Dame Helen Mirren became tearful as she recited a poem at a London vigil to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Oscar-winning actress read the English version of a Ukrainian poem, Take Only What Is Most Important by Serhiy Zhadan, while addressing the crowds in Trafalgar Square.
“Unedited lists of the dead. So long there won’t be enough time to check them for your own name,” the 2015 poem reads.
It also includes the line: “You will not return and friends will never come back.”
At the end of her reading, a tearful Mirren, 77, described it as a “powerful” and “important” poem.
She added: “But I think you will be back. Peace for Ukraine, democracy for Ukraine and freedom for Ukraine.”
Russia’s war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
At 6pm on Thursday, on the eve of the conflict’s anniversary, hundreds of people gathered in central London in solidarity with the invaded nation, at an event jointly co-ordinated by the US and Ukraine embassies.
A large screen was lit up with the phrase ‘slava Ukraini’ - ‘glory to Ukraine’ - a Ukrainian national salute that has become known as the battlecry of the fight against Moscow.
Videos showed crowds draped in Ukrainian flags, joining in as singer-songwriter Jamala Bird performed Ukrainian songs.
Ukrainian pop-rock band Antytila also performed via video link, accompanied by a live dance performance in Trafalgar Square.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was met with cheers as he addressed the crowd, saying: “This time last year we weren’t supposed to be here. President Putin had a plan that in three weeks he would have dominated Ukraine, sent people to filtration camps and eventually have turned that country, your wonderful country, into merely a pawn for his ambitions.
We're at the Trafalgar Square vigil for Ukraine watching a powerful performance by Ukrainian singer and musician @JamalaBird #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/bdipipE9ex
— Westminster City Council (@CityWestminster) February 23, 2023
“All of you here from Ukraine, the bravery of your country’s men and women who have stood against this aggression, this illegal war, this challenge to freedom, democracy and human rights should be incredibly proud of what you are standing for.”
He added that all political parties in the UK “fully support” efforts to “make sure Putin is defeated in Ukraine and his army is sent home”.
Mr Wallace told the crowd that Britain trained 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers last year and said it will train another 20,000.
At 11am on Friday, people across the UK have been invited by Rishi Sunak to observe a minute’s silence to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine.
The Prime Minister said the national moment will pay tribute to Ukrainians and highlight the UK’s solidarity with the country, two weeks after president Volodymyr Zelensky visited.
