Memorial Day of Heroic Students
On January 29th, Ukraine commemorates the Day of Remembrance of the Heroes of Kruty – an important historical date that symbolizes the unbreakable spirit of the Ukrainian people and the self-sacrifice of young defenders.
In 1918, near the Kruty railway station, about 400 Ukrainian volunteers – students, high school students, and military school pupils – stopped a large Bolshevik army attempting to capture Kyiv.
Heroism of Young Defenders
Among the 500-600 Ukrainian defenders were 80 volunteers from Nizhyn, students from Kyiv University, People's University, and high school seniors. They had only 16 machine guns and one cannon against a four-thousand-strong Bolshevik army.
The battle lasted over five hours. Despite unequal forces, Ukrainian youth demonstrated incredible courage and heroism. 27-30 young heroes were shot by the Bolsheviks after being captured.
Historical Significance
The heroic deed of Kruty's heroes was of enormous importance for Ukrainian statehood. Their resistance allowed the Ukrainian delegation to buy time during negotiations in Brest and sign a peace treaty.
Prominent poet Pavlo Tychyna dedicated famous lines to them: "On Askold's Grave They Buried Them – Thirty Martyrs-Ukrainians, Glorious Young Ones..."
Today, the heroic deed of Kruty's heroes inspires new Ukrainian defenders in the struggle for the country's independence.
