Zelenskiy rallies Ukrainians on Independence Day, 18 months after invasion

People react as they visit the tombs of their relatives, Ukrainian servicemen who were killed in a fight against Russian troops, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, during the Independence Day in Lviv, Ukraine August 24, 2023. REUTERS/Roman Baluk

KYIV (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed his nation's spirit and defiance in holding out against Russian forces in a rallying speech on Thursday marking Ukraine's Independence Day.

The anniversary was celebrated quietly, and fell exactly 18 months after Moscow's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022 which has killed tens of thousands of people, forced millions from their homes and devastated towns across Ukraine.