Address by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Constitution Day

28 June 2025 – 14:20

Dear attendees, ladies and gentlemen, our dear warriors, representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, dear Andrzej – Mr. President of Poland, dear people of Ukraine!

Today, we are marking Constitution Day of Ukraine – the Constitution of our state, our nation. The first word of its first article is “Ukraine.”

And this reflects our ultimate goal, our mission. Ukraine is – and will be – on earth. Ukrainians are – and will be – on earth. This is both our goal and our shared duty. It is the mission of everyone for whom Ukraine truly comes first – of those who cannot imagine their lives without Ukraine, and without whom Ukraine can no longer be imagined.

We are a state of millions. But for us, millions have never been – and will never be – just a mass of people. This is a nation made up of citizens who have the strength to stand up for what they believe in and what they strive for. And that is precisely why Ukraine stands.

Ukraine is millions of names we are proud of. Ukraine is the choice our people make every day. It is millions of actions and feats that, together, are Ukraine. And the social contract among all of us is this: Ukraine comes first. Ukrainians – our independence, our rights, our dreams – of an entire people – come first.

And when we say this, the words carry power. Because these are not words about something abstract – they are about real people, real deeds, and a real path that has been endured. About all of us. About the citizens who breathe life into Ukraine – everything from its Constitution to each of its days. It is these people who write the pages of history and fill the pages of the Constitution with life. With their example, their deeds, and their heroism.

One of these stories is that of Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Ivantsov. At the beginning of the war, he volunteered for an extremely difficult operation carried out by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. After flying over 100 kilometers by helicopter as part of an air assault group, he landed at Azovstal. Later, destroying enemy forces, he broke out of encirclement on his own, crossed more than a hundred kilometers through occupied territory, reached Ukraine, and continued to defend it. Today, his wife and his mother are here with him. I am certain they are proud of their husband, son, and, as of today, Hero of Ukraine.

Among those our nation is proud of is Volodymyr Zakhliupanyi. For 30 years, Volodymyr Mykolaiovych has been bringing the light of knowledge to children at the lyceum in Hostomel. He lost his son, who was killed by the invaders during the occupation, yet he did not break. He continues to dedicate his life to hundreds of other children – to his students, those he mentors, the next generations of Ukrainians. They will surely hear and know the stories of those who preserve Ukraine, who defend its Constitution, its independence, and human life.

As does Olena Stavytska from the Sumy region. As part of the “White Angels” group, she helps those affected by shelling, provides medical aid, and carries out evacuations of our people. Just this year alone, that’s over 1,000 Ukrainians – including 370 children. The youngest among them was only 6 days old.

Live to help. Give all your strength so that Ukraine may stand strong. This is the principle followed by millions of our citizens. And many of them have given their lives so that Ukraine may live.

Among such heroes is Colonel of the Air Force Viktor Polyvianyi. During the course of combat operations under his command in the southern direction, nearly 700 aerial targets were destroyed: aircraft, cruise missiles, Iskanders, nearly 500 Shaheds, and much more evil that was flying toward our land, toward our people. Officers like him are our pride. The loss of such true officers is our pain. The memory of Hero of Ukraine Colonel Polyvianyi will remain with us forever – just like the memory of all those who have fallen for Ukraine’s freedom. We will carry their memory in our daily work, in our struggle, in the hundreds of other deeds, triumphs, and stories.

I now ask everyone to honor the memory of all fallen heroes with a moment of silence.

Ladies and gentlemen! 

Today, on Ukraine’s Constitution Day, we express our gratitude to everyone who contributes to what truly matters every single day.

Those who have been on the front line since 2014. Those who deliver everything that’s needed. Those who brave fire and darkness so that life can go on in our cities and villages. Those who held their position alone for days on end. Those who suffered severe injuries but never lost their spirit – and completed a series of six world marathons. Those who perform the most complex surgeries 24/7, because in the work of saving lives, there is no eight-hour workday – only a round-the-clock need to fight for life. Our warriors, our volunteers, medics, teachers, artists, our athletes, and millions of Ukrainian citizens – all of them are people whose spirit and resilience match the challenges of our time. People whom the war has deprived of sleep and rest, whose lives it has changed, whose rights it has restricted – and yet they do more than what is required by constitutional duty. More. They act not out of obligation to the law, but out of the call of the heart.

And there are not just hundreds or even thousands of such stories. There is no square in the world large enough to hold all the Ukrainian men and women who deserve our gratitude, respect, and applause. Thank you!

Ladies and gentlemen! Our Constitution states that the defense of Ukraine is the most important function of the state and the duty of the entire Ukrainian people. But how important and precious it is to feel that in this duty, the Ukrainian people are not alone. Standing with us are true friends. Brothers-in-arms. Allied states and entire nations. The Walk of the Brave, located on Constitution Square, is dedicated to their solidarity and commitment to us. The Walk of the Brave that bears the names of those who stood with Ukraine from the beginning and who continue to stand with it now.

