"I thank every soldier and sailor, every sergeant and petty officer, every officer, every general," Zelensky said in an emotional speech to mark Ukraine's Independence Day.
"The great people of the great Ukraine, celebrating today a great day - Independence Day," he said in his message, as quoted in English by his office. "A holiday of free people. A holiday of strong people. A holiday of people with dignity. A holiday of equals. Ukrainian men and women. All of them. In our entire country."
He added: "Today we celebrate the 32nd anniversary of our independence - the independence of Ukraine. This is a value for each of us. And this is what we are fighting for. And everyone is important in this fight. Because this is a fight for something that is important to everyone. An independent Ukraine."
Zelensky also said in his address that "in a big war, there are no small deeds, no unnecessary ones, no unimportant ones."
Thursday marks 32 years since Ukraine regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and also exactly 18 months since Russia invaded its neighbour.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Thursday is day 547 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday reiterated his condemnation of Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea and other parts of Ukraine.
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Source: ukrinform.net, president.gov.ua
