Today is the first anniversary of the liberation of the heroic city of Irpin, one of the crucial outposts that prevented the Russian occupiers from invading Kyiv in 2022.
Until February 24, 2022, Irpin was a cosy and lovely suburb of the capital. It was comfortable, green, modern, and home to many happy families.
In March 2022, Irpin hit the covers of the world’s leading media as a symbol of the terrible atrocities of the Russians and the extraordinary heroism of the Ukrainian military.
Everyone stood up to defend the heroic city: from professional special forces units and career soldiers to ordinary citizens who joined the ranks of territorial defense and took up arms for the first time.
During the heavy fighting, 70% of Irpin’s social and residential infrastructure was destroyed, and hundreds of residents died. “The beautiful city turned into a ghost town,” say the authors of the film “Outpost. Irpin,” which recounts last year’s events.
At the same time, Irpin became one of the first frontline areas where the indomitable Ukrainian spirit stopped the invading military that had been allocated billions of dollars in budgets for decades for such invasions.
Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) Co-Chair, Stefan Romaniw OAM, who has visited Irpin many times, most recently to visit accommodation shelters repurposed by the AFUO’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal, said today:
“This was the day that the determination and grit of Ukraine showed Putin he had – and has no – hope of defeating Ukraine.”
“This day was also symbolic and showed the world the reality and inhumanity of Russia. It’s only when you are there that you fully understand the devastation, the destruction, the mass graves.
Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said after visiting the area that he could not understand how one human could do this to another human”.
The AFUO expresses immense gratitude to the brave warriors, volunteers, and everyone who defended Irpin.
Eternal and blessed memory to the Heroes who gave their lives to stop a terrible enemy on the doorstep of Ukraine’s capital.
You are forever in history. The history that Ukrainian people continue to write in this war for their freedom, independence, and right to exist.
Please support Ukraine. Together we will win!
Story source: Ukrainian World Congress with additional quotes from Stefan Romaniw
Photo source: Міністерство внутрішніх справ України
