Ukraine marks Memorial Day of Kruty Heroes

Today, Ukrainians mark a tragic date – the Memorial Day of Kruty Heroes. On January 29, 1918, three hundred students were killed in an unequal battle, trying to stop the progress of Mikhail Muraviev’s Bolshevik army near Kyiv. Most regions of Ukraine held events with participation of state and religious leaders to commemorate the feat of the heroes.

Ukraine’s President appealed to the nation on this occasion, saying:

“The heroic battle under Kruty will forever remain inscribed on the tablets of national history – first of all as an example of freedom and invincibility of the Ukrainian people.

It is the self-sacrifice and dedication of Kruty residents helped to organize the evacuation of central government from the capital and withdraw the troops - that is, to do everything possible to quickly regain the lost positions. And most importantly – the young Ukrainian state government was able to sign a peace treaty with Germany, which meant the international recognition of the UPR and automatically made the Bolshevik army the invaders of the sovereign state.

Now, like almost 100 years ago, the country that dreams of imperial ambitions, cannot accept the existence of independent Ukraine. Now, as before, Russia unleashed war and denies its aggression in the attempt to spread in the world the myth about internal conflict in our country.

It has become a tradition on the Memorial Day of Kruty Heroes to honor modern heroes who have given their lives for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state in the current Ukrainian-Russian war. May their memory be eternal.”

Separately, Poroshenko appealed today to our soldiers who serve in the Armed Forces, National Guard, Security Service, State Border Service, the National Police defending our right to build our own state, “Please accept the sincere appreciation of the Ukrainian people for your honest and heroic daily work. We will win!”

Background: The Battle of Kruty took place on January 29, 1918, at the railway station under the eponymous village 130 km to the north-east of Kyiv. This battle between the 4000th Bolshevik Army of Mikhail Muravyov and a detachment of Kyivan students and free Cossacks, which generally consisted of about 400 people, lasted for 5 hours. 27 youths were captured by the Bolsheviks after the battle and executed.

In March 1918, after the Bolsheviks signed the Brest peace agreement and the UNR government returned to Kyiv, the Resolution of the Central Rada of March 19, 1918 envisaged the solemn reburial of the fallen students at Askold grave in Kyiv. Hrushevsky spoke out at the ceremony, calling this deed of Kyivan youths and act of heroism.

At the beginning of 2012, on the site of a wooden cross at Askold grave a monument was installed – a Cossack cross made of stone, in the center of which a trident is carved with a quote from the Gospel “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is noteworthy that the monument was not installed by presidents, ministers, MPs and other officials who for years have vowed to do so, but by ordinary citizens.