President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in a new speech on Sunday evening that his country will never give up its sovereignty and that the security of the continent begins “with the sovereignty and strength of Ukraine.”

“Today we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine. The 33rd of many, many such anniversaries that Ukraine has yet to celebrate. Free Ukraine. Our country will never give up its sovereignty. This is already obvious to everyone in the world. And despite Russian terror, we know that Ukrainian freedom will still be preserved and will continue to prevail,” Zelenskyy said in his message, News.ro reports.

“Every year, Ukraine will become stronger and help other free nations to protect their sovereignty and build common security. Ukraine can do it. Perhaps because the lines and words of our founding state documents are supported by the strength and determination of our people. Millions of Ukrainians for whom the freedom of our state is personal freedom. Respecting Ukrainian freedom, Ukrainian sovereignty and Ukrainian strength, we always honor our heroes. Various people who fought and are fighting for Ukraine and to whom we owe our freedom,” Zelenskyi said.

The Kyiv leader paid tribute to several Ukrainians who “showed maximum courage and efficiency for the sake of Ukraine in these days and weeks”:

• “Soldier Oleksandr Shulga, driver-mechanic of the tank battalion of the mechanized brigade No. 1. 33. Thank you, Oleksandr, for your courage and the saved lives of the team.
• Private Oleksandr Levchenko, commander of the “Bradley” combat vehicle of mechanized brigade No. 1000. 47. Thank you, Oleksandr, for your combat courage and destruction of the enemy!
• Private Andrii Golovko, commander of the fire support unit of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade. Thank you, Andriy, for the accuracy and for the results that Ukraine needs on the battlefield!
• Major Tetyana Humelya, 110th Territorial Defense Brigade, – Thank you, Tetyana, for high-quality logistics and professional service!
• Sergeant Oleksandr Olivko, 3rd Assault Brigade, machine gun group commander. Thank you for courage and accuracy, Oleksandr!
• Assistant Sergeant Vladyslav Datskyi is also from the 3rd Airborne Assault Brigade, senior sergeant of the Airborne Assault Platoon. Thanks for the strength, Vladyslav!
• Lieutenant-major Ihor Dykun, Hero of Ukraine, commander of the reconnaissance battalion. 5th Assault Brigade. A true exemplary Ukrainian warrior. Thank you, Igor!
• Lieutenant Oleksandr Kovalenko, Hero of Ukraine, commander of the 2nd Airborne Assault Company of the 24th Airborne Assault Battalion “Aydar”. Thank you Alexander!
• Private Maksym Shevtsov, private Andrii Khmilevskyi and sergeant Bohdan Maksymov. All three are soldiers of our glorious “eighty” – the 80th Airborne Assault Brigade. Thank you, warriors!
• Lieutenant-major Yevhen Martsynenko and Private Oleksandr Dudun are fighters of Kish Otaman Kostya Gordienko of the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade. Thanks guys! Thank you for Ukrainian strength!
• Lieutenant Major Oleg Spichak and Sergeant Serhiy Sargsyan are soldiers of the 123rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. Thank you for your daily courage, for your daily military ingenuity in countering subversive Russian intelligence groups!
• Captain-Lieutenant Mykola Sopko and Petty Officer Serhii Tarasov, 2nd rank, are soldiers of the 73rd Special Purpose Center of the Navy. Thank you for the very important results obtained in the battle!”.

Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is proud of its heroes.

• “And, of course, I thank all soldiers of the Air Force of Ukraine – pilots, anti-aircraft guns and fighters of mobile fire groups. To everyone who protects the Ukrainian sky. Thanks for every downed Russian missile! We have already demonstrated that there are no such Russian missiles that the Ukrainians could not shoot down. And when the shield of the Ukrainian sky becomes strong enough – and it will be – Ukraine will provide true freedom and security to all of Europe in the face of Russian terror. The security of our continent begins here, with the sovereignty and power of Ukraine,” he added.

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