Zelensky Marks 85th Anniversary of Babi Yar Massacre in Kyiv Amid Russian Strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and international diplomats marked 85 years since the Babi Yar massacre in Kyiv amid ongoing Russian missile and drone threats.
Amid escalating Russian drone and missile threats, the annual ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre was held on Tuesday near Kyiv. Tens of thousands of Jews were murdered there by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the state memorial alongside rabbis, Chabad emissaries from across the country, and dozens of senior diplomats.
The event took place under tight security, featuring a dedicated air defense system and numerous snipers guarding the site against potential drone strikes from Russia. This heavy concern reflects the sharp escalation in the Ukrainian capital in recent weeks, which has claimed dozens of lives—including young Israeli Daniel Umansky, who was killed by a Russian drone hitting his home in Kyiv last Friday.
Upon arriving at the memorial site, President Zelensky received an update from representatives of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine regarding efforts to fly Umansky's body to Israel for burial. His casket is scheduled to depart tomorrow from Chișinău and will be laid to rest in a central Israel cemetery at his family's request.
In his speech, President Zelensky bridged the historical slaughter with the current bloodshed. "We must remember the terrible things that happened here many years ago, and now they are happening again—this time by the hands of the Russians," he said. He later thanked the international community for its assistance in the fight against these atrocities.
International Attendance and Memorial Prayers
The ceremony gathered diplomatic representations from some 50 countries. Notable attendees included ambassadors from all G7 nations and Israel's new ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky. A long list of spiritual leaders and city rabbis also participated in the solemn commemoration, reciting traditional memorial prayers.
For Rebbetzin Devora Leah Lebharov, attending the ceremony marked a deeply personal and poignant closing of a circle. Her great-grandmother, Sonia Pozner, was one of the 33,771 Jews massacred at Babi Yar on September 29–30, 1941.
"Grandmother Sonia was murdered in her fifties," Rebbetzin Lebharov shared. "We found a testimony in Yad Vashem with her details, realizing she lived not far from where we spent years building a thriving community. This is unbelievable."
