Catalogue Number
NMLH.2025.20.1
Object Name
flag
Title
'Manchester. ÐанÑеÑÑеÑ'
Place
Manchester, UK, Ukraine
People
Ukrainian diaspora in Manchester, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin
Events
Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022, 2006 World Cup, Paris Paralympics 2024
Description
A Ukrainian flag (the top half is sky blue, the bottom half is yellow) with Manchester written in English in yellow on the top half, and in Ukrainian 'ÐанÑеÑÑеÑ' in blue on the bottom half.
This flag was created by Larysa Bolton, a third generation British Ukrainian in 2006 to take to the men's Football World Cup, and subsequently to England vs Ukraine football matches, and the Paris Paralympics in 2024. Following the full scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022, the Bolton family took the flag to protests in Manchester, including the Manchester Stands With Ukraine protest on 5 March 2022 in Piccadilly Gardens. The Ukrainian diaspora in Manchester had previously gathered for solidarity demonstrations during the Orange Revolution in 2004-2005 and the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. The community still regularly gathers to show their solidarity with Ukraine, which is still under occupation and fighting against the Russian invasion at the time of writing.
The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has become the largest and deadliest military conflict in Europe since the end of the Second World War with hundreds of thousands of military casualties, and tens of thousands of civilian deaths. Russia has consistently challenged Ukraine's sovereignty as an independent country since the fall of the Soviet Union, and has previously attempted to invade, has annexed Ukrainian territory, and has attempted to influence Ukrainian elections.
In late 2021, Russia began to gather military forces near Ukraine's borders, demanding that Western powers permanently ban Ukraine from ever joining NATO, a military alliance between 30 European states, the USA and Canada. NATO members are required to offer military assistance if a member state is attacked, and during the Cold War between Russia and the USA, NATO was viewed as a check on the Soviet Union. As such, Russia's Putin administration sees neighbouring countries joining NATO to be a hostile, anti-Russian act. Ukraine is an aspiring member of NATO, and when the demand to bar their entry was not met, Russia invaded, launching a full scale invasion on 24 February 2022. The invasion has caused a third of Ukraine's population to become displaced - with the UN documenting 3.7 million people moving to somewhat safer areas of Ukraine, and 6.8 million people becoming refugees in other countries around the world, including the UK.
Note: As the invasion of Ukraine is ongoing, information given which was accurate at the time of writing (July 2025) may change in future. This object description was produced in conversation with the donors, and in consultation with the Museum Association and ICOM's Decolonising Ukraine guidelines.
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