Now, media from all over the world have submitted interview requests to me, and I would like to reply to you with this letter, which is my testimony in Ukraine.
What happened more than a week ago is unbelievable. My country is peaceful, and the big cities, cities and villages are full of familiar life.
On February 24, we woke up to the proclamation of the beginning of war. Tanks crossed the Ukrainian border and planes broke into our airspace. These cities are cordoned off by rocket launchers.
I testify: despite the Kremlin spokesman's assurances calling the invasion a "special operation," it was a murder of civilians! The most frightening thing is to be informed about the victims among children. Alice, who was about eight years old, died on Ahtirka Street — her grandfather tried to protect her with his own body. Balina, from Kiev, died in shelling along with her parents. About 14-year-old Arceni... On the once peaceful outskirts of the capital, a debris hit the boy in the head, and the ambulance was simply unable to get rescued under the barrage.
When Russia says again that it "does not wage war against civilians," I will first name the children who have been victimized.
Barina and her parents died on the first day of the attack on Kiev, seriously injuring one of her older brothers and sisters
I personally testified that our women and children live in bomb shelters and basements. Obviously, you've seen these photos taken from kiev and Kharkiv metros, people lying with their children, and pets. The footage was impressive for some, but for Ukrainians, it was a terrible reality for a whole week. Families in some cities cannot leave the bomb shelters for almost several days and nights.
Ordinary people live in underground air raid shelters
Our kids are studying in the basement. Babies were born there because the maternity hospital had to be moved to the basement. The war's first child, born on the first day of the invasion, saw not a calm sky but a concrete basement ceiling. There are now dozens of children who are not yet in their lives who have come into this world.
A baby girl was born on February 25 in a subway station in Kiev
I testify that this war is not just about shelling civilians: those who rely on medication and sustaining their lives are not able to get it normally. Can I easily inject insulin in the basement? Can I get asthma medicine under shelling conditions? Not to mention that thousands of cancer patients have been delayed in life-saving chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Volkswagen City is full of despair – cut off by war, separated relatives, disabled people in wheelchairs, bedridden sick, lonely elderly people with help--- and going to war against these people is a double crime!
Our streets are full of refugees — in many of your countries you have seen these weary women and children with pain in their eyes. Men escorted them to the border and returned to defend their homeland. Despite this misery, the Ukrainian nation will never surrender.
Women and children in underground bunkers in Kiev. Many male citizens join local militias
The attackers thought they would use blitzkrieg to occupy Ukrainian cities. But unexpectedly, it was resisted not only by the Ukrainian army, but also by all the people. Ukrainians of all political beliefs, different religions and different nationalities, speaking Ukrainian or Russian, have united as never before.
Kremlin advocates boast that Ukrainians will greet them with flowers as if they were rescuers. But the Ukrainians greeted them with Molotov Molotov Molotov.
Residents of the attacked cities echoed each other in public networks, patrolling their own neighborhoods, helping widows and orphans cook and collect medicines and munitions for the guards. Just simply doing their job – in the pharmacy, in the store, on the bus, in the property management – in order to get on with life, to win.
Thanks to all of them – now all Ukrainians are soldiers, all are volunteers. This disrupts the attackers' plans.
I testified that although the attackers were in hiding, the Russian army lost thousands of lives. We set up a hotline for Russian mothers to know that their sons were not trained, as they were told in the Kremlin, but had sacrificed their lives in the invasion of Ukraine.
I testify: Ukraine wants peace! But Ukraine will defend itself and will not surrender at any time.
And what we need is to block the airspace! Finally take off your white gloves, you can't stay neutral anyway. Because the next Putin may find you. Seal off the airspace, on the ground we can handle it ourselves.
In cities where shelling is incessant, where people can't leave their basements or even get food for days, we need safe corridors in order to get humanitarian assistance and get civilians to safe places.
I take this opportunity to request humanitarian assistance from us and to thank those who have already provided it. And those who provide shelter for our women and children. I thank those inhabitants of your country who came to the square to support Ukraine. We saw and cherished these!
Many countries around the world held marches in support of Ukraine
Dear representatives of all national media, I appeal to you: continue to report on what is happening in our country. In the information war unfolded by the Russian Federation, even the fact that it has refuted its own aggression, every evidence is very important.
Through this letter, I testify and want to convey it to all parts of the world: the war in Ukraine--- this is not a war there or somewhere, this is a war in Europe and on the borders of the European Union.
Ukraine is blocking the power of a city that could invade peace in an aggressive way tomorrow.
If Putin, who began to intimidate with nuclear war, cannot be stopped, there will be no safe place in the world.
I know it all sounds like a nightmare. But this is our new truth. We live here. And we don't know how long it will last.
