Two photos show how much Zelensky has changed since the start of the war

A tweet showing two images of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky side by sideshow how much he has changed as the war has progressed.

It has been one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, and in that time the country's president has dealt with multiple assassination attempts, negotiated with European leaders to provide safe passage for refugees, and asked for more intervention including a no-fly zone, and for Russia to be hit with more sanctions.

When the conflict started, Zelensky said he intended to stay in the country and help and he has done.

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Speaking on the anniversary, Zelensky said: "A year ago on this day, from this same place around seven in the morning, I addressed you with a brief statement, lasting only 67 seconds," the president said in an early morning address, recalling his dawn speech delivered as bombs fell across Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

"Two of the most important things both then and now echoed . . . The fact that Russia started a full-scale war against us. And that we are strong. We are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone. Because we are Ukraine!"

Take a look at it the images of him changing from just the first 41 days of the war:

In the UK Rishi Sunak has led a minute’s silence from Downing Street to mark a year of Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion.

The Prime Minister was joined outside No 10 by wife Akshata Murthy, Kyiv’s ambassador to Britain Vadym Prystaiko and dozens of Ukrainian troops being trained by the UK.

After the national pause, the Ukrainian national anthem was sung.

Additional reporting from PA.

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered.

• To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here.
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