The Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia has published an article by Dmytro Berezhnyi, Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine in Georgia, dedicated to Ukraine’s Independence Day. The article is titled “A Joint Struggle for a Common Future: From a Historic Victory to an Unbreakable Union of Free Nations.”

The article states that Ukraine’s history has been forged in the struggle for freedom and that independence was achieved through centuries of uninterrupted struggle.

In the article, Berezhnyi thanks Georgia for every expression of support and also expresses gratitude to the Georgian fighters who are standing alongside Ukrainians on the front lines.

“Every year, on August 24, Ukraine celebrates the main holiday of our state identity - Independence Day. For the Ukrainian people, this is not simply a calendar date or a formal attribute of sovereignty.

“For us, independence has never been a given, a gift, or a coincidence of historical circumstances. It has been forged through centuries of uninterrupted struggle, shaped by the desire of Ukrainians to be masters of their own land, to live according to the principles of dignity and conscience, to speak their native language, and to preserve and pass on their culture, traditions and national identity to future generations.

“The centuries-long journey of our people is a chronicle of defiance: from the era of the principalities and the heroism of the Cossacks, through the liberation struggles of the early 20th century and Ukrainian underground resistance, to the restoration of independence in 1991, the Revolution of Dignity and the modern resistance to Russian aggression.

“Freedom has always demanded the highest price from Ukrainians. And every time the enemy attempted to erase our borders, destroy our national memory and appropriate our history, we rose again - restoring our statehood, preserving ourselves as a nation and becoming even stronger.

“The current confrontation is a direct continuation of this historic struggle. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine did not begin in 2022 - it has continued since 2014, following the illegal annexation of Crimea and the unleashing of the war in Donbas. It was then that the Kremlin finally removed the veil from the myth of the ‘brotherly peoples,’ while the ‘Russian world’ revealed its true face: behind claims of historical proximity lay imperial ambitions, the desire to appropriate the territories of others, and the deprivation of neighboring peoples of their right to independently determine their own future.

“In February 2022, the aggressor launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion, expecting the rapid capitulation of our state. But the enemy was mistaken. Millions of Ukrainians - on the front lines, in defense-industrial enterprises, hospitals, critical infrastructure facilities and volunteer headquarters - stood up to defend their homeland and demonstrated to the world an unprecedented example of national unity and resilience.

“In the most difficult first days of the full-scale invasion, when Ukraine’s fate depended on every person who cared about it, numerous volunteers and heroes from friendly countries stood alongside Ukrainian soldiers. Among them, the sons and daughters of Georgia hold a special place.

“Today, many Georgian fighters - citizens of Georgia of various ethnic backgrounds, as well as ethnic Georgians who hold citizenship of other states - are fighting as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other formations of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. With weapons in their hands, they defend Ukraine’s freedom, independence and territorial integrity because they understand well that this is a common struggle. Having experienced Russian aggression and the occupation of their own lands firsthand, the Georgian people understand Ukraine’s pain like no one else and realize that today, in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, it is not only Ukraine’s future that is being decided. This is one of the key front lines in the struggle against Russian imperialism, the outcome of which is also directly linked to the future of Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions - Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.

“The courage, fearlessness and self-sacrifice of Georgian heroes on the Ukrainian front have become the highest expression of solidarity and an important contribution by the Georgian people to our common victory. We bow our heads in memory of the Ukrainian and Georgian soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Ukraine and Georgia. Their heroism will forever be recorded in the history of our military brotherhood and will serve as a guide for future generations.

“The Ukrainian people will always remember with deep gratitude and warmth the great kindness and hospitality we experienced from Georgia from the very first days of the war. Georgia was among the first countries to open its doors to thousands of Ukrainian families who were forced to leave their homes because of pressure, bombs and shelling by Russian occupiers.

“Since the end of February 2022, more than 500,000 Ukrainian citizens have been forcibly evacuated and traveled to different parts of the world through the territory of Georgia. For many of them, Georgian soil became their first safe haven after the horrors of the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war. Currently, more than 27,000 Ukrainians continue to live temporarily in Georgia, awaiting the establishment of a just peace and the opportunity to return to their homeland.

“Humanitarian and social support for Ukraine in Georgia has taken on a truly nationwide scale, bringing together the efforts of state and local authorities, businesses, civil society, the Georgian Orthodox Church and ordinary citizens.

“During the first and most difficult months of the war, thousands of Ukrainian families who were forced to seek shelter in Georgia received free accommodation, hot meals, material assistance and, equally importantly, human warmth and support.

