Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave are among some of the Australian figures featured in a Ukraine video thanking Australia for its military aid.
The video, which was posted to the official Twitter account of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence yesterday (June 29), is accompanied by a caption expressing gratitude for the assistance provided by Australia as a non-NATO country.
“Australia has become a major non-NATO supplier of military aid to Ukraine,” the caption read. “[Australia] is so far from [Ukraine], yet is one of our closest partners.”
Australia has become a major non-NATO supplier of military aid to Ukraine. 🇦🇺 is so far from 🇺🇦, yet is one our closest partners! Our nations share a love of freedom and respect for the environment. Your weapons will help us with pest control of our fields. Thank you!
🇺🇦🤝🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/VfIsFdyeQl— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 29, 2022
Ukraine Defence went on to directly reference the specific aid provided by Australia, with the government gifting the war-torn country a fleet of armoured vehicles in early April. “Your weapons will help us with pest control of our fields. Thank you!” the tweet concluded.
The accompanying video tribute begins with a text stating that “the world culture has long been enriched by fine Australian exports”, before launching into a montage of popular Australian figures alongside imagery of native animals.
Snippets of music videos from Minogue and Cave are interspersed with clips of fellow Australian stars Dame Edna, Russell Crowe and Paul Hogan, as well as the late Shane Warne and Steve Irwin.
Elsewhere, the video features art critic Robert Hughes and the children’s cartoon character Bluey, along with clips of Australia’s former defence minister Peter Dutton. The tribute concludes with footage of the armoured vehicles provided by Australia and a final thank you note.
“Now Ukrainian culture is being saved…A land under attack owes much to the land down under,” the video said.
In March, both Minogue and Cave addressed the conflict in Ukraine, with the former taking to Instagram to share a UNICEF video advocating for the country’s children. “The children of Ukraine have now joined the many, many children around the world affected by the cruelty of war. They desperately need our help”, Minogue’s caption read.
Later, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds announced that they had cancelled scheduled shows in both Russia and Ukraine, with the band’s frontman writing to his Red Hand Files website that he “stand[s] with all Ukrainians at this horrific moment in history.”
“I would like nothing more than to play in Kyiv and I was very much looking forward to our show there. I also have some wonderful fans in Russia…If I could play for those people too, I would,” Cave wrote.