Anti War: Thread

[grarpamp]

Ukrainian President Zelensky's speech before the attack:

https://twitter.com/maxseddon/status/1496620289563709443
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XA60pQ53Rs Zelensky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJRMYHBZRw Zelensky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APPjVlUA-gs Putin

"I have initiated a call today with the president of the Russian
Federation. The result - silence. Although silence should be in
Donbass.

That is why today, I want to come with an appeal to all citizens of
Russia. Not as President. I am appealing to the people of Russia as a
citizen of Ukraine. We share more than two thousand kilometres of
border. Around it, today, is your army: almost 200,000 soldiers;
thousands of military units. Your leadership has approved their
movement towards us. Towards the territory of another country. This
step can become the start of a big war on the European continent. The
whole world is talking about what can happen any day now. A reason can
appear at any moment. Any provocation. Any spark. A spark that has the
potential of burning everything down.

You are told that this flame will bring freedom to the people of
Ukraine. But the people of Ukraine are free. They remember their past,
and are building their own future. They are building it, not
destroying it, as you are told everyday on TV. Ukraine in your news
and Ukraine in reality are two completely different countries. The
most important difference is that ours is real.

You are being told that we are nazis. But how can a nation be called
nazist after sacrificing more than 8 million lives to eradicate
nazism. How can I be a nazi, when my grandfather has survived the
whole war as part of the Soviet infantry, and has died a colonel in an
independent Ukraine. You are told that we hate Russian culture. But
how can a culture be hated? Any culture. Neighbours are always
enriching each other culturally. Yet, that does not make them one
entity, and does not separate people into “us” and “them”. We are
different, but that is not a reason to be enemies. We want to build
our own history. Peacefully, calmly, and truthfully.

You are told that I am ordering to attack the Donbass. To shoot. To
bomb without questions. Although there are questions: To shoot at
whom? To bomb what?

Donetsk? To which I have been dozens of times. I have seen their faces and eyes.

Artema street? On which I have been on many walks with my friends in the past.

Donbass arena? Where I have been rooting with the locals for our boys
during the Euros.

Shcherbakova Park? In which we were drinking together after our team has lost

Lugansk? The home of my best friend’s mom. The place where my best
friend’s father is buried.

Note that I am now speaking in Russian, yet no one in Russia
understands what these names, streets, and events mean. This is all
foreign to you. Unknown. This is our land. This is our history. What
are you going to fight for? And against whom?

Many of you have visited Ukraine in the past. Many of you have
relatives here. Some of you studied in our universities. Befriended
Ukrainian people. You’re familiar with our character, with our people,
our principles. You know what we cherish the most. Look inside you,
listen to the voice of reason, of common sense. Hear our voices. The
people of Ukraine want peace. Ukrainian authorities want peace. We
want it, and we make it. We do everything in our powers. We are not
alone. It’s true, Ukraine is supported by many countries. Why? Because
we are not talking about peace at any cost. We are talking about
peace, and about principles, justice. About everyone’s right to define
their own future, of safety, and everyone’s right to live without
threat. All this is important to us. All this is important for peace.
I know for sure that this is also important for you. We know for sure
that we don’t want war. Neither cold, hot, or hybrid.

But, if we are threatened; If someone is trying to take away our
country, our freedom, our lives. The lives of our children. We are
going to defend ourselves. Not attack. Defend. By attacking us, you
are going to see our faces. Not backs. Our faces.

War is a big distress, and it has a big price - in all meanings of
this word. People lose their money, reputation, quality of life,
freedom, and most importantly, people lose their loved ones. Lose
themselves. A lot of things are always lacking in war. But what is in
abundance is pain, dirt, blood, and death. Thousands. Tens of
thousands of deaths. You are told that Ukraine is a threat to Russia.
This was not true before, not now, and won’t be in the future. You are
demanding security assurances from NATO. We are also demanding
assurances of our security. The security of Ukraine from you. From
Russia. And from other signatories of the Budapest memorandum. Today,
we are not part of random security alliances. The security of Ukraine
is tied to the security of our neighbours. That is why we are now
talking about the security of all Europe. But our main goal is peace
in Ukraine, and the safety of our citizens. Of Ukrainians. We are
determined to let everyone know about this, including you. War is
going to deprive everyone of any assurances. No one will have
assurances of security.

Who is going to suffer from this the most? The people.

Who does not want this more than anyone? The people.

Who can prevent all this from happening? The people.

If these people are among you. I am sure they are. Public figures,
journalists, musicians, actors, athletes, scientists, doctors,
bloggers, stand-up comics, tiktokers, and others. Ordinary people.
Ordinary, simple people. Men, women, old, young, fathers, and most
importantly - mothers. Just as much as the people in Ukraine, no
matter how much they try to convince you of the opposite.

I know that my announcement will not be aired on Russian television.
But the citizens of Russia have to see it. They need to know the
truth. And the truth is, that this needs to stop, before it’s too
late. And if the authorities of Russia don’t want to talk to us, for
the sake of peace, maybe they will talk to you.

Do the people of Russia want war? I would’ve very much liked to be
able to answer this, but the answer depends only on you - citizens of
the Russian Federation."