5 days Ago
Dozens of men, women and children gathered on the steps of Bolton Town Hall on Saturday afternoon in a vigil marking 1,000 days since the invasion of Ukraine. Bolton Ukrainian Cultural Centre and around 80 Ukrainian guests peacefully gathered as one for an hour-long vigil, singing national songs from the country. A number of councillors were in attendance, including Labour leader, Cllr Nick Peel, Cllr Sean Fielding and Cllr Robert Morrisey.
Dozens gathered for the town centre vigil (Image: Leah Collins) The event was set up by Yaroslav Tymchyshyn, Bolton Branch chair of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain. As a second-generation Ukrainian born in Bolton, the event celebrates the fighting spirit of all Ukrainians, Yaroslav notes, who have remained unified despite the tragedies in their home country. Several pairs of children’s shoes were placed in the middle of the town steps to symbolise the children taken from Ukraine.
Among those protesting was 25-year-old Marta Malona, who came to Bolton as part of a refuge scheme two years ago after fleeing her home country. Marta Malona came to Bolton two years ago (Image: Leah Collins) Marta said: “It is the anniversary of 1,000 days since Russia invaded Ukraine and we are here to commemorate the soldiers who have tragically died as a result of the conflict. “Not all of us are refugees today, some of us came here before the war began, others were born here.
"But there is a huge Ukrainian community in Bolton, we are all unified in fighting for justice. “We want to bring home, but also raise awareness and remind others that people are still dying over in Ukraine. Time flies, it’s been almost three years.
“I have my life sorted here, but I’m still connected to my Ukrainian friends, and it feels bittersweet. "But I am extremely grateful that there have been so many nice people, people in Bolton who have supported us throughout this time. “We are eternally grateful for the support from the people of Bolton and around the UK, everyone has been so hospitable and made us feel welcome.
” Zoryana Jurczyszyn (deputy of AUGB Bolton branch) and Yaroslav Tymchyshyn (chair of AUGB) The hour-long protest comes just days after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for Western allies to step up support to put Ukraine in the “strongest position” possible before American President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. The return of Mr Trump to the White House means there is uncertainty over the level of US support for Kyiv in the new year. The precarious position of world politics was not lost on many of the vigil’s attendees.
READ MORE > Astley Bridge: Woman cut out of car which crashed into restaurant READ MORE > Why 2 Walkden Medical Centre staff members have shaved their heads READ MORE > Bolton Police take part in Operation Sceptre to tackle knife crime One protestor, who wished to remain unnamed, added that: “The global situation is extremely volatile now. It makes us scared for the future of our home country. “We are worried, I have family and friends back at home in Ukraine and I fear for what will happen to them under Russian occupation.
” A similar sentiment was shared by fellow attendee, Khrystyna Kobylianska, a 31-year-old who fled from Kolomiya in Western Ukraine to Bolton in May 2022 with her mother to stay with relatives in the area. Khrystyna Kobylianska (Image: Leah Collins) Khrystyna said: “We are here to remind people about what is going on in Ukraine and it is important for other countries to continue to support us, our freedom, our values. "No one should be able to invade another country like this, not in the modern world.
“I came to Bolton after the invasion, it was so scary. My neighbour woke me up at 5am, and she said, ‘wake up, we are at war’. "They bombed near our house.
Me and my mother flew to Holland. “I was impressed, British people were so hospitable, and they were trying their best to help us. They welcomed us.
“We were lucky, many of my close friends and relatives remain in Ukraine, they live in villages, but they have families and husbands, they can’t just simply up and leave the country. “Many of our grandparents remember how it is to live under Russian regime, we don’t want to go back there. “We are grateful for the British support – from the government right down to our next-door neighbours but the fight is not over.
We have to continue to fight.” Cllr Peel said: “Bolton has had ties to the South Ukrainian community since the Second World War. Councillors gathered for the vigil (Image: Leah Collins) “It is important for us to stand with Ukraine.
It’s a fabulous turnout for the people in Bolton today and we offer our continued support to the Ukrainian communities living in Bolton and beyond.” Cllr Morrisey said: "I turned up today to show my continued support for the people of Ukraine, to mark 1,000 days of Russian occupation." Cllr Fielding added: "Although I am not Ukrainian, I have arrived today to support our Ukrainian community and condemn the atrocities being committed on the global political stage.
" Yaroslav also presented a speech, detailing the actions of brutality that many Ukrainians are still facing on a daily basis, including for attending online classes continuing the Ukrainian curriculum. He said: “I can only speak highly of the effort of my committee, members and the wider Ukrainian community for their efforts. One aspect which has emerged from this tragedy is that Ukrainians have never been so unified.
“We are united to defeat the invaders.” Got a story? Email me at Leah.Collins@newsquest.
co.uk.
