From: Euromaiden Press — On 14 May, Ukraine commemorates its Righteous Among the Nations – courageous individuals who risked everything to save Jewish lives during the Holocaust. Of the 28,000 Righteous recognized worldwide, over 2,700 were Ukrainians who became beacons of hope during one of history’s darkest periods.
The Shoah claimed at least 6 million Jewish lives, including nearly 1.5 million from Ukraine. Having endured Nazi occupation, Soviet oppression, and the current Russian invasion, Ukrainians fully understand the devastating consequences of hatred and persecution.
In 2021, Ukraine’s parliament established 14 May as a memorial day to honor those who protected innocent lives from Nazi brutality. Today, this remembrance takes on added significance as Ukraine confronts Russian aggression that hypocritically claims to “fight Nazism” while perpetrating its own form of ethnic violence.
As Holocaust survivor Chaim Hefer wrote: “They have become the foundation of kindness and pity on which the world stands. And to them, to their heroism, which still remains a mystery to us, We Jews bow our grateful heads.”
The world must stand united against oppression, remembering that humanity’s strength lies in compassion and moral courage.
Voice of Ukraine 