Chronology , Canada in 2017
1997 The Chayka Aviation Parade was a large-scale aviation show dedicated to Independence Day that took place at
Kyiv Chaika Airfield in 1997. It featured flypasts by personnel of the
Ukrainian Air Force. The parade was attended by
President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and Minister of Defense
Oleksandr Kuzmuk.
2006 National celebrations of Ukraine's 15th Independence Day was postponed from 24 August to 26 August, as a
three-day period of mourning was held following the deadly crash of
Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 612 that occurred 22 August 2006. The crash in
Donetsk Oblast killed 170, and was the deadliest aircraft incident in Ukraine until
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014.
2016 After the
annual military parade in Kyiv the "March of the Unconquered" was held by active members of
Ukraine's volunteer battalions, relatives of those killed during the fighting in the
Russo-Ukrainian War and family members of
those killed during the Euromaidan uprising – known in Ukraine as the "
Heavenly Hundred". According to the
Ukrainian army the volume of artillery fire set off by the
separatist forces of the war in Donbas during
the 24-hour period of 24 August 2016 was the highest since the February 2015
Battle of Debaltseve. Several Ukrainian cities held marches of people dressed in
vyshyvanky (shirts with traditional
Ukrainian embroidery).
2019 battle flag. On 10 July 2019, President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on
Facebook that the 2019 Ukrainian Independence Day celebrations will not include a military parade (for the first time since the parade's cancellation from 2010 to 2014) stating the following: "We have decided to allocate 300 mln
hryvnias [nearly $12 mln] as bonus payments to our servicemen, i.e. fixed-term soldiers, cadets, sergeants, officers." On 30 July, Zelenskyy's Head of the
Presidential Administration Andriy Bohdan announced that a
March of Dignity (
Марш гідності) will take place in replacement of the annual parade. A separate march, known as the
March of Defenders (
Марш захисників) was also planned to be held by Ukrainian war veterans. The ceremony went on as planned and even incorporated elements of the annual parade such as the flag raising ceremony and the awarding of veterans. During his speech, Zelenskyy called for unity, saying "Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking, regardless of age, gender, religion – we must be one people".
2020 of
Donbas veterans suspected of killing journalist
Pavel Sheremet during the
2020 March of Defenders In an Independence Day speech in 2020 President Zelenskyy said that there would never be military equipment on parade in Kyiv as long as the
war in Donbas is ongoing, during which he said that it is "Where it is needed now." The joint concert of Ukrainian stars following the ceremony was marked by scandal because various artists performing in it had continued to perform and/or accept awards in
Russia, despite the Ukrainian
Autonomous Republic of Crimea being
annexed by Russia in 2014 and the alleged support of Russia for the
separatist forces of the war in Donbas. It was also condemned that this concert took place during the
March of Defenders (
Марш захисників) commemorating the victims of the war in Donbas.
2021 In 2021, Ukraine celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence with three days of events. A company from Lviv developed a special 30th Anniversary logo and a new award known as the "National Legend" was announced, to be presented in a ceremony on 22 August. It was also announced that the first Summit of the
Crimean Platform would take place on 23 August. Greek president
Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Lithuanian president
Gitanas Nausėda and Moldovan president
Maia Sandu. On 24 August a large
military parade made its way through Kyiv past
Maidan Nezalezhnosti, featuring
Ukrainian Ground Forces,
Special Operations Forces, and visiting units from several foreign armed forces. The parade included more than 5000 troops and 400 tanks and armoured vehicles. The event also included a
fly-by of
Ukrainian Air Force units over Kyiv. Simultaneously,
Ukrainian Navy units were shown carrying out exercises at
Odesa. Visiting troops from
Slovenia,
Moldova,
Poland, the
United States of America and
Canada marched with Ukrainian forces, and two British
Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons took part in the fly-by alongside four
F-16 Fighting Falcons. Delegates from 46 countries attended, including
Polish President
Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President
Gitanas Nauseda and
French Foreign Minister
Jean-Yves Le Drian, Officials warned civilians against gathering in major cities, with President Zelenskyy stating "Russia may try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel." Russia would attack on the day of anniversary,
shelling a civilian train in
Chaplyne,
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing 25. The Russian defense ministry claimed it had targeted a military train using a single
Iskander missile, and that the attack had successfully killed 200 Ukrainian soldiers. In Kyiv, the
Kyiv Independence Day Parade was cancelled for its tenth time as resources were directed to the war effort. Kyiv City Hall stated online "This year Ukraine celebrates the anniversary of independence in terms of martial law and under the threat of possible shelling. Mass events are prohibited, because the enemy is unpredictable, so we have to be prepared for any scenario." In place of a parade, numerous Russian military vehicles and artilleries destroyed by Ukrainian troops were displayed along
Khreshchatyk, where Zelenskyy issued a speech commemorating the anniversary and advocating for Ukrainian victory. Several civilians further defaced the remains with graffiti condemning
Russia (namely
Vladimir Putin) and calling for justice for devastated cities such as the Russian-occupied
Mariupol. A drone carrying a large
Flag of Ukraine was also flown around the
Motherland Monument.
