Ukrainian couple has tied the knot on the frontlines in Kyiv and said “I do” in front of their fellow soldiers.
Valeriy Filimonov and Lesya Filimonov, Ukrainian soldiers, who were dressed in military fatigues, got married in Kyiv on Sunday. The wedding was flanked by soldiers armed with grenades and missiles and journalists in bulletproof vests.
The couple, who are members of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, who have reportedly been together for over 20 years decided to have an improv wedding at a checkpoint of the city on the 11th day of fighting.
Valeriy and Lesya had a traditional Orthodox ceremony. The couple, who had not seen each other since the beginning of the war late last month, joined the military reserve.
Video shared online shows the loved-up pair celebrating the nuptials near Kyiv. Lesya can be seen holding a bouquet of flowers as both she and Valeriy clutch champagne flutes.
The bride wore a veil with her camouflage, the groom donned a military helmet and both sported yellow armbands designating them as members of the country’s Territorial Defense Forces.
A group of fellow soldiers joined in a chorus to the couple, with one man playing what appears to be a bandura, a Ukrainian folk musical instrument similar to a lute. The footage was shared by Paul Ronzheimer, a reporter for German news outlet BILD-Zeitung.
Both the newlyweds were applauded and the bride looks to have swapped out her helmet for a white veil as she smiled and held Valeriy’s hand. It has since received around 22,000 views and accumulated hundreds of likes, with most comments wishing them happiness and prosperity.
One of the soldiers also appears to be wearing an Orthodox Christian cross, often seen at weddings in the country where the religion is followed by a majority of people.
Lesya said: “We have no intention of giving it away to the enemy, because here we have everything we love, and we have to defend it. It is hard to call it unconditional happiness in this situation, but we surely feel uplifted.”
Sharing the heartwarming video on Twitter, Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor, said: “Today I greeted the soldiers of one of the battalions of the capital’s defense of the capital Lesya and Valeri.”
“They have been living in a civil marriage for a long time, and now they have decided to get married. The ceremony took place next to one of the checkpoints. Life goes on! And we will protect the life of Kyiv, Kyivites, our state!” he added.
The happy couple can be seen drinking champagne and being surrounded by their fellow soldiers. When the couple kissed, the crowd erupted with patriotic fervor saying: “Glory to the family! Glory to the family! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to heroes! Glory to the nation! Death to the enemies! Ukraine above all!”
Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odesa has so far been largely spared.
The Kremlin is preparing to pound Odesa and “choke” off its lifeline as a ceasefire is called for the besieged city of Mariupol, amid fears Putin could blast the escape route of refugees with airstrikes for the second time.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odesa, a historic port city on the Black Sea coast. He said: “Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity.”
“And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa? It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime,” he added.