WASHINGTON—Today, the bipartisan leadership of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Chairman Senator Roger Wicker (MS), Co-Chairman Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02), Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), and Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09), issued the following statement to mark the solemn anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked, criminal invasion of Ukraine:
“Three years ago, in the early hours of the morning, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin had a clear and chilling mission: to destroy the Ukrainian state and strip its people of their distinct national identity. Since then, Putin and his troops have committed war crimes on a scale not seen in Europe since the Second World War. Their attacks are perverse and evil. They abduct Ukraine’s children, hunt civilians, abuse prisoners of war, and pummel the energy grid, plunging millions of families into the cold and dark of winter.
“Putin’s ambitions do not end at Ukraine’s borders. He is intent on rebuilding the Russian empire by force. For the past decade, Ukrainians have fought not only for their survival, but also for the endurance of the post-war order that our Greatest Generation established – often at the cost of their lives. If free nations do not stop Putin in Ukraine, his aggression will soon menace European states that we are treaty-bound to defend.
“A just end to this current war must include robust security guarantees for Ukrainian territory and sovereignty. Russian war criminals must be held to account, and war reparations must be disbursed for the massive destruction visited upon Ukraine. The United States now has a historic opportunity to lead our closest allies in ushering in a new era of European peace and transatlantic prosperity. Today, we grieve with Ukrainians over the tremendous loss of the last three years. We fervently hope for a day when Ukrainian grandparents can watch their grandchildren play in the streets undisturbed by falling missiles. We look forward to visiting a Ukraine that is whole, free, and at peace.”
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a massive, multi-axis attack on Ukraine. Many expected the nation to crumble. Yet, under the leadership of their elected officials, the Ukrainians have demonstrated valor across all sectors of society. In the first year of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine defeated the Russian military in the battle for Kyiv and routed Russian troops in Kharkiv and Kherson.
The Kremlin has been waging war against Ukraine since Russia forcibly and illegally occupied Crimea and the eastern Donbas region in 2014. Russia still occupies roughly 20 percent of Ukraine. It has displaced millions and left the rest to suffer the cruelty of Russian rule. This menace is disproportionately visited upon Ukraine’s most vulnerable – the elderly, the infirm, and children. Occupation authorities have also targeted religious communities and cultural leaders for torture and harassment. Russia is attempting to repress all traces of Ukrainian identity, a marker of genocidal intent.
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