Ukraine marks Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation

On May 8-9, Ukraine along with the entire world marks the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation to commemorate the victims of the World War II.

The Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation was established by the decision of the 59th session of the UN General Assembly on November 24, 2004.

On May 8, 1945, the Anti-Hitler Coalition officially accepted the act of unconditional surrender of the Nazi Germany armed forces, signed by Chief of the Operations Staff of the Armed Forces High Command Alfred Jodl, on behalf of last president of Nazi Germany Karl Donitz. The act was signed on May 7 in Reims (France) and ratified the next day in Berlin.

The large-scale celebrations were held on this occasion in many cities of Europe and the USA on May 8, 1945. The countries of the anti-Hitler coalition mark this day as the Victory Day over Nazism in World War II.

According to various estimates, 8-10 million people died, including about 5 million of civilians, during the World War II in Ukraine. At the same time, 2.2 million people were taken to forced labor camps in Nazi Germany. More than 700 towns and urban-type settlements and almost 30,000 villages were completely destroyed.

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