At the end of the 18th century, after the liquidation of the Hetmanship and Zaporizhzhia Sich, Ukraine was incorporated into the russian imperial state system with its unifying methods of administration and autocratic police authority. The terms of the Treaty of Pereyaslav in 1654, under which Ukraine, recognizing the protectorate of the tsar, preserved the social order it had created, were brutally trampled by russian tsarism, and the country of the Cossacks lost the remnants of their statehood.

After some time, Ukrainians faced the question: would their homeland exist as a separate national organism or would it be completely absorbed by the greedy northern neighbor? It was not about changing the existing model of relations between Ukraine and russia, but, in fact, about ending the existence of the Ukrainian nation.

That was precisely the goal of the russian empire, and that was precisely what determined the main content of the “common history of the two peoples”, which is spoken about with such pathos in the kremlin today. Our northern neighbor has always set for himself the task of completely russifying and actually eliminating the Ukrainian national organism.

For more than 300 years, the russian empire tried step by step to destroy the national and cultural separateness of Ukraine and barbarize it, imposing its social system and its way of life.

This is exactly what the Russian occupiers are doing with our country today, as 10 years ago. Our today's Guardian of Light, an employee of the Zaporizhzhia NPP Valerii Pohuliai with the nickname “Shum” understands this well. For him and his family, the war began back in 2014. It was then that he understood: if the enemy is not stopped now, the consequences will be tragic.

“I have always been interested in history and political science,” the defender of Ukraine confides, “and I have been well acquainted with the methods and means applied to people in different periods of the existence of the russian empire. Using religion, education, propaganda, etc., they formed their distorted reality and misinterpreted history. Moreover, at the same time, they were creating a “soviet person” in the USSR, or as it is now, in putin's time, they are “sculpting” some hybrid of the “imperial-soviet person.”

Propaganda, sick ambitions, xenophobia and chauvinism are their everything. Therefore, I understood the intentions of that occupier country uncut, and I saw its return to the old way since the beginning of the noughties. That is why I became a defender of Ukraine as far back as in the spring of 2014. At first I fought in public formations, and later on, starting in August 2014, in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

At that time, Valerii was the first employee of the ZNPP who was able to be mobilized to the area of Anti-Terrorist Operation/Joint Forces Operation. He defended Ukraine from the enemy for more than a year, and was demobilized in the autumn of 2015. However, during his service, he managed to do a lot for his native Energodar and the country. He emphasizes that it was he and his friend who repainted the “Energodar” stele in the colors of Ukraine when they were on duty at checkpoints. In addition, he emphasizes: “After the liberation of Energodar, we will make things right with the disgrace that the occupiers did to the stele.”

After demobilization, the citizen of Energodar continued to work at the ZNPP, but was listed in the operational reserve of the Armed Forces, sometimes went to reserve training. In addition to that, he was involved in volunteer and community activities and had a normal human life with traveling, concerts, fishing and hiking.

“I really valued such a life,” confides the nuclear employee, “but I understood well that the terrorist russian regime would continue to implement its plan to wipe out the Ukrainian state. Therefore, I always had a packed backpack, necessary equipment and confidence that Ukraine would be able to win. I was clearly aware that if a full-scale invasion began and the Ukrainians held out for at least a few days, then the countries of the free world would begin to help. Unfortunately, I also knew what had not been done to prepare for the fight against the rushists, so I understood what a difficult path we would have to go through.”

On February 24, 2022, our Guardian of Light was on vacation, so he was at home. In the morning, a police siren waked him up, after that he got from the news that Day X had came. After that, there was a difficult conversation with relatives, at 07:45 the Military Commissariat. Then the morning, which has not ended for more than two years.

“The longest morning, which continues, unfortunately, until now,” “Shum” states. - Full-scale war, step-back, long months and already years of fighting, infantry life, ground zero, endless digging of trenches and a series of rotations, holding the front, counterattack, loss of comrades, contusions, various training, very rare vacations and family visits... Endless February 24, 2022”.

Having mobilized in the ranks of the local territorial defense, the citizen of Energodar, together with his brothers-in-arms, participated in the defense of the Zaporizhzhia region. These are areas around the town of Orikhiv, better known as Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, Novodanilivka. In 2023, when Ukraine's counteroffensive began, the defender's unit moved somewhat and took part in the fights near Novodarivka, Rivnopol and fought near the village of Priyutne for the longest time.

“Many of our fighters from Energodar, from our district, from our region died and were wounded there,” the defender recalls. – Personally, I actually spent almost 100 days in the counteroffensive at ground zero. That was a lot of time. Anyone who remembers the intensity of hostilities in mentioned direction during that period understands what is about. In fighting, I mainly worked on the automatic grenade launcher MK-19 (American automatic grenade launcher, caliber 40 mm – Ed.), and then on the trophy AGS-17 (Soviet automatic grenade launcher, caliber 30 mm – Ed.). I sent with great pleasure a considerable amount of trophy ammunition to the enemy.”

Currently, for some time, the nuclear employee and his brothers-in-arms are in one of the regions of Ukraine on the border with russia. He has already managed to get a military profession, which, as he himself emphasizes, is associated with new challenges and a change in combat tactics. However, the only stable and unchanging thing is his faith in the Victory of Ukraine. Because only “together with its allies, Ukraine will be able to send the evil to where it belongs, and then recover, strengthen and blossom in a special way.”

Our hero stresses that his family and volunteers help him to defend his native country and stay on the front line. The Energodar Town Council also supports him, because each citizen of Energodar-defender receives 50,000 hryvnias as material assistance from the town: “Thanks to this incentive, we have the opportunity to additional buy what we lack in ammunition or equipment. Therefore, we are very grateful to the administration of Energodar for their support.”

However, the most important role is played by communication with colleagues from Pump Repair Section, Reactor Division, Maintenance Department, who are also fighting in different brigades.

“My brothers-in-arms and I always remember our fallen friends, “Shum” emphasizes. - And we believe that their death was not in vain, and their graves will become the foundation for a new free country. I have no doubt that the memory of every fallen defender of Ukraine will help to ensure patriotic education for next generation. Moreover, in this centuries-old historical struggle for independence, we will get a strong, proud, free Ukraine. We will win, for certain!”