Zelenskyy says war has ‘returned’ to Russia in independence day address

Russia wanted to “destroy” Ukraine but war has “returned to its home”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says in an independence day video address filmed in the border area from where Kyiv launched its surprise incursion into Kursk.

Ukraine was on Saturday celebrating its 33rd independence day from the Soviet Union amid the protracted war, with Ukrainian forces entering Russia’s Kursk region and Moscow making gains in more eastern Ukrainian areas.

Zelenskyy posted a video on Saturday from a deserted, forested area in the Sumy region, which he visited this week, saying it was a “few kilometres” from where Ukrainian forces crossed into Russia on August 6.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine “surprises once again” and promised that Russia will “know what retribution is”.

By launching its 2022 invasion, he said “Russia was seeking one thing: to destroy us”, adding that “what the enemy brought to our land has now returned to his home”.

“Anyone who wants to sow evil on our land will reap its fruit on their territory,” Zelenskyy said. “This is not a prediction, not gloating, not blind revenge. It is justice.”

The offensive in Kursk in the most significant cross-border attack since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Since August 6, Ukrainian forces have reportedly occupied dozens of villages on more than 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles) and captured Russian servicemen.Zelenskyy called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “sick old man from Red Square who constantly threatens everyone with the red button”. The Red Square in Moscow is also where Russia holds its annual massive military parade, attended by Putin and other top political and military officials.

While the Kursk incursion has rattled Moscow it has not slowed Russia’s advance in eastern Ukraine.

Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Alex Gatopoulos said that celebrations in the capital were muted and large crowds were discouraged, unlike in previous years when captured Russian equipment was paraded.

“The worry is that there would be massive Russian drone or missile attack; this has been expected over the past day,” he said.

“The capital’s air defences are on extra high alert to make sure they can cope with any potential influx. So far, it’s been quiet.”

On Saturday, Zelenskyy also signed a law banning banning Moscow-linked religious organisations in Ukraine including the Moscow-linked Orthodox Church with the decision published on the Ukrainian parliament website.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that Ukraine was “moving at incredible speed towards joining the European Union”.

In a short video posted to X to mark Ukraine’s independence day, von der Leyen said: “Europe will always be at Ukraine’s side because Ukraine is Europe. Your freedom is our freedom. Your security is our security.”

“And now you are moving at incredible speed towards joining the European Union. We have been standing with you since day one and we will continue to do so for as long as it takes. Slava Ukraini [glory to Ukraine].”

Ukraine became an official candidate for EU membership in June 2022, four months after Russia’s invasion.