International From ,
President Alexander Lukashenko (an ardent supporter of Russia) acknowledged Ukraine's independence, stating "[he] wishes Ukrainians peaceful skies, tolerance, courage, strength and success in restoring a decent life." President Zelenskyy's top advisor
Mykhailo Podolyak rejected the congratulatory message, calling it cynical and disingenuous given Belarus' heavy involvement in the attacks of Ukraine, and that "this blood-soaked clowning is recorded and will have consequences." In , supporters and refugees of Ukraine gathered in the capital of
Brussels, host to around 30% of the country's estimated 78,000 Ukrainian refugees. At the
Grand-Place, the
Manneken Pis was dressed in "traditional
Kozak costume" and a large
Flag of Ukraine was unfurled. European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen attended wearing Ukrainian colors. In the , hundreds of people gathered in
Prague at the
Wenceslas Square (
New Town), and
Old Town Square (
Old Town). In addition to support of Ukraine and its
Azov Regiment, the demonstration saw extensive anti-Russian sentiment, with signings being made for a petition calling on the
parliament of the Czech Republic to declare Russia a
terrorist state. Similar demonstrations were also held in
Brno's Moravian and Jakubske Squares. In , a parade was held in
Athens. The
Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement to reaffirm Greece's solidarity with Ukraine, whose sovereignty and independence is recognized. In , a parade was held in
Berlin, where a
candlelight vigil was set up in front of the
Brandenburg Gate. In , a protest of 3,000 people against Putin and Russian violence was held in
Dublin, marching 5 km from the
General Post Office to the Ukrainian embassy. Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland was in attendance. Other events were held across the country. In ,
Rome's Ukrainian community participated in a "march for freedom" through the city center that passed the
Colosseum. In , demonstrations were held in
Valletta and
Floriana. Prime Minister
Robert Abela tweeted that "[Malta's] will to stay united and restore peace in Ukraine remains strong." In , thousands of Polish citizens and Ukrainian refugees gathered in the city centers of
Warsaw and
Kraków in celebration and support. In , a ceremony was held in
Lisbon celebrating Ukraine's Independence Day, set around the city's statue of
Taras Shevchenko. In , a demonstration in
Istanbul was held with performance of the
State Anthem of Ukraine. Within the , Independence Day saw a significant celebration from the estimated 100,000 Ukrainian refugees in the kingdom, and parades in support of Ukraine and protests condemning Russia were both held. In , a dedicated service was held at the
York Minster in
York. In
London, a demonstration against the Russian invasion was held outside
Downing Street.
Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office Larry was pictured in front of
10 Downing Street decorated with blue and yellow flowers (including
sunflowers, one of Ukraine's
floral emblems). In , hundreds in
Edinburgh took part in a march on
Calton Hill from the
Volodomyr Velacky monument to the
Holodomor plaque. Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom,
Vadym Prystaiko, and his wife, Inna Prystaiko, were among the participants. According to the British Embassy Kyiv, Queen
Elizabeth II congratulated Ukrainians, stating "I hope that today will be a time for the Ukrainian people, both in Ukraine and around the world, to celebrate their culture, history, and identity." Prime Minister
Boris Johnson also expressed that "[Ukraine] will win" and has the United Kingdom's support. The
Ministry of Defence tweeted a video of the
Band of the Scots Guards performing "
Stefania". President
Joe Biden called the 31st anniversary's coincidence with the half-year mark of the war "bittersweet", and pledged approximately $2.98 billion USD in military aid to Ukraine's forces. Congratulations were issued by other U.S. politicians including Secretary of State
Antony Blinken, NYC Mayor
Eric Adams, and Massachusetts Representative
Paul Tucker. Preceding Independence Day, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine issued warnings from the
United States Department of State that Russia would most likely increase attacks on civilians and infrastructure. ==Notes==