A gigantic ribbon of Saint George, a Russian patriotic symbol, was worn on Monday by pro-Russian separatists through Mariupol, a Ukrainian port conquered almost entirely by the Russian army, at the cost of enormous destruction.
The demonstration took place during the May 9 celebrations which mark the victory over the Nazis in 1945.
Report : Mariupol, the city where Putin fought
The orange and black striped ribbon has been worn since the early 2000s by millions of Russians in remembrance of Soviet soldiers who fell to the Nazis.
A 300-meter version was carried into Mariupol on Monday by a motorcade led by separatist leader Denis Pushilin, according to a message posted on his Telegram messaging account.
The city has seen the worst fighting since the start of the Russian offensive
A photo accompanying the publication shows Mr. Pushilin, all smiles holding the giant ribbon with people presented as inhabitants of the city which has seen the worst fighting since the start of the Russian offensive against Ukraine.
Mr. Pushilin also wears on his jacket a small ribbon of Saint-Georges in the shape of the letter “Z”, a sign of recognition of Russian armored vehicles which has become the symbol of supporters of the offensive.
To have : In Mariupol, between fighting in Azovstal and attempts at a humanitarian corridor
“Together with residents of Mariupol, today, on Victory Day, we carried a huge St. George ribbon, 300 meters long,” Pushilin wrote.
Mariupol, a major port city in southeastern Ukraine, is almost completely under the control of Russian forces, who now face the last Ukrainian defenders entrenched in a vast steelworks, Azovstal.
After several weeks of a deadly siege, the city is largely destroyed.