Families of killed Euromaidan activists and of those fallen in fight for Ukraine are to get $1,000 aid from Poland

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Kyiv, July 21, 2015. Families of the killed Euromaidan activists – also known as the Heavenly Hundred heroes – and of those fallen in fight for independent and democratic Ukraine” will get a one-time financial aid package worth $1,000 from the Government of Poland. Tamila Tasheva, co-founder and coordinator of Krym SOS civic group, told during a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center that 185 families would get financial aid.

The project “Support to families of The Heavenly Hundred and of those fallen in fight for independent and democratic Ukraine” emerged after the first Solidarity Award that the Government of Poland presented to Mustafa Dzhemilev, the President’s Envoy on Crimean Tatar Affairs. “The Solidarity Award worth one million euros, which we have managed to collect through voluntary donations of Polish citizens. The award is split on two hundred fifty thousand euro as an award Mustafa Dzhemilev for his personal contribution to the fight for Ukraine’s independence, 650,000 euros is the amount disbursed for organizing free trips to Poland for children of killed or wounded Euromaidan activists. One hundred thousand euros is actual financial aid to the families of the killed or wounded heroes,” explained Krzysztof Stanovsky, President of the Foundation for International Solidarity.

“This project to me is a sign of moral support for the Ukrainian people. Together with our Polish partners, we are doing everything possible to help the families of the fallen heroes,” said Dzhemilev.

Families of those killed on Euromaidan and during the early days of Anti-Terrorist Operation came to Ukraine Crisis Media Center for the official award ceremony.

Kateryna Shapoval lost her only son, Serhiy, on February 18. “I remember how my son was about to go to Euromaidan. How he was angry with unjust laws of the then-authorities. On January 18, a bullet hit him in the chest near the Trade Unions House. Attempts to resuscitate Serhiy were not successful,” remembered the mother, with tears in her eyes.

Fallen Heavenly Hundred hero Volodymyr Kulchytsky’s son Ihor Kulchytsky as well as the wife of Volodymyr Rybak, the slain deputy of the Horlivka City Council, received the first awards.

According to Krzysztof Stanovsky, the next Solidarity Award will be presented in August. “Zhanna Nemtsova, journalist and daughter of the Russian opposition leader Borys Nemtsov is going to be bestowed with the next award. We have talked to Zhanna. She plans to disburse the money from the award also in Ukraine,” said Stanovsky.