On the day Ukraine celebrates 31 years since its independence from the Soviet Union, the United States will announce new military aid. There will be an additional $3 billion package of weapons and equipment that will be delivered over the next two years. During the night there were new explosions in Dnipro. For Independence Day, exceptional security measures were taken in major Ukrainian cities. Public demonstrations are prohibited in Kyiv, and a state of siege has been declared in Kharkiv. The United States warned that the Russians could launch a massive attack on government buildings and civilian infrastructure today and asked American citizens to leave Ukraine.
Attacks by the Russian army are expected in Ukraine, which is why public demonstrations have been banned in Kyiv. On Wednesday morning, the alarm is sounding in all regions.
Ukraine Government wants to evacuate 750,000 people living in the worst fighting areas. During the first three months of occupation, the locals hid in cellars and tried to survive on the little food they had left. When someone lost their life during the bombings, they were buried in the yard or in the former playgrounds. The only way out was through the territory occupied by the Russians.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had information from Ukrainian services and international partners that there was an increased threat, but stressed that the threat from Russia had remained daily and constant since February 24.
“We must win. We must win in the face of Russian aggression and therefore we must liberate Crimea from Russian occupation. Everything started in Crimea and will end in Crimea.
Our armed forces, our intelligence services, our security forces will do everything to protect people as much as possible, and we are sure that we will fight back against any form of Russian terror. No occupier feels safe on our land. All contributors know they have no future. As far as we are concerned, we not only believe, but also see that our country has potential,” Zelensky said.
Romanian Gov’t building lit in Ukraine’s flag colours
Victoria Palace, the Romanian Government House, was light up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag on August 23, between 20:00hrs and 24:00hrs, on the National Flag Day of Ukraine, and will be lit on August 24, between 20:00hrs and 24:00. 00hrs, on Ukraine’s Independence Day.
According to a press statement released by the government, the Romanian government thus reconfirms its solidarity and joins the initiatives aimed at strengthening the world community’s support for Ukraine.
“Although symbolic, this gesture once again confirms our support for the hard-pressed people of Ukraine, and through the concrete measures we took and through the emotional mobilisation of many Romanians to help the Ukrainian refugee citizens, Romania has firmly stood by Ukraine and against the unprovoked, illegitimate and irrational military aggression unleashed by Russia. Our solidarity with Ukraine is motivated not only by geographical proximity, but also by the values and principles of democracy that the resistance of our Ukrainian neighbours defends against the Russian threat. For more than three decades, the Ukrainian people have taken their fate into their own hands; it is their legitimate right to further decide their future, and nothing justifies Russia’s attempts to reverse history by force of arms, sacrificing lives and causing massive destruction,” Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca stated.
The Romanian PM added that Romania will continue to support Ukraine and offer accommodation to people forced to leave their native places due to the war.
“Also, amidst the difficulties generated by the war for the transport of grain from Ukraine to Europe, we secure the logistics necessary for their transit to be done through the ports on the Romanian shore of the Black Sea,” added Ciuca.
He wished the Ukrainian neighbours “prospects as close as possible to peace” on the Day of the National Flag of Ukraine and Ukraine’s Independence Day.
“Happy Independence Day, Ukraine! Happy Independence Day, Ukrainian people!” the Romanian PM said.