On March 4, 5 and 6, thousands of Ukrainians around the world took to the streets of cities in their countries of residence en masse to call on their governments to stand up for Ukraine, against which Russia has unleashed a brutal war. Together with their friends from other national communities, Ukrainian diplomats and politicians, they demanded to stop Putin’s war, emphasizing that a no-fly zone will save both Ukraine and the whole of Europe, which is threatened with a nuclear catastrophe.
Washington, D.C.
On March 6, a demonstration in support of Ukraine was held under the walls of the White House in Washington, DC, with the participation of ambassadors and diplomats of NATO member countries-Slovakia, Estonia and Latvia. A video from the rally was published by the Washington Post. Watch the video here.
Chicago
On March 5 and 6, numerous rallies were held on the streets of Chicago. The demonstration on Saturday gathered about 25 thousand participants, who filled the entire Daley Plaza and neighboring streets. On Sunday, March 6, four parallel rallies were held in the city.
Near Highway # 90 in Chicago, where tens of thousands of cars pass every day, the largest national flag outside of Ukraine was raised. Therefore, from now on, the blue and yellow flag will remind hundreds of thousands of US residents of the courage of Ukrainians.
Ottawa
Photo: Misha Lytvynyuk
Several thousand people participated in a demonstration in support of Ukraine in Ottawa. Numerous #StandWithUkraine rallies took place in many other cities of Canada.
Toronto
Melbourne
On March 5, in Australia, the Ukrainian Dance Company “Legend” Lehenda Ukrainian Dance Company held a dramatic act “Well” on Federation Square in central Melbourne. The action was supported by the Ukrainian community and Australian citizens who marched through the streets of the city from the city council to the main railway station and the square. The participants drew attention to the relentless attacks on Ukrainian soil and the horrors caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Budapest
The Ukrainian community of Hungary organized a large rally in Budapest, calling on the world and its state to close the sky over Ukraine and to take concrete actions to stop the brutal military aggression of the Russian occupier in Ukraine.
Lisbon
On March 6, in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, on the Shopping Square (Praça do Comércio), a large Veche was held in support of Ukraine, against which today the Russian aggressor is waging a bloody war. Participants of the Veche, including both Ukrainians and local residents, supported Ukraine by holding placards against Russia’s war in Ukraine and demanding to close the sky over Ukraine. UWC Regional Vice-President, Chair of the Union of Ukrainians in Portugal Pavlo Sadokha, and Ambassador of Ukraine to Portugal Inna Ognivets addressed the participants.
GERMANY
On March 6, coordinated action of Ukrainian communities was held in Dusseldorf, Munich and Dresden to call on the German government to provide Ukraine with the necessary defensive weapons and all possible means that would help stop the destruction of Ukraine by the Russian aggressor. In Dresden, the action was held on the Central Marienplatz square, in Dresden – near the Semper opera, and in Munich – on the central square. The Ukrainians were also joined by politicians and local residents, who thus expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Tbilisi
On March 4, in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, on the main avenue, Rustaveli, more than 30,000 people gathered in support of Ukraine listened to President Zelensky’s address. Since February 24, the Ukrainian community of Georgia and thousands of Georgians have been gathering in front of the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi and other cities in support of Ukraine every day.
Geneva
About 5 thousand people marched in Geneva. Together with the Ukrainians, the Europeans demanded to close the sky over Ukraine. The march passed through the city center to the UN building. Ukrainian, German, Bulgarian, and Georgian flags were flying at the rally. Many Swiss volunteer organizations were collecting aid for Ukraine at this time.
Riga
On March 6, a picket was held in Riga in front of the Latvian government building, during which participants called on the Cabinet of Ministers to strongly support the closure of the sky over Ukraine, which would help protect Ukraine and its people from destruction by the Russian aggressor. The picket was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora in Latvia, as well as Ukrainian refugees from Dnipro and Kharkiv destroyed by the enemy.
