At the end of December, students and professors of the National University of Ostroh Academy joined the screening and discussion of the film Fortress Mariupol. Orest directed by Yuliia Hontaruk. The film screening took place online within the framework of the 19th Travelling Docudays UA in Rivne region.

The meeting and discussion was moderated by Mariia Tsypiashchuk, coordinator of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union public reception in Rivne region, and professor at the National University of Ostroh Academy. During the discussion, Dmytro Kozatsky, a former student of the Ostroh Academy, former head of the press service of the Azov Regiment, and the leading character of the film Fortress Mariupol. Orest, told in detail about his vision and the importance of the film:

"I am happy that we had the opportunity to talk about Azovstal and Mariupol to the whole world and to tell the truth about what happened there. Despite everything, we must continue to live.

Despite our main military front, we also have other fronts. One of them is moral and psychological because the Russians want to break the spirit of Ukrainians with the help of their terrorist attacks on the infrastructure.

But we should not be influenced by them. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are defeating the Russians on the military front, and we need to defeat the enemy on the moral and psychological front," noted Dmytro Kozatsky.

Svitlana Kuharuk, the coordinator of the Travelling Docudays UA in Rivne region, a third-year student of the I. Malinovsky Educational and Scientific Institute of Law of the National University of Ostroh Academy, noted that this year the film Fortress Mariupol. Orest was included in the film collection of the Travelling Docudays UA.

"When we learned about it, we wanted to organise a screening of the film specifically for the Ostroh Academy. I remember with what pride the Academy's team shared the photos taken by Dmytro Kozatsky at Azovstal in Mariupol. And also with what joy everyone read and spread the news that Dmytro was freed from Russian captivity. Everyone was looking forward to meeting him at his alma mater.

This is a great opportunity to communicate directly with the hero, learn information first-hand, share your impressions and express gratitude," added Svitlana Kuharuk.

Online discussion of the film Fortress Mariupol. Orest with Dmytro Kozatsky at the National University of Ostroh Academy

Olha Balatska, a candidate of legal sciences, associate professor, and director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations and National Security, noted, "We are proud that Dmytro Kozatsky is a student of the Ostroh Academy. We admire your zest for life. You are an example for all Ukrainians, how not to lose faith and move on, to live, to find the meaning of our existence, and to support each other in these difficult times. We are waiting for you in the walls of the Ostroh Academy!"

At the end of the meeting, Dmytro Kozatsky also expressed his gratitude to the audience, "I want to thank all the teachers and students of the Ostroh Academy for not forgetting us, talking about us, and always covering the news. Thank you for organising the photo exhibition and for being interested in films about Azovstal. I hope this year will be victorious. I wish the students to continue studying, to make maximum efforts because the future of Ukraine is in our hands. We are the flower of the nation, and we will rebuild it."

Svitlana Kuharuk concluded, "Heroes and heroines around and among us. Many of them studied in the same walls as us, and listened to lectures in the same classrooms. Thanks to their bravery and strength, we continue to learn, organise events and, ultimately, live."

"It was extremely pleasant to moderate today's meeting with Dmytro. Glad that Dmytro managed to join. I wish that the sky will become peaceful for all of us as soon as possible," added Mariia Tsypiashchuk.

Maria Vakoliuk, a third-year student of I. Malinovsky Educational and Scientific Institute of Law, also shared her impressions of the meeting: "I am very happy that this film, which describes the real events, the everyday life of the military and the people of Mariupol, exists, and that there will be other films of this kind so that no one will ever forget that terrible reality. It is also valuable that during the meeting, I had the opportunity to ask questions to which I have not yet heard answers. Dmytro is an open-minded person with whom it is comfortable to communicate. I'm incredibly glad to meet him and happy to see the hero alive, healthy, and smiling!"

The event took place within the framework of the 19 Travelling Docudays UA in Rivne region.

The synopsis of the discussion was prepared by Solomiia Kontenkova, a volunteer of the Travelling Docudays UA in Rivne region.

Cover photo: still from the film Fortress Mariupol. Orest