Among such people is Andrzej Duda – the President of Poland, one of the first to be honored on the Walk of the Brave. He continues to stand with us, and he is here with us today – and I am truly glad that you are here today, my dear friend. In the first month of the war, we were in constant contact – every day, every night, 24/7. When the Polish people were helping so many of our Ukrainians, when you and I were working together, when we opened the first hub in Rzeszów – I remember it very well – from there, such vital weapons were delivered – such a lifeline, such essential aid for our army, for our entire people. So that we could endure. So that we would not fall. So that we could live. And stand here today.

Thank you for the unity – the unity that the Ukrainian and Polish nations have not lost. Thank you!

And we also thank all the nations of the civilized world for their unity around Ukraine. Unity with Europe. Unity with America. The unity of a world that understands what it means to fight for the greatest constitutional right of any nation: the inalienable right to life. The inalienable right to independence. The inalienable right to live in peace – to live in safety, in progress, in a free Ukraine. This is all Ukraine strives for. And no one can say that Ukraine is asking for too much. That is why Ukraine will undoubtedly achieve it. All of us will – all those for whom Ukraine truly comes first. All those for whom Ukraine truly stands above all.

Happy Constitution Day of Ukraine, dear citizens!

Glory to Ukraine!

President Zelenskyy also hosted Polish President Duda today.

Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Kyiv today, where Constitution Day is being celebrated. This is his final visit to Ukraine as president.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 3:19 AM

Ukraine and Poland Have Achieved a Lot Together Since the Start of the Full-Scale War, and It Is Essential to Preserve This Kind of Relations – Volodymyr Zelenskyy

28 June 2025 – 17:29

In Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Poland Andrzej Duda, who arrived in Ukraine ahead of the conclusion of his presidential term.

The Head of State noted that Andrzej Duda is a special guest who has stood with Ukraine since the very first moments of the full-scale war.

“I want to thank you once again personally for everything we have achieved together, with you and with Poland. For your support, for our timely and important joint decisions, for every one of your visits. Today is effectively your farewell visit as the sitting President of Poland, but we will always be glad to welcome you to Ukraine as a friend and a very courageous person,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He recalled that from the very start of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine and Poland swiftly established a key logistics hub in Rzeszów. Poland provided significant defense support to Ukraine and consistently stood by Ukraine on all international platforms – in the EU, NATO, and in dialogue with other partners.

“It is extremely important for us to preserve this kind of relations, this support, this mutual understanding between our nations. The principle of good neighborliness, the principle of ‘For our freedom and yours,’ the principle of resolving any issue through respectful dialogue – all of this must be preserved,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

During the meeting, the two presidents discussed the future development of bilateral relations, the security situation in the region and the world, the state of diplomacy, relations and potential decisions at the EU level and in coordination with NATO partners following the summit in The Hague. Also, important Ukrainian-Polish defense cooperation agreements are being implemented over the course of these months.

The President of Poland highlighted the interest of Polish companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine and in expanding their presence in the country. He also emphasized the importance of increasing trade turnover between the two countries.

Andrzej Duda stated that it was an honor to receive the Order of Freedom from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding that the award held deep personal significance for him.

“As President of the Republic of Poland, I never had any doubt that standing side by side with Ukraine, represented by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was crucial for Poland’s own security,” he stressed.

The President of Poland expressed hope that the ties formed in recent years between many Poles and Ukrainians would serve as a foundation for new relations between the two nations.

“And thanks to our strong cooperation, we will be able to resolve all the historical issues that remain so painful between our nations,” he added.

Andrzej Duda also thanked the Ukrainian side for their understanding and the decisions that enabled the exhumation of deceased Poles.

Here’s the video of their joint press conference:

Georgia:

For the 213th day, Rustaveli Avenue is blocked in Tbilisi. Protests continue in 8+ cities across the country. 🇬🇪✊

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM

A crowd has gathered on Rustaveli Avenue to read aloud the poetry of imprisoned Georgian writer Zviad Ratiani.

Today, Georgia’s 60+ political prisoners come from all walks of life—teachers, actors, doctors, students, farmers, and more.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM

Elene Khoshtaria, who’s on a hunger strike to consolidate all stakeholders around the concept of non-cooperation with the regime, will present her vision on the resistance to the protesters on Rustaveli this evening. #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 8:31 AM

BREAKING: Elene Khoshtaria’s hunger strike is to set everyone’s focus straight among democratic forces, essentially.

