‘We have to maintain our resistance and keep fighting’

Stand with Ukraine. Stop War. Stop Russia. Thank you Ireland. The messages on the homemade banners and flags could not have been clearer on Friday last as over 100 Ukrainians gathered in Athlone's Civic Square to mark the poignant first anniversary of Putin's invasion, and to say thank you to the Irish people for their welcome and generosity since they arrived as refugees over the last twelve months.

The emotion of the day was clear to see in many standing silently with tears in their eyes, some holding flags and banners, others simply holding a homemade heart painted in blue and yellow.

Addressing the crowd in the shadow of the statue of John Count McCormack, Oleksanar Binukov powerfully evoked the conflict of “light and dark” when he spoke about the terrors visited on Mariupol as a prime example of the devastation visited on Ukraine.

“We need to stop it (the war). Russia should be punished, they should be brought before the tribunal, and Russia should stop their membership of the United Nations. We need to talk about that everyday. We need your support. Without you we can't do things. Thank you for everything,” he said to loud applause and cheers from the audience, before paying tribute to the people of Ireland for their help and donations since refugees arrived over the last twelve months. Afterwards chants of 'Stop War' 'Stop Russia' and 'Stand with Ukraine' reverberated around the square for several minutes before some Ukrainian songs stopped many passersby in their tracks.

For Katheryna Kolisnychenko from Donetsk the war didn't start a year ago, it goes right back to 2014 when the Donbas region was occupied by the Russians. She arrived in Athlone last March with her seven-year-old daughter who has settled into school here.

“I'm very thankful to Irish people who supported me and my family,” she said. “My daughter likes it here, she likes the school and there are very kind people, her teachers and everybody.

“It is hard though when you can't see the people of your country. My hope is when this is finished to get back home to Ukraine,” she added, as she held a banner made by the young children showing that over 450 children have been killed in the war so far.

Yuliia Dovbak was already living in Ireland when the conflict started on February 24, 2022. She is a final-year student in TUS studying software design and had sincerely hoped they would never mark this anniversary. “We were hoping it would stop sooner but unfortunately here we are, and we have to keep our resistance and keep fighting and hoping war will stop as soon as possible.”

From the western part of Ukraine, her home town is not impacted by the war directly but there are a lot of internally displaced people who left the eastern parts to go to the safer west.

While it is tough to watch events unfold from so far away, she is trying her best with great support from her Irish friends to raise money for charities and highlight awareness of the war to ensure no Russian propaganda takes hold.

“We are trying to talk to our friends about our history and to make sure they understand what we are going through at the moment. Unfortunately, it's very similar to what Ireland went through with Britain, so Irish people understand us very well,” she observed, adding that prior to the war she had intended to return home once her studies were complete. That has all changed now, and with the Student of Year award for the last two years under her belt, Yuliia plans to take up a job with Ericsson.

“I think it could go on for a long time, for years. I hope not, but logically thinking of the power Russia has I think there is a pretty good chance that this war will keep going for years and years,” she said sadly. “We hope not.”