Zelenskyy: Russian Troops Started War in 2014 Not This Year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the 50th day of the Russian war, thanking the Ukrainian army and people for defending the country.

"Russia did not start the war against Ukraine on February 24. Russian troops came to us in 2014. They captured our Crimea. They turned it into a large military base," Zelenskyy said in a video address late Thursday.

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"They made the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov one of the most dangerous seas on the planet. They started a terrible, absolutely cynical war in our Donbas. They have been killing our people for 8 years. 14 thousand were killed during this time!"

Furthermore, the Ukrainian president affirmed that they should be proud of having survived 50 days under Russian military operation when the attackers “gave us a maximum of five.”

"I am grateful to everyone who supported our state. Who immediately asked how they could help. Who stood with us back to back and helped us get what is necessary for the defense of our state," he said. "Thank God, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and our people, we defended most of our country."

In like manner, French President Emmanuel Macron commented on the 50th day of "horrors in Ukraine."

"50 days of war in the very heart of our Europe. On my call with President Zelensky just now, I once again expressed our determination to stand by his side to put an end to the conflict as well as our solidarity," Macron wrote on Twitter.