20 February 2025
February 20 Is the Day of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes
February 20 marks a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s modern history—a point of no return. A decade ago, the streets of Kyiv witnessed one of the most tragic episodes of Ukrainian resistance, as security forces under the Yanukovych regime opened fire on unarmed protesters on Instytutska Street, claiming dozens of lives. The Revolution of Dignity lasted from November 2013 to February 2014 and was a mass protest against authoritarian rule, corruption, and human rights violations.
The term “Heavenly Hundred” entered public discourse during the Revolution of Dignity, symbolizing the memory of those who gave their lives for Ukraine’s freedom. Derived from the structure of the Maidan Self-Defense units, which were organized into hundreds, the term first appeared on February 21–22, 2014, during the farewell ceremonies held on Kyiv’s Independence Square, where tens of thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to the fallen.
Among the 107 individuals recognized as the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred were those who perished during the Revolution of Dignity and in the early months of Russia’s invasion of Eastern Ukraine. The youngest, Nazarii Voitovych, was just 17 years old, while the eldest, Ivan Nakonechnyi, was 82. Serhii Kemskyi, a resident of Kerch, was shot by a sniper on Instytutska Street on February 20. Three women—Antonina Dvorianets, Olha Bura, and Liudmyla Sheremet—were also among the fallen.
The first victim of the Heavenly Hundred was Pavlo Mazurenko, who succumbed to fatal injuries inflicted by unidentified individuals in special forces uniforms on December 22, 2013. The last was Viktor Orlenko, who died on June 3, 2015, due to complications from a gunshot wound sustained during the police assault on Maidan on February 18, 2014.
On this same day—February 20, 2014—Russia launched its military operation to seize Crimea. While blood was being shed on Kyiv’s streets, Russian forces without insignia landed on the peninsula, blockading Ukrainian military installations. Thus, this day stands as a symbol not only of Ukraine’s struggle for democracy but also of the beginning of the war that escalated into a full-scale invasion in 2022.
The fallen on Maidan became the first casualties of Russia’s modern war against Ukraine. They were not soldiers, nor did they bear arms, yet they sacrificed their lives for Ukraine’s independence. The struggle they began in 2014 evolved into a direct military confrontation with Russia, which continues today.
Despite heavy Russian influence in Crimea, the peninsula was not silent during the Revolution of Dignity. On November 28, 2013, a protest was held in Simferopol under the banner of the “Euromaidan-Crimea” movement. In Sevastopol, despite a court ban, people gathered to advocate for Ukraine’s European future and resist a return to authoritarianism. On December 1, in response to the violent crackdown on students in Kyiv, activists and human rights defenders staged a protest in front of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
By January 14, 2014, the movement in Sevastopol evolved into the civic organization “Maidan-Sevastopol,” uniting political and civil society groups. In mid-January, football club “Tavria” supporters joined the protests. On January 17, activists appealed to the people of Ukraine, as well as to the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, urging condemnation of the newly adopted “dictatorial laws” that severely restricted civil liberties. On January 22, a rally in Sevastopol honored the first protesters killed in Kyiv, marking Unity Day with a moment of silence and a public prayer.
Many participants of the Revolution of Dignity later joined the front lines in 2014, forming the foundation of Ukraine’s volunteer battalions. Today, their fight continues through the Armed Forces of Ukraine, volunteers, diplomats, and all those working towards victory over the aggressor.
Eternal glory to those who gave their lives for Ukraine’s freedom.