Today, Ukraine mourns its fallen heroes and the cities and villages that have been destroyed. It also honours the defenders of Ukraine.

The 11^th anniversary of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion – these dates have forever become part of Ukraine’s history. A peaceful country was forced to arm itself to prove its right to exist. And today, our Armed Forces are the sole guarantor of our security.

On February 24, a requiem rally was held at Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy.

The event took place in Academic Building No. 1, where the installation “Obliterated from the Face of the Earth” was displayed.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has completely destroyed 365 educational institutions and damaged 3,428 more. Additionally, 226 medical institutions have been completely wiped out, while 1,685 have been damaged.

Currently, the university has 204 students who have been forced to leave their hometowns and villages, mercilessly erased by Russia from the face of the earth. The 24 photographs in the installation depict what these places looked like before the arrival of the so-called “Russian world” and what remains now. The names of the 24 cities symbolize the fate of hundreds of towns and villages of Ukraine that have suffered the same tragic destiny.

Viktoriia Zavhorodnia from Pokrovsk, Iryna Sapuntsova from Avdiivka, and Sofiia Ihnatchenko from Balakliia near Izium, barely holding back tears, recounted how they had lived since February 24, 2022 – surviving without water, food, electricity, under constant shelling and the threat of annihilation. They described how they had been moving from city to city until they settled in the relatively safe Cherkasy region.

They spoke of the pain in their hearts whenever they hear news from their hometowns – schools and cultural centres reduced to rubble, their happy childhoods stolen, and a piece of their souls lost forever.

The girls admitted that they dream of returning home someday.

Every day, every minute, our defenders bring this moment closer at the cost of unimaginable efforts and painful sacrifices. Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy mourns its 44 fallen graduates and students. Among the representatives of the university community are widows and orphans, relatives of the deceased. All of them were honoured with a moment of silence.

Currently, 18 lecturers, 41 students, hundreds of alumni and parents of our students are defending our statehood on the fronts of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

“We are proud of each of our defenders,” First Vice-Rector Vasyl Moisiienko said. “These are challenging times, as Ukraine is fighting for its independence. Yet despite everything, we must recognize our self-sufficiency and our ability to defend our territorial integrity and our state. Today, we once again recall how the world’s second-largest army was defeated. Let us stand united, support one another, and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine!”

The Rector of BKNUC, Oleksandr Cherevko, also shared his thoughts on the third anniversary of the Russian armed aggression:

“Eleven years of war.

Eleven years and 1096 days of bloodshed, hardships, resistance, and heroism.

We have astonished the world, and perhaps even ourselves, with our resilience and indomitability.

We are strong in our faith in the Armed Forces and in our faith in God.

We have raised a generation of young people for whom patriotism is not just a slogan from grand podiums and who are ready to sacrifice their lives for Ukraine.

We draw our strength and resilience from our families, friends, and colleagues.

Helping the army has become our intrinsic need.

We have learnt to work under the wail of sirens – and we can.

We have been shaped by generations of Ukrainians before us. We now cherish what is ours: our history, our culture, our language. Because we have remembered our centuries-long historical experience.

But now we lack unity and cohesion so as to withstand this exceptionally difficult year of 2025.

We have endured many crises before, and we will stand firm today.

The fight continues. We must live, act, work, and believe.

We remember all who have laid down their lives for Ukraine.

I thank each of you for your faith in yourselves and in our state.

Let us unite for the sake of Ukraine!”

The project was implemented by the staff of the Department of Educational Work, Information and Public Relations at the initiative of the Vice-Rector for Educational and Image Activities Halyna Havryliuk.

In addition, the third part of the photo exhibition “They Defend Ukraine” has been set up in Academic Building No. 1.

Press Office of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy