Hundreds gather in Ukraine’s capital to honor renowned poet who was also a soldier killed in action

By HANNA ARHIROVA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Hundreds of people have attended a ceremony honoring the memory of renowned Ukrainian poet Maksym Kryvtsov, who was killed in action while serving as a soldier in the war Russia started in Ukraine nearly two years ago. A large crowd gathered Thursday in the courtyard of Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, where ceremonies are often held to honor soldiers killed in the war. People brought flowers adorned with blue and yellow ribbons — the colors of the Ukrainian flag — and patiently queued up to enter the monastery and pay their respects. A funeral was scheduled to be held in Kryvtsov’s hometown of Rivne on Friday. Among those attending the memorial service were soldiers who had served with Kryvtsov since 2014.