Ukraine is marking 31 years since it broke free from the Soviet Union, as the war wages into its sixth month
Public gatherings are banned in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv and a curfew remains in place in some cities as the country marks 31 years of independence.
The nation of 41 million people has been in the grips of a waging war against Russian forces for six months.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is warning Russia’s worst may be yet to come, and expects attacks to ramp up this week.
The wartime leader is pushing back against making any territorial concessions to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
“We are fighting against the most terrible threat to our statehood and also at a time when we have achieved the greatest level of national unity,” he said.
Thousands of civilians have been killed in the war as people flee their homes, and leave loved ones behind.
A virtual summit was held on Tuesday with 60 states and international organisations to discuss the situation in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
“In my remarks to the Crimea Platform Summit, I urged the international community to keep raising the costs and pressure on President Putin and his enablers until all Russian troops leave Ukraine,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The cost of war
The war in Ukraine has shaken global markets and shot up the price of basic goods, including grains and fuel.
Corporate giants have also responded with McDonald’s and Nike becoming some of the big companies to depart Russia as a result of its invasion.
The Kremlin maintains the war is a “special military operation” designed to “denazify” Ukraine.
However, western allies have banded together with sanctions against Russian institutions and oligarchs.
“I pay tribute to the brave Ukrainian women and men fighting for their freedom and their country.”
JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL
The U.S. has contributed $10.6 billion in assistance to Ukraine, with another $3 billion expected this week.
