Ukraine commemorated its 35th Independence Day on August 24 under heavy Russian bombardment, with at least 16 civilians killed in a drone strike on a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The attacks came as European leaders joined Zelenskyy in Kyiv for solidarity events, reinforcing Ukraine’s defiance amid ongoing hostilities.
Russian drone strikes target civilian and economic sites
On August 23, a Russian drone strike hit a packed shopping center in Kryvyi Rih, killing 16 people and injuring 130, according to The Associated Press. The attack followed a Friday strike and occurred just days after Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes on a major refinery near Moscow, disrupting fuel supplies to the capital. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that such strikes risk opening a “Pandora’s box”, while Ukraine defended the actions as necessary to disrupt Russian logistics.
Ukrainian resilience highlighted across frontlines and diaspora
In the embattled Kherson region, residents marked the holiday despite relentless Russian drone attacks. Viktor Hordiienko, a farmer whose father was killed in a drone strike last year, told Newsweek that the holiday now carries deeper meaning: “Before the war, we did not really understand what independence was. Now, we understand: freedom of speech, freedom of action, and free land.” In Brussels, displaced Ukrainians under the EU’s temporary protection scheme gathered to celebrate, with Misha Dzivitskyi, president of the Ukrainian Voices Refugee Committee, stating: “It’s a day where we understand that we stay in war. We continue to be strong.”
International support and warnings of escalation
European leaders, including those from France, Germany, and Poland, attended Independence Day events in Kyiv, signaling continued backing for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have intensified strikes inside Russia, targeting warehouses of major online retailers such as Wildberries and Ozon, according to Fox News Digital. Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Carrie Filipetti noted that Ukraine’s recent advances have forced Russia into a more defensive posture, with Putin appearing “panicked” as Ukrainian forces penetrate deeper into Russian territory.
Human toll and daily risks persist
In Kherson city, residents face daily dangers from Russian drones stationed across the Dnipro River. Svitlana, a 52-year-old resident, described grocery trips and walks as “a mortal game of chance,” with drones striking unpredictably. The war, now in its third year, has reshaped the meaning of independence for millions, both on the frontlines and among the 70,000 displaced Ukrainians in Belgium alone.