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'Putin go to hell': Ukrainians mock Putin amid Russian military buildup near Ukraine border

During the commemoration of the eight-year anniversary on February 20, Ukrainians mocked Russian President Vladimir Putin

Thousands of people gathered in Ukraine on Sunday, February 20, to commemorate the eight-year anniversary of the massacre at Maiden Square when over 100 people were killed during mass protests in 2014. Every year on February 20, the people known as "The Heavenly Hundred" are remembered to mark the day. However, this time the demonstration was a little different, amid the rising tension on Russia & Ukraine border.

During the ceremony, one yelled "Putin!" and the crowd to respond by mocking Putin, "Khuylo!". The phrase "Путін хуйло" transliterated alternatively "Putin Khuilo!" or "Putin Huylo!" which means "Putin is a d***head!" They also cried out in response, "Putin, go to hell!"

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On the same day, tens of thousands of people in Odesa, Ukraine's port city, marched through the streets in a show of unity. People waved national flags and placards with slogans like "Odesa is Ukraine" and "No Putin, No Cry," saying they had come to protest a possible Russian invasion and that they were ready to fight for their city. Oleksey Voronko, a local student quoted, "We want to show that Odessa residents, as well as all Ukrainians, will support our sovereignty and will fight occupants wherever and whenever they appear.” 

Former President Pietro Poroshenko was among those who laid wreaths at a memorial in Kyiv's Maidan Square. On the 8th anniversary of the Maidan Massacre, he gave a speech about the tensions with Russia at an event in Kyiv, Ukraine honoring the "Heavenly Hundred." “This is just to demonstrate how different is Ukraine and Russia. No one like Putin can stop us. This is not a freezing conflict, this is a hot war. We should be strong, we should be united with the whole world… This is the right way to keep the peace,” he added. 

The commemorations take place as tensions in the region rose, with many World leaders warning that Russia was preparing to attack its neighbor, which is now surrounded on three sides by approximately 150,000 Russian soldiers, warplanes, and equipment. Sunday, February 20, was also the expected end date for Russia's military exercises with Belarus, with a promised withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine's borders. However, due to the escalation of the situation in the Donbas region, Belarus' defense ministry announced that Russian troops would remain in Belarus indefinitely.

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