Ten years ago, pro-European protests began on Kiev’s Maidan Square. Hundreds of people died when the protests were suppressed by the Russia-friendly regime. For current President Zelenskiy, the protest was “a victory of courage”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the pro-European protests on Maidan Square in Kiev ten years ago as the “first victory” in the war against Russia. “The first victory in today’s war has occurred. A victory over indifference. A victory of courage. A victory for the revolution of dignity,” Zelensky said on Tuesday, on the occasion of the anniversary of the pro-Western protest movement. Moscow views the events of 2013/14 very differently.
Ukraine’s months-long pro-European protests began on Maidan Square in central Kiev in late 2013. More than a hundred people lost their lives when they were repressed by the Russia-friendly state power of the time. The demonstrations led to the fall of Kremlin-loyal President Viktor Yanukovych’s government three months later. As a result, Russia occupied the Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea and annexed it shortly afterwards. Afterwards, Moscow controlled parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the guise of eastern Ukrainian separatism. The full-scale war of aggression finally began in February 2022 and continues to this day.
EU candidate status as an achievement of the Maidan protest
“Year after year, step by step, we do everything we can to ensure that one day our star also shines among the stars of the EU flag. The star of Ukraine,” said Zelensky. A romantic dream from 20 years ago and an ambitious goal from ten years ago have now become a true status contender. And despite the war, Ukraine will inevitably become a full member of the European Union.
Together with his wife Olena and Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Zelensky commemorated the dead protesters and placed lanterns at the memorial to the “Heroes of the Maidan”. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was also in Kiev on Tuesday and laid flowers at the memorial.
“The Maidan Revolution changed the future of Ukraine forever”
Roberte Metsola
President of the EU Parliament
“The cold winter nights of the Euromaidan changed Europe forever,” wrote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the short message service X on the anniversary. Ukraine has been fighting for freedom with dignity and pride for ten years. Today it is clearer than ever that the country’s future lies in the European Union. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola made a similar statement. “The Maidan Revolution forever changed the future of Ukraine,” she wrote. “As Ukraine defends our values, our support grows stronger with every missile fired by Russia.” Ukraine not only defends its own territory, but also the EU and European values. EU Council President Charles Michel also visited Kiev unannounced on Tuesday. He published a photo on X showing him at the railway station in the Ukrainian capital.
Russia talks about “foreign-supported coup”
On the tenth anniversary of the first mass protests in Kiev, the Russian presidential office reiterated its view of the events at the time: it was a coup supported from abroad, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. This explains the current pro-Western orientation of the Ukrainian government. “The current regime is absolutely toxic, we see no options for coexistence with it at the moment,” Russian special envoy Rodion Miroschnik said on Tuesday in Moscow regarding the attitude towards the current Ukrainian government. NATO supplied Ukraine with weapons, but sooner or later the West will lose interest in Ukraine. Russia could resist NATO’s power until its objectives were achieved.
Meanwhile, there were also deaths in Russia’s war against Ukraine on the anniversary: according to Ukrainian reports, two people were killed and six were injured in rocket attacks in the eastern Donetsk region on Tuesday. Rockets hit a hospital in the city of Selydove and a coal mine, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko told the Telegram news service. “Two hospital buildings were damaged and six civilians were injured. There may be victims under the rubble, search operations continue,” explained Klymenko. A worker was killed in the coal mine attack. According to the local governor, one person was killed in Kharkiv (APA/Portal/dpa)