Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky played Congress a heart-breaking video of the toll Russia’s war has wrought on his nation as he begged for more help from the US on Wednesday.
“I ask you to watch one video — video of what the Russian troops did in our country,” Zelensky told lawmakers who gave him a standing ovation both before and after his landmark virtual address.
Over heart-tugging classical strings, the graphic footage showed Ukraine’s historic cities in happier times — interspersed with some of the most harrowing moments of death and destruction inflicted by invading forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked US lawmakers to watch an emotional video depicting the carnage Russian troops left behind. via Reuters
Members of Congress react as the video was played. AP
The footage showed the overwhelming trauma for children caught in the war, crying as they were forced to flee their homeland. REUTERSThe montage showed administration buildings and civilian apartment blocks exploding and engulfed in flames from repeated deadly airstrikes, including the horror of a Mariupol maternity hospital getting blown apart, killing women and children a week ago.
The footage also showed the overwhelming trauma for children caught in the war, crying as they were forced to flee their homeland — or worse still, from being mortally injured in airstrikes and shootings.
Children were among some of the dead bodies shown in the clip, with medical workers weeping at the helplessness of trying to save some.
The devastation for grieving families was also painfully reflected in the heartbreaking photo of a father weeping over his son’s body covered by a blood-soaked blanket.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a virtual address to Congress at the US Capitol on March 16, 2022. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once again called on the US to send more aid to Ukraine as it battles Russian forces. Reuters
The montage showed administration buildings and civilian apartment blocks exploding and engulfed in flames from repeated deadly airstrikes. via ReutersOther bodies were shown still prone in the streets — or being thrown into mass graves dug to cope with the dead in Mariupol, where local leaders insist the tally is in the thousands.
“This is a murder,” the video stated at one point.
The video was called “close the sky over Ukraine” — a constant plea from Ukraine to help stop the barrage of missiles.
A Ukrainian soldier attempting to save a displaced child. via Reuters
The Ukrainian president cited horrible US tragedies such as September 11th and Pearl Harbor in the video. via Reuters“Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people,” Zelensky said as he also called for more planes and defense systems to respond to a Russian invasion.
“We have to prevent it. We must stop it,” he told lawmakers.
After the clip played, the Ukrainian leader — wearing a short-sleeved Army green T-shirt — switched to English to make a heartfelt appeal directly to the commender-in-chief.
The footage also showed the overwhelming trauma for children caught in the war, crying as they were forced to flee their homeland. via Reuters
Ukraine forces attempting to aid victims of a Russian airstrike. via Reuters
Several stills from the video showed corpses of victims strewn all over the street. via Reuters“President Biden, you are the leader of your nation, of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world — being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace,” Zelensky said at the end of his address.
The 44-year-old leader had earlier cited Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terror attacks, saying, “Our countries experience the same every day right now.”
“We need you right now,” he told lawmakers. “I call on you to do more,” he said.
Ukrainian rescue workers attempting to save a child who was caught in a Russian airstrike. via Reuters
The video was called “Close the sky over Ukraine” — a constant plea from Ukraine to help stop the barrage of missiles. via Reuters
A map showing Russia’s attacks in Ukraine.
He claimed that his nation was “defending not only Ukraine — we are fighting for the values of Europe and the world.”
He received a standing ovation before and after his remarks, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introducing him with a chant meaning “glory to Ukraine” in Ukrainian.
At the conclusion, Zelensky waved over the video feed and put his hand on his chest to show his gratitude for the reception.
Others showed bodies in mass graves after the attack on the Mariupol maternity ward attack last week. via Reuters