Every year, on June 22, the Ukrainian people mark the Day of Mourning and Remembrance of War Victims. This is another reminder to everyone of how merciless and cruel the war is, and why we should learn from the mistakes of the past generation

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"War is barbaric when a peaceful neighbor is attacked, but it is a sacred duty when one defends one's homeland," the French writer Guy de Maupassant said in the late 19th century. Today, all Ukrainians feel the meaning of this statement, as we are once again defending our homeland.

On June 22, Ukrainians honor the memory of those who died in World War II. It was on this day 82 years ago that the war came to us. So it is not surprising that today's date brings us back to February 24, 2022, when russia launched a full-scale invasion. And Ukrainians, just like a decade ago, are standing up to defend their independence. 

The Day of Sorrow and Remembrance of War Victims: the origin of the commemorative date

In 2000, the then-President of Ukraine signed a decree establishing the Day of Sorrow and Remembrance of War Victims in Ukraine. Interestingly, the decision was influenced by public opinion, including initiatives of war veterans' associations.

Victims among Ukrainians

The world won the victory over Nazism at the cost of significant human losses, and, unfortunately, Ukrainians suffered the most casualties among the countries affected by the war - about 10 million people.

It is estimated that 5 million civilians died, and 2.2 million were taken to work in Germany. Another 10 million people lost their homes, as the war completely destroyed more than 700 cities and 30 thousand villages.

It is worth remembering that people died not only on the front line. Civilians living in the rear also faced the consequences of war, occupation and the post-occupation period.

Between 1941 and 1945, Ukrainians suffered so much grief that it seemed like there could be no more. Villages and towns were burned on our lands, civilians were shot, exiled to concentration camps, and starved to death.

It is our duty to remember the significant contribution of the Ukrainian people to the victory over Nazism. Today, we are facing war again, so we feel sadness for each and every victim of russian aggression as never before.

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The russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022: the number of victims

Since the end of World War II, the world has lived by a common approach of "never again." However, russia has shown how easy it is to break the security architecture and started a new war in Europe.

The United Nations recently shared some horrifying statistics: since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, 9,083 civilians have been killed and 15,442 injured. 

Since some Ukrainian regions are under occupation, the exact number of victims cannot be calculated. But the UN is convinced that the real number is higher.

The most horrific thing is the number of children killed. rF killed 501 children: 280 boys and 221 girls. There are more wounded children - 473 boys and 337 girls.

The UN report indicates that most civilians died in March 2022 - 4127 people. In the following months, the number of people killed decreased: 808 people died in April, 540 in May, and 429 in June.

Today we see that the world has joined forces to defeat fascism. So to defeat racism, Ukraine also united countries and millions of people around the world.

Many countries, including the United States, the European Union, Canada, and others, are currently providing financial humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Find out more about which countries are actively supporting Ukrainians here.

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