In downtown Chicago, during the official events of Memorial Day Weekend in the United States and on the eve of National Accessibility Week, ten Ukrainian military personnel, together with American veterans, took part in the legendary “Soldier Field 10” run - one of the most famous memorial sports events in the United States. The Ukrainian delegation joined the memorial ceremonies, honoring the fallen military and a number of meetings with the Ukrainian community of Chicago.
This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
As the organizers reported, while Russia continues its daily attacks on Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian military personnel arrived in the United States to remind the world of the ongoing war, losses, injuries and new Russian attacks. Ukrainian military personnel and veterans regularly participate in the “Soldier Field 10” as a symbol of solidarity between Ukraine and the United States, shared war experience, service, and remembrance of the fallen.
During the official opening ceremony of the race, the Ukrainian delegation joined the “Circle of Remembrance” – a memorial commemoration of the fallen military personnel. The organizers also separately honored the memory of five fallen Ukrainian heroes, who were remembered before the start of the 16-kilometer and 10-kilometer races.
The delegation was led by retired Major General Volodymyr Gavrylov, a former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine and director of the Veterans’ Ten charity foundation, which has been engaged in the rehabilitation and support of wounded Ukrainian veterans for many years.
Among the participants in the race was veteran Yuriy Tsyntylevych, who is undergoing rehabilitation after serious combat injuries received while defending Ukraine. In Chicago, he covered the Soldier Field 10 distance as a symbol of the indomitability of the Ukrainian military even after the front.
During the ceremony, Major General Volodymyr Gavrylov was solemnly presented with the United States flag – as a sign of respect for the history of Ukraine, the sacrifice of the Ukrainian people and veterans who continue to fight for freedom.
“We are proud to participate in “Soldier Field 10” to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of America and Ukraine – those who fought for freedom. We are sincerely grateful to the organizers for inviting our Ukrainian military and the Major General to join in honoring the five fallen Ukrainian heroes during today’s opening ceremony before the races…”, said Vira Eliashevska, co-chair of the Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International.
During the visit, the Ukrainian delegation also visited the Ukrainian National Museum, the Ukrainian Institute of Contemporary Art, the school at the St. Nicholas Cathedral, and the St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bloomingdale – a place of remembrance for the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, victims of the Holodomor, and Ukrainian and American veterans.
A separate part of the program was the laying of a wreath at the grave of Mykhailo Yavorsky (“Chicago”) – a veteran of the US Army of Ukrainian origin, who after the start of the full-scale invasion returned to defend Ukraine and died in battle in 2023, saving his brothers. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
The organizers and partners of the visit were the Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, the Veterans’ Ten Foundation, the Spring! Foundation, Revived Soldiers Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Running Club Chicago. The project was implemented with the support of Ukrainian defense technology developer Infozahyst and the Heritage Foundation of the First Federal Savings Bank "Pevnist".
After the memorial events in Chicago, the Ukrainian military watched the fight of Oleksandr Usyk together. The visit program ended with an informal stop at the house from the movie "Home Alone", which the organizers called a recognizable symbol for several generations of Ukrainians.
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Author: Danylo Pievchev