Ukrainian President Attending Ceremony to Mark Independence Day of Ukraine| VOA News

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena lay flowers at the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, during celebrations marking Independence Day, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Aug. 24, 2023.

👉 The national holiday coincided with the 18-month mark of Moscow's attack, which has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainians and ravaged wide swaths of land in the heart of Europe.

Russia's February 2022 invasion has galvanized Ukrainians and sparked waves of volunteers to join the military, donate to the army, or help the cause in other ways.

#Zelenskyy spoke at an official ceremony in central #Kyiv as Kyiv's highly anticipated counteroffensive to reclaim Russian-occupied territory lurched into its third month at a slower pace than some Western and Ukrainian officials expected.

Showing their support at the ceremony were Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Bosnia and Herzegovina President Zeljko Komsic. (REUTERS)

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