Clashes took place on Saturday in Mandra during an event organized by the Hellenic-Ukrainian Chamber to honor the victims of the Soviet crime, known as Holodomor, when members of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and its youth wing (KNE) intervened and attacked attendees.

The two gatherings inevitably clashed, when KKE members, wielding flag-bearing wooden poles, attacked the assembled participants.

The event commemorated the Holodomor, the famine of 1932-1933 caused by forced collectivization under Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union. During this period, grain and livestock were confiscated, resulting in a famine that claimed millions of lives.

A 2003 joint statement by the United Nations, signed by 25 countries, estimated 7–10 million deaths, though subsequent research has adjusted the figure to 3.3–7.5 million.

Regarding the incident, the event was organized by the Municipality of Mandra in collaboration with the Ukrainian Embassy and the Hellenic-Ukrainian Chamber under the title: “Memorial Event for the Innocent Victims of the Stalinist Regime’s Genocide, HOLODOMOR 1932-1933.”

This annual event saw Ukrainians gathering near the Taras Shevchenko monument. Simultaneously, KKE and KNE organized their own event in the area, denouncing the memorial as “an attempt to distort history” and accusing it of anti-communism.

Ukrainian Embassy’s Complaint

The Ukrainian Embassy issued a strong protest, describing the KKE members’ actions as violent and provocative.

“The Embassy condemns in the strongest terms this disgraceful disruption of an official event dedicated to events of historical and emotional significance for the Ukrainian people. These provocative actions, which culminated in physical attacks—including one against a Ukrainian diplomat causing bodily harm—are utterly unacceptable and constitute a blatant violation of international regulations protecting diplomatic personnel. We call on Greek authorities to immediately investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable. It is imperative to ensure the rights of individuals and communities to commemorate historical tragedies without fear of intimidation or violence,” the statement read.

KKE’s Response

On its website “902,” KKE described the incident as a “militant anti-war and anti-imperialist intervention” by its members, criticizing the memorial as a “historically inaccurate anti-communist spectacle.”

KKE also blamed the Mandra Municipal Authority for organizing the event, claiming it bore “significant responsibility”.