Families of fallen Ukrainian defenders ask for meeting with Zelenskyy amid military cemetery problems

The families of fallen Ukrainian defenders are asking for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as they are outraged by how the National Military Cemetery in the city of Kyiv is being created and constructed. 

Source: statement of the Sertse nAZOVni ("Heart out") non-governmental organisation of the families of fallen defenders of Ukraine, posted by organisation’s member Vira Lytvynenko

Quote: "We [are] the families of the fallen defenders of Mariupol, Azovstal and all of Ukraine. It’s going on two years since our sons and daughters, parents, and husbands and wives died.

We cannot bury our heroes with dignity, since the authorities promised to create a National Military Cemetery in Kyiv and are not fulfilling their promises! We have been running in circles for almost a year.

Therefore, we are forced to address the president publicly: we call on him to intervene in this situation, break the shameful cycle of promises and finally start the creation of a military cemetery in Kyiv."

Details: In their appeal, the relatives indicate that the National Military Memorial Cemetery is still not being built, even though its location in Bykivnia has been agreed on. [Bykivnia is an area in Kyiv with the largest burial place of victims of mass political repressions in Ukraine – ed.]

"Kyiv City Council quickly decided to allocate eight hectares of land owned by the city community for the National Military Memorial Cemetery. The Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine’s parliament], in turn, shortened the terms and simplified the procedures for allocating a plot of land for a military cemetery. However, the law has not yet been signed by you [the president – ed.], has not been published and has not entered into force," the statement reads.

Relatives say that government officials have offered to create a memorial in another place, which would mean going through "the entire bureaucratic path from the very beginning".

"We are asking for a personal meeting of the president with the families of fallen heroes for fruitful communication with the President's Office," the statement reads.

Background:

• On 20 April 2023, Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko announced that the procedure for creating a National Military Memorial Cemetery in Bykivnia had begun in Kyiv. The state is responsible for its creation, and the government determined the place.
• Klitschko stated that the total area of the National Military Memorial Cemetery will reach almost 100 hectares.
• On 2 May, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the draft law on placing the National Military Memorial Cemetery in the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv.

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