President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the festivities marking the 9th anniversary of the National Guard of Ukraine and the graduation of officers of the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine and the Kyiv Institute of the National Guard of Ukraine.
On Friday, 334 officers graduated, including 263 graduates of the NGU National Academy and 71 graduates of the NGU Kyiv Institute. 11 officers graduated from universities with a gold medal, 22 have the status of combatants.
"Today we add 334 more reasons to our victory, which the Ukrainians are bringing closer with all their might - 334 warriors of the National Guard of Ukraine who have completed their training and are joining the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine. 334 officers who, under any circumstances, have to increase the glory of Ukraine, protect the freedom of Ukraine, take care of Ukrainian men and women," the Head of State said in his speech.
The President emphasized that Ukraine's victory will be the sum of the resilience, courage and efficiency of all those fighting for our country.
"Protecting the honor of Ukraine, our Defense and Security Forces, the National Guard of Ukraine everywhere is your path, the path of Ukrainian officers. I believe that you will be able to walk this path with dignity," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Head of State emphasized that the National Guard of Ukraine has become one of the key elements of the general defense system of our country, which prevents the enemy from conquering Ukraine. Both during the years of the war in Donbas, and from the first minutes of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the National Guardsmen show true Ukrainian strength and do everything to ensure that Ukraine withstands.
The attendees honored the memory of the warriors of the National Guard and all defenders who gave their lives in the battles for the independence of Ukraine with a moment of silence.
"We are now at the decisive stage of the struggle for our independence, sovereignty, the struggle for Ukraine, which has been going on for centuries and has become the essence of the lives of different generations of our people. I have no doubts that we will be able to protect Ukraine and gain long-term security, freedom and peace for the Ukrainian people. We must do everything to speed up this result, to speed up our victory. I believe that your actions will bring our common Ukrainian goal closer. And let your character show its steeliness in the fight against the occupier," said the President.
The Head of State expressed gratitude to all soldiers, leadership, officers of the National Guard of Ukraine, the NGU National Academy of Kharkiv and the NGU Kyiv Institute.
From the first days of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, the personnel of these educational institutions took an active part in repelling the enemy.
Thus, after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the personnel of the National Academy of National Guard of Ukraine began to carry out combat service for the defense of Kharkiv. National Guardsmen performed combat tasks at roadblocks at the entrances to the city on the roads Kharkiv - Chuhuiv, Kharkiv - Vysoky, Kharkiv - Pisochyn, Kharkiv - Sumy, and protected critical infrastructure facilities and local self-government bodies. In 2022, during the defense of Kharkiv, two representatives of the National Academy of National Guard of Ukraine were killed.
Currently, the established unit of the academy is part of the defense forces of the hero city of Kharkiv and continues to perform tasks for the protection of strategic facilities.
During the first weeks of the full-scale war, the personnel of the Kyiv Institute of National Guard of Ukraine provided protection of the administrative buildings of Kyiv.
