Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has personally thanked UK journalists and media for giving “life a voice” in a video address to the Society of Editors conference in London.
In his recorded message Zelensky spoke of the atrocities that have been exposed by journalists and said that by reporting the story of Ukraine’s victory over Russia, publishers would stop future aggressors following Putin’s example.
President Zelensky said: “I appreciate this opportunity to address you and to take note of your strength, your ability to give words to life regardless of what time it is: Happy or dramatic, peace or war.
“Every moment is made up of human stories of what people lived through and experience gained and lost, felt and achieved. Time passes and its passing can carry away everything so dear to people. To humanity as such freedom may be lost, justice may fail, death can prevail over life – but only when life does not speak. When no one can voice what life is going through, when there is none to explain the truth.
“Being able to fill life with words is to protect life and fight for it. Give life a chance to win.”
He noted that Ukraine has issued more than 15,000 accreditations to foreign journalists since the war began. Hundreds of UK journalists and media workers have reported from the country over the last year.
He said: “I am glad that there are many British representatives among them. We opened Ukrainian life up to the maximum number of eyes in the world for the world to see and for the world to tell the story and for the world to give voice to the Ukrainian life.
“To give voice to a woman who was raped by Russian soldiers, to give voice to a man whose whole family – a three months old daughter, his wife, his wife’s mother – were killed by a Russian rocket. To give voice to a mother who is waiting for her son to return from Russian captivity to find out if her son is alive because Russia does not allow any international organisation to visit all places of detention of prisoners. To give voice to a father who is looking for his minor daughter who was possibly taken to Russia and given there into criminal adoption with a living family.
“I want the world to know about every such crime committed by the Russian occupiers on Ukrainian soil so that it does not pass without a trace.
“More than 90,000 crimes related to Russian aggression against Ukraine have already been registered and this all that we know so far. As each area is freed from occupation 1000s more facts become obvious about what Russia has done. About the bombed villages and cities. About the thousands of burials of killed civilians. About the torture chambers that Russia has set up wherever it raises its flag.
“About thousands of destroyed Ukrainian destinies. Each of these crimes of the occupiers, this is a person who has suffered, this is a life that has been broken, this is Ukraine against which a criminal and unprovoked war is being waged and this is the reason why we are fighting, why we must liberate all of our land, why we m, must win. We can’t leave any of our people and any of our cities in Russian captivity.
“We can’t leave any single Russian murderer and terrorist without legal punishment for what they have done. We must fully implement our peace formula.”
He said that now the war has been going on for a year, “Ukraine needs the world’s attention even more than before”.
He said: “Life as such needs the attention of the world, the attention of journalists and policy makers, public leaders and every community, every nation that values freedom. Now more than ever your ability is needed to give voice to life, is needed for Ukraine to say that we can win, for Ukrainians to say we can restore justice, so that the terrorist state feels that it will be punished, so that our partners in the world hear that UkRaine is grateful for support and help and so that the world knows thanks to the fact that you friends support Ukraine today life will gain protection for generations to come.
“No one potential aggressor in the world will ever dare to start another similar war if the story of the Ukrainian victory will be heard globally. If responsibility for war crimes against Ukrainians becomes inevitable for any of the Russians, from the top to the mere performers, and if the Ukrainian land emerges from the ruins of the war faster than the Earthly journey of the Russian dictator ends. For all this the truth is important.
“I urge you to come to Ukraine, to spread the truth about Russian aggression, support our defence and give Ukrainian life voice.
“Thanks for your attention. Thank you to all of you dear British for your vital support. Glory to all who are now fighting for freedom.”
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