Clashes at Kyiv "Immortal Regiment" ceremony

Clashes at Kyiv "Immortal Regiment" ceremony
By Catherine Hardy with Reuters
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There have been scuffles between activists and police at a march in the Ukrainian capital marking the end of the Second World War.

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There have been scuffles at a march in Kyiv marking the end of the Second World War.

Officials say at least 45 people were arrested.

Smoke bombs were thrown into the crowd of people who gathered to remember relatives and friends lost in the conflict.

“Fascism will not win”, they chanted.

The march ended with flowers being laid at the monument of the Eternal Flame.

Ceremonies in eastern Ukraine

Troops and military hardware have paraded through the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk to commemorate the end of the Second World War.

Officials from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic saluted from the stage as tanks and rocket launchers rolled by.

A similar parade took place in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic.

The Immortal Regiment

Relatives holding portraits of those who fought against the Nazis in the conflict followed the columns of military vehicles in a move called the “Immortal Regiment”.

The tradition of bringing portraits of dead and missing soldiers to Victory Day celebrations began soon after the end of the war.

Widows and parents brought photographs of their loved ones to meetings of veterans hoping someone would recognise a fellow soldier and be able to give details of what had happened to them.

What Kyiv says

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko condemned the plan to hold Victory Day parades with military hardware in rebel-held areas of Ukraine.

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