Ukrainians plant sunflowers outside Russia’s embassy in Washington to remind of war crimes

The representatives of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations, activists and diplomats held a rally near Russia's embassy in Washington, having planted sunflowers outside as one of the main symbols of Ukraine's struggle for freedom.

The event was public and took place for a second time. 

What is the problem?

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war on the territory of Ukraine. Before that, Donbas suffered nine years from Putin's aggression.  Russia annexed Crimea in general.

All this time, Ukrainians have been defending their independence, losing the lives of innocent citizens, and the forces have been courageously defending the entire country, trying to liberate the territories occupied by Russia for more than a year.

What is the solution?

Representatives of Ukrainian public organizations, activists and diplomats planted sunflowers outside Russia's embassy in the US capital, Washington.

The event was open to everyone and took place on Saturday, May 27. Diplomats of the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA and supporters of Ukraine from the USA, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Israel, Georgia, and other countries took part in the event.

The campaign was organized by the USUA team, as well as the author of the idea, American citizen Benjamin Wittes.

How does it work?

We have come to the Russian embassy to plant our national sunflowers which became a symbol of Ukraine's struggle for freedom and independence, as well as to remind Russia of its criminal war and to emphasize that Ukraine will continue to fight until its entire territory is liberated, Nadiya Shaporynska, the President of US Ukrainian Activists (USUA)

Фото: Укрінформ

The participants observed a moment of silence for Ukrainian freedom fighters, as well as innocent citizens who had lost their lives over the past nine years of Putin's war against Ukraine. 

The activists also chanted slogans demanding that Russia immediately end this war and genocide in Ukraine, as well as the killing of civilians and the abduction of Ukrainian children.

Sunflowers were planted near the Russian embassy in April last year for the first time. Then the Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA, Oksana Markarova, explained the symbolism of the event.

It demonstrates that the Ukrainian nation is invincible, she said. Also, it is a symbol of the fact that Ukraine is recovering and winning. Sunflowers will remind the diplomats of the "enemy country" of the truth against the background of their false propaganda against Ukraine.

On January 22, an installation of 335 sunflowers was placed in New York in honor of the celebration of the National Assembly Day of Ukraine.