‘Defiant and sombre’: Ukrainians rally to mark third anniversary of war
The Ukrainian community in Cambridge has marked the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of their country with events including the screening of a new film about the front line, and rallies on Saturday afternoon and Monday night.
The formal marking of the three-year milestone took place on King’s Parade on Monday evening (24 February).
The Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cllr Bridget Smith, attended, along with Cllr Cameron Holloway (Newnham, Labour), and Liberal Democrat politician Lucy Nethsingha (former MEP and leader of Cambridgeshire County Council) highlighted their support for the Ukrainian community in Cambridge. Statements from Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner and South Cambs MP Pippa Heylings also expressed their support for Ukraine.
Those gathered - around 150 people - heard from Ukrainians who fled the war in 2022 and came to Cambridge (often on Homes for Ukraine schemes).
They emphasised their gratitude to the Cambridge community and thanked the British government for visa schemes which allowed them to come to the UK in the first place. At the same time there remain concerns that the Home Office’s visa extension process will leave some with an eight-week gap in which they are unable to prove their right to live and work in the UK.
“I believe that one of the major concerns for the Ukrainian community in the UK right now is the continuation of their visas and/or the development of legal pathways for settlement,” said Diana Shypovych, Committee Member of Cambridge University Ukrainian Society. “Having these schemes in place would provide them with confidence in their future and strengthen the Ukraine-UK relationship.”
Paul Browne from Cambridge for Europe mentioned the importance of Europe and the UK uniting in their support of Ukraine in light of recent statements from US officials and US President Donald Trump.
“Observing how some American officials are sympathising with Russia and making steps to negotiate with the aggressor should be a wake-up for the European politicians to unite around Ukraine and provide the financial, humanitarian and military support that Ukraine needs,” noted Diana, adding that “there were also reminders about how to support Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.
Describing the evening was “a tapestry of emotions”, Ukrainian Anna Chop, an administrator at the University of Cambridge, said of the rally: “It was defiant, and it was sombre, we had a laugh with one speaker and then shared tears with the next one. Everybody's words were heartfelt and that allowed us to experience a whole spectrum of emotions together. There were a lot of personal histories and pain being shared that resonated with many present.
“And it was also hopeful, because where there are Ukrainians there is hope - which is our bread and sustenance. It is strange to be both very sad and uplifted at the same time, but that is the feeling with which I have left the event.”
On Friday evening, the screening of the film, 1% of War, took place at an event organised by the Ukrainian HAM Centre at Cambridge Tech Centre.
The 28-minute documentary was filmed by Denys Khrystov, who was at the Centre for a Q&A session.
The film depicts several heroic rescues of Ukrainian civilians stranded – sometimes for months, even years – between the Ukraine and Russian front lines.
As previously reported, also at the venue were stalls showcasing Ukrainian culture, art, food, and charities. They included Nick Taylor of The Green Barn Barton, artist Mariya Myronova, and Vadym Granovskiy, the creator of the ‘flat red’ Ukrainian speciality coffee.
