UDC 616.89-008.615.1-02:613.861.3]:159.942.5:355.11

   The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022, tragically and profoundly changed the lives and destinies of millions of people in Ukraine, becoming a severe ordeal for all Ukrainians. Today, we have thousands of casualties from Russian shelling and violence, and millions of Ukrainians have become internally displaced persons or refugees who have fled beyond Ukraine’s borders. This is a new tragic experience and, at the same time, a new relevant reality for Ukrainian society. The war between Ukraine and separatists, which began in 2014, is not a closed topic for the younger generation, who understand well that they will be participants in this war to fight for their land. The enrollment of adolescents directly from their school desks into the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Academy of Ground Forces confirms the motivated stance of the country’s young rising generation. Students deeply empathize with what is happening in Ukraine. When entering the academy, young people understand that they will participate in the struggle against aggressors. Their motivated choice gives them confidence that they will cope with such an important task as defending their homeland.