Svyatoslav Palamar: Independence Day. Winning the war is not the ultimate goal

24 August is not just Independence Day. It is the day of the restoration of Ukrainian independence.

We must remember that our statehood did not begin in 1991. It is preceded by centuries of struggle, attempts, victories, and defeats. This is a legacy that is important not only to know, but to continue.

Today we are fighting for Ukraine’s right to exist. But each of us must understand: winning the war is not the ultimate goal.

The goal is a country people will want to live in after the victory. A country people will want to return to, where they will want to have children, create, take risks, and build their lives.

I think of it as a garden-country. A garden cannot be built by order. It needs people who care for it, protect it, and leave behind more than they received.

Mariupol and captivity taught me to look beyond the horizon of today. When reality narrows to survival, the ability to see the future and dream of it becomes a way of not letting circumstances define you.

This applies not only to an individual. It applies to a country.

Our strength is not only in enduring. Our strength is in the ability to imagine what we endured for.

Happy Day of the Restoration of Ukraine’s Independence!

Svyatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the 1 corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov", colonel, Hero of Ukraine; author’s page on Facebook

Photo from open sources

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