August 29, 2014 – Ilovaisk, a city in the Donetsk region, east of Ukraine. Despite the agreement on a “green corridor,” Russian forces opened fire and shelled the columns of Ukrainian soldiers who were leaving the encirclement. Hundreds were killed, hundreds wounded, many went missing.
In 2019, Ukraine established the Day of Remembrance for the Fallen Defenders, forever tied to the crime and tragedy of Ilovaisk.
Today, we honor the memory of all those who, throughout these years, have given their lives in resistance to Russia for Ukraine’s freedom and sovereignty. We must not wait for the war to end to honor the heroes — we must act every single day with their names on our lips. We must support those who carry the future of our country on their shoulders, fighting for every inch of our land.
We are grateful to @la_madeleine_cph for setting a Table of Memory, commemorating in faraway Copenhagen those who paid the highest price for our safety. This table joins more than 3,000 other restaurants and public spaces in Ukraine and world in a common memorial initiative launched by Меморіал героїв and Благодійний фонд імені Іллі Грабара. By remembering our heroes, we affirm that our pain is shared, and we show and nurture our culture of respect and dignity.
“When they ask me what war is, I’ll answer without hesitation: it’s names.”, Maksym “Dali” Kryvtsov, Ukrainian poet and fallen soldier.
Remember. Every. Day.
Photos by @Anna Bovkun
