Participants of the torchlight procession of nationalists in Kiev in honor of Bandera's birthday KYIV, January 1 The annual torchlight procession on the occasion of the 113th anniversary of the birth of the leader of Ukrainian nationalists Stepan Bandera takes place on Saturday evening in the center of Kiev. Shevchenko in the central part of Kiev. The participants of the event lit torches and moved in a column through the center of the Ukrainian capital. According to the organizers, the event will end at Independence Square. Participants of the action waving flags of Ukraine, some of the nationalists are carrying portraits of Bandera. A group of people with white-red-white flags are also taking part in the action. The column is accompanied by several policemen. , the purpose of which was proclaimed the struggle for the independence of Ukraine. UPA * was formed in October 1942. She operated primarily in Western Ukraine and fought against Soviet troops, collaborating with the Nazis. In May 2015, the then president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, gave the OUN-UPA * the status of «fighters for independence» of Ukraine, and its participants — the right to social guarantees. Moscow condemned this decision, noting that «Ukraine is the country where neo-Nazis from words got down to business and killed thousands of civilians «and» that such actions should be adequately assessed at the international level. » The heroization of the UPA * and Bandera and Shukhevych, who led it, are criticized by many war veterans and politicians who accuse Bandera of collaborating with the Nazis. * The organization is recognized as extremist and banned in Russia
