Kyiv remembers its victories

Baptist report on the eve of the May dates and events

... The building of the house of trade unions, on the Maidan, is covered with a panel - a torn chain against the background of the blue sky on both sides. Inscriptions in Ukrainian and English: "Freedom is our religion!"

The House of Trade Unions burned on the night of February 19, 2014, when Khreshchatyk, turned into a fortified area, stormed the Berkut fighters faithful to Yanukut. Puffs of smoke, flames, alarm, coming from the bell tower of the Mikhailovsky Church, defenders of barricades with wooden shields, the bodies of the dead, covered with state flags ... The tragedy of ancient power showed Europe an unknown Ukraine-no-Russia. Here, for freedom, they were ready to pay as value, and they were paid not by quarries, but by their own lives, not a single politician, but many citizens of the country.

The skeleton of the burned house was soon curtained, like a mirror, with a severe canvas. But the smell of Gary lasted for a long time, breaking through the next flowering of chestnuts and lilacs. Now the reconstruction is coming to an end, although not yet finished. The investigation in the case of executions on the Maidan also lasts so far.

Near the stele of independence, where the first tents of the revolution stood on granite, the exposition “1939-1945. Remember. We win. " On three -meter metal structures - repeatedly, increased portraits to the size of the poster. “Evdokia Zhapvaliy, Colonel of the Co (Co - the reduction from the“ Chervona ”, that is, the Red Army, O. M. ), the only woman who during the Second World War served the commander of the marine corps platoon.” “Ivan Kozhedub, the most effective pilot of the Allies of the Second World War. On the account - 64 air victories. Three times Hero of the Soviet Union. " “Amet-Khan Sultan, pilot-AS. He shot down 30 enemy aircraft alone and 19 more in group battles. He proudly openly called himself the Crimean Tatar. " “Peter Fedun -“ Poltava ”. Lieutenant Cha, Colonel of the UPA ( Ukrainian rebel army. In Russia since 2014, the activities of this organization are prohibited - ed. ). He fought against German invaders. Outstanding ideologist and publicist of the liberation movement. The knight of the Golden Cross merits of grade 1 and the Golden Cross merit. ”

Next to eminent heroes are an alley of pictures transferred to fabric, amateur, obviously from home archives, for many years secretly stored by descendants. For such "material evidence" under the Soviet regime they could be in prison. The regiments do not walk on them, but men, women, adolescents in civilian or semi -native clothes, but certainly with weapons in their hands, in forest glades. Partisans of the UPA. And around all the photographs, poppies with black cores are red. Ukrainians in World War II - part of the United Nations, the defeated aggressor, part of the endless field of red flowers ...

A separate photo documentary story called “The answer of the rebellious people” was prepared by the Institute of National Memory. The opening of the exposition will be held on May 8, on the square in front of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine.

For most of the baptism, now completely pedestrian, another exhibition has opened, called “Winners-2”. The project of photographers Alexander Morderer and Tatyana Rubleva was born from the series of plots of the 1+1 television channel. Fifteen stories of ATO veterans who overcome not only their own crippled bodies, wheelchairs, amputations, depression. In the Ukrainian crisis media center, where, among other things, they are engaged in the psychological rehabilitation of the fighters that returned from the advanced in the Donbass, they consider the project a healing and motivating agent. But I saw how people stop next to these photos and are silent for a long time ... I don’t know how much peaceful time should pass, and when it will finally come so that the words “Russia” and “aggression” cease to be perceived as synonyms.

A picture of a man of athletic addition, who with a smile performs the exercise “Planck” on the side. Kyivian Sergey Khrapko, 39 years old. Married, two children. He served in the 30th separate mechanized brigade. The wound was wounded during the battle on the Svetlodar arc-a 120-mm mine exploded nearby. Lost his left hand and leg. I survived more than two dozen operations, both amputations are high. Hands left five centimeters, there are no legs at all - the prosthesis is attached with a special belt to the stomach.

Before the war, Sergey had more than a peaceful profession: he sold children's furniture. Today he reflects on the opening of a small his own business, plays sports - he learned to push up and squat.

After Kyiv, the “winners” will go on a trip to the cities of Ukraine, and then on an international tour. In mid -May, they will see a photo exhibition in French Lourda, as part of international military pilgrimage.

... And then Khreshchatyk, up to the very Kyiv Tsum, who acquired, rebuilt and turned into a boutique gallery the main Donetsk “refugee” Rinat Akhmetov, turned into a fan zone of Eurovision. She looked about the same during the Euro 2012 football championship. Potential capacity - up to 20 thousand people per day. Free entrance, metal detectors, a police trying not to catch the eye, inspections of bags and backpacks, loud music, trays with souvenirs, the inscription “Vareniki” at one of the outlets, assistants of foreign tourists are volunteers. (However, the war filled this word with a completely different content.)

The first fan zone was “occupied” by representatives of several beer companies-the tents spread out, like networks, up to the scene with the broadcast screen. And Privatbank with Oschadbank placed here in many terminals, ATMs and service centers. Raifaisenbank went va-Bank. He launched into the people of a model type of beauties in silver, dousing as scales, overalls with a proprietary sign. The beauties did not refuse to take a selfie with them. Clients with a jamb reached for Raifaisen.

The official opening of the competition will take place on Sunday evening, in the Parkovy Congress Exhibition Center, better known as Yanukovych's Helicopter Site. This is not far from the Mariinsky Palace and Rada buildings. The main song venue is on the left bank of the Dnieper, in the International Exhibition Center. The semifinals will take place on May 9 and 11, the final-the 13th. Direct broadcasts start at 22.00 in Kyiv.

In addition to Russia, Turkey does not participate in Eurovision (for moral reasons of the non-suffered victory, the VURST in 2014), Slovakia and Bosnia with Duchess (no money), Monaco (ignores since 2006 for undeclared reasons), Andorra and Luxembourg. But Australia has become closer for the third time - it joins the song competitions in Europe. The motto of the contest is “Celebrate Diversity!” (“Celebrate diversity!”) That's because of it, diversity, the other day in Kyiv a scandal broke out.

If on a sunny day, go along Khreshchatyk towards the European Square, and then climb the observation deck, from where a wonderful view of the Dnieper and Podol, first of all, you will see a huge “rainbow” of metal, and under it - the figures of two men, the embodiment of the Ukrainian and Russian, who surpasses ... the order. An example of Soviet monumentalism, called the Arch of Friendship of Peoples, has been criticized from the moment of creation, since 1982. As part of the current decommunization, even demolition was assumed. But they changed their minds - so far for so many years they scolded, got used to the Rainbow. And then the creators decided to paint the arch to the Eurovision, really in rainbow colors ...

The louder of all howled, of course, “right”: “Open propaganda of LGBT, we will not allow!” They blocked the work, filed a complaint with the city hall. Not only that, they say that in June, the march of equality is again going to hold the march of equality in Kyiv, so they also defile a cultural heritage!

The mayor Vitaly Klitschko tried to maneuver and proposed a compromise - to stick a Ukrainian ornament in not painted areas. So they did. True, the stripes with patterns did not last even a day, flew with gusts of wind. But the scandal benefited the Arca to the benefit. The attractions on the site and cafes on the approaches to it are loaded with the public - there are no free places.