THE CHAIRMAN of the Coventry Branch of the Association of Ukrainians of Great Britain (AUGB) has spoken of the importance of ‘remembering all the victims in a totally needless war’.
Dr Mario Kosmirak has been speaking ahead of Friday, February 24 which marks the one-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
He said: “We are very saddened that such an anniversary is having to be commemorated at all.
“Now that it is, we honour the lives of all those brave men and women who have given their lives defending their country in the name of freedom and independence.
“We equally remember the lives of the many innocent civilians – children, women and men, victims of a totally needless war.
“We pray and hope for a quick end to this unnecessary war, and for a return to peace and the ability of people to live normal lives, in peace, safety and freedom.”
Several poignant events will take place throughout Friday in Coventry, the proud City of Peace and Reconciliation.
People will be able to join a candlelit vigil at the Cathedral Ruins at 6.30pm, with a procession taking place from the Lower Precinct 30 minutes before.
The service at the Ruins – a building itself destroyed by war – will be led by the Very Rev David Senyk and Fr Taras Dovbeniuk from the Ukrainian Church and Coventry Cathedral representatives.
There will also be a Divine Liturgy and Memorial Mass at the Ukrainian Catholic Church from 10am.
An hour later, Coventry will fall silent in a one-minute moment of reflection to mark the first anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
And there will be refreshments available at the Coventry Ukrainian community centre at 8pm.
John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry, added: “We share the regret that this anniversary is happening at all, and we are grateful to join our prayers with those across the world for an end to this terrible war and to the suffering of all those whose lives have been torn apart in the violence of this war.
“It is our prayer from Coventry that justice, peace and hope will prevail, and that with God’s help and in God’s name it will be possible to rebuild broken lives, cities and communities.”
