Flag Day in Kyiv as viewed by Espreso: photo report 

Every year since 2004, on August 23, Ukrainians honour one of the three main national symbols, the blue and yellow flag. At the national level, the holiday was established by President Leonid Kuchma's Decree No. 987/2004 "On the Day of the State Flag of Ukraine".

This decree was supplemented by President Viktor Yushchenko's Decree No. 602/2009, which introduced a flag-raising ceremony on National Flag Day and during other public holidays and national events.

Before that, the National Flag Day was celebrated only in Kyiv at the municipal level. 

However, the capital celebrated the holiday on 24 July, as the blue and yellow flag was raised over Kyiv City Hall in 1990.

An Espreso correspondent reported that this year, on the Day of the National Flag of Ukraine, there were few people near the Motherland monument.

In addition, law enforcement officers did not allow visitors to get close to the monument. According to Viktoria Rudenko, during her walk, it seemed like an ordinary day. People walking with flags or dressed in yellow and blue outfits reminded of the holiday.

Moreover, an exhibition of destroyed Russian equipment is taking place on Khreshchatyk. In particular, you can see the wreckage of missiles and drones used by Russia to attack Ukraine. In addition, burned Russian tanks and other vehicles are on display in Kyiv’s center, but law enforcement officers do not allow people to get close to them.