A concert for veterans and anti-governmental rally are being held simultaneously at Svoboda (Freedom) Square in Kharkiv - the two events are separated by a police cordon, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. Up to 1,500 people - activists of the South-East, Russian East, and Borotba movements - participate in the rally and some of them came from the Glory memorial, where flowers were laid in the morning.
Protestors have brought a giant St. George’s ribbon, flags of their organizations, and portraits of Georgy Zhukov and Iosif Stalin.
People speaking criticize the current authorities, whom they call “junta” and “U.S. henchmen,” and the operation these authorities carry out in eastern Ukraine, which speakers considers to be “a war against own people.”
“The Soviet Union is alive de jure,” speakers say and offer words of gratitude for the victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Military songs are performed and poems are recited at the rally.
The square is surrounded by police, traffic at adjoining streets, Derzhprom and University metro stations are closed, while entrance to the Kharkiv regional state administration is under enhanced security.
