On February 20, on the Day of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, an educational online event entitled "Memory that Obliges. Heavenly Hundred" was held for young people in Donetsk region. Participants recalled the tragic events of the Revolution of Dignity and honored the memory of those who were the first to defend Ukrainian independence in 2014.
The event was organized by the Department of Family, Youth, and Mass Events of National Patriotic Education of the Regional State Administration, the State Archives of Donetsk Region, and the Center for Unity and National Resistance platform.
The main speaker at the meeting was Yana Vlasova, chief specialist of the Department of Information Use of Documents of the State Archives of Donetsk Region. During her lecture, she gave a detailed account of the chronology of events on the Maidan, emphasizing that the Heavenly Hundred is a symbol of sacrifice that was born in the very center of Kyiv but united the entire country.
"The Heavenly Hundred is not just a page in history. It is a story about choice, the price of freedom, and the responsibility of a generation. Most of the active participants in Maidan were young people who did not want to live in a country without a future and respect for human dignity," said Yana Vlasova.
Special attention during the event was paid to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred — natives of Donetsk region. Their fates became living proof that love for freedom has no regional boundaries. Participants remembered the names of their fellow countrymen who gave their lives for Ukraine: Serhiy Bondarev, Volodymyr Naumov, Ivan Panteleev, Lyudmila Sheremet, Dmytro Chernyavsky, and Volodymyr Rybak.
The organizers emphasized that February 20, 2014, became not only a starting point for our national memory, but also the beginning of open Russian aggression — the occupation of Crimea and the subsequent war.
Today, as Ukraine continues its large-scale struggle for independence, the example of the Heavenly Hundred remains the foundation of our resistance. The memory of these heroes obliges each of us to continue their work — to build a free, democratic, and strong state.
Heroes never die! Glory to Ukraine!