May 23 in Ukraine is the Day of Heroes

Heroes’ Day or Heroes’ Holiday is an annual holiday in Ukraine established in honor of Ukrainian soldiers – fighters for the freedom of Ukraine, especially knights of Kievan Rus, Cossacks of the Hetman’s era, Haydamaks, Opryshki, Sich Riflemen, soldiers of the UPR Army, Ukrainian Insurgent Army, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, and heroes of the Heavenly Hundred and modern Russian-Ukrainian war.

Heroes’ Day is a day of remembrance of all Ukrainians who dedicated their lives to the struggle for freedom and independence of Ukraine, it is a holiday of greatness of spirit of Ukrainian soldiers – fighters for the freedom of Ukraine and is a symbol of invincibility of the Ukrainian nation.

In 1941, the Second Great Congress of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists decided to celebrate Heroes’ Day every May 23. The holiday was timed to a sad day on May 23, 1938, when Yevhen Konovalets was killed in Rotterdam.

Before Ukraine gained independence, the holiday was celebrated underground, and with the proclamation of independence in 1992, it became wide-known.

Since 2014, the holiday is gradually beginning to be recognized by state and self-governing bodies, cultural and mass events organized by the authorities are taking place.

Heroes’ Day is another opportunity to remember the courageous men and women who in different years and centuries of the country’s history defended our path to independence, defended borders, protected families and gave peace.

Today, the war continues in the Eastern Ukraine, where the sons and daughters of Ukraine are dying again, and parents, wives and children are losing relatives who are defending our land. Bullets do not bypass them and the graves of the Heroes of today’s war appear in cemeteries…

We bow our heads, honoring the feats of arms of the heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine at different times.

Remember…

Glory to the heroes!

Chairman of the Board

NGO “Association of Ukrainian Defense Manufacturers”

Ruslan Dzhalilov