Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24 will be traditionally marked by a military parade through the center of Kyiv, says Ukraine’s Culture Ministry.
The decision, however, was criticized among social media users yesterday evening after the parade’s rehearsal. Kyiv citizens could see bright flashes and hear explosions, which were part of the rehearsal, according to local press reports. Some witnesses said the explosions were “unexpected and scary.”
“I don’t know who is rehearsing what, but I hate those people. My hands are shaking and I’m crying … I can imagine what those who were under shelling feel like,” wrote an activist Oleksandra Dvoretska on Facebook.
At the same time, a photo of a soldier with an amputated leg saluting while watching the parade rehearsal, was shared some 250 times on Facebook.
“And let another *** tell me that we don’t need a parade… Glory to the nation!” wrote the author of the post.
We are now closing the live blog for today. Until we resume again tomorrow morning, you can keep up with all our ongoing Ukraine coverage here.
Here are some more details from RFE/RL's news desk about Ukrainian fatalities in the east of the country:
Ukrainian officials say four soldiers have been killed and 14 wounded in recent fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said on August 20 that the casualties occurred in the Luhansk region, part of which is controlled by Russian-backed separatists.
The deaths are part of an upsurge in fighting that began last week in neighboring Donetsk and caused the deaths of 10 people -- both Ukrainian soldiers and separatists -- on August 16 in the Donetsk region.
Meanwhile, an adviser to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on August 20 that four Ukrainian soldiers had been released by the rebels.
Vasiliy Budik wrote on Facebook that the release occurred after lengthy negotiations with rebel representatives that included UN officials.
Iryna Herashchenko, a Ukrainian representative in the Trilateral Contact Group, said there are still some 167 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians being held against their will by separatist forces in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
The UN says more than 6,400 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.
(AFP, Interfax)
According to this Hromadske TV report, separtists in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic are reportedly going to hold a "referendum" on joining Russia: