Ukraine celebrates National Flag Day

The holiday was established "in honor of the centuries-old history of the Ukrainian state, the state symbols of independent Ukraine and with the aim of educating citizens’ respect for the state symbols of Ukraine" according to the Decree of the President of August 23, 2004. In 2009, amendments were made to this decree and an annual official flag-raising ceremony was established on August 23 throughout Ukraine.

The blue and yellow colors on the flag have at least a thousand-year history and go back to the times of Kievan Rus and the Galicia-Volyn principality. During the wave of European revolutions of 1848, called the "Spring of Nations", the blue and yellow flag was already established as the flag of the Ukrainian people. Then, in June 1848, such a banner was raised for the first time over the town hall in Lviv. The approval of the blue and yellow flag as the state flag occurred with the proclamation of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR). Then in the history of Ukraine there was a period of red "hammer and sickle", and for blue and yellow they put people in prison.

In modern times, the national blue and yellow flag was first officially raised on the Stryi city hall on March 14, 1990. In Kyiv, the flag was raised over the city hall later – on July 24, 1990.

On August 23, 1991, a group of people’s deputies brought the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag into the session hall of the Verkhovna Rada, and on September 4 it was ceremoniously raised over the parliament building.

After the start of Russian aggression, the blue and yellow flag became a symbol of struggle and resistance to the invaders.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk in his congratulations on the Day of the State Flag emphasized that the blue and yellow flag is a symbol of the invincibility of Ukraine, and is known and respected by the whole world.

"Today we celebrate the Day of the National Flag of Ukraine! The Ukrainian Flag, which the whole world knows and honors! Which all Ukrainians are proud of! Which is on the armor of our glorious warriors, who courageously and heroically defend our independence! And our Flag will definitely return to every corner of our sovereign land! And the blue and yellow colors will flutter!" the speaker wrote on Facebook .

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal congratulated Ukrainians on the Day of the National Flag and emphasized that it will certainly rise over all of Ukraine.

"Blue and yellow. Colors that represent the courage and heroism of the Ukrainian people in the fight for freedom and independence. In every corner of the world, the Ukrainian flag reminds us of the feat of Ukrainians. And it will certainly rise above our entire state," the head of government noted.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi congratulated Ukrainians on the Day of the State Flag.

The commander-in-chief’s Facebook page says that the state flag is "powerful - on the armor of Ukrainian tanks. Native - on the pixel of our soldiers. Merciless - on the wing of a combat aircraft."

Syrskyi emphasized that the flag is “a symbol of freedom over the liberated land and the fire of vengeance on the shield of a fallen comrade,” and the flag is also “a symbol of our Victory.”

Defence Minister Rustem Umyerov stated on Facebook that the State Flag of Ukraine is a symbol of defiance, heroism and the fight for independence.

"When our soldiers liberate Ukrainian cities and villages, it is the blue and yellow flag that flutters over them. It reminds the world of the Ukrainian people’s readiness to fight for every meter of their land," Umerov emphasized.

According to the head of the Ministry of Defense, "our banner is our strength. It is a source of will and inflexibility for every warrior who carries it under his heart and goes forward to victory. Regardless of whether it is the sports arenas of the Olympics or the battlefield."