“They came to demand that authorities speed up the search for the missing soldiers, because they’ve been living in uncertainty about the fate of their relatives for a year now,” local media covering the protest, which took place on Independence Square, reported.
The protest included posters, flags with soldiers’ faces printed on them, and installations featuring mannequins on inflatable boats symbolizing the missing troops.
Ukraine’s military never revealed its losses in the operation, and while media says over 260 bodies have been identified and recovered, as many as 2,000 troops remain missing in action.
This was the second protest in the Ukrainian capital in days. On Wednesday, over 1,000 protesters, including military personnel, veterans and relatives came out to urge US President Donald Trump to help “restore order” in Ukraine, citing problems including corruption and bribe-taking by officials.