Ukraine: Nationwide Defender’s Day celebrations Oct. 14

Event

Nationwide events will be held over the weekend of Saturday, October 14, to celebrate Defender’s Day and several other holidays. Government offices and other businesses will be closed from October 14 through Monday, October 16. Numerous rallies and marches are expected to take place in major urban areas, including Kyiv and Kharkiv. Government officials announced that an additional 13,000 National Guard personnel and police officers will be deployed to provide security during the celebrations.

According to media reports, far-right groups, including the Right Sector, are planning to gather at the Shevchenko monument in Kyiv at 15:00 (local time). Participants will then march down Shevchenko Boulevard, Khreschatyk Street, Maidan Nezalezhnosit, Sagaidachnogo Street, and Kontraktova Ploshcad, ending at 19:00. Another event is scheduled to take place on Kontraktova Square between 12:00 and 17:00.

In Kharkiv, a march will take place starting at 11:00. Participants are expected to gather at the V. Kirko monument and travel to the Shevchenko monument. Expect increased security measures around all events and localized transportation disruptions along march routes.

Context

President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree in October 2014 officially recognizing October 14 as Defender’s Day and a non-working holiday. Nationwide events will also be held over the weekend to commemorate the Holy Protestation of the Blessed Virgin, the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks, and the 75th anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

Meanwhile, fighting continues to take place between Ukrainian and separatist forces in eastern Ukraine despite a ceasefire agreement that came into effect on April 1, 2017. On June 13, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report that warned the fighting in eastern Ukraine had escalated in recent months. In accordance with the Minsk protocol (September 2014) and Minsk II (February 2015) a ceasefire has officially been in place for several years in eastern Ukraine (Donbass region) between Russian-backed separatists, who advocate closer ties with Russia, and the Ukrainian government. However, despite these agreements, fighting is regularly reported in the region.  More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict since 2014.

Advice

Individuals in Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv, are advised to avoid all demonstrations as a precaution, obey any instructions issued by the local authorities, and anticipate increased travel times due to high traffic and increased security measures. Due to the underlying terrorist threat amid high sociopolitical tensions, be alert to and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the local authorities or your security officer.