Ukrainian president and army's Commander-in-Chief congratulate Ukrainians on Independence Day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, have congratulated Ukrainians on the 32nd anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

Source: Zelenskyy and Zaluzhnyi on social media

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Today we celebrate the 32nd anniversary of our independence, the independence of Ukraine. A holiday of free people. A holiday of strong people. A holiday of the worthy. A holiday of equals. [A holiday for all] Ukrainian men and women. [For] Everyone in our entire country. This is a value for each of us, and this is what we are fighting for. And each and every one of us is relevant in this struggle because this fight is for something vital to everyone. That's an independent Ukraine."

Details: The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude to the soldiers defending Ukraine and to the families who raised their children to love Ukraine and have the courage to fight for it: "I would like to thank everyone waiting for their loved ones from the frontline, everyone praying for them daily, and calling or writing to say such a vital 'How are you?' to hear the much desired 'Everything is fine! Such a valuable 'I love you'... 'Our son took his first step yesterday'... 'Our daughter said Daddy'."

Zelenskyy pointed out that additional unique armour helps Ukrainian soldiers – drawings the children send to the soldiers and which can be seen in every brigade at the front.

The Ukrainian president stressed that children are one of the driving forces behind the offensive: "Because it is you, our children, who are behind us. Ukrainian children, you are the ones who make these pictures. And I would like to tell you - every boy and every girl: you have no idea how important it is when you support our soldiers. I thank you!"

He thanked every Ukrainian mother for whom Ukraine is and will remain home, although they had to leave because of the war: "And when a mother gives her child a book in Ukrainian in any country so that the child does not lose themselves and what's theirs, when a mother teaches [her children] Ukrainian, when she cares about Ukraine, and waits for news from Ukraine, waiting to come back – this is the most important thing. Because you are important. All Ukrainians! No matter where you are now."

Zelenskyy also thanked Ukrainian journalists and specifically mentioned those "who are not yet in the news, whose names are known to few, but whose work is visible to all".

Quote: "Our missiles. Ukrainian projectiles. Our guns. Ukrainian drones: Lelekas and Furiias. Uncrewed surface drones, Neptunes [anti-ship missiles], Korsars and Stuhnas [both anti-tank guided missiles]. We produce all of this. Ukrainians produce all of this. And when we are proud to have sunk the flagship of the enemy fleet, the Moskva cruiser, when we rejoice at the hitting of the Crimean Bridge, we also thank those who cannot be mentioned now, whose names cannot be mentioned but will be written about in books and made into films in the future. Those I award with classified decrees and carrying out the most complex operations. Thank you! You are all important!"

Zelenskyy noted that everyone is essential: "Everyone who has proven that everything is vital, everyone is important - people, actions, and words. For we have all made it so that when one person says: 'Glory to Ukraine!' the whole world responds: 'Glory to the heroes!'

Quote from Zaluzhnyi: "A country of the undefeated, unwavering, and unbreakable! The land of the proud, heroic and brave.

Here, freedom and dignity have always been core values. A free country.

Those facts are the ones to break the enemy's intentions."

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