Ukraine’s parliament for the first time commemorated the Holocaust ahead of the international date in memory of the victims.
The Verkohvna Rada in Kyiv held a memorial ceremony ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27. The date was designated in 2005 by the United Nations. On that day, Red Army troops liberated the Auschwitz Nazi camp in occupied Poland. This year is the liberation’s 75th anniversary.
“The Holocaust was a disaster not only for the Jewish people but for the whole world and specifically the Ukrainian people,” lawmaker Daniel Gatmanzov said in his address.
Memorial candles were lit and a minute’s silence was observed.
Among those on hand was Israel’s ambassador, Joel Lion.
Also at the ceremony were a local rabbi, Jonathan Markovich; Israel’s honorary consul in Ukraine, Oleg Vyshniakov; and lawmaker Alexander Konitsky.