But we will definitely win. We stand shoulder to shoulder and we have weapons. This is called unity. Ukraine united with love.
Glory goes to Ukraine!
Elena Zelenskaya/Olena Zelenskaya
Attached ukrainian original text:
Olena Zelenska's open letter to representatives of the world media
I am now approached by media representatives from all over the world asking for an interview.
I want to answer this letter to everyone at once. This is my testimony from Ukraine.
What happened was impossible to believe just over a week ago. My country was peaceful, and megacities, cities and villages were full of normal life.
On February 24, we woke up with the announcement of the beginning of the war. Tanks crossed the Ukrainian border, planes burst into our space. The city was surrounded by rocket launchers.
I testify that despite the assurances of the Kremlin's propagandists, who call this invasion a "special operation", this is the killing of civilians!
The worst thing is to read about the victims among children. About eight-year-old Alice, who died on the street Okhtyrka – grandfather tried to cover her with his body. Or about Polina from Kyiv, who died from shelling with her parents. About 14-year-old Arseny... In a once peaceful suburb of the capital, a shrapnel hit the boy in the head, and the ambulance simply could not get under fire.
When Russia once again says that it is "not waging war against civilians", I will call these names the first.
I testify that our women and children now live in bomb shelters and basements. You have probably seen these pictures from the Kiev and Kharkiv metro, where people lie fates with children and pets. For some – spectacular shots, but for Ukrainians for a week is a new terrible reality. There are cities in which families cannot leave bomb shelters for several days.
Our children teach lessons in basements. And they were born there, because maternity hospitals had to move underground. The first child of the war, who saw not a peaceful sky, but a concrete ceiling of the basement, was born in the first day of the invasion. Now there are several dozen kids who did not know peace in their lives.
I testify that this war is being waged against civilians not only by shelling: people who depend on constant treatment and care cannot receive it qualitatively.
Is it easy to stab insulin in the basement? And to get under fire a cure for asthma? Not to mention the thousands of oncopyents for whom life-saving chemotherapy and radiation have been postponed.
Public cities are full of despair – cut off by war, people with disabilities, wheelchairs, lying sick, lonely elderly remained away from relatives and help. The war against such people is a double crime!
Our paths have overwhelmed refugees - in many of your countries you already see these we tired women and children with pain in their eyes. Men bring them to the borders and return to fight. After all, despite all this horror, Ukrainians do not give up.
The attacker thought that he would capture the Ukrainian cities with a blitzkrieg. But suddenly he met with resistance not only of the Ukrainian army, but also of all citizens. Ukrainian-speaking or Russian-speaking, Ukrainians different political beliefs, religions, nationalities united before the invasion, as never before.
Kremlin propagandists boasted that Ukrainians would greet them with flowers as liberators. But Ukrainians meet them with Molotov cocktails.
Residents of the attacked cities are coordinated on social networks and patrol houses, help the lonely, prepare food, collect medicines and amunization for defenders. They just do their job – in pharmacies, shops, transport, utilities – so that life continues and wins.
Thank you all – now all Ukrainians have become an army, and everyone has become volunteers. And that mixed the attacker's plans.
I testify that although the attacker is hiding, the losses of the Russian military reach thousands of lives. We have created a hotline for Russian mothers to let them know that their sons are not in training, as they are told in the Kremlin, but are dying while trying to seize Ukraine.
I testify: Ukraine wants peace! But Ukraine will defend and never capitulate.
And what we need is close the sky! Finally take off your white gloves, you still won't be able to remain neutral. Because the next Putin can come to you. Close the sky, and on earth we will cope with ourselves.
In cities where shelling has not subsided, where people are under the rubble and cannot leave the basements for several days, even to get food, we need security corridors to receive humanitarian aid and leave civilians for a safe place.
Taking this opportunity, I ask you to provide us with humanitarian assistance and to thank those who are already providing it. And also to those who sheltered our women and children. And thank you to all the residents of your countries who come to the square in support of Ukraine. We see and appreciate it!
I appeal to you, dear representatives of the media of other countries: continue to show what is happening in us and tell the truth. In the information war launched by the Russian Federation, which refutes even the very fact of the invasion, every testimony is extremely important.
And with this letter I testify and want to convey to the world: the war in Ukraine is not a war "somewhere out there". This is a war in Europe and on the borders with the EU.
Ukraine is stopping a force that can enter your peaceful cities in an aggressive way tomorrow.
If you do not stop Putin, who threatens to start a nuclear war, there will be no safe place in the world at all.
I know it all sounds like a terrible dream. But this is our new reality. We live in it. And we don't know how long it will last.
But we will definitely win. We are there and we have weapons. It's called unity. Unity in love for Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine!