In Greece, a group of individuals with red flags attacked Ukrainians during a ceremony honoring the memory of the Holodomor victims. The incident took place in the city of Mandra, where a monument to Taras Shevchenko is located, as reported by the priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church community of St. Nicholas in Greece, Igor Posolenik.
"On Saturday, during a peaceful event dedicated to the Day of Remembrance for the Holodomor victims in Ukraine, a group of aggressively inclined individuals under communist flags and slogans attacked Ukrainians, among whom a significant number were women and children from Ukrainian schools and associations. The incident occurred near the Taras Shevchenko monument, where Ukrainians had gathered to hold a sanctioned event with prayers for the Holodomor victims," he wrote on his Facebook.
According to him, the assailants with communist symbols blocked access to the monument and also "resorted to aggressive actions," including insults and threats. An unnamed diplomat from the Ukrainian embassy was injured in the attack.
In the released footage, it can be seen that someone among the participants of the confrontation detonated noise devices several times. The video also captured attempts by the police to prevent a mass brawl.
The Ukrainian embassy in Greece expressed "strong protest against the violent and provocative actions of KKE members." (It should be noted that KKE is a well-known abbreviation for the local communist party in Greece). The embassy also confirmed that a Ukrainian diplomat was hurt during the assault.
"We urge the Greek law enforcement authorities to promptly investigate this incident and ensure accountability for those responsible. It is essential to protect the rights of individuals and communities to remember historical tragedies without fear of intimidation or violence," the embassy's statement said.
Day of Remembrance for the Holodomor Victims
As reported by UNIAN, today Ukraine honors the memory of the victims of the Stalin famine in Ukraine from 1932-33, known as the Holodomor.
State leaders participated in memorial events in Ukraine, including President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife. A statement was made in Washington regarding this somber date. President Joe Biden reminded that the famine was deliberately orchestrated by the Stalin regime and emphasized that Putin's Russia is attempting to erase Ukraine from the map of the world once again.