Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky

On Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged increased retaliation against Russia and signed legislation banning the Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church as Ukraine marked its third Independence Day since the Russian invasion.

In a video message shot from a forested border area, Zelensky highlighted Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia on August 6. The Independence Day celebrations are set against the backdrop of ongoing conflict, with Ukrainian forces continuing their push into Russia’s Kursk region while Russia targets eastern Ukrainian towns.

Standing near the site of the recent incursion, Zelensky stated, “Russia aimed to obliterate us. Instead, we now celebrate Ukraine’s 33rd Independence Day. What the enemy brought to our land has now returned to them.”

He criticized President Vladimir Putin as a “sick man from Red Square” who frequently threatens nuclear escalation and vowed that Russia would face significant consequences.

During official Independence Day events in Kyiv’s Sofia Square, attended by Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, Zelensky announced successful tests of a new drone missile, the Palianytsia, and claimed a victory over the enemy.

Zelensky also signed a bill providing “full support” for Ukrainian soldiers operating in Russian territory. While Ukraine’s advance into Kursk has unsettled Moscow, it has not halted Russia’s progress in eastern Ukraine.

Legislation Against Moscow-linked Church

In his address from St. Michael’s Cathedral, which supports a breakaway Orthodox Church faction, Zelensky explained that the new law banning the Russian-affiliated church aims to protect Ukrainian Orthodoxy from Moscow’s influence and ensure the dignity of Ukrainian religious sites.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church had distanced itself from Moscow since 2014, and its separation was formalized in 2022, though accusations of loyalty to Russia persist among Ukrainian officials. Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, a close ally of Putin, has supported the invasion, prompting Ukraine’s actions.

Russia has condemned the ban as “illegal,” likening it to historical persecutions and accusing Ukraine of a political move affecting numerous monasteries. The new law sets a deadline for religious groups to sever ties with Russia.

Additionally, Russia reported that its air defenses had downed seven Ukrainian drones over the Voronezh region and the Belgorod and Bryansk border areas. Voronezh governor Alexander Gusev announced a state of emergency in Ostrogozhsky district following drone strikes, which led to the evacuation of 200 residents and hospitalized one woman in serious condition.

Ukraine has been targeting Russian regions with drone attacks for several months.