Photos of Ukraine’s 34-year journey from independence to invasion

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FILE - People wave Ukrainian national flags as they gather outside the parliament building during a pro-independence rally, in Kyiv, Sept. 4, 1991. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic, File)
FILE - People wave Ukrainian national flags as they gather outside the parliament building during a pro-independence rally, in Kyiv, Sept. 4, 1991. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic, File)
Soviet army cadets register to vote in the Ukraine's first popular presidential election in Kyiv, Dec. 1, 1991. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File)
Soviet army cadets register to vote in the Ukraine's first popular presidential election in Kyiv, Dec. 1, 1991. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File)
FILE - Ukrainian women shout while waving their coupons to buy butter at a state-owned shop in Kyiv, Dec. 3, 1991. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File)
FILE - Ukrainian women shout while waving their coupons to buy butter at a state-owned shop in Kyiv, Dec. 3, 1991. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File)
FILE - Ukrainian people celebrate in front of the parliament the day when Ukraine's independence was declared, in Kyiv, Aug. 24, 1991. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - Ukrainian people celebrate in front of the parliament the day when Ukraine's independence was declared, in Kyiv, Aug. 24, 1991. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - Two Ukrainians argue the merits of independence in Kyiv's central square, Dec. 2, 1991. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File)
FILE - Two Ukrainians argue the merits of independence in Kyiv's central square, Dec. 2, 1991. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File)
FILE - A woman walks amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
FILE - A woman walks amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
FILE - A Ukrainian serviceman is backdropped by his country's flag while standing on a tank, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, April 2, 2022.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
FILE - A Ukrainian serviceman is backdropped by his country's flag while standing on a tank, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, April 2, 2022.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
FILE - Ira Gavriluk holds her cat as she walks next to the bodies of her husband, brother, and another man, who were killed outside her home in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
FILE - Ira Gavriluk holds her cat as she walks next to the bodies of her husband, brother, and another man, who were killed outside her home in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
FILE - Relatives and friends attend the funeral ceremony for Liza, 4-year-old girl killed by Russian attack, in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, July 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - Relatives and friends attend the funeral ceremony for Liza, 4-year-old girl killed by Russian attack, in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, July 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - An injured Ukrainian soldier lies on a bed inside a special medical bus during an evacuation by volunteers from the Hospitallers paramedic organization in Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
FILE - An injured Ukrainian soldier lies on a bed inside a special medical bus during an evacuation by volunteers from the Hospitallers paramedic organization in Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
FILE - A man plants sunflowers in his garden near a damaged Russian tank and its turret in Velyka Dymerka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, May 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - A man plants sunflowers in his garden near a damaged Russian tank and its turret in Velyka Dymerka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, May 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - A Ukrainian soldier covers his ears while firing a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - A Ukrainian soldier covers his ears while firing a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - The Motherland Monument is seen after workers removed a Soviet emblem from the shield of the monument in Kyiv, Ukraine, Aug. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
FILE - The Motherland Monument is seen after workers removed a Soviet emblem from the shield of the monument in Kyiv, Ukraine, Aug. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
FILE - Ukrainian servicemen walk through a charred forest at the frontline a few kilometers from Andriivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)
FILE - Ukrainian servicemen walk through a charred forest at the frontline a few kilometers from Andriivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)
FILE - The mother of Ukrainian army officer Vasyl Medviychuk touches her son during his funeral ceremony in the Carpathian mountains in Krasnyk village, Ukraine, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
FILE - The mother of Ukrainian army officer Vasyl Medviychuk touches her son during his funeral ceremony in the Carpathian mountains in Krasnyk village, Ukraine, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
FILE - Residents react after a Russian missile hit a multi-store apartment during Russia's combined missile and drone air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
FILE - Residents react after a Russian missile hit a multi-store apartment during Russia's combined missile and drone air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
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Audio By Carbonatix

1:02 AM on Sunday, August 24

By The Associated Press

From student protests in 1990 to the surrender of its nuclear arsenal, Ukraine marks 34 years of independence as war with Russia continues.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

 

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