The State Won Through Struggle

Ukrainian War of Independence of 1917–1920

Soldiers of the Army of Ukrainian People’s Republic and participants in the Ukrainian War of Independence of 1917–1920 fought for Ukrainian statehood under the extremely difficult conditions of war and the loss of independence. Even after defeat, many of them continued working for Ukraine—in the fields of science, education, public organizations and preservation of national memory.

The contemporary authors of this section—Mykola Nikolaiev, Maksym Petrenko and Anton Pyshniak—carry on the tradition of state-building through work with people, communities and society. They work with youth, launch educational and artistic initiatives, support veterans’ community, develop technological and social projects and help society comprehend the war through literature, public activity and live communication. Maksym Petrenko, who died defending Ukraine, remains part of this generation of people of action—those for whom the struggle for the state was combined with serving society, remembrance and the future. Their activities show that a strong country is built not only in the front line, but also through mutual support, responsibility, the development of civil society and the ability to pass on one’s own experience to future generations.