It was the boy's 14th birthday and it was an important day in the life of the young man. They had the party, the presents, all the family talked about this day and then it was time. The father came downstairs with an ornately carved wooden box. Alongside him was his father, the boy's paternal grandfather, and you could see in his eyes how special this occasion was for them. The extended family grew silent as the presentation was made. The boy, now considered to be a man, reached out and opened the box. Inside was a well-worn but serviceable AK-47. The stock was dinged in many places, the bluing on the metal was worn through in places, and there were singes of makeshift repairs to the weapon. The young man looked up and his father began to tell the story of Boris Semtrov, the young man's great grandfather or pradid.
In 2022, the Russians came to our country. We were not ready. We had believed the lies of the Clinton and Putin. We gave up our missiles. Putin came for us and our land. Your pradid was only a boy of 14 in that winter. His father was a policeman. He told his family to leave the country and go to Poland. Boris refused his father and went to the town center where they gave him a weapon, this weapon. For the next three years your pradid fought the Russians and he killed many. He was wounded three times, his father was captured and executed by Putin but Boris fought on. After three years the Russians retreated back to their own country beaten be Ukrainian patriots.
Your pradid was selected to represent his area when a new government was formed as he was highly regarded as a battlefield commander. He was not even 20 years old. He met personally with the American President Trump whose support had made victory possible for Ukraine. Russia had also failed in Finland and Sweden. Ukraine adopted a constitution like that of the United States to guarantee the rights of the people. There, in a place of honor, was the second amendment of the Ukrainian Bill of Rights; the right to keep and bear arms!
Many, like your pradid, refused to give up their weapons when the conflict ended. They had learned a hard lesson about being ready. That government, the old one, had tried to take the weapons back but rapidly found little support among the people. Many left government. Boris became an important man and when his son became 14 years old, this rifle was given to him to cherish and he gave it to me on my 14th birthday as I am giving it to you my son. This is a symbol of our freedom. Never let anyone take it away from you or feel guilty if they try to shame you for having a weapon of war. It is a weapon of war and it was used gain our freedom. Tell your son this story when he comes of age and pass this on to him.
Z dnem narodzhennya miy shin