On its Independence Day, Ukraine girds for more, possibly heavier Russian attacks
Ukraine nervously braced for what President Volodymyr Zelensky warned could be especially brutal Russian attacks Wednesday as the country observed its Independence Day — and marked the war’s six-month point — under conditions considered too dangerous to allow any major public celebrations in the capital.
Residents of Kyiv woke up to air-raid sirens, but there were no immediate attacks. The capital has been largely spared from attack in recent months, as a war that was widely expected to be a lightning conquest by Moscow turned into a grinding conflict fought largely in the east and south.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson marked the Ukrainian holiday with a visit to Kyiv — his third since the war started — and other European leaders used the occasion to pledge unwavering support for the country and pay tribute to the sacrifices of its people. The U.S. announced a major new military aid package totaling nearly $3 billion to help Ukrainian forces fight for years to come.
Independence Day commemorates Ukraine’s 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.
Authorities in the Ukrainian capital have banned large-scale gatherings until Thursday, fearing that the national holiday might bring particularly heavy Russian missile attacks.
“Russian provocations and brutal strikes are a possibility,” Zelensky said in a statement. “Please strictly follow the safety rules. Please observe the curfew. Pay attention to the air sirens. Pay attention to official announcements. And remember: We must all achieve victory together.”
Nevertheless, a festive atmosphere prevailed at Kyiv’s Maidan square as thousands of residents posed for pictures next to burned-out Russian tanks put on display. Folk singers set up, and many revelers, ignoring the sirens, were out and about in traditionally embroidered dresses and shirts.
Far from bogging down in a stalemate, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presents new perils after six months, including the threat of a nuclear disaster.
Others were more fearful.
“I can’t sleep at night because of what I see and hear about what is being done in Ukraine,” a retiree who identified herself only by her first name, Tetyana, said, her voice shaking with emotion. “This is not a war. It is the destruction of the Ukrainian people.”
In a holiday message to the country, Zelensky said: “Six months ago, Russia declared war on us. On Feb. 24, all of Ukraine heard explosions and gunshots. ... On Feb. 24, we were told: You have no chance. On Aug. 24, we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine!”
President Biden announced that he was sending nearly $3 billion in new military aid to Ukraine to enable its forces to fight for years to come. Biden said the funding would allow the country to acquire air defense and artillery systems and other weapons.
Ukraine’s resistance to Putin’s invasion continues a multigenerational drive for self-determination against Russian supremacists.
“I know this Independence Day is bittersweet for many Ukrainians as thousands have been killed or wounded, millions have been displaced from their homes, and so many others have fallen victim to Russian atrocities and attacks,” Biden said. “But six months of relentless attacks have only strengthened Ukrainians’ pride in themselves, in their country, and in their 31 years of independence.”
Britain’s Johnson urged Western allies to maintain their support of Ukraine through the winter.
“This is not the time to put forward flimsy negotiating proposals,” he said. “You can’t negotiate with a bear when it’s eating your leg or with a street robber when he has you pinned to the floor.”
In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz rebuked the Kremlin for its “backward imperialism” and declared that Ukraine “will drive away the dark shadow of war because it is strong and brave, because it has friends in Europe and all over the world.”
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A car bombing outside Moscow that killed the 29-year-old daughter of right-wing Russian political theorist Alexander Dugin on Saturday heightened fears that Russia might intensify attacks on Ukraine this week.
Russian officials have blamed Ukraine for the death of Darya Dugina, a nationalist Russian TV commentator. The car bomb exploded after she had attended a patriotic festival with her father, who was widely believed to have been the intended target. The Ukrainian government has denied any involvement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Moscow’s military encountered unexpectedly stiff Ukrainian resistance, and the six months of fighting has upended life in Ukraine and sent shock waves through the world economy.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking Wednesday at a meeting of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security grouping dominated by Russia and China, said the slow pace of Moscow’s military action was due to what he called an effort to spare civilians.
Russian forces are defending against Ukrainian attacks in Crimea, and are stepping up their battle in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fire on areas in the country’s north and south.
Russian forces have repeatedly targeted civilian areas in cities, including hospitals and a Mariupol theater where hundreds of people were taking shelter.
But Shoigu said that “strikes with precision weapons are carried out against the Ukrainian armed forces’ military infrastructure. ... Everything is done to avoid civilian casualties. Undoubtedly, it slows down the pace of the offensive, but we do it deliberately.”
He also criticized the U.S. and its allies for “continuing to pump weapons into Ukraine,” saying the aid is dragging out the conflict and increasing the number of victims.
On the forefront of the Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine, the conflict grinds on. Russian forces struck several towns and villages in Donetsk province over 24 hours, killing one person and injuring two others, according to the regional administration.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region on the southern front, Russian forces again shelled the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets, damaging several buildings and injuring two people, according to Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko. Russian troops also shelled the city of Zaporizhzhia, damaging several buildings and infrastructure but inflicting no casualties.
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