A large solidarity rally was held in Stockholm to mark Ukrainian Unity Day.
On Sunday, 18 January, a mass rally was held in Stockholm to mark Ukrainian Unity Day, during which participants formed a symbolic "human chain" of solidarity. The action was aimed at drawing the attention of the international community to the ongoing Russian aggression, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, as well as the need to strengthen defence support and release Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages.
The event was reported by the Ukrainian Embassy in Sweden. It was organised by the Nordic Ukraine Forum. Representatives of the Ukrainian community, Swedish public figures and participants from other European countries who support the values of freedom and democracy joined the action. During the rally, speakers emphasised the difficult conditions in which Ukrainians live due to the shelling of energy infrastructure, in particular the lack of light and heat in the winter cold.
Speakers included Ukraine's ambassador to Sweden, Svitlana Zalishchuk; the founder of Beetroot, Andreas Flodström; the frontman of the MUR project, Oleksandr Khomenko; the rector of the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) Tymofiy Brick, representatives of the Nordic Ukraine Forum, the Plast Sweden organisation, and students of the Ukrainian Sunday school. The event culminated in the performance of the Ukrainian national anthem by Swedish public figure and activist Ulf Bergström.
The Ukrainian Embassy emphasised the symbolic nature of the event, recalling the 1990 "living chain" between Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv, and thanked all participants for their solidarity and support for Ukraine in its struggle for freedom, democracy and justice.
Ukrainian Unity Day, Stockholm, human chain, support for Ukraine, Ukrainians abroad, diaspora, war