34 years ago, one of the most significant events in Ukraine’s history took place – on August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. The path that Ukraine had taken was full of obstacles, and the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine became the culmination of the long struggle of Ukrainians for the right to live in their own state and to build it according to their convictions.

On December 1, 1991, in a nationwide referendum, over 90% of Ukrainians voted for Ukraine’s independence. In Crimea, this number was 54% of those who came to the polls, and in Sevastopol, it was 57%. The parliament’s decision was based on the direct will of the people.

In Crimea, Ukrainian citizens have been celebrating Independence Day under russian occupation for 11 years. Constant pressure, persecution, detention, searches, and torture are the realities of life in Crimea for most Ukrainian citizens. The occupiers are trying to suppress the will and intimidate those who take an active civic position through persecution, imprisonment, repression, and torture. Despite everything, Ukrainian citizens remain loyal to their country and courageously resist. Hundreds of people, including representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, continue to defend their rights, culture, and national identity. On August 18, 221 people were held captive by russia, 133 of whom are Crimean Tatars.

Ukraine’s Independence Day is a reminder of the need to consolidate Ukrainian society in achieving common goals. Despite temporary divisions, unity, commitment to national values, and the desire to live in a free country unite us.

This year, we celebrate Independence Day at the cost of tens of thousands of lives of soldiers who defend our land and uphold Ukrainian independence. Today, Maidan Nezalezhnosti is covered with hundreds of blue and yellow flags. Every day, they remind us of the high price we paid for the right to live in a free country. For Ukrainians, the word “independence” has long lost its solemn meaning and has become synonymous with loss – of home, life, future dreams, a sense of security, and certainty about tomorrow. But through pain and struggle, a nation is being forged, a generation is growing, and our statehood is being built.

At the same time, this independence lives on in our language, which can be heard in the streets and squares, in the books of our authors on the shelves of bookstores, in courageous journalism, and in the growth of science and culture. It manifests itself in the daily pause at nine in the morning – a minute of silence filled with pain, respect, and unbreakable memory.