The 50th "anniversary" of the liberation of Ukraine from the German invaders

Kyiv, October 8, 1994. A festive parade of Kyiv garrison troops and a festive march of World War II veterans on the day of the 50th anniversary of Ukraine's “liberation” from the Nazis, laying flowers at the grave of an unknown soldier. Colonel General Ivan Bizhan is in command of the parade. Minister of Defense of Ukraine Valeriy Shmarov receives the parade. On the rostrum: President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Moroz, Prime Minister Vitaliy Masol, Chairman of the Kyiv City Council Leonid Kosakivsky, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, and Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin.

Valeriy Shmarov speaks from the rostrum, and veterans comment (in Russian). The video shows Soviet symbols, St. George's ribbons, posters with the words “Thank you Stalin for the victory” and other communist slogans. Part of the video is without sound.

Reference: The 50th anniversary of Ukraine's “liberation” from the Nazis was celebrated on October 8, 1994, according to a decree issued by President Leonid Kuchma. Since 2009, according to President Yushchenko's decree, this date has been celebrated on October 28. It was established as a memorial day to commemorate the final expulsion of the troops of Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II from the modern territory of Ukraine.

However, the Institute of National Remembrance recommended replacing the term “liberation from fascist invaders” with “expulsion of Nazi occupiers.” They note that after October 28, 1944, Ukraine did not become a completely free state, but was under Soviet rule, which was accompanied by mass repression.