On 20 February, Ukraine commemorates 107 victims of a law enforcement crackdown on Euromaidan Revolution protesters, known as the Day of Remembrance of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, one of the key moments in the history of the country’s statehood.
The Heavenly Hundred refers to the 107 participants of the Revolution of Dignity who were killed, as well as Maidan activists who died in the spring of 2014 when Russia began its aggression in eastern Ukraine.
Heavenly Hundred originated from the organizational structure of Maidan Self-Defense units—known as hundreds—and was first used during farewell ceremonies on Kyiv’s Independence Square on 21-22 February 2014.
As a result of the Euromaidan Revolution, Ukraine ousted pro-Russian president Victor Yanukovych, who refused to sign the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement, deepening ties with the bloc under Moscow’s pressure, and then reportedly fled to Russia, stealing $32 billion.
Posthumous recognition was given to 105 of the fallen, who were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Three foreign nationals—Belarusian Mikhail Zhyznevskyi and Georgians Zurab Khurtsia and Davit Kipiani—were honored with the Order of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.
On this day, Ukraine’s General Staff said that those killed on Maidan were the first to take up the fight in the modern war for independence.
“The Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred gave their lives for our freedom when the world was only beginning to understand who Ukrainians are and what Ukraine stands for,” the Ukrainian armed forces stated.
The General Staff also recalled that on 20 February 2014, Russia began its hybrid aggression in Crimea.
“For 11 years, the Ukrainian people have resisted a neo-imperial force of evil. Eleven years of defending our national and cultural identity,” it said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reminded that on this day, Russia started its war against Ukraine.
“While people were being killed in Kyiv, defending their freedom, Putin decided to strike again—this time in a particularly treacherous way. Since then, the world has lived in a new reality, where Russia tries to deceive everyone. It is crucial not to give in, to stand together.
It is crucial to support those who defend freedom. Eternal honor to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred. Eternal gratitude to all our brave Ukrainians who fought for Ukraine and its independence,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces have since weakened the Russians and pushed them back.
“Despite the adversary’s numerical advantage, we hold the line and continue to inflict painful blows. Through war and loss, we will emerge stronger. Strategically, Ukraine will prevail—because truth is on our side, and we stand on our own God-given land,” claimed the General Staff.
Meanwhile, foreign diplomats are honoring the memory of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.
The UK’s Embassy in Kyiv said that 11 years on, Ukrainians continue their existential fight against Russia’s tyranny for freedom and democracy.
🕯️ Today we commemorate all those who died during the Revolution of Dignity.
The Heavenly Hundred Heroes paid the ultimate price for the ideals of freedom, justice, and democracy.
✊ 11 years on, Ukrainians continue their existential fight against Russia’s tyranny. pic.twitter.com/UtWjx6ukNf
— UK in Ukraine 🇬🇧🇺🇦 (@UKinUkraine) February 20, 2025
“Ukraine’s defenders continue their mission today, protecting their present and fighting for their future,” said the German Embassy in Kyiv, adding that Berlin continues to stand firmly with Ukraine and “will continue to support its aspirations for peace, sovereignty, and self-determination.”
The Embassy of Japan in Ukraine has released a video of Ambassador Masashi Nakagome laying flowers at the Alley of the Heavenly Hundred.
Посол 🇯🇵 Накаґоме вшанував героїв Небесної Сотні.
Цей подвиг – недаремний, вічна шана. pic.twitter.com/Xpe5gEj2CB— Посольство Японії в Україні (@JPEmbUA) February 20, 2025
Related:
- The revolution that refused to be crushed: how Ukraine’s Euromaidan defied Russia’s subterfuge
- The making of Euromaidan Press: from Maidan to global media platform
- The book Russia doesn’t want you to read: 20 wartime narratives by Euromaidan Press
- Russian battalion chief wanted for Euromaidan killings since 2014 assassinated in Moscow
- How Ukrainians fight and live through the largest war of the 21st century
