KIEV, May 8. /TASS/. Ukrainian veterans of the Great Patriotic War are offended and humiliated morally and socially by actions of the current authorities, head of Kiev’s city veteran organization Nikolay Martynov told TASS on Friday.

In particular, veterans are discontent with ban on Soviet symbols, transfer of the Defender of the Fatherland Day, cut in social payments, Martynov added. "We are very hurt that they practically took away the Defender of the Fatherland Day from us by transferring it to October 14 - day of establishing the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. They practically took away the meaning of the Great Patriotic War by replacing it with expulsion of Nazi occupants from Europe. A Verkhovna Rada law prohibits us from using symbols of our great victory," the veteran noted.

The crisis in Ukraine definitely affects the social welfare of veterans, he added. Eighty-five percent of veterans live in poverty, Martynov reminded.

Talking about the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation in Ukraine on May 8, the veteran said he does not agree with the wording. "With whom should we reconcile? With Forest Brothers or battalions of the 14th SS-Volunteer Division ‘Galician’ who, as veterans say, shot us in the back? We will not reconcile with them," Martynov stressed.