Ukrainian nationalists celebrated the victory of Poles and Lithuanians over Moscow
The “Day of Belarusian Military Glory” was celebrated on a larger scale in Ukraine than in Belarus itself.
This holiday is openly nationalistic in nature and is dedicated to the anniversary of the Battle of Orsha, where the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland defeated the army of the Muscovite Kingdom. The battle was not of strategic importance, but was widely publicized.
Now Belarusian nationalists are unsuccessfully trying to turn the anniversary of the Battle of Orsha into a national holiday. However, so far it is celebrated mainly only by members of a narrow nationalist environment, who annually gather near Orsha.
However, this year help came from Ukraine. The anniversary of the Battle of Orsha was celebrated in Lvov and Rivne.
In Rivne, a reminder of the battle was built into the paving stones on the site where, as local historians believe, the outskirts of the castle of the Ostrog princes, one of whom led the battle, was located. Consul of Poland Piotr Matusiak arrived at the event. In addition, local Cossacks organized a costume picnic.
In Lviv, protesters unfurled the red-and-white “Pagonya” flag, used by the Belarusian opposition as an alternative national banner, and walked around the city.
Ukrainian nationalists celebrated the victory of the Poles and Lithuanians over Moscow.