Video: Zelenskyy honours fallen defenders in Ivano-Frankivsk, calls for more memorial spaces
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Abdullateef Fowewe
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has begun a working trip to the Ivano-Frankivsk region on Thursday, August 13, 2026, by paying tribute to fallen Ukrainian defenders at a memorial site, underscoring the nation’s ongoing commitment to honouring those who died defending the country.
Zelenskyy started his visit at the city’s Memorial Square, where he laid candles at a stele dedicated to deceased Ukrainian warriors and observed a minute of silence alongside military personnel.
In a bilingual post in English and Ukrainian, he shared that the trip began with honouring the memory of Ukraine’s fallen defenders, saying, “Eternal honor and gratitude to everyone who defended Ukraine and gave their life in this fight. May the memory of our fallen warriors be blessed.”
Video footage accompanying the post shows Zelenskyy walking through the outdoor memorial holding a red candle, pausing before walls lined with rows of portraits of deceased soldiers, and standing in silent reflection.
Beyond the tribute, Zelenskyy emphasised the importance of creating more memorial spaces where Ukrainians can personally express gratitude to the fallen.
He wrote, “And gratitude as well to those who create memorial spaces for our heroes, where Ukrainians can come and simply say, ‘Thank you.’ It is very important that there be more of these spaces. Everyone who gave their life so that others could live in peace deserves this.”
