Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Ukrainian army reforms and fights at the same time

Ukraine celebrates the Day of the Armed Forces today, on December 6, and over the past years of war since 2014, the Ukrainian army has been transforming into a new strong force and trying to get rid of Sovietism.

This was stated by serviceman Serhiy Hutsalyuk during a briefing at the Ukraine-Odesa Media Center.

“I congratulate everyone on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is a real holiday for all of us. And for me, as a historian, it is important that this day falls on the holiday of St. Nicholas and that on December 6, 1919, the heroic campaign of the UPR Army against the Bolsheviks began, which ended on May 4, 1920. This can also be symbolic. Our Army has changed a lot since those days. It has become completely different since the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022: we have become different, strong, and powerful. There are many of us. We realized that there is no one else to defend Ukraine except us,” said Serhiy Hutsalyuk.

The serviceman added that in any army there are problems to be solved, and there are achievements to be proud of and spread: people learn, switch to NATO standards, master new equipment and weapons, and fight at the same time.

“The army is a reflection of society. What kind of society we have, what kind of army we have. Society has not got rid of the Soviet system, and the army has the same difficulties. We all need to change. Before the great invasion, we did not have such an army. Now we see what is happening there because the scale has become larger,” said Hutsalyuk.

Oleksandr Prymak, a representative of the NGO Association of ATO Veterans South, fought in the war and knows the concerns of military personnel and believes that they need to be addressed by the entire Ukrainian society.

“It is especially important to rehabilitate those returning from the front. This means not only medical care but also psychological support. Moreover, psychologists should know the conditions at the front, especially if they have fought there. The guys trust such specialists and open up to them. The number of people traumatized by war is growing every day in our society: ordinary Ukrainians who are used to peaceful life should understand this,” summarized Oleksandr Prymak.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news