Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatiy congratulated the military and the public on the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of Ukraine’s independence. In a statement on 24 August, he said that a difficult struggle still lay ahead for the right to determine the country’s future independently, to live on their own land and to bring Ukrainians back from Russian captivity.
Briefly about the main points
- Drapatiy addressed the military and the public on Independence Day.
- The Commander-in-Chief described the declaration of 1991 as the restoration of statehood.
- Independence, he said, is defended every day by the military and civilians.
- Among the objectives are bringing people home and securing their release from captivity.
- Drapaty thanked everyone who defends and supports Ukraine.
Statehood, for which generations have fought
Mikhail Drapaty He emphasised that the struggle for independence did not begin in 1991. According to him, the declaration of independence marked the restoration of Ukrainian statehood, for which many generations had fought.
He spoke of the Ukrainians who, at various times, fought for their country, preserved the Ukrainian language and culture, and defended their right to call themselves Ukrainians, despite persecution. «Today, this struggle has fallen to us. And we know full well the price of independence,» said the Commander-in-Chief.
On 24 August 1991, the Verkhovna Rada adopted The Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. In the document, parliament referred to the thousand-year-old tradition of state-building and the Ukrainian people’s right to self-determination.
Who did the Chief of Staff describe as defenders of independence?
The Commander-in-Chief said that he sees independence in the people who continue to fight every day. He named the soldiers who are holding front, deploy aircraft, set sail, shoot down missiles and evacuate the wounded.
Drapatiy made a special mention of those returning to active duty following their recovery, as well as the families awaiting the release of their loved ones from captivity. He addressed the military personnel and civilians being held by Russia, as well as the residents of the temporarily occupied territories.
The Commander-in-Chief also spoke of Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation for 12 years, and of those who will never return. He described the cost of the struggle as very high.
The right to determine one’s own future
According to Drapato, Ukraine is fighting for the right to determine its own future, to live on its own land and to bring its citizens home. He emphasised that no other state should determine Ukraine’s borders, its language, way of life or future.
The Commander-in-Chief acknowledged the fatigue and losses suffered by the Ukrainian army, but said he could see the strength of the people who, despite what they have been through, continue to carry out their duties. At the end of his address, he thanked everyone who is defending and supporting Ukraine.
