In Chicago, during the official Memorial Day Weekend events and on the eve of National Accessibility Week, ten Ukrainian military personnel, together with American veterans, participated in the legendary Soldier Field 10 race. This is one of the most famous memorial sporting events in the United States.
This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
They said that the race took place on May 23, and Ukrainian soldiers and veterans regularly participate in Soldier Field 10 as a symbol of solidarity between Ukraine and the United States, shared experience of war, service, and memory of the fallen.
Thus, during the official opening ceremony of the race, the Ukrainian delegation joined the Circle of Remembrance – a memorial commemoration of the fallen soldiers. Separately, the organizers of the event paid tribute to five fallen Ukrainian heroes, who were remembered before the start of the 10-mile and 10-kilometer races.
Ukrainian military in Chicago, USA, May 23, 2026. Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International/General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Facebook
The delegation was led by retired Major General Volodymyr Gavrylov, former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine and director of the Veterans' Ten charity foundation, which has been engaged in the rehabilitation and support of wounded Ukrainian veterans for many years.
Among the participants in the race is veteran Yuriy Tsyntylevych, who is undergoing rehabilitation after serious combat injuries sustained while defending Ukraine. In Chicago, he completed the Soldier Field 10 distance as a symbol of the indomitability of Ukrainian soldiers even after the front.
During the ceremony, Gavrylov was also solemnly presented with the US flag – as a sign of respect for the history of Ukraine, the sacrifice of the Ukrainian people, and veterans who continue to fight for freedom.
Co-chair of the Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, Vira Eliashevska, stated that the organization is grateful for the invitation to the event of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“We are proud to participate in Soldier Field 10 to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to America and Ukraine – those who fought for freedom. We are sincerely grateful to the organizers for inviting our Ukrainian military and the Major General to join in honoring five fallen Ukrainian heroes during today's pre-race opening ceremony…”, she said.
In addition, during their visit to Chicago, the Ukrainians visited the Ukrainian National Museum, the Ukrainian Institute of Contemporary Art, the school at St. Nicholas Cathedral, and the St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bloomingdale – a place of remembrance for the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, victims of the Holodomor, and Ukrainian and American veterans.
A separate part of the program was the laying of flowers at the grave of Mykhailo (“Chicago”) Yavorsky, a U.S. Army veteran of Ukrainian origin who, after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, returned to defend Ukraine and died in battle in 2023, saving his brothers. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
Laying flowers at the grave of Mykhailo (“Chicago”) Yavorsky. Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International/General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Facebook
The organizers and partners of the visit were Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, CF “Veteranska Desyatka”, CF “Vesna!”, Revived Soldiers Ukraine and Ukrainian Running Club Chicago. The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian defense technology developer Infozahyst and the “Heritage” Foundation of the First Federal Savings Bank “Pevnist”.