Ashton's Ukrainians stand tall for Independence Day

It was a day for both solemnity and hope for Ukrainians across the globe on Sunday (24th August) as the country observed their 34th Independence Day - their third since the current Russian invasion was launched in 2022.

Since the start of the invasion, Russia is now said to occupy 20% of the country, with at least 49,431 civilian deaths being recorded by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), as of the start of August. 

The day commemorates the landmark 1991 severance of Ukraine from the USSR, where the nation declared itself its own sovereign state, independent from the Soviet Union. The move was backed by 92% of the Ukrainian people in a landslide vote, and widely accepted among the international community. 

With public value for the day in constant change over the years, 34 years on, the historic holiday has found renewed importance. After the Russia-Ukraine war first erupted in Crimea in 2014, the day has become symbolic of courage, determination and freedom among the Ukrainian people, particularly after the conflict escalated three years ago. 

Tameside's Ukrainian community was no exception: on Sunday, the Ashton branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) launched their own event to recognise the holiday. 

The day began with members of the group laying down wreaths at the Memorial Gardens in Ashton town centre, in memory of both loved ones and of strangers who have been displaced, injured or killed in the conflict. 

The memorial was then followed with an official ceremony event at the AUGB Ukrainian Cultural Centre, where guests enjoyed a traditional Ukrainian barbecue.

In a statement, the AUGB described the holiday as a day of "mixed emotions".

"There is sadness, as we remember all those who have lost their lives defending Ukraine from the Russian aggressor, those who have lost loved ones, the thousands of children kidnapped and far from their families, and all the innocent civilians who have suffered from Russia’s brutality," they said.

"We continue to be grateful for the steadfast support of the UK government and other international partners, though there is also uncertainty, as we look to a future which sometimes appears to be in the balance, and concern that decisions about Ukraine may be made without Ukraine.

"But there is also great pride: that the Ukrainian armed forces, against great odds, still stand and fight on the front lines for Ukraine’s very right to exist and determine its own future; that European nations and other international partners believe in the importance of supporting Ukraine’s freedom and democracy; and that Ukraine’s people stay resilient and strong in the face of constant Russian bombardments.

"On Sunday 24 August we must celebrate a pivotal point in Ukraine’s history, freedom. Something our forefathers long dreamt of and fought for. Our role in supporting Ukraine on all fronts continues until Ukraine has that just and secure peace it deserves which then no one can take away."