Ukraine marks the 19th anniversary of the gaining of independence on Tuesday. In an address to the people of Ukraine on the occasion of the Day of Independence, President Viktor Yanukovich pointed out, "Nineteen years ago with great hope and belief we responded to the challenge of fate by embarking upon the road of creation and development of an independent state of our own".

The case of Ukrainian journalist Vasyl Klymentyev, who went missing almost two weeks ago, is no closer to being solved with human rights organizations pointing out several irregularities in the investigation.

Ukrainian writer Yurii Andrukhovych asks Europe to monitor the coming of dictatorship in Ukraine from the pages of the influential German newspaper. This is stated on the pages of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Ukraine's Emergency Situations Ministry said today that all of the wildfires in Kyiv Oblast have been extinguished and no fire danger exists in the Chornobyl region, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.