Remembering the Fallen: A Tribute to Ukrainian Soldiers on Kiev’s Independent Square

In the city of Kiev, a lawn on Independent Square is dedicated to soldiers killed in battle. Family members and friends of the soldiers who come here place small replicas of the Ukrainian flag on the lawn with the name of the deceased. These flags tell us how enormous the number of people killed in the 520-day war is.

I witnessed the funeral of David Yakush, a soldier who died recently. The ceremony was held at St. Michael’s Church. The priest recited the prayer and the family members, friends and colleagues gave thanks. His mother wore a patriotic yellow and blue shawl.

The mother’s face was determined not to cry because her son died fighting for the country. Meanwhile, the sister could not contain her grief. Some soldiers who were injured in the war and bandaged came to say goodbye to their colleague. After the prayer, everyone lined up to say their last goodbyes with red-eyed flowers.

Deaths have increased in the past 2 months as the crackdown intensified. If a high-ranking person dies, it is displayed to the public to pay their respects. Scenes of patriotism and pain were seen everywhere.

Content Highlight: Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine Crisis, Russia-Ukraine War

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2023-07-28 22:41:24