The May 9 celebration of Victory Day may be Russia's most sacred holiday.
It celebrates the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union and is marked by large-scale military parades.
Throughout the former Soviet Union, crowds gather to honor soldiers for their part in defeating Nazi Germany.
WATCH: Victory Day celebrations 2013
But on Russian social networks yesterday, a rumor spread that the new government in Kyiv would be cancelling the event.
Kamayuga said he got his information from World War II veterans in Kyiv, who claimed they could be "shot in the head" for wearing Soviet medals of valor.
The Twitter account that appears to belong to Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Askyonov, picked up on the rumor.
"Nothing surprising about the fact that radical fascists have cancelled all celebrations of Victory Day in Kyiv. But veterans will still parade through Kyiv!" he said.
In fact, on the same day the rumor was spreading online, the Ukrainian government's official website posted a statement congratulating veterans from the southern city of Kherson for the 70th anniversary of their victory over the "Nazi invaders."
"We must protect the peace so that our country never [again] knows the horror of war," said the statement, attributed to Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
All this is not to say that Victory Day is an uncontroversial topic in Ukraine. Many, particularly in western Ukraine, believe that the country fought a war on two fronts between 1939 and 1945 -- one against Soviet occupation and one against the Nazi advance.
The Soviet Union annexed western Ukrainian territories in 1939, following the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Moscow and Berlin.
-- RFE/RL's Russian Service and Glenn Kates
It celebrates the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union and is marked by large-scale military parades.
Throughout the former Soviet Union, crowds gather to honor soldiers for their part in defeating Nazi Germany.
WATCH: Victory Day celebrations 2013
But on Russian social networks yesterday, a rumor spread that the new government in Kyiv would be cancelling the event.
А в Киеве уже 9 мая отменили!!!! http://t.co/RC17czlGFu #Россия #Украина #Антимайдан #Киев
— Екатерина Костюшкина (@kostuha) March 13, 2014
"Reports from Kyiv say that all preparations for celebrations of May 9 as a public holiday have been cancelled," wrote LiveJournal user Dima Kamayuga. "Any march to mark the day of victory over fascism in Kyiv will be banned by the new authorities and citizens and officials preparing these activities are receiving threats.Kamayuga said he got his information from World War II veterans in Kyiv, who claimed they could be "shot in the head" for wearing Soviet medals of valor.
The Twitter account that appears to belong to Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Askyonov, picked up on the rumor.
"Nothing surprising about the fact that radical fascists have cancelled all celebrations of Victory Day in Kyiv. But veterans will still parade through Kyiv!" he said.
Ничего удивительного в том,что радикальные фашисты отменили все празднования Дня Победы в Киеве. Но ветераны еще пройдут парадом по Киеву!
— Сергей Аксенов (@sergyaksenov) March 13, 2014
We could find no evidence for this claim.In fact, on the same day the rumor was spreading online, the Ukrainian government's official website posted a statement congratulating veterans from the southern city of Kherson for the 70th anniversary of their victory over the "Nazi invaders."
"We must protect the peace so that our country never [again] knows the horror of war," said the statement, attributed to Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
All this is not to say that Victory Day is an uncontroversial topic in Ukraine. Many, particularly in western Ukraine, believe that the country fought a war on two fronts between 1939 and 1945 -- one against Soviet occupation and one against the Nazi advance.
The Soviet Union annexed western Ukrainian territories in 1939, following the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Moscow and Berlin.
-- RFE/RL's Russian Service and Glenn Kates