On the anniversary of the start of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, members of the Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) in Great Britain are coming together to commemorate those who have died, celebrate the continued bravery of the Ukrainian people and renew our commitment to aiding the war effort.
A time to reflect...
It has been an important year for our members. Since the first missile was launched on February 24, 2022, we have worked alongside the wider Ukrainian community to raise awareness, campaign and fundraise.
From the smallest gestures, like sharing fundraising links on social media, to attending mass demonstrations in city centres across the UK and delivering much needed aid across the border – our members have wholeheartedly dedicated their time, effort and money to securing Ukraine’s victory and recovery.
Our main fundraising event of the year, the national rally in July, raised over £7,800 for medical aid. We have also contributed to the humanitarian work of our CYM partners on the ground in Ukraine and the #HelpUkraine emergency appeal initiated by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.
CYM in GB was founded almost 75 years ago by Ukrainians displaced by the Second World War. Today, most of our members are third or fourth generation British-Ukrainians, but our commitment to our ancestral home remains resolute. Once again, Ukrainians are fleeing to the UK and a large part of our work this year has focused on helping them. We welcomed refugees to our summer camps this year, providing children and adults with some respite and a sense of solidarity.
We must remember...
We would also like to take this opportunity to remember the members of the global CYM community who were killed in action serving Ukraine. Hryts Dobosh, 31, was killed in action in Snyhurivka. Oleh Yurchenko was killed in January while serving near Bakhmut. He leaves behind five children. Most recently Victor Melnychenko was killed fighting in Donetsk Oblast.
As a youth organisation, we want to highlight the plight of the children in this unjust war against Ukraine. While it is impossible to know the true extent of the atrocities, the Ukrainian government estimates that around 16,207 children have been forcibly deported to Russia since the start of the war. A further have been wounded, 344 are missing, 461 are dead and there are countless other children who have been orphaned, bereaved or sought refuge abroad.
We will not stop!
As we reflect on the last year, we want to thank all our members for their effort and support so far. However, as long as these senseless attacks on Ukraine’s freedom continue, so must our work. Even from the UK, our actions, no matter how small, can and will make a difference.
We will not stop until Ukraine is free.
Cлава Україні! Героям Слава!