--- title: "\"Our stubbornness is not their caliber\": Zelensky declared on the 35th Independence Day that Ukraine will not fall" description: "On the 35th Independence Day, Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine will not fall and that Putin made a mistake by failing to account for the people. The president recalled the 1,643 days of war and the interception of more than 90% of drones by air defense." date: 2026-08-24T06:38:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelensky-35th-independence-day-ukraine-will-not-fall tags: [ukraine, independence-day, zelensky, ukraine-war, usa, defense] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "Our stubbornness is not their caliber": Zelensky declared on the 35th Independence Day that Ukraine will not fall ![President Zelensky in a black shirt against the Ukrainian flag during his 35th Independence Day address](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/24/zelensky-den-nezavisimosti-35-let-ukraina-ne-upadet/zelensky-den-nezavisimosti-35-let-ukraina-ne-upadet-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Zelensky congratulated Ukrainians on the 35th anniversary of independence against the backdrop of the 1,643rd day of the full-scale war. - The president stated that Putin "got the main thing wrong" by failing to account for the people, and that "Ukraine will not fall." - According to Zelensky, air defense destroys more than 90% of "Shahed" drones, and a solution against ballistic terror must be found. - The United States (Marco Rubio) reaffirmed support for Ukraine, while the SBU issued a warning for citizens on August 24. On August 24, 2026, Ukraine marked the 35th anniversary of the restoration of its independence. The Ukrainian people were congratulated on the state holiday by President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose address, according to RBC-Ukraine, was delivered on the backdrop of the 1,643rd day of the full-scale war. The head of state emphasized that the taste of this day "has been greatly changed by the war," but the people are holding on "firmly by the hand" to the faith in all Ukrainians: "As long as the enemy does not break this circle, Ukraine will not fall and will be able to." ### People as the state's greatest value In his address, Zelensky stated that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "got the main thing wrong": the enemy counted resources, stockpiles, and equipment, but failed to account for the people, who, according to the president, are "the greatest value of independent Ukraine." "The Russians considered us their younger brother, but life has proven: we are strangers to them," the head of state noted, adding that hundreds of thousands of volunteers, including teachers, entrepreneurs, and farmers, fight daily for peace and independence. ### Military context: air defense and "ballistic terror" The president recalled that Ukraine's air defense destroys more than 90% of "Shahed" drones, and after the enemy switched to jet-powered drones, Ukraine "learned to shoot them down" as well. Zelensky called for finding a solution against "ballistic terror" and thanked the workers of the defense-industrial complex, stating: "Our stubbornness is not their caliber." He also emphasized that "quiet, calm, safe times" will certainly come, and urged people to take care of themselves, of the memory of the heroes, and of "their Independence." ### Contradictory data The text of the address and the descriptions accompanying it contain minor inconsistencies. First, Zelensky refers to "one thousand six hundred and forty-three days" of the war, which corresponds to roughly 4.5 years since February 24, 2022, yet in another part of his speech he speaks of people who have "these four years" been working at the plants — a formulation that simplifies the chronology. Second, a number of outlets (in particular, 24tv) describe the president's image as wearing a "black vyshyvanka with a special ornament," whereas in the circulated footage he is seen in a plain black shirt with no visible ornament. Both versions relate to details of presentation rather than to the substance of the statement. ### Reaction and related context Against the backdrop of the August 24 celebrations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly congratulated Ukraine on Independence Day and reaffirmed United States support. At the same time, the Security Service of Ukraine addressed citizens with a warning related to strengthened security measures on the holiday. Thus, the 35th anniversary of independence coincided with a combination of diplomatic signals from allies and domestic warnings about risks. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - ["Our stubbornness is not their caliber": Zelensky congratulated Ukrainians on Independence Day](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/nasha-vpertist-yim-kalibru-zelenskiy-privitav-1787553308.html) - Первичный источник текста обращения: 35-я годовщина, 1643 дня войны, цитаты о людях и ПВО. - ["Ukraine will not fall": Zelensky addressed the nation on Independence Day](https://tsn.ua/ru/ukrayina/ukraina-ne-upadet-zelenskiy-v-den-nezavisimosti-obratilsya-k-ukraintsam-3154316.html) - Подтверждает ключевой тезис «Украина не упадет» и факт обращения 24 августа. - [In a black vyshyvanka with a special ornament: Zelensky congratulated Ukrainians on Independence Day](https://24tv.ua/show24/ru/vladimir-zelenskij-v-vyshivanke-na-den-nezavisimosti-chto-izvestno-o-ego-rubashke-foto_n3128648) - Описывает образ президента в «черной вышиванке с орнаментом», что расходится с кадрами в однотонной черной рубашке — учтено в блоке противоречий. - ["Flamingos" should winter in Russia: how Zelensky, Rubio and others congratulated Ukraine on Independence Day ...](https://focus.ua/ukraine/765472-den-nezavisimosti-ukrainy-zelenskiy-zayavil-ob-udarah-flamingo-po-rf) - Подтверждает поздравление Марко Рубио и контекст международных реакций на 24 августа. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many years of independence did Ukraine mark on August 24, 2026? **A:** Ukraine marked the 35th anniversary of the restoration of its independence. ### Q: How many days of war did Zelensky mention in his address? **A:** The president cited 1,643 days of the full-scale war, although in another part of his speech he mentioned "four years." ### Q: What did Zelensky say about air defense intercepting drones? **A:** According to him, Ukraine's air defense destroys more than 90% of "Shahed" drones, and after the enemy switched to jet-powered drones, Ukraine learned to shoot those down as well. ### Q: Did the United States confirm its support for Ukraine on this day? **A:** Yes, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly congratulated Ukraine on Independence Day and reaffirmed support.