Mohammad Yasin MP

WORDS FROM

Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford and Kempston

As we approach the February anniversary of Putin’s further illegal invasion of Ukraine, I’ve been thinking a lot about the war in Europe.

I’ve been thinking of the millions of families torn apart, the mainly women and children who fled as refugees and the people still there, fighting for their country in sub-zero temperatures. And of course, I think of the tens of thousands who have been killed, wounded and brutalised.

When Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in an attempt to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government, it seemed everyone but the Ukrainians thought the war would be over in a matter of days. But after months of fierce resistance and extraordinary leadership, in November Russia was forced into retreat. But the war is far from over. Despite Ukrainian forces enduring almost daily strikes, information fatigue is creeping in as stories about the war drop down the news agenda – even as evidence of atrocities continue to be documented.

At the end of November, Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, spoke in Parliament about the atrocities of the Russian invasion and why the West must not give up on her country. She compared the bombing of Ukraine by the Russian aggressor to the bombing of Great Britain by the Nazis during World War II. “You didn’t give up” she said, “We will not give up.”

“But”, she continued, “We need more than just victory. We need justice.”

During her speech, Olena Zelenska showed footage of Ukrainian cities during blackout following Russian shelling and photos of people forced to look for electricity and heat. The First Lady called on the British government to lead a global effort to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine. She told MPs that everywhere in the liberated cities and communities, thousands of war crimes have been documented. Torture chambers arranged by the occupiers had been found.

The First Lady focused on crimes of sexual violence in war. She told MPs they had evidence of numerous rapes of Ukrainians by Russian invaders. The youngest girl who was raped by the Russian occupiers was four years old. The oldest survivor was 85.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told the First Lady to keep “shaking the world awake to the horrors Russia is committing.”

It is our duty to keep the spotlight on the plight of Ukrainian people. It is not a distant land. If Putin wins, other nations will be in his sights. The appetite of despots is never satiated.

We will not forget Ukraine’s tragedy.

I want to express my gratitude to the people across Bedfordshire who have done extraordinary acts of kindness to help Ukrainians in desperate need, including taking them into their homes. People in Bedford Borough alone have provided homes to over 300 Ukrainians.

Peace on our continent will prevail if we stick together and continue supporting Ukraine through these dark days and nights.