Transparent competitions should always be held for the construction of military cemeteries: People’s Deputy Ivan Yunakov

Every war leaves behind not only the ruins of cities, but also the ruins of souls. This is a war that has been going on for more than ten years, especially its most brutal two and a half years, when the Russian Federation invaded our home on a full scale. Among the endless tragedies that Ukrainian society faces, the greatest pain is the loss of those who defended our freedom. The heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine deserve eternal honor and memory. But how does the state honor these people? How can we honor their self-sacrifice when the very idea of ​​creating a National Military Memorial Cemetery has become a field for corruption schemes?

People’s Deputy of Ukraine Ivan Yunakov not only shares his pain over these issues, but also offers concrete solutions that can help Ukraine build a place of memory for every fallen defender. His words carry deep symbolism and at the same time show how important it is to avoid mistakes that have already occurred during the project development process.

According to him, we pay an extremely high price for freedom and independence. A war fought for our future requires not only sacrifice from the soldiers, but also deep respect from those who remain alive. But what is happening now with the National War Memorial Cemetery project? According to Yunakov, the financial machinations associated with the construction of the NVMK destroy the very idea of ​​commemorating heroes. Local authorities and communal cemeteries are trying to find their own ways to solve this problem, but the lack of a systematic approach leaves a huge gap in the national memory.

Ivan Yunakov emphasizes that the memorial should not only be built, but also acquire a deep symbolic meaning. This place should become holy for every Ukrainian, where the memory of everyone who died fighting for Ukraine will be engraved. He believes that the best specialists should work on the project – those who deeply understand not only architecture, but also the meaning of war and memory.

However, Yunakov is concerned that this important project is being developed without a competition. He believes that this is a very bad signal for society, since the organization that won the tender for the construction of the NVMK was created literally the next day after the tender was announced. He also expresses outrage at the toxicity of the people and companies involved in this process, including the Alef group of companies that supplies the granite for the memorial, which is under sanctions. According to the deputy, such an undertaking under the shadow of financial fraud challenges the moral values ​​that this memorial should carry.

“Personally, I am really confused by the fact that the first project of the National War Memorial in the history of independent Ukraine is being developed without any competition. The toxicity of the people and companies involved in it (in particular, granite for NVMK will be supplied by the “Alef” group of companies of the sanctioned businessman Vadym Yermolayev ) casts a shadow over the entire initiative, no matter how high its goals are, since the organization that won the tender for the construction of the NVMK was created the day after the tender was announced. There is also a question about the design : many talented architects, who are currently at the front, would like to take part in the creation of the Memorial. After all, these people have felt the “breath” of war, and will be able to translate their emotions and feelings into the initiative. That is why I am in favor of all measures regarding the creation of the NVMK should be postponed to the post-war period. 

However, I understand very well the families of fallen heroes who want to bury them with honors as soon as possible. For a person who has lost a mother or father, brother, sister, husband or sibling in the war, it is extremely important to have a place where you can come to be with someone who might have continued to live his life if it were not for this damn war and the obligation the obligation he or she fulfilled before the state at the cost of his life.  Therefore, it is necessary to look for ways to solve this issue through public dialogue-discussion.” – believes the People’s Deputy.

Finally, Yunakov draws attention to the fact that architects who are currently at the front are not involved in the process of designing the memorial. These people, like no one else, understand the “breath of war” and could embody their emotions in this project. Therefore, he is in favor of postponing all work on the creation of the NVMK for the post-war period, when it will be possible to choose the best project in a fair competition.

The tradition of commemorating fallen soldiers is widespread in the world. However, according to Yunakov, such a culture does not exist in Ukraine due to the lack of a state policy regarding war memory. Ukrainian customs of commemorating fallen heroes were destroyed during the Soviet terror: the bodies of UNR or UPA fighters were often destroyed so that there was not even a trace of where they were buried, so that relatives could not honor the hero’s memory.

During the Soviet era, the commemoration of fallen soldiers took the form of the cult of the “unknown soldier”, and the memorial complexes themselves took on a detached appearance. Black or gray granite slabs became the main material for the graves of Soviet soldiers, passing this legacy on to modern Ukrainian culture.

Yunakov emphasizes that in the case of NVMK, attention should be paid to the materials and colors of the memorial. He believes that light-colored stones will create an atmosphere of peace and respect, and granite – although durable – should not be the only option. He notes that the memorial complex should be made of Ukrainian stone, emphasizing the symbolic value of using domestic materials: after all, Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their culture, and the memorial should reflect this. Yunakov also calls for a responsible approach in choosing materials for the memorial, emphasizing the importance of durability and an aesthetic component. He believes that the memorial should be bright and symbolize peace and respect for the dead. But the final decision on the choice of materials should be made by responsible experts after a detailed analysis.

“Returning to our future memorial cemetery, I want to note that here too the question of appearance, materials and colors will arise, in which the main idea of ​​the complex will be embodied. I do not want to talk about the architecture, volumes, aesthetic component, because the project was developed without a competition, and we we cannot assess the value of this option without the works of other architects.However, regarding the material and style of the tombstones and the decoration material of the complex, this issue has been discussed for a long time both in social networks and in expert circles.

Some advocate the same granite because of its versatility, while others turn to sandstone, a rock that Ukrainians have used in burial traditions for many centuries, even from pre-Christian times.

I have experience handling both that and other material. Putting aside all prejudices about granite, as an architect, I understand the advantages of this stone, due to its predictability in operation and vandal resistance.

But sandstone, like marbled limestone, enjoys well-deserved popularity these days and is actively used in the field of modern construction. However, if we compare it with granite, this material is inferior due to greater delicacy, fragility and the effect on it of temperature cycles and precipitation. But if you follow the correct processing technology, the stone also behaves as predicted. But in order for it to always look proper, it still needs more care. From the point of view of aesthetics, I like sandstone better: it looks more “warm” and it has less “totalitarian kazionism”.

In my opinion, the composition of the memorial complex should be made of light stone – gravestones (without a horizontal tombstone on which a cross or tombstone stands), walls, monuments, because light color in combination with a well-kept environment will convey an atmosphere of peace, honor and eternal rest.

And I emphasize, the decoration of the NVMK must necessarily be made of local, ours – Ukrainian material, because there is an important symbolism of “ours/ours”: we are fighting for our land, for our culture, and for our vision of the past and future.

But no matter what happens in the future, I believe that it is the state institution “National Military Memorial Cemetery”, the Ministry of Veterans, together with the independent experts involved in the project, who should analyze all the options and, without any objections, provide arguments: why it is worth choosing one or the other material. In this way, the officials who will make this decision take responsibility before society for what the NVMK will look like in 5, 10 or 150 years…” – stressed Yunakov.