Russia-Ukraine war

National Flag Day was established 13 years after Ukraine became independent in 1991. [Michael Sorrow/Anadolu]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a flag raising in Kyiv on National Flag Day. [Maxym Marusenko/EPA]

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen walks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi and parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk during a ceremony to mark Ukraine's National Flag Day in Kyiv. [Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via Reuters]

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko attends a ceremony to raise the national flag in Kyiv. [Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu]

Members of Ukraine's military and families turn out for a National Flag Day ceremony in the western city of Lviv. [Michael Sorrow/Anadolu]

The blue and yellow stripes on Ukraine's flag represents yellow fields of wheat under blue skies. [Maxym Marusenko/EPA]

Ukrainian servicemen salute during a National Flag Day ceremony in Lviv. [Michael Sorrow/Anadolu]

The blue and yellow flag of Ukraine has existed for at least 1,000 years and was reinstated at the national flag after the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine became independent. [Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters]

Zelenskyy says wartime elections could ‘destroy’ Ukraine

The embattled Ukrainian president slams Mykhailo Fedorov’s idea as a ‘tsunami’ that would ‘split’ the country.

Russia celebrates National Flag Day amid war and Western tensions

Celebrating National Flag Day at the 'Russian field' festival in Moscow. [Maxim Shipenkov/EPA]

A giant Russian flag is paraded during National Flag Day celebrations at the Peter and Paul Fortress in Saint Petersburg. [Olga Maltseva/AFP]

Russian honour guard soldiers of the Leningrad Military District Headquarters during the changing of the guard ceremony in the Naryshkin Bastion, as part of Russia's National Flag Day celebrations. [Olga Maltseva/AFP]

Russian honour guard soldiers of the Leningrad Military District Headquarters perform during the changing of the guard ceremony in the Naryshkin Bastion as part of Russia's National Flag Day celebrations.

A T-shirt image of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin at Russia's National Flag Day celebration in St. Petersburg. [Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo]

Volunteers unfurl a giant Russian flag next to World War II-era artillery guns in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. [Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo]

The public holiday commemorates 22 August 1991, when the white, blue, and red tricolour became the official state flag, replacing the Soviet hammer and sickle flag following the August coup attempt. [Maxim Shipenkov/EPA]

Russia’s National Flag Day is an annual observance dedicated to the white-blue-red tricolour. [Olga Maltseva/AFP]

Members of a young naval sailors club with a Russian national flag during National Flag Day celebrations in St. Petersburg. [Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Photo]