The Kyiv Independent Live in London: 
'Returning Russia's sick war to where it came from' — Ukraine marks Defenders Day
on Google
Ukraine marked the Day of Defenders on Oct. 1, honoring those serving in the country's military as Russia's full-scale invasion continues.
"Thank you to all our defenders who are working to return Russia's sick war to where it came from," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.
The president also said Ukrainian forces had struck a target in the Black Sea, a site in Russia's Oryol Oblast used to launch and store attack drones, an oil facility in Samara Oblast, and a supply depot supporting Russian forces in Bryansk Oblast.
"These are exactly the kind of just responses that are needed now. We will continue depriving Russia of the ability to continue this war," Zelensky said.
Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi highlighted a defining feature of Ukraine's fight in a message marking Defenders Day: relying on innovation, unmanned systems, precision and unconventional solutions rather than sheer numbers.
"While the aggressor tries to overwhelm us with quantities of scrap metal and 'meat grinder assaults,' we are betting on innovation and unmanned systems, precise calculations and unconventional solutions, while preserving and developing our human capital as much as possible," Drapatyi said.
Drapatyi also highlighted Ukraine's deep-strike campaign.
"Our drones have changed the rules on the battlefield, while precise long-range strikes are systematically burning through the enemy's resources and logistics deep in its rear," he said.
Drapatyi said his primary responsibility as commander-in-chief was to create conditions in which the military could fight and win through coordination, intelligence and technology, while stressing that people remained the Ukrainian military's most valuable asset.
Ukraine marks Defenders Day every year on Oct. 1, honoring those who have fought for the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The date coincides with the Feast of the Intercession, or Pokrova, a holiday historically associated with Ukrainian Cossack traditions. Ukraine also marks Ukrainian Cossacks Day and Veterans Day on Oct. 1.
