Ukraine War24 August, 20263 min read
Tony Perkins Joins Ukraine’s National Prayer Breakfast in Kyiv Ahead of 35th Independence Day
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Tony Perkins traveled to Kyiv to address Ukraine's National Prayer Breakfast Event gathered hundreds from around the world to Kyiv for Independence Day observances
8 outlets told this the same way.
Prayer Breakfast in Kyiv
Religious leaders, military chaplains, journalists, diplomats, and international supporters gathered in Kyiv for the National Prayer Breakfast of Ukraine on the eve of Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day, held under the patronage of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins told the gathering, "There is a war for Ukraine's territory, but the battlefield we see reflects a greater battle being waged in the heavenlies--a battle for the soul of Ukraine and the hearts of its people," as he described standing in solidarity with Ukrainian Christians. The event included high-level Ukrainian officials, international partners, faith leaders, military personnel, chaplains, families of fallen heroes, charitable organizations, and youth leaders, and it marked the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
UNITED24 Media reported that the conversations extended beyond religion as speakers and guests reflected on life under missile and drone attacks and the meaning of a just peace more than four years into Russia’s full-scale war. Perkins also participated in a "35 Years of Faith and Freedom" international forum alongside Senators James Lankford and Richard Blumenthal, General Keith Kellogg, and the 48th Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence.
Air Defense Plea
As Ukraine marked 35 years of independence, a delegation from the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) led by President Paul Grod began an official visit to Ukraine and issued an urgent appeal for additional air defense systems and weapons to protect people from Russia’s ongoing aerial terror. UWC President Paul Grod emphasized the role of the diaspora, saying, "Our important role is to continuously advocate for Ukraine, to tell the world what is happening in Ukraine and why it matters." During the visit, the delegation met with the leadership of the National Guard of Ukraine to discuss cooperation, support for Ukrainian defenders, and engagement with the global Ukrainian community.
Representing the National Guard of Ukraine were Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine; Colonel Volodymyr Hrabchak, Director of the Personnel Department; and Colonel Illia Demidov, Acting Deputy Director of the Personnel Department and Head of the International Cooperation Directorate. The UWC delegation also met with defenders from the Rubizh Brigade, where discussions included the brigade’s international cooperation and opportunities to engage professional military personnel from abroad, with the brigade working with military personnel and specialists from 22 countries around the world.
War Losses and Unity
On the battlefield, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russia lost approximately 1,490 military personnel over the past day, and it estimated Russia’s total personnel losses since February 24, 2022 at approximately 1,478,070.
“Putin expects that we’ll be tired. But we know it’s mortal. He never understood us.”
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said the figures were current as of August 24, 2026 and noted that the totals remain subject to verification.
In Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskiy used Ukraine’s Independence Day message to call for unity as the war reached 1,643 days, warning that Russia must not break the circle of support "among us."
Zelenskiy accused Vladimir Putin of clinging to an archaic vision and said, "Putin expects that we’ll be tired. But we know it’s mortal. He never understood us," as he described the enemy’s aim to demobilize the West.
The stakes described across the sources were both immediate and institutional: the UWC delegation focused on reconstruction of war-damaged facilities and assistance to Ukrainians affected by the war, while the National Prayer Breakfast framed the moment as a consequential one in the life of the nation under ongoing missile and drone attacks.