Delhi
We are for clear skies over Ukraine! Ukrainians for peace in Ukraine! We are against war! With such calls, Indian Ukrainians took to the streets of Delhi on March 5. They also expressed their gratitude to the Ukrainian Army, volunteers, and all Ukrainians who are now resisting the enemy.
Zagreb
The Croatian Helsinki human rights committee and Croatian Ukrainians took to Josip Jelacica Square to call on their state to close the skies over Ukraine and thereby stop the devastating destruction of Ukraine that the Russian aggressor is leading today in front of the whole world.
Strasbourg
Ukrainians in Strasbourg held a rally under the Russian consulate demanding that it get out of Ukraine and stop the bloody war. The protesters brought umbrellas to the rally — as a symbol of protected skies for Ukraine-calling on the European Union to “close the skies” over Ukraine to protect its land from bombing. They stressed that Russia should be punished for bombing civilians, chanting: “Putin is a murderer!”, “Rasha-home!”, “Murderers!”, “Shame!”
A protest demanding to close the sky over Ukraine was also held in Lille, France.
NEW ZEALAND
In Dunedin, Wellington, Kraschurch and Hamilton, actions of Ukrainian communities were held together with the local population calling for closing the Ukrainian Sky. Participants carried posters with photos of Ukrainian houses destroyed by the Russian invaders. Local residents took these posters home to display in their windows. And in Wellington, protesters brought a coffin under the Russian Embassy.
Warsaw
On March 6, the Ukrainian community of Poland organized a rally in the center of Warsaw, under the Palace of culture and science, to protest against the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. The protesters demanded solidarity and effective assistance to Ukraine from the West, in particular the establishment of a no-fly zone. Participants held flags of Ukraine, the EU, Belarus and posters – “stop the war in Ukraine”, “close the sky over Ukraine”, “hands off Ukraine” and chanted “Kyiv – Warsaw: a common cause”, “Putin – get out!”, “No to the flight zone!”. Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, Chairman of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland Miroslav Skirka, Polish film director Agnieszka Holland, and former Solidarity leader Adam Michnik addressed the participants.
Buenos Aires
On March 6, more than five thousand people demonstrated in defense of Ukraine and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who courageously resist the devastating bloody war of the Russian aggressor, in Buenos Aires. Participants with Ukrainian flags and slogans in support of Ukraine marched from May Square to The Obelisk, which was illuminated with blue and yellow flowers. The participants were addressed by the leaders of the Ukrainian community Dr. Petro Lylyk and Jorge Danylyszyn, who voiced the statement of the Ukrainian central representative of Argentina calling for closing the sky over Ukraine and doing everything possible to establish peace in Ukraine!
Ankara
On March 6, a crowded rally was held in Ankara in support of the Ukrainian people and against Russia’s bloody war against Ukraine. Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars, Turks, Georgians and representatives of other nationalities took to the central square of the Turkish capital – Ulus, where they once again declared their strong protest against Russia’s terrible war in Ukraine and called on the world to take decisive action. The participants thanked the Ukrainian soldiers for their courage and extraordinary dedication in defending Ukraine, kneeling down and chanting “Glory to the armed forces of Ukraine”.
Tunisia
Ukrainians living in Tunisia, local residents and citizens of other countries united on Sunday, March 6, at the Embassy of Ukraine in Tunisia to express support for the people of Ukraine with common prayer, the Ukrainian national anthem, sincere and emotional speeches.
The community of Ukrainians and their friends in Oslo, the capital of Norway, did not stand aside and took to the streets to protest in support of the closure of the airspace over Ukraine.
Thousands of people of Ukrainian community in Italy, along with numerous local residents, took to the streets of Rome to call on foreign leaders to close the sky over Ukraine and stop Russian bombing and save the lives of millions of Ukrainians. During the rally, speeches were made about the criminal Runic actions of the Russian aggressor, which claimed and continue to claim thousands of lives.
