The irreparable has happened. In peacetime, dozens, maybe even hundreds, of people were killed in the capital of Ukraine and other cities. They fell victim to the politicians’ unwillingness to hear one another, to think about the people’s needs, the state’s diseases, the violated law and justice. Among the dead there are young people, including students who will never enter university class rooms again, who will never study, be friends, fall in love, work, enjoy their lives. The pain of their parents, family and friends is measureless. And our condolences will hardly be able to relieve it.

I think that the persons responsible for the deaths of innocent people ought to be punished under the law.

Today, Ukraine is writing tragic pages of its history. The most important thing is to preserve the ability to think clearly without rioting in emotions, to spare no efforts to prevent the events in our country from unfolding by the Yugoslav, Libyan or Syrian scenario, to avert bloodshed , to keep the nation from finding itself plunged into a ruthless fratricidal war, and to avoid the breakup of the country into bleeding parts while preserving its chances for civilized European development.

Kharkiv professors, scientists, students maintain friendly relations with their colleagues from western oblasts and regions, feel respect and cherish kindly feelings for them, which are always reciprocated. We would not want a wall of alienation and hatred to be erected between us, and we will not let this happen.

At this sensitive time, Kharkiv higher educational institutions and their administrations ought to set an example of calmness and common sense, the highest responsibility for lives and health of their students as well as for preserving teaching staffs and scientific schools, while remembering that in times of disarray and chaos common innocent people are the first to fall victim. Peace and quiet not only in Kharkiv but in Ukraine on the whole depend to a large extent on our reasonable position.

Sincerely,
Chairman of the Council of Presidents of Kharkiv oblast,
President of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University,
Professor Vil Bakirov