Passersby at Seattle Center on Saturday saw the typical Ukrainian independence day festivities, from embroidered traditional clothing, to varenyky dumplings, Ukrainian candies, and a lineup of contemporary musicians and folk performances.
Those witnessing Ukraine’s 35th annual celebration of freedom after the fall of the Soviet Union also might have seen Anton Yefremov. The 30-year-old from Kenmore stood Saturday outside a booth collecting donations to buy a vehicle for the 61st Mechanized Brigade, defending against the Russian invasion.
“We are the backbone the Ukrainian defenders can rely on,” said Yefremov, president of the Puget Sound-based nonprofit Ukraine Defense Support…