Ukraine celebrates Independence Day

Ukraine has marked the 23rd anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union with a military parade in the country's capital of Kiev as its army continued to push for a decisive breakthrough against pro-Russian separatists in the country's east, Fox News reports on Sunday.

The Kiev parade, as well as a naval parade in the port of Odessa, were the first such events to be held in Ukraine since 2009, when they were outlawed by pro-Russia president Viktor Yanukovych, whose overthrow last year prompted Russia to annex the Crimean peninsula and gave rise to the separatist movement in the country's east.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko said that Ukraine would increase military spending by $3 billion by 2017. The Ukrainian defense ministry says its existing 2014 budget is $1.5 billion. Ukraine's military has pleaded for more resources to oust pro-Russian rebels from their two remaining major strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk.

President of the United States Barack Obama congratulated the President and the people of Ukraine on the 23rd anniversary of the independence of Ukraine, the Kyiv Post informs.

"Since gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine has gone through numerous challenges and the United States has always been close. During this period our two nations have been working jointly to strengthen peace, democracy and economic growth in Ukraine and beyond its borders," Barack Obama stressed.