Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine took part in the celebrations commemorating the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine's independence

Today, on 24 August, on the Independence Day of Ukraine, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the people of Ukraine on St Sophia Square in Kyiv, calling on them to remember the price of defending their lives.

In his welcoming address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy underlined that thanks to its unity, the state had given a historic answer to the question of whether Ukraine and Ukrainians should exist. He emphasised that everyone is now determining the fate of their nation through their actions, and the whole nation is determining the fate of everyone.

Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Lytvynenko took part in the Independence Day celebrations. Representatives of the Government and Parliament, military command, foreign representatives, heads of other states, and clergy also took part in the events.

The attendees observed a minute of silence to honour the memory of all Ukrainians who laid down their lives for our state.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the soldiers with state decorations and presented combat flags and insignia to the brigades.