Gnat Korobko: "Ukraine’s strength lies not only in weapons, but in knowledge"

This month, Ukraine celebrated the Day of Defenders. After the start of a full-scale invasion, this holiday took on a deeper meaning: today almost every family is either fighting at the front or helping in the rear. For many Ukrainians, this is not just a day of historical memory — it is part of the reality we live in today.

At the same time, this holiday has ancient cultural roots: even our ancestors honored the defenders on the Feast of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God.

This year, just in time for the holiday, users gained access to the free course module "Znay svoyu Ukraïnu.Pokrova (Know Your Ukraine: Pokrova)", created by the Kolo Charitable Foundation, the Ivan Honchar Museum, and the EdEra platform, with support from benefactors. The course explores the history and traditions of the Pokrova holiday, which unites themes of Ukrainian warrior culture, traditional weddings, and the kobzar–lyrnyk (wandering minstrel) tradition.

The creation of the course involved not only educators, but also IT volunteers from the KOLO Foundation, as well as Ukrainian entrepreneurs and creative people.

We spoke with Gnat Korobko, a Ukrainian businessman and creative communications specialist who was directly involved in the development of the course. In addition to assisting the Armed Forces, it actively supports educational initiatives aimed at strengthening national unity through culture, tradition and language.

You have long been known as a specialist in the field of communications. Why did you decide to engage in education?

This is a very personal story for me. I was born in Mykolaiv, a city where Ukrainian culture and language only recently began to flourish. When I was a schoolboy, you could rarely hear the Ukrainian language on the street, and Ukrainian-language signs looked almost like a strange thing. Everything around was Russian-speaking.

However, even then, most Mykolaiv residents felt themselves to be Ukrainians. We know very well what happens after Russia comes. After the declaration of Ukraine’s independence, it made a lot of efforts to destroy the military-industrial potential of Mykolaiv. The bankruptcy of our shipbuilders has a clear Russian trail. Unfortunately, some Ukrainian politicians knowingly or unknowingly helped our enemy in this. Therefore, this is not an abstract story for us, but a bitter experience.

Today, many residents of Mykolaiv, although they speak Russian, are eager to learn the Ukrainian language and culture. That is why I support educational projects, such as the "Pokrova" course. This is part of the large initiative "Know Your Ukraine", which introduces children and adults to the main Ukrainian holidays — Christmas, Easter, Kupala and Pokrova.

The course can be interesting not only for people in different regions of Ukraine, but also for those who currently live abroad, but want to preserve their Ukrainian identity.

The first module is dedicated to the origins of the Feast of the Intercession (Pokrova) — from Kyivan Rus to modern times, its connection with Cossack traditions and liberation movements. The second stage reveals Ukrainian wedding customs — their symbolism, rites, and song heritage.

We want Ukrainian culture to be known and loved throughout the country. Because today, unfortunately, it is more characteristic of the Western regions. Instead of branding someone as a "traitor" or "rootless person", we need to teach, explain, and show the beauty of our culture. This is the only way to lay the foundation for true national unity — unity based on culture, traditions, and language.

"Culture is what unites us even when we are separated by thousands of kilometers. It is what keeps Ukrainians together."

Is this a motivation that arose after 2022?

No, even before the full-scale invasion, we supported translation and publication of the book From The Ukraine to Ukraine. It was created by the Kennan Institute, an American think tank at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The book covers the period from 1991 to 2021 and systematizes 30 years of Ukrainian independence.

This is a unique study that helps us take an honest look at the path we’ve taken: what we did right, where we missed opportunities, and why it happened the way it did. I wanted this book to become part of the Ukrainian intellectual discourse.

The presentation could not be held due to the beginning of the war, but I believe that this publication is the conclusion of an entire era, until February 24, 2022. Eventually, history is written by others — by our defenders, our volunteers, by everyone who sustains the nation day by day.

"We cannot afford to lose the cultural front. Because when knowledge, language, and memory are alive, the nation is invincible."

You mentioned volunteering. How did your cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine begin?

Back in 2016, my colleagues and I were approached by the command of the Ukrainian Ground Forces with a request to help improve communication with society. I saw two key needs.

The first was to motivate more people to voluntarily and consciously go to contract service. Because the more such people, the less need for forced mobilization.

The second was to tell Ukrainians about their defenders. The Ukrainian Ground Forces are the basis of our army, its numerical core. But at that time, little was known about them, and the media’s attention was often focused on other branches of the army.

I consider it unfair, so together with my colleagues on a volunteer basis, we prepared several social videos. They quickly became popular because they showed real Ukrainian soldiers — strong, honest, without artificial pathos.

Subsequently, we developed a communication strategy for the Ukrainian Ground Forces and helped them with consultations from time to time. And after February 24, 2022, I approached the General Staff of the Armed Forces with an offer of volunteer assistance.

What did you do in the first days of the invasion?

Tried to be as useful as possible. In the first days of the war, together with my colleagues, I managed to gather more than several hundred volunteers — political technologists, journalists, IT specialists, and PR specialists. At first, we focused on informing the world about Russia’s war crimes, with dozens of translators involved.

They also created an information network in messengers with coverage of more than seven million Ukrainians — mostly Russian-speaking residents of the Southern and Eastern regions. Its task was to counter enemy propaganda, fight disinformation, and crack down on fakes.

In addition, we helped document Russia’s war crimes within the framework of the Kharkiv Tribunal project. Nuremberg-2022″. Later, these functions were taken over by state and international structures, but we are glad that we were among those who stood at the origins of this initiative.

You actively support the Armed Forces, while at the same time investing in educational projects — from the course "Pokrova" to the publication of historical literature. How are communications for the defense of the country and investment in cultural heritage related?

These are two sides of the same strategy. The defense of the country requires physical strength, and its stability requires internal unity. It is not enough to simply drive out the enemy; we must have a solid foundation to build the state further.

"Businesses in Ukraine should not only create jobs, but also foster sense-making — by supporting education, culture, and science. This is a strategic investment in the state."

While working with the Army on communications, one of the key challenges was motivating people to make a conscious choice to serve under contract — and helping society better understand what our military truly stands for. That was tactical support.

But for strategic defense, we have to help people all over Ukraine to understand the common cultural basis. That is why I support such projects as "Know Your Ukraine". We do this to keep our shared identity alive — both at home and abroad. After all, supporting culture and education is an investment in our future.