Oles Honchar Dnipro National University expresses boundless respect and gratitude to the Defense Forces of Ukraine and support and trust in the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Today, as Ukraine has been heroically resisting full-scale Russian aggression for three years, defending not only its independence but also the democratic values of the entire civilized world, we, the academic community of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, express our support for the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In these difficult times, when attempts to discredit our state on the international stage are being made, we remind everyone that Ukraine is a sovereign and independent nation fighting a just war for its freedom, integrity, and state sovereignty. Over 11 years of hybrid war in all its horrific manifestations, the enemy has sought to break our unity, undermine international support, and cast doubt on the legitimacy of the Ukrainian people’s struggle.

Thirty-four years ago, on the eve of the historic All-Ukrainian referendum, our distinguished alumnus Oles Honchar warned the world about imperial threats that continue to poison international politics. His words resonate with renewed strength today:

"Do the clumsy collectors of a doomed, agonizing empire still believe we are capable of forgetting genocides, famines, terrors, forgetting the bloody lessons of Tbilisi and Vilnius, and the tears of soldiers’ mothers whose children were irretrievably thrown into the hell of Afghanistan for the sake of great-power ambitions, that most grotesque spawn of rapacious imperial totalitarianism?"

The Russian pseudo-empire, which has built its power on terror and lies for decades, continues its attempts to bring Ukraine to its knees. For 11 years, it has waged a brutal war against our state, using massive missile strikes on cities, genocide against civilians, imprisonment, and torture. At the same time, its propaganda machine tries to discredit Ukraine and its leadership on the international stage through dirty disinformation.

"Those who hypocritically pretended to be our friends yesterday now throw mud at Ukraine with disinformation, fuel Ukrainophobia, and stop at nothing to distort the image of our people before the world, using shameless fabrications and chauvinistic lies to demean our independence," wrote Oles Honchar in 1991.

Despite all attacks — military, economic, and informational — the Ukrainian people remain strong, unwavering, and unbreakable. We are grateful to Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his determination, uniting our nation, being Ukraine’s voice in the world, and consolidating international support for our struggle.

On the eve of the third anniversary of russia’s full-scale aggression against our sovereign state, we call on the world not to fall for manipulations and to continue supporting Ukraine, as our victory is a victory of the entire civilized world over tyranny and lawlessness.

Ukraine was, is, and will be free! Together – to Victory!

The academic community of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University

February 2025

Photo from the meeting of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy with DNU students