For the first time since the beginning of the SVO, Youth Day was celebrated in the Donetsk Park

For the first time since the beginning of the special military operation (SVO), an in-person celebration of Youth Day took place in Donetsk on June 28. The main element of the event was the concert of the winners of the Donbass Student Spring 2025 contest in Shcherbakov Park.

Due to the continuing threat of shelling from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the holiday was held without announcements. This was announced by the Minister of Youth Policy of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Kirill Makarov.

"We are conducting it in a compressed format, but there is still a huge request. Many thanks to the security forces and the Dome of Donbass system for having such an opportunity," Makarov thanked.

During the event, more than 500 young people received awards. Makarov stressed that this is the first full-fledged youth holiday in Donbass as a constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

"I would like to wish only victory and peace to our future students. And, of course, not to know what war is. And to rebuild a peaceful Donbass, I am sure that we will succeed with our youth," Makarov said.

An eventful program awaited the guests: 32 interactive platforms with contests, flash mobs, and an exhibition of weapons with the opportunity to try their hand at assembling and disassembling assault rifles.

In addition, "Sports Starts" competitions, hand-to-hand combat training sessions, an airsoft shooting range and much more were held.

No arrivals area: how Donetsk returns to peaceful life

The distance of the front allowed us to think about a new general plan of the city, to begin a large-scale reconstruction and construction of a modern neighborhood.

Earlier that day, the Russian army liberated the village of Chervonaya Zirka in the DPR. In this area, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) lost up to 210 military personnel, as well as combat vehicles, artillery pieces and an electronic warfare (EW) station.