On Sunday, May 17, Ukraine commemorates the victims of political repressions. The memorial day is dedicated to millions of people who became victims of the Soviet totalitarian regime, persecution, deportations, executions, and imprisonment.
Ukraine marks the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repressions every year on the third Sunday of May. Memorial ceremonies, flower-laying events, and moments of silence are held across the country.
The day honors people who were persecuted during the existence of the Soviet Union, including cultural figures, scientists, military personnel, priests, peasants, members of the Ukrainian liberation movement, and other citizens targeted by Soviet authorities.
One of the symbols of mass repression in Ukraine is the Bykivnia forest near Kyiv, where thousands of victims of the NKVD are buried. Other memorial sites include Sandarmokh, Lukyanivske Cemetery, the Solovetsky Islands, and other places of mass executions and imprisonment.
Special attention is also paid to the memory of the representatives of the “Executed Renaissance” — Ukrainian writers, artists, and cultural figures уничтоженных советским режимом в 1930-х годах.
According to various estimates, millions of people became victims of political repression in the Soviet Union. In Ukraine, mass repressions intensified during the Great Terror of 1937–1938.
