Ukrainian Admiral at the Potsdam Yacht Club

Naval Officers' Mess Berlin welcomes retired Vice Admiral Boris Kozhyn

Reports from the associations' trade fairs can usually be found in the non-public, so-called "Yellow Pages" of the printed marineforum. As part of the association life of the Marine-Offizier-Vereinigung, the Marine-Offizier-Hilfe and the Deutsches Maritimes Institut, we have also created separate sections on our website for this purpose. The editorial team has decided to publish the following report from the MOM Berlin online. The Marineoffiziermesse Berlin regularly organises events on current political topics, this time the war in Ukraine was the occasion. The first commander of the Ukrainian Navy, retired Vice Admiral Borys Kozhyn, was warmly welcomed as a speaker. Admiral Kozhyn (77) had to flee the Ukraine and was very pleased with the way he was received in Potsdam. Admiral Kozhyn was the first commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian naval forces, held several honorary posts and was also politically active.

Among the guests was Elisabeth Motschmann, a former member of the German Bundestag from Bremen. Joachim Bodenstaff told the editorial team that it was a successful evening. You can read the Admiral's speech, shortened for editorial purposes, here:

Dear Mr Trade Fair President!

Dear comrades, officers, admirals, supporters and guests!

Dear German community!

I am addressing you after 6 weeks of barbaric invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, after eight years of war in the east of my country, in the Donbass. I am turning to you while Russia is bombing our cities and destroying everything in Ukraine. Everything - houses, hospitals, schools, churches. The cities like Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Donbass were destroyed by missiles, aerial bombs, jet artillery and prohibited weapons. Thousands of Ukrainians died during this time. The occupiers killed hundreds of children in the middle of Europe, in our country, in 2022, in front of the eyes of people all over the world.

I, as a military person, conclude from this that the global system of collective security should be reviewed immediately. The United Nations should give peacekeeping forces more authorisation. There should not be a long wait for the conflict to escalate into violence. Military units should intervene in good time. Together with political, economic, humanitarian and other influences, they should have the right to establish an immediate trade freeze, exclusion from all diplomatic relations and nuclear-free status. A complete blockade at all levels of co-operation is essential!

My students, comrades, friends, compatriots with weapons in their hands are fighting for their lives, for their right to freedom, for democratic values, and are defending Germany and Europe. I am strongly convinced that the EU states will appreciate and honour this strong commitment of the Ukrainian people to democracy and that the country could join the European Union in the near future. We Ukrainians are defending our right to freedom! According to our national anthem: "We will sacrifice body and soul for our freedom." I appeal to you, ladies and gentlemen, to support this fight. This Russian invasion of Ukraine is not just a military operation, as Moscow claims. This is a large-scale and heinous war aimed at destroying the Ukrainian people, destroying our children, our families, our state, our communities, our culture. Russian troops are now destroying all of this. Deliberately. In front of the whole world. And the world watches, speaks and sighs... It is difficult for us to survive without the help of the world, without your help. It is difficult to defend Ukraine and Europe alone. Ukraine has made a very clear decision - to move in the European direction, to become a member of the EU and NATO. But it is now paying a high price for this. I turn to you, every little deed of yours can make a big difference. Do it and help us! Ukraine is Europe! Unfortunately, due to my age, I can no longer be on the front line, but I am with you and can turn to you, tell you what is happening and consult with you. I remember the year 1991: since the restoration of Ukraine's independence, Germany has endeavoured to support Ukraine in everything it needed. When I became Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Navy in Sevastopol from 1992 to 1993, you supported the creation of the Ukrainian naval forces (10,000 soldiers, 10 modern ships, aviation units, training centres, logistics, etc.). ). When I was a Member of Parliament in the Verkhovna Rada in Ukraine from 1994 to 2002, I joined the Ukraine-Germany inter-parliamentary group and was appointed representative of the Ukrainian diaspora in Munich. The chairman was Mr Ivan Bobyn - in eternal memory!

I received important support and help from my friend and colleague Mr Eberhard Heyken. He was a German diplomat and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine. My sincere thanks for that - in eternal memory! During my parliamentary career, I was a member of the Democratic Group of the People's Movement of Ukraine. At the end of my term of office, I chose the path of people's diplomacy. For 15 years now, I have been presenting public organisation awards to representatives from various diplomatic institutions. Thanks to a good friend of mine, Prof Dr Moritz Hunzinger, my uniform of the first Ukrainian admiral is on display together with the uniforms of German and international military officers in the International Maritime Museum in Hamburg. Thank you very much for this honour!

Today is the 7th of April. Also today, the Orthodox of the world celebrate the spiritual feast of the Annunciation. The Annunciation is the day when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary and told her the joyful news of the future birth of the Son, who was to be the Saviour of mankind. God bless the Ukrainian army! God, save Ukraine! Bless the Ukrainian people!