And these are some of the Grad missile launchers that took part in today's parade to loud cheers. Did not enjoy that. pic.twitter.com/nfN0nligm1
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) August 24, 2014
Poroshenko does his meet the people thing pic.twitter.com/IyMcoyu3EN
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) August 24, 2014
Three choruses accompany parade: Glory to ukraine! // Glory to heroes... Glory to the nation! //Death to enemies... Putin // (unpublishable)
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) August 24, 2014
In Kyiv today: a Soviet-style military parade amid ongoing war. Many here think it's unnecessary pic.twitter.com/wDEhgqoZbN via @olliecarroll
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) August 24, 2014
Rebels in Donetsk have their own parade on Ukraine's Ind. Day: around destroyed Ukr military vehicles via @PierreCrom pic.twitter.com/z8oCeKzPZl
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) August 24, 2014
It seems Ukraine's Independence Day has been honored with a Google Doodle. You can check it out here.
Пораненим військовим влаштували овацію pic.twitter.com/y3xVtfVXAh
— NatalieZubar (@NatalieZubar) August 24, 2014
An attempt to display Ukrainian flag on a bridge by the Kremlin. Five detained. MT “@GraniTweet: http://t.co/jIRFX3TRLL ВИДЕО”
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) August 24, 2014
So, Ukrainian President Poroshenko has been making his Independence Day speech. Here are some key details from our news desk:
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has presided over a military parade in Kyiv's Independence Square -- known locally as the "Maidan" -- where armored vehicles armed with antitank weapons and machine-guns and trucks towing missile systems followed behind columns of soldiers.
Poroshenko announced Ukraine will spend some $3.0 billion on re-equipping the army in 2015-2017.
(AFP,AP, Reuters)
Ambivalent on Kiev parade. Patriotic boost for population/soldiers, but parading weapons that are killing Ukrainians seems misjudged at best
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) August 24, 2014