On the 15th of February, the date of 27th anniversary of withdrawal of troops, took place a rally, dedicated to commemoration of soldiers who died in Afghanistan. Lecturers and students of USPU joined the solemnity, honoured courage and heroism of soldiers-internationalsts who are the example of dedication to people and country. In the rally participated representatives of city and regional council, participators of battles in Afghanistan, their families and families of perished, students, indifferent citizens.

There was also held an event at the city palace of culture. By a minute of silence were honoured the Heroes, who participated in military conflicts regulating. At the stage performed: national amateur group of our university – male vocal trio “Gonta”, consisting of Vasyl Semenchuk, Petro Voloshyn and Valentyn Kupchyk.

Students at Physics, Mathematics and Informatics Department came together to honour courage and heroism of Afghanistan soldiers who are the example of dedication to people and country.

The war left behind thousands of victims, tears and grief of peaceful families. Afghanistan war is still a part of many people’s lives. We cannot forget heroic deeds, examples of faith to military services, which was demonstrated by thousands of Ukrainian men. Even if it was not our war, because the men protected not our country, but the military duty was carried out honestly and with victory.

The soldiers, participants in Afghanistan war told our students a lot of interesting and sore facts. It was difficult to listen to some of their stories about death of one of twin brothers, about mother who was waiting for her sons from the war.

It was a pleasure to see indifferent students who remember and know historical events. Moderators of the action Anna Pavlenko and Dmytro Derman tried to convey pain from loss in Afghanistan war. Hanna Mazurock recited sad poems about those events. Lyubov and Lyudmyla Prokhorova, Ihor Zelinskiy and Tetiana Povichan sang songs. To have future, we should remember and honour our past, even if it is bitter.

The university administration and administration of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics Department expressed their best regards to the guests, handed in certificates of gratitude to soldiers-internationalists Serhiy Borovytskiy, Ivan Gruts and Volodymyr Moshniaga for their active participation in upbringing the youth.

The event organizers thanked all who visited the event.

Head of Laboratory “Nation’s Resurrection”, deputy head of methodical room at History Department Oksana Karasevych prepared thematic exhibition dedicated to the 27th anniversary of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan under the title “Soldiers-internationalists – price for the war”. At the exhibition was presented a book with essays and recollections of Uman soldiers-internationalists, published to 25th anniversary on the initiative of head of Uman city regional Afghanistan veterans union Oleg Zaichenko.

Pain from war was depicted by head of Social Sciences Chair, professor Anatoliy Karasevych in his book “Philosophy of War”. Among a number of poems special attention was paid to the poem “Another’s War”.

Reference

The Afghanistan war lasted from the 25th of December, 1979 until the 15th of February 1989. Almost 170 thousand Ukrainians participated in this war. According to the official data, 15.051 died, 54000 perished, 414000 got ill, but according to the words of people who were at this war, there are much more killed; during the first years of the war it was forbidden to write on the epitaph, that people were killed in the war.

The war of Soviet forces against Afghanistan can be devided into 4 stages.

I stage: December 1979 – February 1980. Allocation of Soviet troops in Afghanistan.

II stage: March 1980 – April 1985. Active military actions on the territory of Afganistan.

III stage: May 1985 – December 1986. It was a transition from active military actions to support of troops by Soviet aviation and artillery.

IV stage: January 1987 – February 1989. Participation of Soviet troops in policy of national reconciliation, their preparing for coming back to the Motherland.