Matters of Interest

Ukraine Invasion

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:21): On Saturday, the world will mark the two-year anniversary of the biggest attack on any European country since the Second World War. Russia's major invasion of the Ukraine began at dawn on 24 February 2022, a sudden and dramatic escalation of a war that had been building in intensity for several years and tensions that have simmered for far longer. In fact, between 2014 and 2022, Ukraine and Russia held around 200 rounds of peace talks in various formats. They agreed on 20 ceasefires. With their invasion, Russia shattered the peace process and commenced full-scale war against Ukraine.

Perhaps rather unexpectedly to them, Russia's invasion was met by fierce and effective Ukrainian resistance. I think it is fair to say that the whole world has been impressed and inspired by Ukraine's determination in holding fast against such significant aggression from a much larger army. The February 2022 invasion seems to have been intended as a series of quick and decisive short battles to deliver a knockout blow, with the goal of destroying the Ukrainian state within weeks. Many would have thought Russia would make short work of it, but the people of Ukraine have well and truly shown us their might and the strength of their love for their country.

Two long years later, Ukraine is still standing and fighting back, having liberated more than half of the newly occupied territories, lifting Russia's naval blockade by sinking nearly a third of Russia's Black Sea fleet and galvanising the support of a range of allies from around the globe. Ukraine has suffered widespread civilian casualties and devastating damage to critical infrastructure. Russia has no evident intention of ceasing aggression or pursuing diplomatic solutions. They continue to send troops in to launch missiles and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. It must be so far beyond exhausting that I cannot summon words to express how I imagine it must feel to be one of those who stayed in Ukraine to stand and to fight.

I welcome those who have arrived to seek refuge here in Adelaide and indeed around our nation and I hope for all of them for an end to the separation, the loss and the suffering. I have been fortunate to speak with Australia's Ukrainian Ambassador, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko, on several occasions. I asked him for some words to share with this chamber on the sombre occasion of the two-year anniversary of the invasion. He gave me a lot of words, of which I must limit myself to sharing only a few, but I assure members that all of those words have been conveyed in earnest, in good faith and from the hearts of the Ukrainian government and its people. I quote:

We urge all of our partners to remain united and to continue to support Ukraine. Russia makes every effort to sow doubt and discord among the free nations and support of Ukraine. We must not allow Moscow to achieve this goal. Ukraine is grateful to every nation, leader and individual who has been standing with us all along. We appreciate your support and will keep it in our hearts forever. It has allowed us to survive and resist the invasion.

No other country wants peace more than Ukraine. But Ukrainians also know that the path to true and just peace lies through battlefield success and throwing occupiers out of Ukrainian land.

Don't ask how long this war will last; ask yourself what else you can do to help Ukraine prevail sooner. One lesson that should have been learned over the past two years is that only unity and resolve are effective in resisting the aggressor. Appeasement has never worked, and it never will.

Our message, as Russian full-scale aggression hits its two-year mark, is: believe in Ukraine.

You cannot meet Ambassador Myroshnychenko without being profoundly moved by the love he feels for Ukraine and the pain he feels for its ongoing destruction. I know many of you may have met him too, and I am sure you may have been similarly affected by the experience. Being a war-time ambassador is an extraordinary burden to bear.

Amid the gruesome smorgasbord of an unfathomable atrocity that has characterised the last couple of years on the world stage—amid some of the worst of humanity on full display, and knowing that I personally can change nothing about any of it—I seek simply to draw members' attention to the fact that the war in Ukraine is ongoing, to the fact that Ukraine's people, whether they are there, here, or anywhere else in the world, are still broken-hearted and suffering, and to remind members that when Saturday arrives, we should all reflect upon how, if it was us living through the tragic and terrible circumstances that Ukraine has been enduring now for two years, we would wish for the world to respond.