“An important step was the establishment of Ukrainian-language sectors in public schools in Tbilisi and Batumi, where Ukrainian children continue to study in their native language according to Ukraine’s national curriculum. This helps them not only adapt to new circumstances but also preserve their national identity and connection with their homeland. With the support of the Georgian government and local municipalities, Ukrainian children from socially disadvantaged families, including children whose parents sacrificed their lives defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, regularly come to Georgia for holidays and psychological rehabilitation.

“Institutional support has also made an important contribution, including the maximum simplification of border-crossing procedures, extending the period of visa-free stay for Ukrainian citizens, and ensuring their access to essential medical and social services.

“At the same time, thousands of tons of humanitarian aid, generators, medical equipment and medicines collected by the Georgian population and sent to Ukraine became critically important support for our cities during the most difficult period of the war.

“Thanks to this warm and open reception, Ukrainians in Georgia do not feel that they are ‘abroad.’ For many of our compatriots, Georgia has become a truly close country where they feel brotherly warmth, support and genuine human solidarity.

“The situation on the front remains difficult, but at the same time it remains under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. Ukrainian soldiers are consistently maintaining the strategic initiative and continuing to implement the tasks of de-occupying sovereign Ukrainian territories. In combat against the enemy’s superior forces, the Ukrainian army demonstrates high technological capability, flexibility and operational superiority. Our defenders are not only repelling the aggressor’s attacks but are systematically destroying its military potential and turning every attempt by the occupiers to advance into a strategic defeat for the Kremlin’s military machine.

“A key element of Ukraine’s modern strategy has become the systematic use of precision strikes deep in the rear of the aggressor country. Ukraine’s Defense Forces are consistently destroying military airfields, oil refineries, ammunition depots, command posts and key transport and logistics hubs hundreds and thousands of kilometers from the front line. The disruption of Russian supply chains and the denial of fuel, ammunition and technical support to the occupying forces directly weakens the enemy’s positions on the front line and deprives it of the ability to conduct strategic offensive operations.

“The Kremlin’s bloody regime continues to use the tactic of ‘meat assaults,’ characteristic of Russian tyrannies of different eras. Thousands of Russian soldiers are being thrown into a brutal meat grinder because of the imperial ambitions of Russia’s ruler. The price of such tactics is the enormous losses suffered by the Russian army, both in manpower and equipment that Russian propaganda had portrayed as ‘having no equal.’ Ukraine has forever shattered the myth of the invincibility of Russian forces and the so-called ‘second army in the world,’ which failed to break the resistance of the Ukrainian people.

Ukraine - A Contributor to European Security

“Ukraine’s current struggle is not merely a war for the survival of a nation or the preservation of state borders. It is a global confrontation over civilizational choice and the fundamental values of the entire free world. By defending its sovereignty, Ukraine today stands as a shield on Europe’s eastern flank, protecting the entire democratic world from the return of totalitarianism and imperial revanchism, as well as from the destruction of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

“Today, the importance of genuine and effective alliances is once again being understood in a new way. Under conditions of modern global threats, no state can guarantee its security independently. The security architecture of the past has demonstrated its weaknesses, while Russia’s war against Ukraine has once again proven that formal guarantees are insufficient where there is no political will and readiness for decisive action. Equal partnerships and alliances based on common values, pragmatic interests and a willingness to jointly confront common threats are becoming one of the main prerequisites for peace, freedom and prosperity.

“It is precisely such a model of cooperation that Ukraine offers to the European Union and NATO. We seek membership in these institutions not as a recipient of assistance or a consumer of guarantees, but as a full-fledged, experienced and strong contributor to common European and transatlantic security.

“Today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine possess unique experience in conducting modern high-intensity warfare against an adversary with a clear advantage in economic potential, material and technical resources, and manpower. Our heroic defenders and experienced engineering and technical specialists have mastered the latest tactics for the use of aerial, naval and ground unmanned systems, air defense, electronic warfare and cyber defense. As we build the security architecture of the future, we are ready to share these invaluable capabilities, practical experience and achievements gained through the blood, heroism and sacrifice of the Ukrainian people with our partners.

“The struggle continues - victory will be ours!

“Ukraine’s Independence Day is a reminder that freedom requires constant readiness to defend it. The struggle continues on every front. It requires unity, resilience and firm faith in our own strength.

“We express our sincere gratitude to Georgia for every expression of support, for every Georgian fighter standing alongside us on the front line, for every shelter provided to a Ukrainian child, and for every lari and generator provided in support of Ukraine.

“We are convinced that the joint struggle of the Ukrainian and Georgian peoples for freedom, independence, territorial integrity and a European future will inevitably end with the restoration of justice, the complete de-occupation of our sovereign territories, and the establishment of lasting and just peace.

“Glory to Ukraine!

“GAUMARJOS SAKARTVELOS!” the article reads.