Thousands take to streets to support Ukraine two years after beginning of Russian invasion

Thousands of people took part in a march to support Ukraine the day marking the second anniversary of the beginning of the Russian invasion, on Saturday evening. According to the organizers, over 5,000 people attended the demonstration.

The event began at 5pm in Barcelona's city center, at the Passeig de Gràcia / Diagonal avenue crossing, and protesters went all the boulevard down to Plaça Catalunya, where the rally ended with speeches and Ukrainian traditional music, including the national anthem, by two Ukrainian catholic church choirs in Barcelona together.

Barcelona local council and Catalan government representatives joined the march, as well as the Spanish government delegate in Catalonia and the heads of the European Parliament and European Commission offices in the Catalan capital. The Ukrainian consul in Catalonia, Artem Vorobyov, also took part in the event.

Thus the main institutions in the country are backing the Eastern European country that is facing a war against Russia ever since February 24, 2022 – indeed, both the Barcelona council and the Catalan parliament approved declarations to support Kyiv on January 26 and February 6, respectively.

In the event manifesto, Barcelona amb Ucraïna, a platform where the Ukrainian community and associations supporting the country come together, demanded "any kind of possible aid so that Ukraine can defend itself from the Russian aggression and free all the occupied territory."

They also call for "stopping any kind of collaboration with Russian companies," and "identifying, freezing and seizing all Russian Federation assets here and transferring them to Ukraine."

After the speeches, three musical pieces put an end to the demonstration: 'Oi u luzi, txervona kalyna', played by Liudmyla Gutik with a bandura, a traditional Ukrainian instrument; 'Fantasia Hutsula', played by Vassyl Popadiuk, a well-known violinist who has traveled all the way from Toronto to Barcelona; and 'El cant dels ocells', the universal piece by Catalan cellist Pau Casals, played on Saturday by local young cellist Biel Garriga.

Catalan government event to support Ukraine on anniversary eve

On the eve of the second anniversary of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Catalan president Pere Aragonès reaffirmed his support for the Ukrainian people.

At a commemoration event at the Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona on Friday, Aragonès told dignitaries and members of Catalonia's Ukrainian community that "the war continues" but that "the terror perpetrated by Putin will not go unpunished."

The Catalan government will not forget Ukraine, the president said, but stay "by its side" allocating "all possible resources."

"Catalonia is aware that you are suffering," he added.

"Catalonia has been a refuge for 40,000 Ukrainians, 21,500 of whom still live here," Aragonès said, adding that the doors will always be open to all those who seek refuge.