From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / August 25, 2025
As Ukraine Celebrates 34th Independence Day with Liberation of Four Villages and Prisoner Exchange, Russian Foreign Minister Dismisses Zelensky’s Legitimacy While Moscow’s Energy Infrastructure Burns
Summary of the Day – August 24, 2025
Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day unfolded as a stark tableau of defiance and determination, as President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine would never be “forced into a compromise” while his forces liberated four villages in Donetsk Oblast and brought home 146 prisoners of war. The celebrations occurred against the backdrop of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s devastating rejection of Zelensky’s legitimacy to sign peace documents, calling him merely a “de facto head” rather than Ukraine’s legitimate leader. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces struck deep into Russian territory, hitting a major gas terminal in Leningrad Oblast and the Syzran oil refinery in Samara Oblast, as Moscow’s energy infrastructure continued to burn. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Kyiv with over $700 million in military aid, while U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg joined Independence Day celebrations amid ongoing efforts to forge security guarantees. The day crystallized the fundamental contradiction driving the conflict: as Ukraine demonstrated resilience through military victories and international support, Russia doubled down on maximalist demands that would render any meaningful peace impossible.
Ukrainian prisoners of war released from Russian captivity. (President’s Office)
Lavrov’s Diplomatic Demolition: The Kremlin Rejects Zelensky’s Authority
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered a diplomatic death blow to peace negotiations on August 24, telling NBC News that the Kremlin will not accept President Zelensky’s signature on legal documents establishing terms for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“When we come to a stage when you have to sign documents, we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate, and… Mr. Zelensky is not at the moment,” Lavrov declared. The Russian foreign minister claimed the Kremlin views Zelensky as the “de facto head of the regime” but not Ukraine’s legitimate leader.
Lavrov’s statement represents a devastating escalation of Russian propaganda efforts to undermine Ukrainian statehood by exploiting the legally mandated inability to hold elections during martial law. In the same NBC interview, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s explicit rejection of US-proposed peace initiatives, claiming Russia will achieve its aims: removal of security threats from Ukrainian territory, protection of ethnic Russians who “belong to Russian culture,” and Ukrainian neutrality. These demands amount to Ukraine’s complete capitulation.
Voice of Ukraine 