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On June 21 (Tuesday), the Kwansei Gakuin Educational Foundation linked the National Technical University of Ukraine, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI) and the Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus together for an online lecture. Associate Professor Sergii Geraskov of KPI (formerly an International Guest Faculty Member of the Kwansei Gakuin University School of Sociology) gave a lecture on how Ukrainian society had changed due to the war, which was attended by about 160 students, faculty, and staff members. Speaking before the lecture, Chancellor Motoo Nakamichi said, “Although I watch the news about Ukraine every day, it is just a sliver of the whole story. I hope that through this lecture, you will learn about what is actually happening there, and actively think about what those of us in Japan can do about the situation.”

At the start, Prof. Geraskov explained the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, such as the number of refugees within the country. He stated that the effects of the invasion are not limited to Ukraine, but are raising questions about nationalism, the conflict between democracy and tyranny, human rights, and the international order. Next, he introduced the Ukrainian people’s awareness regarding the conflict. Using objective data, he talked about the high percentage of people who support President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian government, and about being able to interpret that as the cohesiveness of the Ukrainian people.Finally, he spoke about the impact of the war on education; how classes were temporarily suspended, and the state of educational facilities that were being destroyed. Although universities are gradually resuming online classes, the state of affairs remains uncertain. “The war is having a direct impact on educational activities. In order to promote education, even in wartime, it is desirable for policies to be devised at the national level,” he stated.

Regarding questions posed at the lecture, “What support does Ukraine need?” and “Which is Ukraine more aware of, recovering conquered territories or defeating Russia?” Prof, Geraskov responded, “While the type of support varies, peace is what is necessary. Even in the area I am now, there was an air raid alert an hour before this lecture. I don’t know when a missile might come. The Ukrainian people are tired. In a military sense, we need to defeat Russia, but I can’t picture how this war will end.” A 3rd-year School of Sociology student, who participated in the lecture, commented that “By hearing a lecture live from Ukraine, along with the presented data, I learned about the conviction of the Ukrainian people and their strength to be able to fight this war, which I wasn’t able to learn about just by watching the news. In the future, I want to study independently to gain a deeper understanding of the issues. I also got a real sense that a war is going on close to home, which feels far away if you live in Japan. I hope that the war will end soon, and Ukraine will be at peace.”