WorldEuropean leaders joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday for official celebrations marking Ukraine's Independence Day as Russia pushes on with its invasion of the country.New PM expected to announce release of SCALP missile plans, office saysThe Associated Press · Posted: Aug 24, 2026 8:15 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, greets Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a ceremony to mark Independence Day in Kyiv on Monday. (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press)European leaders joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday for official celebrations marking Ukraine's Independence Day as Russia pushes on with its invasion of the country. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, on his first overseas trip since taking office last month, on Monday joined almost a dozen other European leaders, as well as other dignitaries including European Council President Antonio Costa, in Kyiv."For Ukraine, independence is not an abstract idea. We defended it against all odds," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on social media. "In times like these, nations learn how important it is to have allies by your side." Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence in 1991, but one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's key goals in starting a war in February 2022 was to place Kyiv in Moscow's orbit. Burnham was to co-chair a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing group of countries helping Ukraine resist Russia's onslaught, with the leaders of France and Germany expected to join online. The visiting leaders took to Kyiv pledges of further military and financial support. Burnham is expected to announce that the U.K. government has agreed to allow defence company MBDA to release classified information relating to British components used in the SCALP long-range missile, according to his office. That would pave the way for France and Ukraine to advance plans for local production of the weapon in Ukraine.SCALP is the French version of the U.K.'s Storm Shadow missile, with both systems incorporating shared French and British technology."We all understand that in this Russian war against us — against Ukraine — far more is being decided than the future of Ukraine and Eastern Europe," Zelenskyy said, adding that foreign help was vital."No nation in a war like this could rely solely on its own weapons," he said. "No nation could withstand attacks of such intensity without the world's help."'Fuel to the fire'The Kremlin said Britain's decision was regarded by Moscow extremely negatively. "Britain is involved in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime. Britain methodically and regularly adds fuel to the fire and methodically and regularly hatches schemes to prevent even the slightest progress in the peaceful settlement process," spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov said that the Russian military was already systematically gathering data to identify the location of any missile production sites and then destroying them. Moscow warned London last week of unspecified "consequences" for supplying drones to Kyiv, accusing Britain of deepening its involvement in the war following a report ​that British-made drones had been used for long-range strikes against Russia ​for the first time. Burnham said at the time that London was committed to support Ukraine fully against "this illegal war."Ukraine has leaned heavily on NATO countries for help fighting Russia's bigger army, although relations with the United States have been cooler under Donald Trump than predecessor Joe Biden. Trump said at a NATO summit last month that the U.S. would give Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot missiles, but there has been no further announcement since. Even with a licence, officials and experts told The Associated Press that starting Patriot production in Ukraine would take years.Firefighters work Monday at the site of a household item shopping mall which was hit by Russian drone strikes, in Odesa, Ukraine. (Nina Liashonok/Reuters)Russia, meanwhile, is getting help from North Korea and China while having made use of Iran's Shahed drones.Both Russia and Ukraine are trying through long-range strikes to inflict economic pain, disrupt military supplies and erode public morale.3 killed in southern RussiaWith no significant changes on the front line for months and no apparent progress after U.S.-led peace efforts, the warring countries are locked in a spiral of escalating aerial attacks that are killing civilians and smashing infrastructure. In fighting Monday, three teenagers were killed and six children were wounded in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar, Russia's children's rights ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova said, as Ukraine attacked several warehouses of Ozon for the third straight day, according to officials and the company.Why the next generation of Ukrainians is still celebrating the country's Independence Day5 hours ago|Duration 1:33Ukraine is marking its 35th Independence Day on Aug. 24, making it the fifth year in a row that the celebration has happened amid ongoing war in the country. Ukrainians living in London, Ont., gathered at Harris Park for the annual London Ukrainian Festival. CBC's Kendra Seguin spoke with young Ukrainians about why they are celebrating their country's independence, even if they were born after it happened.Ozon is one of Russia's major e-commerce retailers. The company said a large fire raged at an Ozon logistics facility in the suburbs of Krasnodar following the overnight attack.A drone also hit the grounds of an Ozon logistics centre in the southern Russian region of Adygeya, regional governor Murat Kumpilov said, though the company said its Adygeya warehouse wasn't damaged.Could an explosive drone at a German airport signal a growing Russian threat to NATO?Zelenskyy says holding elections during war would 'destroy' UkraineIn all, four Ozon premises appeared to have been targeted.Ukraine's General Staff said its forces struck the Russian state-owned Kamenetsky Combine defence company in the Rostov region overnight, starting a fire. The plant produces fuel for rockets and missiles, it said.Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences overnight intercepted and destroyed 351 Ukrainian drones over eight Russian regions, as well as occupied Crimea and the waters of the Azov and the Black Seas.The ministry also said that its forces overnight continued to strike Ukrainian ports and vessels delivering cargo for the armed forces.Ukraine's long-range drones have repeatedly hit facilities in Russia's vital oil industry, causing fuel shortages and have also engaged in a campaign against Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries.With files from Reuters