Victory Day in Ukraine: May 9 and its legacy
Ukraine’s former May 9 Victory Day is no longer the country’s statutory World War II remembrance date. The law now sets May 8 as the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II; May 9 is designated Europe Day.[1][5]
What the date means in Ukraine
The current Ukrainian observance remembers everyone who died in World War II and honors those who fought Nazism. The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory describes the day as a time to recognize fighters across different armies and movements, as well as military and civilian victims. The law names the commemoration for the 1939–1945 war and establishes it annually on May 8.[1][4]
The war affected Ukrainian lands from its beginning in 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland and bombed Lviv and other cities, according to the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory. Ukrainians served in several Allied armies and resistance movements. The Institute also notes that the country’s territory was a major theater of fighting and suffered occupation and large-scale losses.[4]
From Soviet Victory Day to May 8
May 9’s former place in Ukraine’s calendar came from the Soviet Victory Day tradition. The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory records that Soviet authorities declared May 9 a public holiday in 1945, but it did not become a day off again until 1965. The Institute describes later Soviet commemoration as increasingly centered on a state-led victory narrative.[4]
Ukraine’s remembrance approach began changing in 2014, when the red poppy was introduced as a symbol for public commemorations. In 2023, Parliament established May 8 as the annual Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism and amended the Labor Code to name May 8 as the relevant holiday. The Institute presents the change as a way to remember the war through its human cost and to recognize all those who fought Nazism.[1][4]
Remembrance customs
The red poppy is the official memory symbol promoted by the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory for World War II commemorations. The Institute encourages its use at public events and in related materials.[4]
The remembrance honours fallen soldiers, civilian victims, veterans, and members of the Ukrainian liberation movement. Local programmes may differ, so visitors can check announcements from local authorities or event organisers for details.[1][4]
Legal status and practical effects
May 8 is listed in Article 73 of Ukraine’s Labor Code as the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism. Outside periods of martial law, the Code’s general provisions provide for a day off when a public holiday coincides with a weekly rest day. During martial law, however, the special labor law suspends the application of Article 73 and specified weekend-transfer rules, so the holiday listing alone does not guarantee a day off during that period.[2][3]
May 9 is designated Europe Day by presidential decree; it is not the May 9 Victory Day that appeared in Ukraine’s earlier calendar. Check with the relevant office, business, transport operator, or local authority for current hours and notices.[1][5]
Frequently asked questions
When is Ukraine’s World War II remembrance day?
Is May 9 still Victory Day in Ukraine?
Is May 8 a day off work?
Sources and references
Sources used for Victory Day in Ukraine:
- Про День пам’яті та перемоги над нацизмом у Другій світовій війні 1939-1945 років- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
- Кодекс законів про працю України- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
- Про організацію трудових відносин в умовах воєнного стану- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
- Інформаційні матеріали до Дня пам’яті та примирення 8 травня- Ukrainian Institute of National Memory
- УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №266/2023 — Про День Європи- President of Ukraine