Khoshtaria stated that this form of protest aims to achieve the following objectives: 1/

📷 MOSE

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM

1. Absolute non-cooperation with the regime;
2. Rejection of the sham local elections;
3. Creating a unified entity to serve as the legitimate political alternative for our foreign partners to communicate with;
4. To rally all resources in diversifying and intensifying our non-violent protest. 2/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM

She underlined that the lack of clarity on the modus operandi from the democratic forces keeps the population in limbo and forces many to disengage from protests. This includes, but is not limited to, the question of participation in the October local elections. 3/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM

According to her, President Zourabichvili should also publicly side with either the local elections or non-cooperation with the regime. 4/4.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM

There is a lesson here for elected and appointed officials in the Democratic Party. I do not expect them to even recognize it, let alone learn it or act on it.

🔴 Hunger strike as the last resort of political protest – following the arrests of opposition leaders and the continued repression on June 27, Elene Khoshtaria, one of the opposition leaders, announced a hunger strike and set up a tent in front of the parliament building.

#RepressionInGeorgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 28, 2025 at 9:55 AM

On June 28, former Georgian Dream politician Gedevan Popkhadze joined the protest on Rustaveli Avenue with a hunger strike. So far, four citizens have also announced about joining this extreme form of protest.
#GeorgiaProtests
#RepressionInGeorgia
#TerrorInGeorgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 28, 2025 at 9:55 AM

Politician Gedevan Popkhadze, activists: Vasil Eliava, Giorgi Stepanov, Bacho Kutsia have joined Elene Khoshtaria in hunger strike this morning, @publikage.bsky.social reports reports.

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— Katie Shoshiashvili (@kshoshiashvili.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM

Back to Ukraine:

Crimea is Ukraine.
Donetsk is Ukraine.
Luhansk is Ukraine.
Every Ukrainian town is Ukraine.
On the Constitution Day, activists of the Yellow Ribbon resistance held a large-scale campaign in occupied territories, distributing hundreds of leaflets & stickers w/ quotes from Ukraine’s Constitution.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 1:43 PM

Key players predict that the face of the war will rapidly change this summer, likening the proliferation of UGVs to the explosion in aerial-drone manufacturing in 2023. “We don’t have the men to counteract Russia’s meat-wave,” says one manufacturer. “So we’ll send our zombies against theirs.”

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— Björn Müller (@bjoernm.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 12:16 PM

From The Economist:

A BRUTALIST COMPLEX somewhere in Kyiv, strewn with rubbish and weeds, offers a vision for Ukraine’s survival on the future battlefield. At one end is a recruitment office, where lines of 20-somethings are receiving their first orders. At another sit trenches, obstacle courses, and the 3rd Assault Brigade’s “Kill House”, a training ground for military robots. This is where the elite brigade is stress-testing the unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) Ukraine hopes will soon begin to carry the burden of war in place of men.

UGVs are already rolling around the front lines, with the 3rd Assault Brigade among the pioneers. They have not yet appeared in large numbers, though that moment may be near. In spring Ukraine announced plans to deploy 15,000 ground robots. Some key players predict that the face of the battlefield will rapidly change this summer, likening the proliferation of UGVs to the explosion in aerial-drone manufacturing in 2023. “We don’t have the men to counteract Russia’s meat-wave,” says one manufacturer. “So we’ll send our own zombies against theirs.”

There are currently about 40 mostly private Ukrainian firms producing some 200 UGV models. They fall into three tribes: logistics (petrol, water, evacuation); engineering support (mine-laying, mine-sweeping, communications); and, to a lesser extent, combat-support roles (platforms with grenade launchers, drone-hunting turrets). Most UGVs are beefed up before being deployed to front-line roles, with brigades typically adding cameras, extra comms or electronic-warfare protection. The war’s widening “grey zone”—10km of ground either side of the contact line, watched and punished by drones—is spurring demand for the most robust robots that let men stay underground.

“Stark”, who runs the Kill House’s “UGV Academy”—a university for ground robots—says machines are already substituting for squads of soldiers in particular scenarios. Mule drones can transport tonnes of materiel to the lines. New evacuation drones like the Ardal can spare stretcher teams from becoming sitting ducks under drone-heavy skies. The latest mine-layers can lay dozens of anti-tank mines in a single run, a task that once required sappers to be sent out, over and over again. The Hyzhak (“Predator”) uses artificial intelligence to identify and shoot drones out of the sky from 200 metres away. Its brother, the Liut (“Fury” ), a 7.62mm machine-gun platform, first bared its teeth in an ambush operation during Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk last August. Vasyl, the founder of UGV Robotics, which produces the Liut, says the Russians were so surprised by the novelty that they immediately gave their positions away, letting other Ukrainian units target them.

