Holodomor Memorial Day: Remembering the victims of the Great Ukrainian Famine amidst ongoing aggression

Today, Ukrainians around the world are observing Holodomor Memorial Day, a solemn day dedicated to remembering the victims of the Holodomor, the man-made famine that claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933.

Holodomor, also known as the man-made famine or the Great Ukrainian Famine, was a direct consequence of Stalin’s policies in Soviet Ukraine. The Ukrainian parliament and nearly 30 countries worldwide have recognized it as a genocide.

Annually, on the fourth Saturday of November, Ukrainians commemorate the victims of the Holodomor by lighting a candle placing a vessel of grain as a symbol of remembrance.

This year, marking the second year of the full-scale invasion, Russia continues to inflict suffering on innocent civilians, both children and adults. This aggression brings pain, devastation, and misery to the land, often leaving people without basic necessities like food and water.

We’ve prepared a short list of books you could read to find out more about Holodomor and the times of the Soviet occupation:

Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder

Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine by Anne Applebaum

Gareth Jones: Eyewitness to the Holodomor by Ray Gamache

The Transformation of Civil Society by William Noll

Find more information on the Holodomor Museum official website.

RELATED: A memorial plaque to Gareth Jones, who told the world about the Holodomor, has been opened in Kyiv

Main image: Wikipedia