Nearly 1,000 people gathered in Kyiv to honor the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic. Tsybukh, who was just days away from her 26th birthday, was serving in the Kharkiv area, where Russia had launched an offensive. In her note, she requested a ceremony where people wore traditional embroidered shirts and sang Ukrainian songs instead of mourning in black clothes.
The memorial service at Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery drew a large crowd, with people chanting “Heroes don’t die” as they paid their respects to Tsybukh. Her death sparked a wide reaction on social media, where her letter expressing her desire to live with dignity went viral. Tsybukh, who had previously worked on reforms at Ukraine’s public broadcaster, joined the Hospitallers volunteer unit to provide aid to wounded soldiers.
Her funeral procession ended at Independence Square, where thousands of people in embroidered shirts approached her casket to pay their respects. Tsybukh’s friends distributed lyrics of the songs she wished to be sung, symbolizing Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression. The funeral is scheduled to be held in Tsybukh’s hometown of Lviv, where mourners included soldiers, activists, journalists, and social media followers. Tsybukh’s friend emphasized the unity and strength of those present, pledging to carry on her cause.
Source
Photo credit apnews.com