Zelensky marks 500 days of Russia-Ukraine war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked 500 days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a pre-recorded public address Saturday.

Speaking from Snake Island — the small Black Sea landmass which Russian warships bombarded in the first day of the war, capturing its small Ukrainian garrison who resisted surrender — Zelensky pledged neither the island nor the country would be “conquered by the occupier.”

“Today, we honored here our Ukrainian heroes — all the soldiers who fought for this island, who liberated it. And although this is a small piece of land in the middle of our Black Sea, it is a great proof that Ukraine will regain every bit of its territory,” he said.

Snake Island was recaptured by the Ukrainian military last July.

“I want to thank — from here, from this place of victory — each of our soldiers for these 500 days,” he added.

Intense fighting continues along the eastern and southern fronts of the war as Ukraine commits to the early phases of its counteroffensive against Russian lines.

Ukraine exceeded Western expectations in the conflict after it successfully repelled a Russian push to Kyiv in the early days of the war. The nation has since received over $181 billion in humanitarian and military aid from around the world, as of May 31, according to economic research nonprofit the Kiel Institute.

The U.S. pledged an additional $800 million in military aid on Friday, including controversial cluster munitions. The U.S. has also previously pledged F-16 fighter jets and Abrams main battle tanks for the conflict.

“Let the freedom that all our heroes of different times wanted for Ukraine and that must be won right now be a tribute to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “We will definitely win!”