In the early days the UGV operators needed to be close to their prototypes to stay in range, often no more than a kilometre away. “Shadow” and “Shura”, members of another brigade using UGVs, the 92nd, recall a time when they had to accompany their vehicle by foot to the front, a task that would be suicidal today because of Russian drones. Today, they can connect to them via Starlink from swivel chairs in command posts far from the front-line positions in the Kharkiv region. “We can control the vehicle with the full situation mapped out on screens in front of us,” says Shadow. “One of us can be piloting, the other drinking Coca-cola or on a smoke break.” But the operators do not foresee an era of robot-on-robot warfare just yet. Ground robots are some way from replacing infantry, they say. “I think they will obviously support logistics, to help here and there, yes,” says Shura. “But never to replace infantry.”

The most immediate brake on mass deployment is communications. Starlink fails in difficult terrain or beneath trees. Mesh networks, where drones connect to each other to give data multiple paths to travel, can collapse if crucial nodes are lost. Viktor, an engineer of the Burevii design-and-production bureau, which makes UGVs used for logistics and kamikaze attacks, says the current technology probably needs an AI or machine-vision upgrade before mass use in active combat becomes realistic. That could be a year away. Another factor limiting a UGV revolution will be the availability of skilled operators, he says. “We have very few who have completed enough missions and are still alive.”

Ukraine is winning in the UGV race at the moment—largely because it has to. The Kremlin, whose army is increasing by 8,000-9,000 men per month, probably does not feel anything like the same imperative. Equally, there is nothing to say that Russian UGV drone development will not go the same way as the first-person-view drone market before it. That is to say, Ukraine’s innovation ecosystem opens up the technology, before Russia’s industrial system copies, standardises and scales up on the best of it. But even though Ukraine’s UGV developers acknowledge that the best of their creations will eventually be copied, they say even a modest shift can have real meaning. “It will be a success if we replace 1% of our manpower needs on the front,” says Vasyl. “And I think right now we can do quite a bit better than 1%.” ■

Ukrainian soldiers from the 25th Airborne Brigade are showing how ground drones are being used by the Ukrainian army.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 4:36 AM

Kharkiv:

Russian drones approaching Kharkiv again ‼️ i can hear air defense working in the distance.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 5:17 PM

One drone down! More ate in the air over our city!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 12:48 PM

Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast:

“No gas, no electricity, soon no food. PS USA (?)” This is the message Russians are writing on the drones they’re using to attack the Kupyansk district of Kharkiv region.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM

Russian occupied Crimea:

🚁SBU claims destruction of Russian Pantsir-S1 air defence system and three helicopters (Mi-8, Mi-26, and Mi-28) in strike on occupied Crimea airfield. Also FIRMS data shows fire traces at the location of the Russian Kirovskiy military airfield in Crimea.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 8:15 AM

SBU says it destroyed aircraft in a special operation last night at Kirovskoye airfield in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea.

Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 helicopters were destroyed, as well as a Pantsir-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft system.

Some video from the operation:

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM

NASA FIRMS records fires at the airfield, including at the site where the Pantsir was previously seen to be located.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 9:07 AM

Odesa:

Another night. Another russian bombing.
More civilians hurt in their sleep — this time in Odesa.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 2:49 AM

A Ukrainian rescuer carries a 3yo child injured by smoke out of his burning home in Odesa. Kids deserve a safe and carefree childhood. Not evacuation from their home set on fire by russian terrorists.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 10:54 AM

The Toretsk front:

Ukrainian FPV drones using fiber-optic control destroyed a group of Russian soldiers hiding in a culvert on the Toretsk front.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 9:28 AM

Dnipro:

Reportedly, a Russian guided bomb nearly reached Dnipro today — possibly for the first time. These bombs are usually used near the front lines. If confirmed, it may signal Russia is using extended-range KABs or shifting tactics to hit deeper into Ukraine.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 4:57 AM

Belgorod Oblast, Russia:

Belgorod region 🤩

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— MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 6:01 AM

FPV drone footage shows the moment a drone strikes a local power substation in Russia’s Belgorod region this morning.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM

Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia:

Russia is expanding its Kazan aircraft plant, the only facility capable of replacing lost strategic bombers, Yle reports. Several new buildings have appeared, with €1B invested. Completion expected by end of 2025.
yle.fi/a/74-20168353

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM

Bryansk Oblast, Russia:

Smoke is coming from the 120th Arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate in Bryansk, according to reports.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 28, 2025 at 2:40 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

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Here is some adjacent material.

🙏 Seeing animals suffer is a particular pain of war.
There is a volunteer from Italy named Andrea Cisternino. Together with his family, he has been helping animals in Ukraine for many years. In February 2022, he said: “I will die here with the animals… They deserve protection at any cost.”

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) June 27, 2025 at 8:23 AM

Andrea’s cause has now gained the support of international organizations, his shelter has been rebuilt, and he is actively helping. This is an example of support not in words, but in deeds!

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) June 27, 2025 at 8:23 AM

Open thread!