Ukrainian Embassy in Moldova calls for moment of silence honoring Holodomor victims
Ukraine observes a memorial day on the fourth Saturday of November to honor the victims of the Holodomor, which translates from Ukrainian as "murder by starvation." This term refers to the famine that occurred in Soviet Ukraine between 1932 and 1933. The Embassy of Ukraine in Chisinau invites everyone to light candles and observe a moment of silence in memory of the millions of lives lost.
A moment of silence will be held on November 22 at 4:00 p.m. to commemorate the victims of the Holodomor and the mass famines of 1921–1923 and 1946–1947.
“We ask you, as darkness falls, to light candles in your windows—a symbol of our grief for those who are no longer here and our faith in the future,” the diplomatic mission stated.
The Holodomor is recognized by Ukraine and many countries around the world as an act of genocide committed by the Stalinist regime. Estimates of the death toll range from 3.5 to 7 million people.
Destructive agricultural policies contributed to the famine, as Soviet authorities confiscated crops and even food supplies from peasants. Those who failed to meet their quotas faced severe penalties, and a law was enacted that imposed the death penalty for the theft of even a few ears of wheat.
