Zelenskyy and First Lady Pay Tribute to Fallen Soldiers on Ukraine's Independence Day
Ukraine's president and first lady honoured fallen soldiers at the Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv on the country's 35th Independence Day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska led commemorations in Kyiv on Monday, honouring the nation's fallen defenders as Ukraine observed its Independence Day.
The couple laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance, a memorial dedicated to Ukrainian soldiers who have lost their lives in the conflict. The ceremony, which included a military orchestra and a guard of honour, took place against the backdrop of the country's 35th anniversary of the restoration of its independence.
This year's observance comes as Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year, continues. The war, which began in February 2022, was launched with the aim of drawing Kyiv back into Moscow's orbit, a goal that was decisively rejected by Ukrainians, who voted overwhelmingly for independence in 1991.
With front lines largely static for months and no breakthrough in U.S.-led peace efforts, the conflict has settled into a grinding war of attrition. Both sides have escalated aerial strikes, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure.