One of the staff at the Sevastopol National University of Nuclear Energy and Industry (where students were singing the national anthem of Ukraine, and chanting “Glory to Ukraine!” and “Glory to heroes!” during the flag changing ceremony on March 28), who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, told The Day about the university’s students. The teacher explained that in the conditions of today’s life on the peninsula, young people had to face a choice: to become traitors or to remain faithful to their fatherland. Overall 95 percent of the students chose the second option.
“I would never even think that one day our young will be forced to leave the city and their university because the territory of the peninsula will be annexed by another country. But today this is our reality.
“The majority of the university students come from mainland Ukraine. Today, some of the students, who do not have binding contracts with nuclear power plants, have already left the territory of the peninsula and continue their studies at other schools on the mainland. The rest stay here only because they have signed a contract with nuclear power plants. Since there is little time left to study, nuclear power plants have asked the students to complete this semester, after which they will be able to transfer to an educational institution in mainland Ukraine.
“But the daily presence at the university does not improve the mood of patriotic Ukrainians. For example, after the so-called referendum one of the teachers openly told the students: ‘If any of you will not recognize Russia as your country, leave the classroom. I am not going to work with the enemies of the Russian Federation.’ And such cases are not exceptional.
“The fact that the ceremony of raising the Russian flag took place at the university, came a surprise for many. All students were notified about this during the second class. And they decided to sing the anthem of Ukraine. By the way, there were people who did not know the lyrics of the anthem, partially or completely, until that day. They found the lyrics and learned them by heart during the classes. The national flag of Ukraine for our students is an attribute which is passed by older students to younger ones. Normally, the flags are kept in dormitories. Students took these flags to the ceremony of raising of the Russian flag.
“When the flag of the Russian Federation was hoisted above the building, a lot of people were hurt, since they understood they soon would be forced to leave the city they used to love so much, they would have to leave the university and teachers, and to part with their friends.
“Our children do not see themselves in Russia, they were born and raised in the independent state of Ukraine, and they associate their future with Ukraine and Europe only. My son was born in Sevastopol. He studied in one of the city’s educational institutions. These days he withdrew his documents to transfer to the Lviv University. He has a lot of friends there, he likes Lviv and understands there are no Banderites there, but people who love and respect their Fatherland. When my son went to the university office, there was a queue of 10 people there. Similar things are now happening not only at our university, but at many other educational establishments. The youth of today value freedom over everything else, and that is why they choose the path towards Europe.”
