On Sunday, February 27, 2022, at 2:00 p.m., a large rally was held in San Francisco's City Hall Plaza in support of Ukraine, its soldiers, people, and government in the fight against Russian aggression. Hundreds of people from the Ukrainian diaspora, whose hearts ached for their homeland, gathered to express their solidarity and support. The square was filled with blue and yellow flags; slogans and banners were raised in support of the Ukrainian army and condemning Putin and his “locusts.” Among the flags, the flags of the United States, the OUN, Georgia, and Belarus also flew.

The rally was organized and addressed by representatives of local Ukrainian organizations: Hromada (Natalia Anon, Yarema Kuzyishyn, Volodymyr and Natalia Hoshylik), Nova Ukraine (Mykola Bilogorsky, Ostap Korkuna, Yana Rasman, Igor Markov, and others), the Ukrainian School in San Francisco (Andriy Shegera), MaidanSF (Oksana Stus), and many other activists, whom the organizers sincerely thanked. The contribution of those who are currently collecting and sending humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine was also noted.

The rally began with the Ukrainian national anthem, which resounded throughout the square — everyone stood up with a sense of pride and unity. Next, the Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco, Dmytro Kushnaryk, took the floor and called on the diaspora and all American people to provide Ukraine with as much assistance as possible. Those present honored the fallen Ukrainian soldiers and all victims of the aggression with a minute of silence.

The leaders of the OCU and the UGCC, Father George, as well as the co-founder of the Hromada and the Anhelyc Charitable Foundation, Natalia Anon, also took part in the speeches, calling for three key things to be done: close the skies over Ukraine; to ban oil and gas exports from Russia; and to significantly increase military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, Kurds, Belarusian and Georgian activists, and Thais also spoke at the rally—all those who care about the fate of Ukraine took to the podium to express their support.

Young people from the Russian diaspora also joined the rally, publicly expressing their shame and protest against the Kremlin's actions, assuring that they are against Putin and support Ukrainians. Ukrainian melodies and Bandera songs were repeatedly heard in the park, unanimously supported by the crowd.

The speakers' appeals included calls to the American people and the US government to speed up and increase aid to Ukraine — to close the sky so that Russian planes cannot bomb cities and villages, and to provide military, material, and humanitarian aid immediately. Many participants expressed dissatisfaction with what they perceived as the Biden administration's delay in taking certain actions, emphasizing that assistance is needed now — tomorrow may be too late.

The rally lasted more than four hours — in a solemn and united spirit, without fatigue, with a sense of righteous cause. The participants sought to show America and the world that Ukrainians are not left to fend for themselves — that they are united and supported. At the end, the audience and participants shouted: “Ukraine, we are always with you! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!”

Fathers Tyapko and Petro Dyachok supported their faithful and called for prayers for the army and people of Ukraine; they emphasized that Ukrainians are now fighting on the side of good, protecting the whole world from evil — and that God is with us.

The rally participants accompanied the speeches and appeals with applause and cheers, expressing their hope and determination to support Ukraine in these difficult times.