukraine. The courage of everyday Ukrainians is inspiring people around the world. A senior defense official at the Pentagon stated openly over the weekend that Ukraine’s “resistance is greater than what the Russians expected.” “The Russian leadership does not understand that it is at war not only with the armed forces of Ukraine, but with the entire Ukrainian people,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Sunday. Although over 500,000 Ukrainians have fled to other European countries, some Ukrainians who were living in Poland are returning to Ukraine to join the fight. A young boy demonstrating maturity beyond his years teared up while telling a journalist how his father stayed behind to support the fight against the Russian forces while he flees to the border. Many are taking them up on the offer, even a former Miss Ukraine.Įlsewhere, a Ukrainian woman was entrusted with bringing a stranger’s children across the border to safety while their father stayed to fight. The government is arming anyone able to hold a gun and willing to fight. A Ukrainian woman named Julia cried as she waited to be deployed to fight Russian troops, telling The New York Times, “I just want to live in our country, and that’s all.” Julia is a teacher, not wanting and hardly expecting a fight, but she volunteered to take up arms for her country anyway.
And Russia’s unprovoked - and to most Ukrainians, completely unexpected - attack on Ukraine’s very right to exist as a country has prompted Ukrainians to respond with remarkable strength and determination.Ī survey of recent reporting offers a glimpse of the heroics on display from everyday people: Ukrainians in small rural communities are patrolling their villages and constructing checkpoints, trenches and underground shelters. Tragic and impossible situations reveal one’s character. The heroes and villains of this story are already emerging. Russia’s invasion of the country is a voluntary war of aggression the likes of which Europe hasn’t seen since World War II, and the way the world chooses to respond is profoundly significant. Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 0 People take part in a rally on February 19, 2022, in the centre of the western Ukraine city of Lviv to show their unity as fears mount that Russia could invade its neighbor in the coming days.