Torchlight processions commemorating Battle of Kruty held in Ukraine today

On Monday, Jan. 29, Ukraine commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Kruty. Torchlight processions were held in a few cities of Ukraine due to the occasion.

In Kyiv, there was also a reconstruction of the battle for Arsenal Factory. In January 1918, Russian Red Army was marching into Ukraine’s territory in order to oust the Central Council of Ukraine (Ukrainian government at the time) and impose Soviet ideology. While Russian troops were advancing towards Kyiv, the Soviets inside the city started rioting in order to weaken the Ukrainian authorities. Many of them were workers, and the biggest confrontations happened near Arsenal Factory.

After the activists of Kyiv held a reconstruction of this battle between Soviets and Ukrainian Cossacks and Sich Riflemen, there was a torchlight procession towards Askold’s Grave, where 28 heroes of the Battle of Kruty were buried. The activists laid flowers and had a memorial service.

Torchlight processions were also held in Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, and Lviv.

The battle of Kruty took place on Jan. 29, 1918, when a 400 soldiers unit of the Ukrainian forces (300 of them were students) briefly halted the advance of a 4.000 Red Army marching towards Kyiv. This was part of Ukrainian Revolution 1918 when Ukraine was fighting for its existence against Soviets and Royalists. More than a half of the Ukrainian soldiers perished in the unequal battle.