Fellow Ukrainian citizens!
Today we mark the
100th anniversary of one of the most heroic but at the same time one of the
most hideous pages in Ukrainian history - the Battle of Kruty.
Several hundred
Ukrainian students and volunteers were approaching Kyiv near the Kruty rail station on January 29, 1918, and engaged in a
battle with the Bolsheviks Army headed by M. Muravyov
numbering several thousand soldiers. In the aftermath the officer claimed to have
bravely fought for two days
against the Ukrainian National
Republic forces allegedly led by
Petliura. There was a losing fight, but the valiance and combat heroism
of the Ukrainian youngsters impressed contemporaries serving
an example of sacrifice and patriotism.
Ukrainians will always
remember those 27 Ukrainian students who had been captured by the Bolsheviks
and were signing the national anthem of Ukraine during the shooting. Unfortunately,
until now, only the names of a company of the Student Kurin
were preserved, who were reburied at Askold's Grave,
were preserved, and the young Pavlo Tychyna immortalized them in a poem "In Memory of
Thirty".
The Kruty heroes have been, still remain and will be a worthy
example of courage and patriotism for all the future generations of defenders
of our native land. Today,
the Ukrainian youth in the ranks of the Armed Forces are defending their
homeland from Russian terrorist aggression and creating a new heroic page in
our history, taking an active part in modernization of the army and defense
sector, introduction of high standards that will transform the Armed Forces
into a most advanced professional army. It
is just strong, modern, professional army capable of responding to the most
serious challenges and threats that must become a guarantee that teenagers and
students who have never held a weapon in their hands will never happen to
protect Ukraine.
We shall preserve
the unfading memory of the young heroes!
Glory to Ukraine!
Glory to the heroes!
Prime Minister of
Ukraine Volodymyr GROYSMAN
