This year, May 8 and 9, Ukraine marks the days of remembrance and reconciliation and victory over Nazism in World War II, as well as Europe Day, amid full-scale military aggression by russia. The world hoped - "Never again", but the tragedy is repeated.

World War II was the result of the rise to power and conspiracy of two colonial dictatorial regimes, the Nazis and the Soviets, which placed geopolitical interests above human rights, freedoms and life. And the weakness, fear and indecision of the international community encouraged the aggressors to increase their ambitions, crimes and military aggression. Eight decades have passed and Europe is once again in the midst of a global war.

Today, shocking humanity is aware of the horror of its inability to take into account the bitter experience and learn the historical lessons of World War II.

In 1939-45, Ukrainians fought on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition of the Red Army, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, Western Allied militias, guerrilla and underground resistance movements, and made an invaluable contribution to the victory over Nazism. And the Ukrainian land, where the war swept twice, was almost the main battlefield. We are well aware of the cost of war and the cost of imprisonment.

Now, as in World War II, Ukraine is at war with an insidious and ruthless aggressor. Today, it is putin's russia that is encroaching on our independence and territorial integrity, trying to destroy the international security system and threatening world peace. This daily struggle has been going on for eight long years.

We have no right to lose because it is a war for freedom, civilization, democracy and global humanistic values against the imperial ambitions of an aggressive criminal neighbour. The power of our armed forces is the key to the existence of the state and the preservation of human rights for citizens. 80 years ago the enemy was Nazism, and today it is RASCHISM - the russian version of imperial nationalism and fascism.

Sadly, the unlearned lessons of history, narcissism, and imperial ambition have transformed modern russians from victors over Nazism to classic fascists. The putin regime has already surpassed Hitler's Third Reich in its brutality: plunder, mass murder, rape, looting, torture, and forced labour. Following in the footsteps of Stalinists and Nazis, russia is cynically stealing, looting and exporting Ukrainian grain, while blocking shipments from Ukrainian ports and thus threatening the entire global food security system.

During World War II, during the two years of occupation of Mariupol, the Nazis killed 10,000 of its civilians. In just two months, the russian invaders brutally killed dozens of civilians in Mariupol. Now the city is almost destroyed by russian bombing and airstrikes. And this is just one of many examples of the war crimes of racism.

Remembrance and Reconciliation Day and Victory over Nazism in World War II do not symbolize the triumph of the victors over the vanquished but are a reminder of the terrible catastrophe and a warning against resolving international problems and ambitions with ultimatums, weapons, aggression, and annexation of sovereign territories. The most important result of the war should not be the cult of victory, but the ability to value peace, and determination to defend it categorically and uncompromisingly.

World War II ended in peace talks and the surrender of Nazism, but it was won by the military prowess and military superiority. Today, when russia has attacked Ukraine without declaring war and is carrying out disgusting, dishonest aggression condemned by all civilized humanity, we have the right not only to nationwide armed resistance but also to the support of the whole world. Ukrainians with weapons in their hands are defending Europe and giving a chance to create a new, fairer world security system. But the main condition for this is victory over russia, the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and the impossibility of future russian aggression against anyone on the planet.

Today, Ukraine, which defends the security and peace not only of the European continent but also globally, also needs significant military, humanitarian and financial support to stop this "putin plague" forever.

Winning this war means us a free life in our own home according to our own rules. Truth and strength are on our side, so victory will be for Ukraine.

The end of World War II, unfortunately, did not free the world from totalitarian regimes. The Communist Soviet Union took advantage of the victory over Nazism and strengthened its pernicious influence in the world, lasting until 1991 and initiating or participating in numerous crimes against humanity: genocide, military intervention, punitive psychiatry, the development and use of illicit weapons, and so on. The successor to the USSR, not only in property but also in ideology, was the russian federation, which for the past three decades has participated in wars and military conflicts as an aggressor or ally of dictatorial regimes.

In Ukraine, since the end of February, russians have committed a huge number of war crimes, many of which have clear signs of genocide against the Ukrainian people. As a result, the russian federation has lost any moral right to appeal to the cause of victory over Nazism, as its actions de facto repeat Nazi atrocities and plunder the memory of the aftermath of World War II.

russia's crimes in Ukraine must be stopped, and the Putin regime must be condemned and defeated by the joint efforts of the civilized world.

We call on the international community to see the May 9 celebrations in russia as they really are - hypocritical propaganda shows that have nothing to do with the memory of the victims of Hitler's fascism. Any participation in such shameful shows is a betrayal of the tens of millions of lives destroyed by Nazism. And there should be no room for compromise.

Ukraine strongly condemns russia's intentions to hold blasphemous "victory parades" in the temporarily occupied territories and destroyed cities of Ukraine. And the forced participation in these criminal actions of Ukrainian citizens who were taken prisoner by the occupiers will be considered war crimes and violations of the Geneva Conventions.

We know that russian propagandists continue to produce staged television stories from the temporarily occupied territories, showing how ordinary people rejoice at the arrival of the occupiers. During the last eight years, many such false plots have been created. But what should the civilians of Donbas really feel about the horde of murderers, rapists and looters who are destroying their homes, killing and torturing children and women?

In the fight against the Kremlin plague, the world is on the side of truth, peace and good, and therefore on the side of Ukraine. All those guilty of committing horrific crimes against humanity will be brought to justice and severely punished.

After the defeat of putinism, we will have a new day of remembrance - the victory and victims of this bloody fratricidal war. Defeat Nazism - we will defeat racism!

Glory to Ukraine! Eternal memory to the fallen Heroes!