By New Cold War.org editors, Dec. 23, 2014
In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly declared December 20 as International Solidarity Day. The pronouncement was contained in the 56-clause Resolution 60/209 that is dedicated to global struggle to eliminate poverty.
In Donetsk this year, the day was officially marked by a rally and public fair in Lenin Square in the center of the city. Leaders of the Donetsk Peoples Republic and of other popular organizations attended and gave speeches.
A feature of the day’s event was the sale of food at affordable prices. Donetsk and the rest of eastern Ukraine is suffering a trade and economic embargo by the government of Ukraine. This includes the elimnation of social service payments, inclluidng pensions, and the closure of banking services by Ukrainian banks. Large-scale humanitarian shipments from Russia are helping to avert the worst harm to public health and welfare which the embargo might other cause. But many residents in the city and region are suffering cuts to winter heating, electricity and water service as a result of artillery bombardments by the Ukraine army and the extreme-right militias allied with it.
Watch a news video report of International Solidarity Day in Donetsk on December 20, 2014:
