NSDC Secretary of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov: Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred went into eternity to remain forever in our memory...

The previous day, on the night from 18^th to 19^th of February, 2014, when the night assault of Maidan by superior in number and well-armed "Berkut" and Internal Troops failed, that was turning point of the situation in favor of the Revolution of Dignity. But the tough confrontation didn't stop. The authorities began and were ready to continue killing.

In the morning of February 20 from the direction of Instytutska Street the shots at participants of Maidan sounded. The most dramatic finale of the revolution has started. Two worlds clashed there on that day. One - armed with automatic weapons - defended the criminals in power that sought to destroy Ukraine as a state, and the other - with wooden sticks and homemade shields, in hard hats or ski helmets - went forward for the right to be free, for independence and European future of their country. They were falling down from the bullets of law enforcers, but others rose up on their place, willing go to the end... The Patriots were going forward, without stopping. And the black ranks of armed criminals had broken down, they had fled, unable to withstand the sacrificial attack of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred... That was the victory. But the victory, which was given at the overly heavy cost...

The wounded and killed were brought over to the center of Maidan. By the order of headquarter from the stage of Maidan, I announced about the unscheduled meeting of the Parliament. At that moment everybody has already realized that the government had lost, so even MPs from the ruling majority voted together with the opposition for the resolution "On condemning the use of violence that resulted in death of people". In accordance with this resolution, all representatives of security forces were to cease resistance and leave Kyiv, setting off to places of their permanent deployment.

Despite the prohibition of their frightened leaders to leave positions, the security troops drawn to Kyiv from all over Ukraine hastily began to leave the city. The next day, on February 21^th, the Parliament had restored in effect the Constitution of 2004, and in the evening of the same day Yanukovych had fled from Mezhyhirya, taking along all the loot.

All this happened thanks to the Heroes, who in the morning of February 20^th went to their last attack. Heroes do not die, this is really true. Their feat, their victorious march even today seems to resound from the pavers of Maidan. They went into eternity to remain forever in our memory...