Ukraine Marks 35th Independence Day Amid Ongoing War and Historic Struggle

On Monday, Ukraine commemorated its 35th Independence Day without the usual pageantry, as public holidays have been suspended since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The piece situates the current war within a long historical narrative, recalling that Russian domination of Ukrainian lands stretches back centuries, with thinkers like Voltaire noting Ukraine’s longing for liberty as early as 1731. It recounts the brutal policies of Russian czars, the Soviet-era Holodomor orchestrated by Joseph Stalin, and the recent aggression under Vladimir Putin, who frames the conflict as a reclamation of “historical lands.”

After the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the incursion into Donbas, Putin escalated to a full invasion, justifying it with false claims of fighting “Nazis” and NATO threats. The article highlights the systematic erasure of Ukrainian language and culture in occupied territories and the mass arrests deemed crimes against humanity by the United Nations. Despite these pressures, Ukraine remains resilient, and the author argues that the day serves as a reminder of the broader struggle for democratic freedoms worldwide.