You're reading: Ukrainian Communists hold protest against nationalists in Kyiv

Representatives from the Ukrainian Communist Party and left-wing forces are holding a small rally near the Lenin monument in Bessarabska Square in central Kyiv against a march of nationalists.

More than 100 demonstrators were holding the flags of the Ukrainian Communist Party, Russian Bloc Party, as well as Che Guevara portraits, an Interfax correspondent said.

The demonstrators also unfolded a slogan, "We will block off this fascist scrap."

They also held small placards with slogans "Fascism will not work," "This should not repeat itself," "We will not forgive the ONU-UPA (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists-Ukrainian Insurgent Army)," with Nazi swastikas also drawn on the placards.

The demonstrators also held placards of the "Anti-fascist committee of Ukraine."

Not far from the venue, at the Taras Shevchenko park, representatives from the Svoboda All-Ukrainian Union are gathering for their event.

It was reported that Svoboda planned to hold a 25,000-strong rally near the Shevchenko monument and a procession with a concert in Mykhailivska Square on Friday.

October14 is the day of the foundation of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Ukrainian nationalists have been holding demonstrations and rallies on this day in various Ukrainian cities since 2005.

Svoboda said that it will hold the March of Glory of the UPA to demand to return the title of the Hero of Ukraine to Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych, to recognize the OUN-UPA struggle as the national liberation fight of the Ukrainian nation and to declare October 14 – the Day of the UPA foundation – a national holiday.