Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

Ihor Liaskovych, nom de guerre “Hrusha”, passed away on April 22, 2019.Ihor was born on July 7, 1969; lived in the village of Husiatyn, Ternopil Oblast. He took part in the Revolution of Dignity, and went to war with the first volunteers of the Aidar Battalion in 2014. For 3 years, he served as gunner in the Aidar Battalion; wounded several times.

Ihor leaves behind his grieving son.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian-backed troops launch 10 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 2 using heavy artillery and mortars proscribed by Minsk.

1 Ukrainian soldier killed, 1 wounded.4 enemy militants killed, 4 wounded.

RF Minister of Foreign AffairsSergey Lavrov once again declared that question “on the reunification of Crimea with Russia” has been completely closed. Lavrov says that Western powers will not be able to change status of occupied Crimea,Ukraine, Russian hold talks on liberation of captured sailors in The Hague.

Ukraine initiated new lawsuit vs Russia & appealed to International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for application of interim measures vs Russia in order to immediately release 3 Ukrainian ships & 24 crewmembers that were illegally captured & detained by Russian officers in the Black Sea on Nov 25, 2018.

[Natalka]

Too young....

21-year-old Oleksandr Tsapenko was killed by enemy mortar shelling near the checkpoint of Novooleksandrivka, Luhansk Oblast on April 22, 2019.Oleksandr was born in Shyroke, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in 1998. He served in the 5th Regiment of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Meanwhile on the front lines...Ukrainian soldiers preparing Easter baskets to celebrate the "Easter Truce"

[Natalka]

Yuriy Konovod was killed by a sniper bullet during heavy enemy gunfire near Pivdenne (Svitlodarsk Bulge), Donetsk Oblast on April 23, 2019.

Yuriy was born in the village of Lanna, Poltava Oblast on August 9, 1964. He was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. In 1989, he graduated from the Faculty of History of Poltava Pedagogical Institute and worked as a teacher until the war. He served as junior sergeant in the 24th Assault Battalion “Aidar” of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Yuriy leaves behind his grieving wife and 2 sons.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

"Easter Truce" continues... Russian-led forces launch 17 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 8 using heavy weapons and mortars banned by Minsk.

1 Ukrainian soldier wounded.2 enemy militants killed, 3 wounded.

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to hear Ukraine's lawsuit on May 10-11 concerning violation of the immunity of 3 Ukrainian vessels & crew members.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov says Putin's decree on simplifying procedure for issuing Russian passports to residents of occupied Donbas creates legal conditions for Russian invasion of Ukraine.In fact, Russian legislation allows use of armed forces to protect Russian citizens beyond Russian borders.

Minsk talks: Ukraine calls on Russia to unblock hostage release, but Russia says release is off the table until the trial of sailors is completed, and then they'll see...

[Natalka]

Holy Thursday

[Natalka]

Volodymyr Kutsyk was killed by a sniper bullet at a checkpoint position near Maryinka, Donetsk Oblast on April 30, 2019.

Volodymyr was born in the village of Stoyaniv, Lviv Oblast on April 22, 1968. He enlisted in 2019 and served in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Volodymyr leaves behind his grieving wife.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian-led troops launch 22 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 6 using heavy artillery and mortars proscribed by Minsk.

2 Ukrainian soldiers wounded.5 enemy militants killed, 2 wounded.
Vladimir Putin signs decree on simplified procedure for granting Russian citizenship to certain categories of Ukrainian citizens.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) conduct new raids on Crimean Tatar activists' homes in occupied Crimea.

[Natalka]

Serhiy Hvozdiyevsky died of his wounds on April 30, 2019. His vehicle hit a landmine somewhere in the war zone; Serhiy was immediately transported to a field hospital and then flown to Dnipro Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.

Serhiy was born on April 14, 1966; lived in Mohyliv-Podilsky, Vinnytsia Oblast. He served in 79th Separate Airborne Brigade.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Andriy Demydenkov, nom de guerre “Demon”, was killed in a road accident near Ivano-Frankivsk on April 27, 2019. Andriy was born in Kherson on September 13, 1984. An active participant of the Revolution of Dignity, he joined the volunteer movement with the 4th Special-Purpose Battalion of the National Guard “Kruk”, deployed near Popasna. Despite his wounds, he returned to the front, serving as commander in the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade in 2016-2017. After returning home end of 2017, he headed the Veterans Aid Centre.- leaves behind his grieving parents, wife (also a volunteer) and 3 children.
Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Some powerful images from the march dedicated to the Day of Reconciliation in Kyiv yesterday by Serhiy Nuzhndnko from RFE/RL Радіо Свобода. Relatives of soldiers who died in the war in Donbas also marched through the streets.

According to official data, 2973 Ukrainian servicemen have lost their lives from the conflict.

[Natalka]

Denys Kozma disappeared during combat near Mykolayivka, Donetsk Oblast on May 1, 2019. On May 8, his body was delivered to the Ukrainian side by the Russian-backed militants.
He was born on August 20, 1987 in Pryozerne, Odesa Oblast. He took part in the violent clashes in Odesa on May 2, 2014, went to war as a volunteer when war broke out in 2014, and served in the 137th Battalion of the 35th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade.

Denys leaves behind his grieving mother, brother and a young daughter.

Вічна Пам’ять! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Serhiy Drohin, nom de guerre “Skif”, was killed near Pivdenne, Donetsk Oblast on May 7, 2019.
Serhiy was born in Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast on December 22, 1986. He served in the 24th Separate Assault Brigade “Aidar” of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
Serhiy leaves behind his grieving mother and wife.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

May 8, Ukraine pays tribute to the victims of World War II on the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, and on May 9 Ukrainians remember Victory Day – Allied defeat of Nazism in World War II (a public holiday in Ukraine).

During these two days, Ukrainians honour the victims of World War II and all the brave men and women that gave their lives in the war against Nazism, alongside their Allied friends. During World War II, more than 8,000,000 Ukrainians lost their lives.
The official symbol of Victory Day and the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation in Ukraine is the red poppy (remembrance poppy) flower, which is the common global symbol of the tragic days and events of World War II.#LestWeForget