August 25, Kyiv. On August 29, the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine, a presentation of the updated edition of Yevhen Polozhii's novel 'Ilovaisk' will take place at the 'Sense' bookstore in Kyiv — a work dedicated to one of the most tragic pages of the war in Donbas. The event is timed to coincide with the 12th anniversary of the events in the Ilovaisk pocket: on August 29, 2014, Ukrainian military and volunteer units were encircled in Donetsk Oblast. Admission to the presentation is free, however, for comfortable seating, organizers ask attendees to register in advance via the link.

Updated Edition: Combat Maps and the Faces of Heroes

The book is published by 'Fronesis' Publishing House in an edition with the author's revisions and supplemented with new materials: a map of combat operations and photographs of the fighters who became the prototypes of the heroes of 'Ilovaisk. Stories of Real People.' According to the publishers' and the author's vision, this edition launches a new book series, 'General Cherry Library. Chronicles of the War for Independence,' initiated by Yaroslav and Stanislav Hryshyn, founders of the miltech company 'General Cherry,' together with 'Fronesis' Publishing House. Thus, the novel becomes the first book in an entire cycle dedicated to the military history of Ukraine.

The Book's Journey: From 2015 to a Canon of Independence

Yevhen Polozhii gathered material on Ilovaisk directly from participants in those events, and the book was first published in 2015. The work quickly gained best-seller status and was included in the list of the 30 most significant works of the 30 years of Ukraine's independence, according to the Ukrainian Book Institute. For a book dedicated to military events, this is a rare case of recognition at the level of a national book award, which underscores its significance not only as a work of fiction but also as a documentary testimony.

The Author on Memory and the Unlearned Lesson

Commenting on the relevance of the reissue, Yevhen Polozhii emphasizes that 'warriors have been dying since 2014, defending the country, and their memory must be cherished.' According to the author, the tragic events of August 2014 'remain to this day an unlearned lesson for the country — both military and informational.' It is precisely this stance that defines the character of the updated edition: it is positioned not as entertainment, but as an attempt to comprehend and record what society has not yet fully understood.

Ilovaisk: How It Was

Recall that in August 2014, Ukrainian military and volunteer units were encircled in Ilovaisk, Donetsk Oblast. The enemy offered to open a so-called 'green corridor' for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops. However, during the retreat, Russian military and militants opened targeted fire on the Ukrainian columns. According to the prosecutor's office, 366 defenders of Ukraine were killed as a result. These circumstances form the basis of the novel, which, more than a decade after the events, returns to readers in an expanded edition.

Presentation Details

The presentation, with the author's participation, will take place on August 29 at 17:00 at the 'Sense' bookstore on Khreshchatyk Street (2nd floor). Admission to the event is free; for comfortable seating, organizers ask attendees to register via the link. The event is held as part of the commemorative activities for the Day of the Defender of Ukraine and the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine.