On January 20, 2026, the Center for Unity and National Resistance platform in Donetsk Oblast, together with the regional administration's department for family, youth, and mass events of national-patriotic education, held an interactive meeting with young people from Donetsk Oblast to mark the Day of Honoring the Defenders of Donetsk Airport.
The date, January 20, was not chosen at random. It was on this day in 2015 that the concrete of the new terminal at Donetsk Airport could not withstand heavy shelling and explosions, but the people—Ukrainian soldiers, volunteers, medics, and volunteers—stood their ground. Since 2022, by joint order of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, this date has been officially established as the Day of Honoring the Defenders of Donetsk Airport. The feat of the "cyborgs" was linked to the Heroes of Kruty, who are now sometimes called the "first cyborgs" in Ukrainian history.
The interactive meeting was not just a chronicle of events, but a joint journey through those hellish days and nights. Participants recalled the names of heroes, key moments, losses, and victories. A special highlight of the event was an interactive quiz on the Kahoot! platform, in which young people competed in their knowledge of the defense of Donetsk Airport, the exploits of the "cyborgs," the chronology of events, and the symbolism of this heroic confrontation. Thanks to the interactive game, participants not only tested their knowledge, but also had a lot of fun, united around a shared history, and once again felt pride in Ukraine's indomitable defenders.
Through dialogue, memories, and games, the youth of Donetsk region had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of why the memory of the airport's defenders remains important today. It is this memory that inspires the new generation to be as unbreakable as those who defended Donetsk airport. The feat of the "cyborgs" is not only a page in history, but also an eternal example of courage, unity, and love for their native land.