After seven months of the Russian Invasion, Ukraine has something to celebrate, Independence Day.

After 70 years of the Soviet Union’s regime of Ukraine, Ukraine finally declared its independence on August 24th, 1991. This was nearly 2 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. 

Even though Ukraine has been a recognized and independent country by the United Nations since 1991, Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, said in a NATO Summit to George W. Bush in 2008 that Ukraine is not a country, and reaffirmed his thoughts weeks before the 2022 invasion. 

“Ukraine never had a tradition of genuine statehood. Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia,” Putin said. 

Although there are many fears from the Russian Invasion, thousands of citizens flooded the streets, standing up against Putin’s claims of the invalidity of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty.

Sadly, Russia was armed and ready to strike when Ukraine celebrated its independence this year. After a rocket strike made by Russia, 15 were killed and dozens were injured. This strike was made on a Ukrainian railroad station. 

Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, addressed the UN Security Council in a video, describing how the rockets hit a train in Chaplyne, 90 miles west of Russian-occupied Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.

“A new nation appeared in the world on Feb. 24 at 4 in the morning. It was not born, but reborn. A nation that did not cry, scream or take fright. One that did not flee. Did not give up. And did not forget,” Zelensky said in front of Kyiv’s main monument to independence.

Although this is a frightening end to a celebratory day, Ukraine has hopes to overcome the Russian invasion and triumph as a nation.