Ukraine Girds For Heavy Attacks As It Marks Independence Day
Newsy
Independence Day commemorates Ukraine's 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.
Ukraine nervously braced for what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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 airstrikes. 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 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.
