And good morning to you. It is Saturday, February the 24th. I'm Ali Velshi. Today marks two years

since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It's a remarkable milestone for a small

country that many people didn't think could last even two months fighting Vladimir Putin's

army. There was even a moment at the start of the war when it seemed like Ukraine

could fall within days. At this very hour, two years ago, unknown to us, a small group of

Ukrainian soldiers, most of whom had never seen combat before, were fighting Russia for control

of Antonov Airfield. It was located about 20 miles northwest of

Kiev. Russians launched an offensive on the ground and by air, and by the afternoon of February 24th,

2022, they managed to push the Ukrainians out and hoist the Russian flag over the airfield within sight of the

high rises in downtown Kiev. They expected the Ukrainians to capitulate, but the Ukrainians

kept fighting, and crucially, they destroyed the runway, rendering that critical airfield

unusable to the Russian troops. That single move in the now

storied Battle of Kiev prevented Russia from landing huge cargo planes, which would have brought troops,

armored vehicles and supplies, the things that would have led to the fall of Kyiv.

It was a key moment of resistance in the early hours of the war

that gave Ukrainian forces time to shore up defensives around the capital. It proved that Ukrainians

had the determination to protect their country. In those early days, the world watched as ordinary

citizens lined up to join the army or the

civil defense force or to volunteer or to donate blood or to help in any way they could.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the former sitcom star, turned president, captivated millions as he posted

videos from the streets of

Kiev, speaking words of defiance from the outset. Zelensky was clear on one thing. Ukraine

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