INTERNATIONAL: This year marked the 111th International’s Women Day, a day which aims to highlight gender equality, recognize women’s achievements in history, and commemorate the ongoing march for women's rights. Those in Ukraine this year mostly celebrated International Women's Day from their shelters, however, soldiers in the city of Odessa made sure to make the most of it and bought flowers to celebrate the women in their lives.

Although the city of Odessa is preparing its defenses for the imminent war, soldiers still took the time to buy flowers for friends and family to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Buying flowers from street vendors, Territorial Defense Forces Reservist Yuriy said that he bought flowers for his mother-in-law and wife to congratulate them on March 8, because war or no war, women need to be protected, loved, and respected.

Another soldier Dmitriy bought pink and yellow tulips with his fellow soldiers, adding that women also serve in the army to protect the country and must never be forgotten and deserve to be congratulated.

The city of Odessa is home to one million people, as well as the Ukrainian naval base, which is the largest seaport in the country. The locals continue to fill bags of sand on the beach to build barriers, and undergo weaponry training in order to defend their city from the imminent Russian invasion.