10.05.2017, Ukraine.
Andrey Krishchenko, the head of the Kiev police department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said that several elderly people were detained today in Kiev for holding a banner in the colors of St. George’s ribbon, TASS News Agency reported on May 9.
Krishchenko said that the police detained two people who were trying to unfold a banner with St. George’s ribbon. They will be delivered to the police department, where their actions will be legally assessed. St. George’s ribbons were also seized from several other elderly people today. Police clarified the matter with them.
Along with this, clashes between people with Soviet symbols and Ukrainian nationalists occurred in downtown Zaporozhye. One participant of the rally was detained.
As previously reported, Zoryan Shkiryak, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, declared on May 8 that the Ukrainian law enforcement agency will “react firmly” to anyone wearing St. George’s ribbons during the celebration of the Victory Day. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (the Ukrainian Parliament – Editor) put forward a proposal to make May 9 an ordinary working day. The Ukrainian authorities are intensively promoting the Day of Memory and Sorrow as a new holiday for the country. This day is meant to be a new celebration for the whole Ukraine, to fully erase Soviet history from the memory of the people. There are also increased efforts to popularize the red poppy, a symbol of the Day of Memory and Sorrow. To a large extent, Ukrainian officials ignore Victory Day, although for the time being May 9 remains a state holiday.
It should be noted that Ukrainian law does not officially forbid St. George’s ribbon. However, different methods are widely used to intimidate and threaten Ukrainian people. For example, a few days ago, before the anniversary of the events of May 2 in Odessa, it was reported that the Ukrainian Naval Forces were ready to use weapons against anti-governmental protesters in Odessa.
Also, Russian diplomats were stopped on the way to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kiev, the Kommersant, Russian daily newspaper, reported on May 9. A group of unknown people blocked the Russian diplomats on the way to the Memorial. Negotiations with them did not succeed. Due to the incident, laying flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on behalf of the Russian diplomatic mission did not take place. However, Russian diplomats did lay flowers at the monument of General Nikolai Vatutin. In 1943, General Vatutin led the Kiev offensive operation of the Soviet Army. During this operation, Kiev was liberated from fascist troops. Nikolai Vatutin joined the Red Army as a common soldier and rose to become a general. During the Great Patriotic War, he headed the troops of the Voronezh, South-Western, and 1st Ukrainian fronts until his death in 1944. In February 1944, Vatutin was fatally wounded in combat against a group of militants of the so-called Ukrainian Insurgent Army (organization banned in Russia – Editor). General Nikolai Vatutin was buried in Kiev.
Update. Around 10,000 people participated in the “Immortal Regiment” procession in Kharkov. In this city, the Bandera Nazis also attacked the rally. In videos posted in the Internet, one can hear people chanting “Fascism will not pass!”, “Congratulations with the Victory Day!” and signing “Sacred War”. In Nikolaev, two processions were held. The Bandera Nazis’ procession, around 150 people, marched with the portraits of Bandera and Shukhevich decorated with black-and-red stripes, the colors of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (organization banned in Russia). The “Immortal Regiment” procession, around 500 people, marched with the portraits of the Soviet army soldiers. As in Kiev, the police detained an “Immortal Regiment” participant with the St. George ribbon.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
