Reaching out to every heart: a nationwide minute’s silence was observed in Mykolaiv to honour the memory of those who lost their lives

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti

On Sunday, 21 June, residents of Mykolaiv gathered on Central Avenue in Mykolaiv to pay tribute to and honour the defenders and civilians who lost their lives as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

This was reported by a correspondent for NikVesti.

The «Stop. Pay Your Respects» event brought together over 20 people. The weekly minute’s silence was attended mainly by relatives of captured or fallen servicemen and women. People held flags and placards calling on local residents to stop, as well as images of their loved ones — servicemen who had been taken prisoner, were missing in action or had been killed in action.

Liliia Pershyna, head of a branch of the All-Ukrainian Public Association of Mothers and Wives of Defenders of Ukraine, says that people come out with a single aim — to establish a culture of remembrance and a nationwide minute’s silence within the community. According to her, businesses and institutions mostly take part in the ritual, but ordinary citizens and transport users — for the most part — do not.

«In every way possible — and even in ways that seem impossible to us — we are trying once again to emphasise that the price of our freedom is the lives that our defenders gave up for us. These are the lives of civilians taken by the war, so remembering is our sacred duty. We do not demand, we do not argue, we do not force anyone, but we try to reach every heart. For the mothers and wives who come here every Sunday, this is a pain that stays with us for the rest of our lives. That is why it is important for the minute’s silence to become established in our community as a daily ritual — just as we make our beds, brush our teeth or drink our coffee,» says Liliia Pershyna.

A participant in the Stop. Pay Your Respects’ event holding a flag. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

She added that, to raise public awareness, a public service announcement is already being broadcast on public transport on their initiative. According to Liliia, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a decision to introduce a system for announcing the nationwide minute’s silence in the city via loudspeakers. Technical issues relating to the implementation of the project are currently being resolved. In addition, there are plans to put up banners in Mykolaiv to remind people to honour the fallen defenders.

«At the start of the «Stop. Pay Your Respects» campaign, there were tense moments when people tried to drive into us or drive round us. Now we’re seeing progress: more and more vehicles are stopping, although not everyone gets out of their cars. Not everyone is able to fight, but everyone has a duty to help as much as they can. It is only thanks to the daily sacrifices of our lads that we are able to live and speak,» she added.

The first «Stop. Pay Your Respects» event was held in April 2025. Since then, the initiative has taken place every week.

Patrol police officers at work during ‘Stop. Pay Your Respects’ in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

A minute’s silence in Mykolaiv. Photo: NikVesti/Anastasiia Veselovska

As a reminder, on Saturday 13 June, around a hundred people gathered in the centre of Mykolaiv to hold a rally in memory of Ukrainian servicemen who are being held captive or are listed as missing in action.