The Run for Freedom advocacy race in support of the release of Ukrainian military and civilians from Russian captivity took place on Saturday in Kyiv on the territory of the National Complex “Expocenter of Ukraine”.
The social event was initiated by students of the Kyiv School of Economics, as well as American historian, Yale University professor, UNITED24 ambassador Timothy Snyder, who finished at the longest distance – 10 km, and was organized by the KSE Foundation, DefDev and the Heart of Azovstal support project for Mariupol defenders.
The event was aimed at drawing attention to the issue of the release of Ukrainian citizens who are still in Russian captivity. Before the start of the race, the participants observed a moment of silence for the victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
As reported, on Friday and Saturday, 152 Ukrainian men and women were returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity as a result of the exchange.
“This is the result of a lot of hard work. Our task is to ensure that they are not forgotten. That is why we are running today. Together with the mothers and wives of prisoners, together with those who returned from captivity, and those who are still waiting for theirs. Their stories are not just stories. This is more than just a race,” emphasized Nataliya Yemchenko, head of the “Heart of Azovstal” project.
About 1,000 people took part in the race, including KSE students, veterans, relatives of prisoners and everyone who cared.
