National Flag Day was established 13 years after Ukraine became independent in 1991. [Michael Sorrow/Anadolu]
By Anadolu, EPA and Reuters23 Aug 2026
Ukrainians have observed a national holiday meant to instil patriotism during the fifth year of their war against Russia.
On Ukrainian National Flag Day on Sunday, participants raised the flag, observed a minute of silence for those killed in the war, sang the Ukrainian national anthem and listened to patriotic and folk songs performed by a military orchestra.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended ceremonies in the capital, Kyiv.
Addressing military personnel, Zelenskyy said the flag “symbolises what is most precious” to the thousands of soldiers defending “our entire Ukraine”.
Ukraine’s National Flag Day was established as a national holiday on August 23, 2004, one day before its Independence Day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a flag raising in Kyiv on National Flag Day. [Maxym Marusenko/EPA]Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen walks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi and parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk during a ceremony to mark Ukraine’s National Flag Day in Kyiv. [Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via Reuters]Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko attends a ceremony to raise the national flag in Kyiv. [Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu]Members of Ukraine’s military and families turn out for a National Flag Day ceremony in the western city of Lviv. [Michael Sorrow/Anadolu]The blue and yellow stripes on Ukraine’s flag represents yellow fields of wheat under blue skies. [Maxym Marusenko/EPA]Ukrainian servicemen salute during a National Flag Day ceremony in Lviv. [Michael Sorrow/Anadolu]The blue and yellow flag of Ukraine has existed for at least 1,000 years and was reinstated at the national flag after the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine became independent. [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters]
