Commemoration for the liberation of Norway became a protest against the war in Ukraine – NRK Troms and Finnmark
– In the Soviet army there were many Ukrainians. We do not want Russian propaganda to use this day to highlight that it was Russian soldiers who liberated Eastern Finnmark.
That’s what Anton Kalinin says. He was one of many who turned up at Saturday the soviet soldier monument with its Ukrainian flag to mark the liberation of Kirkenes.
– There were almost 1.5 million Ukrainians who died in World War II. So we cannot say that there were no Ukrainians here. And Russian propaganda cannot say that there were only Russians here, he says.
The Soviet Union liberated Eastern Finnmark
In October 1944, the Soviet army crossed the Norwegian border and liberated Kirkenes and Eastern Finnmark from German occupation.
Every year marks the Russian consulate in Kirkenes on this day with the laying of wreaths and Russian flags at the Soviet soldier’s monument, right in the center of Kirkenes.
During today’s commemoration, the Russian wreath was supplemented by wreaths in Ukrainian and Norwegian colours.
Lay wreaths for three countries
Wreaths and flags in Ukrainian, Russian and Norwegian colors were laid at the foot of the monument. Harald Sunde was one of many from the local Norwegian population who wanted to show support for it Ukrainian part of the Red Army.
Sunde emphasizes that the liberation of Kirkes is an important and emotional part of war history for both Norwegians and Russians. At the same time, he does not want to see Putin and Russia takes over everything about Soviet war memorabilia.
– What is important is that we mark that this memorial is not just for Russia. It is a mark for many others who were in the Soviet republic, including Ukraine. Right now it is Ukraine that needs to raise its flag, says Sunde.
He believes that today’s celebration was one of the most important in many years.
– I think we brought out a counterweight to the Russian attitude, that was important. I did not listen to what the Russian Consul General said in his speech. It wasn’t that important to me, says Sunde.
Russian Consul General: – Normally
Nikolay Konygin is the Russian Consul General in Kirkenes. He did not find it so strange that many chose to mark the event with the Ukrainian flag.
– It is completely normal, he begins.
– Did you expect so many people to come to this commemoration?
– We mark the liberation of Eastern Finnmark, and we expect people to come to mark that Soviet soldiers liberated Northern Norway on such days. It is natural, Konygin asserts.
– Did you expect so many people to come with the Ukrainian flag and Ukrainian message?
– I see that as completely normal, because there were several peoples in the Soviet army that liberated Eastern Finnmark. There were also Ukrainians among them, says the consul general.
Demonstrated against own country
Russian Natalia Solianik has previously demonstrated against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Today she brought both the Ukrainian and Norwegian flags with her to the commemoration.
– The war that is going on now is a war crime. We are here to show that we do not support this celebration as the situation is right now, she says.
– First we have to end the war, then we can talk about what happened here in 1944. The war in Ukraine has been going on for 8 months. Russia started this. It’s horrible! It doesn’t stop, it just gets worse, says Solianik.
She was nevertheless pleased that the commemoration was carried out on the day of liberation for Eastern Finnmark.
– There were many who came, despite the fact that this was a spontaneous celebration. We just contacted each other and found out that we just had to meet up, says Solianik.