Thousands of people marched, chanted and raised flags through the streets of Kyiv celebrating the sixth year of the Defender’s Day on Oct. 14.
Former President Petro Poroshenko declared Oct. 14 a state holiday in 2014. On this day, Ukraine observes the Defender’s Day, Protection of the Blessed Virgin, Day of the Ukrainian Cossacks and the founding of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
This holiday honors the courage and bravery of all Ukrainian soldiers who fought for Ukraine’s independence.
In Kyiv, thousands of people showed up to pay tribute to the fallen heroes and veterans.
Tatyana Yashina traveled from Zaporizhia to show her support – and this isn’t her first time.
“It’s my third year attending this event, I love it here, so much patriotism, we don’t have much of that back in Zaporizhia, that’s why I love it here,” said Yashina.
Yashina brought her neighbor Andriy Velmozhko, who has never been to Kyiv before.
“It’s my first time in Kyiv, this city is amazing and the march is just full of so much positivity, I’m so happy that I came,” said Velmozhko.
However, not everyone shares the same emotions, veteran Viktor Vitant who is a part of the Golden Gates battalion said this war has left him disappointed.
“When we had to go to Crimea, so many soldiers were there, many battalions, volunteers, we stood there for a little while and then left that same night, nothing happened we didn’t fight. Plenty of such instances occurred throughout the four years that I was there, I just think it’s so disappointing that this war could have ended much much sooner,” said Vitant.
Among the thousands of people that were there, stood a mother, whose son also served during Russia’s war against Ukraine that has been raging since 2014. Oksana Romanova said the country has failed its fighters.
“Right now boys are getting killed, betrayed, backstabbed, my son fought for four years, I’m here to show my tribute to him and to everyone else who served, these boys protected us, but we couldn’t protect them,” said Romanova.
Romanova went on to explain that people are slowly forgetting about the war’s casualties and losses, she alleged that politicians are not even doing the bare minimum to support this cause.
“Elections are being held, billboards and ads are plastered all over the place, but not one party bothered to print or show tribute to the soldiers, this is embarrassing, shame on our leaders,” said Romanova.
Right in the middle of the crowd a group of men with spaghetti mustaches dressed in colorful traditional Ukrainian vyshyvankas chanted “Glory to Ukraine” – they call themselves “real Cossacks.” Volodymyr Petraniuk, who is the head of congress of Ukrainian Nationalists said they attended to protest the Ukrainian government’s actions, which they think signal a possible surrender to Russia.
“People have grown tired, mostly the ones who lack freedom, that’s why these people are ready to surrender, but we’re here to stand against it, we must use every patriotic celebration to demonstrate our power, to motivate, to stand against surrender, glory to Ukraine,” said Petraniuk.
