People around the world rally for Ukraine after year of war
LISBON, Portugal — World landmarks were lit up in the colors of Ukraine's national flag as people across the globe threw their support behind the country Friday on the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
The Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Opera House gleamed in yellow and blue in solemn remembrance of the outbreak of the war on Feb. 24, 2022.
The conflict has affected economies worldwide, and the date drew people to peace rallies and other events in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, as well as Europe.
Among the memorials, stunts and ceremonies, a wrecked Russian tank was put on display in Berlin, a bloody cake with a skull on top of it was left in a Belgrade street, Ukraine's flag was held aloft amid tears in the sizzling Bangkok sun, and Japanese monks prayed for the dead.
A rusting T-72 tank was placed outside the prominent Russian Embassy building on the German capital's Unter den Linden boulevard.
The tank was struck in the Kyiv region in the early stages of the war. It was taken to Berlin by a private group, which said that the Ukrainian defense ministry's Military History Museum loaned it.
Destroyed Russian armor litters parts of Ukraine after months of battlefield setbacks for the Kremlin's forces.
“The whole world should see that there are many people in Germany who stand behind Ukraine, so that's why we're putting the Russians' scrap tank in front of their door,” said Wieland Giebel of the Berlin Story group, who was one of the exhibit's organizers.
In Serbia, whose government has maintained friendly relations with Russia and has refused to join Western sanctions designed to punish Moscow for its invasion, police moved in to stop a group of anti-war activists from reaching the Russian Embassy in the capital, Belgrade.
The activists wanted to hand over a demand for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be put on trial for genocide in Ukraine. They left a cake, covered with red icing representing blood and with a skull on top of it, on the pavement near the embassy.
About 1,000 people protested in Tokyo's Hibiya Park, holding banners that said: “Russia, stop invading Ukraine.” Outside the city's United Nations' University, demonstrators held a candlelight vigil.
Ukrainians living in Thailand gathered outside their embassy in Bangkok.
About 50 people, many wearing their national colors, sang the national anthem as an embassy official raised the flag. Several wept during a speech by the embassy's charge d'affaires, in which he urged them to stay strong.
Iliana Martsenyak, originally from Kharkiv, which has been pummeled by Russian barrages, wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke of how the anniversary made her feel.
“Honestly, I cannot find any words to describe how me and every single Ukrainian feels today because of this absolutely irrational, cruel and awful war that has been brought to our land,” she said.