Sofia turned off Christmas lights in solidarity with Ukraine

The lights of the Christmas tree of Sofia in front of the National Theatre "Ivan Vazov" in Sofia were turned off at 18:00 on December 21. The capital thus joined the #LightUpUkraine initiative in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Due to the Russian invasion, Ukraine is facing power cuts this winter. The initiative is also part of a campaign to raise $10 million to provide 1,000 generators to hospitals across Ukraine through the UNITED24 fundraising platform.

Besides Sofia, other iconic locations around the world turned off their Christmas lights.

Miroslav Borshosh, Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality : "Sofia joins this initiative because it is one of the cities that supports and is in solidarity with the huge problem that Ukraine is currently facing, besides the war - the lack of electricity and energy for the people. More than 10 million people are currently without light, heat and water.

Vitaly Moskalenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Bulgaria: "I am very grateful to the Sofia Municipality for including Sofia and the whole of Bulgaria in such a way in an initiative that envisages and actually implies solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are now going through another aggression, hard times without electricity, without heating, without light."