A minute's silence has been held outside the GPO in Dublin to remember all those who lost their lives over the last year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
More than 1,000 people gathered on O'Connell Street this afternoon for a demonstration in support of Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters as he arrived at the event, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said: "The most important thing from an Irish perspective is that we stand by the rule of law. What Russia has done goes against the fundamental principles of the United Nations. It's been an appalling war, waged by Russia, on the people of Ukraine for over one year now.
"And it's difficult to comprehend the scale of the brutality, the nature of the attacks on civilian infrastructure, and on civilians. And so, we have to show support for Ukraine. We're militarily neutral, but we're not politically neutral. We're not morally neutral. And that is why internationally, we're supporting the International Criminal Court."
Minister Martin said Ireland was not politically or morally neutral in the face of war crimes, but he added: "We're not a military power by any yardstick."
He said Ireland had been a strong supporter of the Ukrainian application to join the European Union.
He told those gathered that the targeting of civilians had created terror in Ukraine but the will of the people there remained unbowed.
"Our home is your home," he said.
He added: "Russia has broken the most fundamental principles of international law. Above all, every nation has the right to exist within its own territory. And that basic right has been violated by Russia."
'We believe in our victory'
About 150 people gathered outside Kilkenny Castle today to mark the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
One of several such events countrywide, it saw people from Ukraine and from Ireland waving flags and banners, chanting and singing while making clear their opposition to the invasion and their hopes that the conflict will end soon.
Today is an important day for Ukraine," Elena Tkachenko told RTÉ News shortly after addressing the crowd. "It's a day when the Russian war started, actually it started nine years ago [with the annexation of Crimea], but only a year ago all the people of Ukraine could feel it, because it started in every house in our country."
She said that it's been a year that they have missed out on, through being away from Ukraine, but added that those who have come to Ireland have found "the best country ever, after Ukraine of course, because there are wonderful people - very generous, very kind, very relaxing and you are teaching us a lot".
Asked about her hopes for the coming weeks and months, she said: "Of course, because we are Ukrainians and it's our superpower, we are brave, we believe in our victory, and we hope it will happen very soon. We hope it will happen this year."
'The hardest year in our life'
In Wexford, a crowd gathered along The Quay listened as 12-year-old violinist Zakhar Zhabin played music from his native Ukraine.
The people were present to mourn the last year since Russia invaded Ukraine, and to hope for better times ahead, and listened in silence as Zakhar played Melodia Skorika by Myvoslav Skorikr and Santse Nyzenko by Mykola Lysenko.
They also lit candles, spelling out the word "peace" and sang other songs from Ukraine.
One of the organisers, Julia Syrotenko, said today is a "heartbreaking day" for all Ukrainian people, "because the 24 February, 2022, divided our lives from before and after".
The reason they are coming together in towns and villages across the country, and beyond, she said, is "to remind all the world that Ukraine is a really brave, strong people and still the war is going on in our country. But we will live to victory for our country and we want peace in all of the world".
The last year has been "the hardest year in our life," she said. "We woke up in the morning last year on 24 February and it was heartbreaking, nobody could believe this."
Additional reporting: Conor Kane
