The main lobby of Confederation Building, and the gallery above, was filled yesterday evening as hundreds gathered for a vigil on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The vigil featured a candle-lighting ceremony and a performance by a local Ukrainian children’s choir.

The blue and yellow Ukrainian flag hung among the flags of both Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, while a slide show depicted images—not only the destruction wrought by the war—but also of the strength and resilience shown by Ukrainians both at home and abroad.

President of Ukrainian NL, Bruce Lilly expressed the hope that yesterday’s vigil will be the last one, and that Ukraine emerges victorious before another anniversary passes.

Earlier in the day the provincial government signed a proclamation officially marking November 26th in recognition of the Holodomor —or death by starvation—a period during 1932-33 when the former Soviet government imposed punishing grain quotas on the people of Ukraine, resulting in widespread famine and the deaths of millions.