WASHINGTON—On the third anniversary of the Russian military’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Freedom House interim Copresident Gerardo Berthin issued the following statement:
“As Moscow’s illegal war enters its fourth year, we at Freedom House reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, who are heroically defending their liberty, their sovereignty, and their very lives against an unprovoked campaign of aggression aimed at destroying their nation and identity. Let us be clear: responsibility for starting and continuing the Russian war against Ukraine lies entirely with Vladimir Putin and his allies in the Kremlin. Battlefields across Ukraine represent the literal front line in the ongoing struggle of freedom against tyranny.
"History will judge us for how we meet this moment, and how this brutal war comes to an end will have global repercussions for decades. The free world must affirm more strongly than ever that it stands with Ukraine.
“Freedom House will continue to offer its resolute support for Ukraine and seek full accountability in accordance with international law for Putin and his enablers in North Korea, Belarus, China, and Iran. Failing to stand with Ukraine will not only weaken Ukraine, but also damage the security of the United States and its allies by emboldening and empowering autocracies around the world. All freedom-loving people and governments should commit to an end to the war on Ukraine’s terms as the only acceptable outcome, and remember that there can be no just or lasting peace without accountability at the highest levels of the Kremlin.”
Russia was rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2024, Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2024, and as a Consolidated Authoritarian Regime in Nations in Transit 2024. The Russian state is also one of the world’s worst perpetrators of transnational repression.
Ukraine was rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2024, Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2024, and as a Transitional or Hybrid Regime in Nations in Transit 2024.
Crimea and Eastern Donbas, which have been assessed separately as occupied territories in Freedom in the World, were rated Not Free in the 2024 edition.
