On Thursday, May 9, there will be more than a thousand public events dedicated to May 9 and 16,000 police will be on duty to ensure law and order, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has said, urging citizens to refrain from using prohibited symbols and any illegal actions.
Interior Ministry advisor Zorian Shkyriak during a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday said all units of the Interior Ministry would be working to keep public order on Thursday.
“In total, over 1,200 events are planned for Ukraine on May 9 … 16,600 police officers will be involved in the protection of public order and service … it is planned that more than 600,000 people will take part in public events,” he said.
Shkyriak said the ministry would make every effort to prevent any provocations and violations during mass events.
“We will not give any chance to the pro-Russia or internal destructive forces on this day to carry out certain provocations,” he said, adding that symbols of Communist and Nazi regimes are banned.
Interior Ministry Communications Department Director Artem Shevchenko said persons wearing the St. George Ribbon would be fined and demonstrators bearing Communist and Nazi symbols faced criminal liability.
National Police Spokesman Yaroslav Trakalo said five events would be held in Kyiv on May 9.
“Several processions are planned with the laying of flowers, as well as rallies. For the most part, these are events in the center of the capital. The stated number of participants is more than 10,000. About 2,000 police officers, documenting groups and bomb specialists will be deployed to ensure public safety,” he said.
Trakalo said police would conduct so-called filtration activities in the center of Kyiv where there are large crowds: Arsenalna Square, Mazepa St., Park of Eternal Glory, Sofiyska and Yevropeiska Squares, Independence Square, Alley of Heavenly Hundred Heroes and on Mykhailivska and Triokhsviatytelska Streets.
He warned car drivers that traffic would be blocked on Hrushevskoho St. from Krepostny lane to Arsenalna metro station, Mazepy St. from Arsenalna metro station to Glory Square, Lavrska Street from Glory Square to the crossroads of Lavrska and Tsytadelna Streets, Kruty Heroes Alley from Parkova Alley to Glory Square.
