Third Anniversary of Russia's Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine
The start of the invasion in the morning hours of February 24, 2022, shook the world and changed the course of the 21st century. Millions of Ukrainians and Poles followed the media reports in the hope of good news, which did not arrive. Instead, we were overwhelmed withinformation about subsequent towns occupied by the Russian invader and about the heroic defenders of Ukraine, putting up fierce resistance in places such as Kherson, Kharkov or the airport in Gostoml. We all remember that day. The aggressors estimated that the invasion would last three days, yet after three years the Ukrainian flags are still flying over Kiev, Kharkov, Kherson, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Mykolaiv and Zaporozhye.
On this day, we once again pay tribute to the heroism and perseverance of the Ukrainian people, who not only defend their own freedom, but stand up for the values dear to all of Europe. The events of recent weeks have caused concern for many of us and we understand perfectly well how heavily they must weigh on our Ukrainian friends. At such times, it is extremely important to have a safe place to go to. We want to emphasize that the National Library has been and will always be such a place for those affected by the Russian aggression.
The Ukrainians are an important part of our reading community. The Ukrainian language is heard ever more often in the main building and in the Palace of the Republic, sending us a clear signal that we are fulfilling our mission of being a refuge and offering access to knowledge and cultural heritage of not only Poland, but other countries as well.
For three years, we have presented an exhibition of publications devoted to Ukrainian topics in the reading rooms. The full-scale war contributed to the creation of a number of valuable books documenting its course and consequences – they are now available in the News Reading Room. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these publications and with the rich collection of the National Library, which includes over 10 million items, including those in Ukrainian. We also invite you to visit the permanent exhibition in the Palace of the Republic, where there are exhibits testifying to the rich, common history of our nations.