On August 27, ahead of Ukraine’s Day of Remembrance of the Defenders, a memorial wall was unveiled in Kyiv to honor Muslim service members who laid down their lives in defense of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Меморіал розташований на території Ісламського культурного центру Конгресу мусульман України. Над його створенням КМУ спільно з Духовним управлінням мусульман України «Умма» працювали майже два роки. Організатори збирали імена загиблих військовослужбовців, спілкувалися з військовими капеланами, ветеранами, родинами вояків, представниками мусульманських громад, діаспор та неурядових організацій.
The memorial is located on the grounds of the Islamic Cultural Center of the Congress of Muslims of Ukraine. The Congress, together with the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Umma,” worked together for nearly two years to establish it. During this time, the organizers compiled the names of the fallen service members and consulted military chaplains, veterans, soldiers’ families, representatives of Muslim communities and diasporas, and members of non-governmental organizations.
As Murat Suleimanov, Mufti of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Umma,” noted, since 2014, thousands of Muslims of various nationalities — including Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, Azerbaijanis, Chechens, and Dagestanis — have joined the defense of Ukraine. Standing shoulder to shoulder with service members of different faiths, they continue to defend the country. Hundreds of Muslims have paid the highest price in this struggle—their own lives.
Those attending the memorial’s inauguration included members of the military, senior Ukrainian officials, diplomats, chaplains, religious leaders, representatives of national minority communities, civil society and charitable organizations, volunteers, and the families of fallen defenders.
Following a minute of silence, the choir of the Honored Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces of Ukraine performed the national anthem. In keeping with Islamic tradition, the event began with a recitation from the Quran. Military chaplain Muhammad Isa reciting several verses.
Sheikh Murat Suleimanov stressed that honoring the memory of the fallen must go hand in hand with continued support for those defending Ukraine today:
“We must support and assist all our defenders who are still with us, because thousands of Muslims are among the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians protecting us on the front lines today. I offer my profound respect to the families of our heroes. They are the pride of our ummah and of Ukrainian society as a whole.”
The Mufti reminded those present of the Islamic view of those who gave their lives for their families and loved ones:
“The Almighty says in the Quran that they are alive and receive their reward from their Lord. We pray that Almighty Allah grant the souls of our martyrs the highest ranks of Paradise, give patience and strength to their families, and bless Ukraine with a just victory and peace.”
Ukrainian MP Tamila Tasheva also attended the unveiling ceremony. She thanked the Mufti of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Umma” and the Congress of Muslims of Ukraine for creating the Wall of Remembrance, describing it as a symbol of profound respect for the service members who gave their lives for our freedom:
“The memory of Muslim service members must form part of Ukraine’s national memory. Their courage should inspire society as a whole to overcome once and for all the stereotypes about Islam that Russia has deliberately spread for years. For centuries, the enemy has sought to divide us by sowing artificial hostility. Yet today, thousands of Muslims are serving on the front lines, taking up arms in Ukraine’s defense. Standing shoulder to shoulder with other Ukrainian service members, they demonstrate every day that Ukraine is our shared home.”
Tamila Tasheva also underscored the importance of enshrining the names of fallen Muslim service members in Ukraine’s national memory and supporting those currently serving in the country’s Defense Forces. She also mentioned Muslim political prisoners held by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories and in detention facilities, as well as members of the peoples of the Caucasus subjugated by Russia who are now fighting as part of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
Other guests also spoke about the significance of the memorial’s unveiling. Viktor Voinalovych, deputy head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, thanked the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Umma” and the Congress of Muslims of Ukraine for the initiative and for their efforts to preserve the memory of the fallen.
Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, noted that the war, now in its thirteenth year, has changed in form over time and that thousands of Muslims, including Crimean Tatars, have served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine throughout this period:
“We must remember everyone who has died and show respect for their sacrifice. Yes, we continue to fight, but none of us has given as much as they did: these people gave their lives. It is our duty to prove worthy of their sacrifice.”
In his remarks, Colonel Oleksandr Vovkotecha, Head of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, emphasized that service members on the front lines are not divided by religious affiliation:
“Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people of other faiths are defending Ukraine together, because this is our shared struggle against an enemy that seeks to destroy our country and holds Ukrainians in contempt. This Wall of Remembrance will serve as an important reminder of the contribution Ukrainian Muslims have made in resisting the aggressor.”
Olha Kuryshko, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, emphasized the importance of such events in preserving the memory of the fallen:
“In a broader sense, this ensures the right to know the truth about what happened and about the people who gave their lives for Ukraine’s independence and liberation. I am deeply grateful to the Religious Administration and to the Mufti personally for organizing this event and for your continued work in this area.”
At the close of the ceremony, the choir of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ensemble performed a traditional Crimean Tatar devotional hymn (ilahi), after which the Mufti recited a dua for all fallen service members and for their families and loved ones
The memorial wall was unveiled ahead of Ukraine’s annual day of remembrance for the defenders who died fighting for the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, commemorated on August 29. It is the first memorial to collect the names of Muslim service members killed in the war. For the Muslim community, the site honors those of their faith who lost their lives and highlights the place of Muslims as an integral part of Ukrainian society.
