When is Ukrainian Statehood Day in 2026: what kind of holiday it is and whether it will be a day off
On July 15, Ukraine will celebrate Ukrainian Statehood Day — a state holiday that emphasizes the more than thousand-year tradition of Ukrainian state-building and the historical continuity of the Ukrainian state from Kievan Rus to modern independent Ukraine.
The holiday was established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on August 24, 2021. Initially, Ukrainian Statehood Day was celebrated on July 28 — the day honoring the Baptism of Kievan Rus-Ukraine and the memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr the Great.
After the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church switched to the New Julian calendar in 2023, the day of remembrance of Prince Volodymyr was moved from July 28 to July 15. Accordingly, there was a need to change the date of the state holiday as well.
For this purpose, on June 28, 2023, the President submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada to move Ukrainian Statehood Day. The explanation for the initiative emphasized that this step is part of the policy of rejecting historical narratives, symbols, and calendar dates imposed by Russia. On July 14, 2023, the parliament adopted the relevant law, officially setting the new date of celebration as July 15.
According to the legislation, in peacetime Ukrainian Statehood Day is an official public holiday and a non-working day. However, during martial law, the provision for an additional day off does not apply, so on this day Ukrainians work as usual.
Ukrainian Statehood Day is intended to affirm the continuity of the Ukrainian state-building tradition, which began in the times of Kievan Rus. In the context of full-scale Russian aggression, this holiday has gained even greater significance as it symbolizes the Ukrainian people's aspiration to preserve their own state, protect its sovereignty and independence.
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