Accessibility links

Breaking News

Bandera Supporters March In Kyiv


Thousands March In Kyiv For Divisive Nationalist Hero
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:00:58 0:00
Thousands of people have marched through the streets of Kyiv to commemorate their leader, Stepan Bandera.

Carrying torches, the nationalists marched in the evening on January 1 to mark his 105th birthday.

Bandera is a divisive figure in Ukraine. In western Ukraine, he is hailed as a freedom fighter. But in eastern Ukraine he is seen as a traitor who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

Kyiv has been the scene of massive pro-European protests for more than a month, triggered by President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to shelve a deal on closer ties with the European Union.

The nationalists are also pro-Europe, but the march was separate to the protest encampment in central Kyiv.

In January 2010, less than a month before his term in office was to end, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko posthumously decorated Bandera with the Hero of Ukraine award.

That led to harsh criticism from Jewish and Russian groups. The award was annulled by a court in January 2011 under Yanukovych.

Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS and AP

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG