Some 2,000 people marched in central Kyiv on May 9 to mark the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Europe.
The participants held up portraits of their deceased relatives who fought in the World War II. The participants marched and laid flowers on the Tomb of Unknown Soldier.
The tradition to march with photos of veteran relatives on May 9, dubbed the Immortal Regiment, originated in Russia and is sometimes criticized for its Soviet nostalgia. This year, the march was banned in Belarus.
In Kyiv, the police took strict security measures to prevent clashes between the participants and nationalist activists that took place in the previous years.
Halfway through the march’s route from Arsenalna metro station to the Tomb of Unknown Soldier, the participants were met by a group of activists protesting the march because of its Russian origin. They held up posters depicting characters from the World of Warcraft computer game, mocking the way protesters held up photos of war veterans.
