Vilnius was bathed in blue and yellow on Wednesday.

August 24 marks exactly half a year since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On this very day, Ukrainians also celebrate Independence Day.

Therefore, due to fears that Russia could launch attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and government facilities, celebrations took place in the capital of Lithuania.

Many buildings were illuminated with the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

A dance performance took place on the facade of the "Moscow House", which is painted with a huge picture of a Ukrainian girl in national costume - as a joint response of Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Estonian artists to the Russian war.

According to Mark Adam Harold, organizer of the event, Ukrainians had offered Vilnius, "the capital of freedom," to host the celebrations.

"The idea came from the Ukrainians themselves," he told FAZ. "They wanted to show Vladimir Putin that this young country is dynamic and not afraid.

I think next year we will celebrate victory in Kyiv.” Lithuania might not be that strong militarily.

“But rhetorically, Lithuania is fighting for democracy, whether in Belarus or in Ukraine.

We cannot give the Ukrainians ten fighter jets, but we can show our solidarity.” More than 60,000 Ukrainians have fled to the small Baltic state since the beginning of the war, and a further 15,000 Ukrainians are already living in Lithuania.

"To make you feel at home"

Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius said: "We want to give Ukrainians a second home here, and that is why such an important day as Independence Day should be celebrated here." Currently, it is not even safe to gather in Ukraine ;

the usual celebrations in the country were canceled because of fears of attacks.

"In Vilnius, many citizens contribute to the organization of this festival," said Šimašius.

"Some of the events are initiated by the city administration, others by civil society." According to the mayor, Ukraine is following the same path as Lithuania 30 years ago, when the country broke free from Soviet shackles and fought for its freedom.

"We know what this fight means, we know

how important it is to support other countries in this struggle, and that is why Vilnius and Lithuania will always support the freedom struggle of such countries.” Ukrainians now have several homelands because of the war, including Lithuania and Poland.

Therefore, conditions must be created “so that they feel at home”.

The celebration of the Ukrainian Independence Day also serves this purpose.

Also the employees of the Lithuanian Center for Genocide and Resistance Research organized an event - they picked sunflowers.

Considered a symbol of peace, the flowers are something of the unofficial symbol of Ukraine.

"Today, the sunflower has acquired a new meaning - together with the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine, it represents the never-ending courage, hope and solidarity of the fighters," said Arūnas Bubnys, director general of the Center for Genocide and Resistance Research.

A rave with Ukrainian DJs took place on a meadow by the White Bridge, followed by a concert on the Town Hall Square.

The organizers of the multidisciplinary art projects created a modern video and music interpretation of classic Ukrainian works.

With documentary images from the war zone, the omnipresence of the brutal attack became painfully clear.

The walls of the town hall - they acted like a window to the neighboring country.