In Ukraine, today is a day of celebration and sadness. On this day, thirty-one years ago, Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union, after nearly 70 years under Moscow’s control. This came as the USSR was slowly crumbling, and many Soviet satellite states had already established democracies after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Ukraine’s Independence Day is usually marked with a military parade in the capital, air force pilots flying over the Independence Square in Kyiv, and people gathering in their local town squares to celebrate.

But when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th of this year, that all changed. Today also marks six months since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine. In the capital today, Kyiv authorities have banned mass gatherings for fear of intensified attacks from Russia. Instead, destroyed and burned-out Russian tanks and military equipment line the capital’s main street is lined with – a quiet, triumphant nod to Russia’s president who had once hoped to overtake the city. 

And across the US, vigils and events were held throughout the week in solidarity with Ukrainians.

Last night, a crowd gathered at a park in lower Manhattan in a candlelight vigil organized by Razom, a nonprofit in New York working to support Ukraine. Attendees wore Ukrainian flags and held candles to honor the soldiers and civilians whose lives have been lost in the war. We speak with Nataliya Gumenyuk, a Ukrainian journalist and founder of the Public Interest Journalism Lab, with updates on the ground from Kyiv, Ukraine. She also recently wrote an article for The Guardian titled, "Ukraine’s independence day was always important. Now it is a matter of life and death."