By defending Ukraine, the Heroes of Maidan and Ukrainian warriors defend the eastern frontiers of Europe - President

President Petro Poroshenko emphasizes that the heroes of the Revolution of Dignity, Ukrainian servicemen who defended and continue to defend Ukraine from the Russian aggression also defend the security of the whole Europe.

“I want to emphasize separately that by defending Ukraine, the Heroes of Maidan, Ukrainian soldiers, all patriots defend the eastern frontiers of Europe from the invasion which threatens the destruction of freedom, the destruction of democracy, the destruction of the rule of law and the destruction, in the end, of respect for human dignity,” the President said in his speech at a special session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

“And this war was unleashed by Moscow because here, in Kyiv, on the European Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Moscow has lost its civilizational battle for Ukraine. The blitzkrieg, which Moscow was counting on, failed. Those plans to split and tear apart, to destroy our state did not succeed. But I want to remind and emphasize - a very high price was paid for this,” the President noted.

At the same time, the Head of State stressed that Ukrainians had paid too much for their European choice - the lives of their countrymen. "I want to remind and emphasize - a very high price was paid," he said.

“A burning Maidan. The first casualties. Expectation of a new assault. Exactly five years ago, on February 19, after the 18th - after the tragedy right here on the Square of the Constitution, the first people were shot in the Mariyinsky Park, and on February 19, none of us knew what would happen tomorrow. But all, I emphasize - all who were on Maidan, were ready to stand until the end. And "tomorrow", on February 20, a mass shooting of the Heavenly Hundred took place. And tomorrow, on February 20, Russian aggression began,” the President emphasized.

“The murder of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred was the beginning of a bloody war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine,” the Head of State noted, reminding that it was precisely this date - February 20 - “that the Kremlin scratched on medals distributed to the Russian invaders and collaborators who seized Crimea”.