A monument to the Crimeans who died in battle for Ukraine’s unity has been solemnly unveiled near the village of Stavky, Kalanchak raion, Kherson oblast. The ceremony was attended by servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units stationed on the administrative border with the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Ukraine Ministry of Defense website reports.
The memorial is dedicated to the Crimean-born soldiers who died in battle in 2014-16, defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. It was erected at the place where the first checkpoint, manned by paratroopers, was set up in March 2014.
About 100 people brought candles and flowers to honor the memory of the fallen patriots. The families and relatives of the killed Crimean-born soldiers, ATO participants, representatives of the authorities, law-enforcement bodies, and the public observed a minute of silence in honor of the heroes and true patriots from Ukrainian Crimea, who defended their families and Fatherland until the last minute of their life and remained forever in the heart and memory of every Ukrainian.
Military chaplains of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Kyiv Patriarchate, blessed the monument and prayed for peace, preservation of Ukraine’s integrity, and the patriots who laid down their lives for our state.
The chaplains also presented medals “For Self-Sacrificingness and Love of Ukraine” to ATO veterans and participants.
The guard of honor servicemen gave a rifle salute, honoring the memory of 21 boys whose names are carved on the monument.
The monument was erected on the initiative of the Heroica charitable foundation headed by Pavlo Podobied.
