A MARCH AND RALLY will be held in Belfast city centre this weekend to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Organised by the 'Ukrainians in Northern Ireland' community group, the demonstration will start at 1pm in Botanic Avenue before participants march to Belfast City Hall.
The Russian invasion has caused tens of thousands of deaths on both sides and instigated Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II.
About eight million Ukrainians were displaced within their country by June, and more than eight million fled the country by February 2023.
Kateryna Zaichyk, from the Ukrainians in Northern Ireland group is urging the community to show support for her embattled country.
"February 24, 2022 left an imprint in our hearts forever," she said.
"It is a year passed since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the war that has been going on for nine years.
"The year ahead is decisive. The future of not only our country and our nation but also the entire civilized world depends on each of us. We are grateful for everyone who supports Ukraine at this most dramatic moment.
"At Saturday's rally, we want to remind remind the world with a single voice of the global Ukrainian community about the 365 days of the awful war, about the violation from Russia, a terrorist country, of all possible norms of international law.
"We want to honour the memory of fallen heroes and put an emphasis on the topic of continuous genocide of Ukrainians in every occupied city and village.
"The greater our unity is, the faster the victory of Ukraine will be. Together we fight and we will win. Glory to Ukraine."
