Ukrainian chaplain: It is a big honour to participate in the VE Day 80 parade
A Ukrainian chaplain has said that it is an honour to participate in the VE Day 80 parade through London.
Captain Andriy Khomyshin, who is the military chaplain in the Lviv National Army Academy, told BFBS Forces News that it was a chance to represent the Ukrainian military and Kyiv after the Russian invasion of his country three years ago.
"It's a big honour to participate in this parade," Capt Khomyshin said at Wellington Barracks in London.
"To represent our own nation, our fighting nation, our military, who are [in] the worst condition on the frontline fighting for our freedom and for the life of our existence."
With VE Day commemorating the end of the Second World War, the spectre of another conflict in Europe, the Ukraine war, hangs over the celebrations in London, especially given that a small contingent of Ukrainian military personnel will be marching in the parade.
The chaplain said that Ukraine has help from "the rest of the world in the fight for our freedom [and] for our lives".
He said he felt supported by the British Armed Forces and other countries during the rehearsals for the parade that snakes through central London later during the 80th anniversary commemorations of VE Day.
"We feel support [from] different countries, especially Great Britain and European countries also," he said.
Capt Khomyshin said the Ukrainian military is fighting in the expectation of an eventual victory in the conflict that has taken thousands of lives.
"We fight with hope… No hope, no win," he added.
He revealed he would be marching through the capital thinking about a Ukrainian victory against Russia.
"[I] will be thinking, as I hope, [about] our victory soon and very soon [the] day [when we will be] marching in our streets and our cities," he said.
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