Two Ukrainian soldiers have tied the knot on the front line in Kyiv.
Territorial defence fighters Valeri Filimonov and Lesya Filimonova decided to have an improvised wedding at a checkpoint in the capital.
The bride wore a veil with her military fatigues as the couple drank champagne surrounded by their fellow soldiers on Sunday.
They have reportedly been together for over 20 years.
The couple had not seen each other since the beginning of the war last month.
Lesya said they joined the military reserve “because here we have everything we love, and we have to defend it”.
“We have no intention of giving it away to the enemy,” she said.
The newlyweds were greeted by the mayor Vitali Klitschko who congratulated the pair.
The former world heavyweight boxing champion shared a video on Twitter of the happy gathering on the 11th day of the conflict in Ukraine.
“Today I greeted the soldiers of one of the battalions of the capital’s defence of the capital Lesya and Valeri,” he said.
“They have been living in a civil marriage for a long time, and now they have decided to get married.
Сьогодні вітав бійців одного з батальйонів тероборони столиці Лесю та Валерія. Вони давно живуть в цивільному шлюбі, а тепер вирішили обвінчатися. Церемонія відбулася поруч з одним із блок-постів.
— Віталій Кличко (@Vitaliy_Klychko) March 6, 2022
Життя триває! І життя Києва, киян, нашої держави ми будемо захищати! pic.twitter.com/ys2kNN12Ws
“The ceremony took place next to one of the checkpoints. Life goes on!
“And we will protect the life of Kyiv, Kyivites, our state!”
