On the march: Ukraine Independence Day groups gather despite second cancellation

Tens of thousands of people marched to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day yesterday, despite the president cancelling an official military parade.

Among the marchers in the Ukrainian capital Kiev were female veterans, who wore t-shirts emblazoned with “Women Veteran Movement”.

It is the second year in a row that president Volodymr Zelenskiy has decided to ditch the annual parade.

Zelenskiy decreed that military hardware should be on the frontline to battle against Russian backed separatists in the east of the country, rather than on display on city streets in the capital.