Yellow and blue flags, sunflowers and music filled the air in Aberdeen as hundreds gathered to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day.
A large crowd gathered in St Nicholas Street to mark the first holiday since the conflict began in Ukraine.
Marking the country’s independence from the USSR. in 1991, Ukrainians celebrate the event on August 24 with live music, dancing and large gatherings – and tonight it was brought to the streets of Aberdeen.
Ukrainians dressed in traditional clothing and wrapped in their country’s flag clapped and swayed to the live music being performed outside M&S.
Although the square was dressed in bright colours, signs protesting the killing of people and tear-stained faces pointed to the effect of six months of ongoing war in the country.
Celebrating properly for those still in Ukraine
Dana Prybyla from Kyiv said the celebration was important for people to feel united and that they have their freedom.
She said they had to celebrate for those back home who could not do it openly.
The 27-year-old added: “Many people in Ukraine, they are not able to be outside or live abroad because they love our country so much and second because there are many men who can’t leave our country and that’s why many families stay together.
“They celebrate in their house because today our president and government were telling us that we need to be in a bomb shelter.
“It’s really so sad to know that my family is in Ukraine and my friends are in Ukraine and I’m here.
“Some of my friends they are in Kharkiv, in the city where the Russians are bombing everyday.
“They don’t have much food or much clean water. They don’t have electricity sometimes and they drink dirty water.”
While she has enjoyed Aberdeen, Ms Prybyla said they are just “waiting for the war to be over”.
She added: “I like this place but I want to go home. It’s been good to improve my English, to meet new people and to learn about new cultures but my home is in Ukraine and many people who live here they also want to go back to Ukraine.”
An event remembering loved ones
Watching the event, Tetiana Savchuk, 29, was remembering her husband who had to remain in Ukraine.
Arriving three months ago, she said: “I arrived with my daughter and my mum. My husband had to stay in Ukraine, he has volunteered now.
“It is so difficult but we hope we can go back as soon as possible. I like Aberdeen but I want to go back home.”
Being supported by her host family, Mrs Savchuk said the event showed: “So many people are supporting us and remembering our people and our country.
“Thank you so much Scotland and for my lovely sponsor who has helped me with getting school for my daughter.”
‘A people who will not be killed by Putin’
Business owner Sergiy Rulikovskyy travelled from Peterhead to attend the Aberdeen celebrations with his parents who arrived in February.
Although he first arrived in Scotland 20 years ago, he said he still has many loved ones who remain in Ukraine.
He added: “Like any normal person you will worry about people you know and people you don’t know as well because the atrocities that are happening in the Ukraine today, it makes your family much more extended than what it was originally.”
Wearing a vyshyvanka – a traditional Ukrainian shirt – the 42-year-old said it helped represent Ukrainian culture and pride.
“I think most Ukrainian people have one at home,” he said. “And because the Ukrainian culture was quite suppressed, especially during the USSR years and so on, the culture was suppressed.
“But luckily, because of the language, it is the main carrier of the culture so there’s quite a lot of people who managed to hold onto it and after the USSR fell apart it blossomed as you can see today as well.”
While the event was very emotional, Mr Rulikovskyy added: “From the other perspective, when you look at all these people, what you’ll see is a people who will not be killed by Putin and his army.
“You will have little pockets of this all over the world and that helps preserve Ukrainian culture as well because that’s what we are trying to do at the moment.”
Aberdeen became home from home tonight
One of the young hosts at the event, 16-year-old Marta Lashyk, arrived in Aberdeen three months ago and was so grateful for the welcome they received.
“Aberdeen is a really amazing city,” she said. “And all the help and support is amazing and we’re really, really grateful for everything you’re providing and all the help that we received from you.
“Thank you for the warm welcome of Ukrainians, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
While she and her family sorely miss Ukraine, Marta said the celebrations really helped her and others to feel not so far from home.
“This event helped us to feel really united and really, really thankful for all the people who have helped and supported us to organise this.
“Because we are here together as a strong community, this event helped me to feel like I’m at home because I am surrounded by Ukrainians, Ukrainian songs and language.”
The celebrations were concluded with crowds standing outside Marischal College which was lit up in Ukraine’s national colours to commemorate the country’s Independence Day.
Conversation