March 2, 2025, 9:26 a.m.
(PHOTOS: Suspilne)
On March 1, Mykolaiv hosted events dedicated to honoring the memory of military officer, poet and public figure Hlib Babich. The event was attended by representatives of the NGO Solidarity Cause of Communities, of which he was a member, as well as former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and his wife.
This was reported by the online publication Suspilne.
A new edition of Hlib Babich 's poetry collection "Poems and Songs" was presented at the regional universal scientific library. Director of the Bilka Publishing House Iryna Bilotserkovska noted that during his lifetime, the poet planned to translate some of his works from Russian into Ukrainian.
"So after his death, we wanted to do this for him and his family. We made this translation, which was personally approved by his daughter," Bilotserkivska said.
"The first edition of the book was 5,000 copies. Residents of the city emphasized the importance of such initiatives.
The event was also attended by Petro Poroshenko, who recalled his first meeting with Hlib Babich. According to him, they met when he was already president and Babich was a unit commander. The former president also expressed confidence that the poet's figure will remain forever in the history of Ukraine.
In addition to the book presentation, Mykolaiv also commemorated the hero with another initiative. On the street named in his honor, 84 new address plates were installed. Antonina Buzilo, chairman of the board of the Solidarity Cause of Communities NGO, said that this action was a kind of gift for the poet's birthday.
Vasyl, a resident of Mykolaiv, said that back in 2024 he ordered a plaque with the new name for his house, and only later did he find out who the man was and what he had done for Mykolaiv.
On March 2, Hlib Babich would have turned 56 years old. He died in July 2022 while performing a combat mission in the Kharkiv region.
Hlib Babich was a Mykolaiv poet, musician, and author of more than half a thousand songs and poems. He took part in the ATO, and with the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, he again stood up for Ukraine by joining the territorial defense. He began writing poetry as a child, but only one book was published during his lifetime. Born on March 2, 1969, in Mykolaiv, he studied at gymnasium No. 2 with advanced English language studies, and in his school days he formed a musical group and performed at school events.
Mykolaiv residents remember him as a talented musician, author of songs about the Russian-Ukrainian war, and founder of a recording studio where famous artists worked. His lyrics became hits, including for the band Kozak System. After Babich 's death at the front, the public initiated the renaming of a street in Mykolaiv in his honor.
Анна Бальчінос