You now have the opportunity to view the first issue of the magazine *Officer of Ukraine*, which is the successor to all the publications you know from the illustrious history of our educational institution: from *Politrabotnik* of the Lviv Higher Military-Political School to *Kursantskyi Visnyk* of the Army Academy. As always, our main and constant themes are: combat training at the training ground, firing ranges, and tank tracks, as well as culture, sports, and leisure—in short, everything that a future officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine lives by and must live by during their training. We will cover, without exception, everything that our Academy is all about: how we study and how we celebrate. Around the time the first issue was released, we celebrated: December 6—Ukrainian Armed Forces Day, and December 12—Army Day.
At the same time, in December 2010, we also celebrated the 440th anniversary of the birth of Hetman Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny—hetman of the Ukrainian Registered Cossacks, koshovo ataman of the Zaporizhzhia Sich, an outstanding military leader, and a renowned political and cultural-educational figure of the first quarter of the 17th century. It has been exactly 10 years—since November 2000!—that our Academy has borne his name with honor, thereby enhancing Ukraine’s military glory! The cadets of the Academy are the direct heirs to the military achievements of our hetmans; it is up to them—the future officers—to carry these traditions into the future! To lead all units in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the future: from the platoon to the General Staff!
In our updated edition, we’re striving to be more modern: we aim to evolve—to publish a colorful, vibrant, and appealing issue with a youthful vibe. But no matter how vivid the photos, illustrations, or collages may be, they cannot reach the mind and heart of a cadet or reader unless they are backed by the vivid, journalistic, and emotional words of our authors. We look forward to your letters and submissions, our attentive reader—you are not just a guest, but also our Author! Undoubtedly, only together can we create a modern, engaging publication that will eventually extend beyond the Academy and reach a wide audience of readers in the Army and society. Together, we will unite around our primary goal—the high-quality training of Ukrainian officers capable of defending the Motherland!
Commander of the Army Academy
Editorial Board of the Army Academy’s journal *Officer of Ukraine*