Chicago Rally Against Russian Aggression – Sunday January 9. Central, East European and Baltic Communities Join Ukrainians in solidarity. Public figure Marta Farion announced this on her Facebook page.
As Martha noted: “On a bitterly cold day, over a hundred members of the Ukrainian community gathered at the historic Water Tower in Chicago to protest Russian aggression and threats of invasion. The rally was organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Illinois Chapter”.
Congressmen Danny Davis and Mike Quigley joined the protest to condemn Putin’s military build-up and provocative demands. They shared how they traveled to Ukraine during the Maidan Revolution and restated their strong support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian-American community in Illinois. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi sent a greeting of support of the rally and Ukraine. Representatives of the Polish, Lithuanian, Estonian, Latvian, Belarus, and Kazakh communities joined in solidarity.
“We stand with Ukraine and against Russian aggression on a sovereign nation. Our rally rejects the Russian lies and disinformation and we reject Putin’s blackmail of the United States by the threat of invasion on Ukraine”, said Ihor Diaczun, president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Illinois Division.
Serhiy Koledov, consul general of Ukraine in Chicago stated, «Ukraine has made it clear that Russia’s demands of the so-called ‘security guarantees’ are illegitimate and unacceptable. Moscow has neither the right to decide our future, nor interfere in our relations with NATO, EU and partner states. It is only up to Ukraine and members of those alliances to agree on the way forward, including on our country’s membership.”
Pavlo Bandriwsky, vice-president of UCCA Illinois Branch, led the hour-long program and emphasized the concern of Ukrainian-Americans about the Russian military build-up threatening Ukraine with invasion, and the affront to the Euro-Atlantic partnership. He underscored that Putin’s demands must be rejected by the United States and Europe.
The rally was covered by Chicago’s main television stations and wbez public radio.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/marta.farion.1/posts/4721613864602359
