President Honors Babyn Yar Victims

On the 84th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid tribute to the victims of the mass executions perpetrated by the Nazis during their occupation of Kyiv in World War II. The solemn ceremony took place at the Babyn Yar site, where thousands of Jews and other minorities were massacred.

Accompanied by key governmental figures, including Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Tetiana Berezhna, President Zelenskyy led the commemoration. Foreign ambassadors, rabbis, and members of international organizations joined in placing memorial lamps at the Menorah Memorial, a poignant gesture of remembrance.

In his address, President Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the ambassadors for their presence, highlighting the importance of international solidarity. He emphasized the enduring memory of Babyn Yar as a reminder to the world of the consequences of inaction in the face of aggression, drawing a parallel to the current conflict with Russia.

The Babyn Yar massacre remains one of the most horrific atrocities of the Holocaust, with over 30,000 individuals executed in just two days, September 29-30, 1941. The site, known as the “Road of Death,” stands as a testament to the brutal history that Ukraine continues to commemorate and learn from.