March 11, 2022

Blue and Yellow Lights


Blue and Yellow Lights
The Empire State Building, customized.  Screenshot, Twitter @EmpireStateBldg

A nation's flag is arguably the most symbolic and meaningful figure representing one's patriotism. Shortly following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, multiple cities and nations have shown their solidarity with Ukraine by raising the country's flag in their own way.

Landmarks across the globe are being lit with bright blue and yellow lights. While some may think it a small gesture that has no true effect, for many it symbolizes Ukrainian independence and patriotism in these unpredictable times

New York City, which holds the US' largest population of Ukrainians, has thus lit up the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, the Mid-Hudson Bridge, and the Kosciuszko Bridge with shining blue and yellow lights.

The national flag of Ukraine is a simple yet meaningful design. The flag is a bicolor with blue on top and yellow on bottom, symbolizing blue skies over golden fields of grain. The design was adopted on January 28, 1992, shortly following Ukraine's independence.

Other examples of national and international landmarks that have shined blue and yellow: 

- The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

- The London Eye in Lambeth, London.

- The Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

- The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany.

- Sundial Bridge in Redding, California.

- Dublin's Pedestrian Bridge, Veteran's Glass City Skyway Bridge, Cleveland Skyline, Licking County Courthouse, and the George V. Voinovich Bridge, all in Ohio.

- John Ringling Causeway in Sarasota, Florida.

You Might Also Like

The Toughest Sanction
  • March 07, 2022

The Toughest Sanction

Putin has been stripped of two martial arts honors in response to his invasion of Ukraine.
No War Please
  • March 04, 2022

No War Please

Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev writes a "no war please" message on a camera after a match. 
Reaffirming Ukrainian Sovereignty
  • February 28, 2022

Reaffirming Ukrainian Sovereignty

Zelensky's response to Putin recognizing the "independence" of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics crystallizes the ongoing conflict.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955