AUGUST 23, 2025 — Today, Ukraine observed National Flag Day, a symbolic occasion reflecting the country’s history, identity, and ongoing conflict.
Celebrations and events took place across Ukraine, in occupied territories, and abroad, highlighting the significance of the blue-and-yellow flag as a national emblem.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the day by participating in a ceremony raising the national flag at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. According to a press release, he spoke about the flag as a symbol of national unity and hope, particularly for those in temporarily occupied areas.
“This flag is the goal and the dream for many of our people in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy. “And they safeguard this flag, they keep it safe, because they know: we will not hand our land to the occupier.”
General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, also addressed the occasion, according to the Ukrainian National News.
“Our blue and yellow flag flew over the heroes of the liberation struggles more than a hundred years ago,” Syrskyi said. “And the time will come – I believe that Ukrainian soldiers will raise it in Donetsk, Luhansk, Simferopol and Sevastopol, Mariupol, Berdiansk and in many other Ukrainian cities and villages that will be returned.”
In the temporarily occupied region of Crimea, visual displays such as murals and slogans appeared as part of a project organized by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces and the National Resistance Center, says 112.ua.
The Ukrainian National News also reports that inside areas under occupation in parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, activists associated with the “Yellow Ribbon” movement displayed Ukrainian flags in several cities, including Simferopol, Donetsk, and Henichesk.
Internationally, the Ukrainian Mission to the European Union held a ceremony in Brussels where a large Ukrainian flag was unfurled in front of the European Parliament. EU officials participated in the event, which included cultural performances and speeches emphasizing solidarity and ongoing cooperation with Ukraine, according to reports by ukrinform.
The blue-and-yellow flag has a long historical background, with origins dating back to Rus’ and Cossack banners. It was officially adopted as the state flag of Ukraine in 1992 after periods of use through various historical and political changes in the region. It remains a prominent national symbol used to convey statehood and identity by the Ukrainian government and many of its citizens.
