CHICAGO (WLS) — A celebration of Ukraine’s independence took place in northwest Chicago on Saturday.
The meeting comes at a difficult time for Ukraine, which is currently battling the Russian invasion over two years ago.
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Hundreds gathered shoulder to shoulder in front of the Ukrainian Cultural Center at 2247 W. Chicago Ave. in Ukrainian Village, dressed in their country’s colors, celebrating 33 years of freedom even though their homeland remains under siege by Russia.
The many voices singing the Ukrainian national anthem before the prayers sounded with a defiant undertone.
“Ukraine will continue to be an independent state,” said Jacob Shtermberg, a Ukrainian living in the Chicago area.
While Russia tries to take away this independence from us, it is all the more important that we celebrate the fact that we still have it.
Jacob Shtermberg, Ukrainian, resident of the Chicago area
Anastasia Soroka sought refuge in the United States just last year and was present on Saturday.
“Many people here were forced to leave their country and move here. That’s a bit sad,” Soroka said. “It’s not just about support for us. It’s about support for democracy.”
READ MORE | Ukraine celebrates its 33rd anniversary of independence in a somber manner as the war with Russia rages on
Saturday marks Ukraine’s third Independence Day since the Russian invasion in 2022, and it is both a day of joy and ongoing concern for families on the other side of the world.
“(She) We are confronted with bombs and drones every day,” said Shtermberg.
As Ukrainians near and far pause, they remember their country’s independence, which they have had to fight to preserve in the truest sense of the word in recent years.
“And while Russia is trying to take away that independence from us, it is all the more important that we celebrate the fact that we still have it,” Shtermberg said.
The event was hosted by the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of the American Illinois Division and ended with a fundraiser with lots of music for a good cause. Money was raised through the Help Heroes of Ukraine Foundation to send relief supplies to their homeland.
33 years ago, on August 24, 1991, Ukraine declared its independence from the former Soviet Union.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of the country on February 24, 2022. According to the United Nations, more than 11,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the conflict. However, the number of casualties could be even higher. In February, the second anniversary of the war, Zelensky said that 35,000 soldiers had been killed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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