UK to hold minute's silence to mark one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

23 February 2023, 13:20 | Updated: 23 February 2023, 14:23

The UK will hold a minute's silence to mark the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that there will be a minute's silence at 11am on Friday.

He said the moment will be a way to pay tribute to Ukrainians while also highlighting the UK’s solidarity with the country.

Both individuals and businesses are being encouraged to get involved.

A tweet from the Government said: “Prime Minister @rishisunak will lead the nation in silence, paying tribute to the courage of the Ukrainian people.”

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“As we approach the anniversary of Russia’s barbaric and deplorable invasion of Ukraine, as a nation we pay tribute to the incredible bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people,” Mr Sunak said.

He added: “Russia’s unjustifiable attack brought war and destruction to our continent once again, and it has forced millions from their homes and devastated families across Ukraine and Russia.

“I am incredibly proud of the UK’s response and, throughout this past year, the UK public have shown their true generosity of spirit and their enduring belief in freedom.”

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “One year on from Putin’s illegal invasion, we stand in solidarity with our friends in Ukraine and remember all those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of freedom.

“This moment of silence is a time to reflect on the human cost of this conflict and show we stand with Ukraine.”

It comes after Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the UK two weeks ago, repeating calls for jets to be sent to Ukraine.

During the visit, the Prime Minister underlined his commitment to supporting Ukraine for the long term.

Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 2022, with thousands having died and millions having been forced to flee the war-torn country.

The UK sent £2.3 billion in military support to Ukraine last year and the same amount has been budgeted for this year.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on Thursday that he believed the war in Ukraine would continue for at least another year.

"I think Russia has shown a complete disregard, not only for the lives of the people of Ukraine, but for its own soldiers," he said.

"You know, we are sitting here 12 months in and 188,000... Russian soldiers are dead or injured as a result of this catastrophic miscalculation and aggression by President Putin.

"And you know, when someone's crossed the line that they think it's okay to do that to your own people and is running effectively a meat grinder for an army, I think he's not going to stop."