President Volodymyr Zelensky, joined by top state officials and visiting European leaders, led the National Flag Day raising ceremony in Kyiv on Sunday, Aug. 23, Ukrinform reported. During his address, Zelensky noted the presence of the historic “Flag of Independence,” which was carried into the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament) in the first moments after the declaration of independence on Aug. 24, 1991.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Today is an important day, the day of our important Ukrainian symbol, our true amulet,” Zelensky said. “It is the day of a very strong emotion – the warmth you feel when you are at home, or when, in any corner of the earth, you recognize your own.” The president stated that the Ukrainian flag and the country’s very existence remain the greatest irritant for Russia. He argued that both the 2014 and 2022 invasions were driven by Moscow’s desire to strip Ukraine of its symbols, freedom, and independence. “Massive, truly massive strikes, terror, murders – all of this is driven by the maniacal dream of one person: that Ukraine should not exist,” Zelensky said. “The Kremlin is obsessed with this, but ultimately it will lose precisely because of this.” The ceremony was attended by a broad delegation of Ukraine’s current leadership, including Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi, Presidential Office Head Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Ihor Klymenko, and Foreign Intelligence Service Head Rustem Umerov.