Victory Day in Ukraine is an eventful public holiday often consisting of:
Official greetings to war veterans.
A public display of Ukraine’s armed forces.
Presidential speeches.
Concerts featuring Ukrainian pop stars singing popular wartime songs.
Evening firework displays.
Victory Day also includes a moment of silence to honor war victims, as well as people laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kiev (Kyiv).
Public Life
Victory Day is a national public holiday in Ukraine so many businesses, as well as government offices and educational institutions, are closed.
Background
Victory Day in Ukraine is a time to commemorate the triumph of the former Soviet Union (which Ukraine was once a part of) over the Nazi rule during World War II. Many soldiers sacrificed their lives for this victory and are remembered on this day.
Victory Day / Memorial Day Observances
Year
Weekday
Date
Name
Holiday Type
2016
Mon
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2017
Tue
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2018
Wed
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2019
Thu
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2020
Sat
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2020
Mon
May 11
Victory Day / Memorial Day observed
National holiday
2021
Sun
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2021
Mon
May 10
Victory Day / Memorial Day observed
National holiday
2022
Mon
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2023
Tue
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2024
Thu
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2025
Fri
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2026
Sat
May 9
Victory Day / Memorial Day
National holiday
2026
Mon
May 11
Victory Day / Memorial Day observed
National holiday
While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.