Thousands of people marched in central Kyiv to mark the Defender of Ukraine Day on Oct. 14, 2019.
The rally that attracted war veterans and right-wing activists was also a protest against President Volodymyr Zelensky’s approval of the so-called Steinmeier Formula, an agreement that grants the territories of eastern Ukraine that are occupied by the Russian-backed militants self-governance after they hold a local election. Many in Ukraine have been perceiving the agreement as a big concession to Russia and even a surrender.