Czech President Petr Pavel made the remarks in a speech outside the Czech Radio building (then Czechoslovak Radio), from where journalists reported to the world on what was actually happening in Prague. Several people were killed in the first hours of the invasion, and their memory is commemorated there every year, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

“The 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia has much in common with the invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. Both societies were going through a period of hope for free development, and both wanted to free themselves from the excessive influence of the Soviet Union, or Russia. In both cases, Moscow violated international law in order to impose its sphere of influence by force. Both invasions were accompanied by deceptive rhetoric. Both were initially planned as blitz operations,” the head of state said, drawing parallels between events decades apart.

The Czech President emphasized that, unlike in Czechoslovakia, Russia encountered unexpectedly strong resistance from courageous defenders in Ukraine. While the Soviet Union temporarily achieved its objectives in a defeated Czechoslovakia, Russia today is no closer to achieving its goals in Ukraine than it was in February 2022, thanks to the steadfast solidarity of Western allies. All this, unfortunately, has come at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, the politician said.

Pavel noted that Ukraine has been defending not only its own freedom but, indirectly, the freedom and security of Europe for the fifth consecutive year. Therefore, he stressed, “it is in our interests to stand by it for as long as necessary, not only for the sake of its freedom, but above all for the sake of our own safe and free future.”

The Czech President also observed that Russia's actions had led to deeply critical attitudes toward the country in both Czech and Ukrainian societies. In the Czech Republic, this sentiment persisted for a long time, but today, Pavel believes, part of society “would prefer to forget.” “It is clear that the historical experience of Russia’s actions is repeating itself, but some people do not want to see it for various reasons,” he said.

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At the beginning of the President’s speech, provocateurs attempted to drown him out with sirens, but people gathered outside the building responded by chanting, “Long live Pavel.”

By contrast, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura and Finance Minister Alena Schillerová were met with shouts of “shame.” Demonstrators held placards criticizing the government’s plans to restrict the freedom of Czech Radio and Czech Television.

As a reminder, operation Danube began overnight on August 21, 1968. The occupation effectively continued until the summer of 1991. Commemorative events are being held across the Czech Republic these days.