A new book dedicated to the memory of Victor Ivanovych Hvozd

The original collection entitled “Frankly About Intelligence and More” was published almost on the eve of the second anniversary of the death of its author — Victor Hvozd — a professional intelligence officer, Lieutenant General, well-known expert on national security, defense and intelligence, Doctor of Military Sciences, Chief of the two main Ukrainian intelligence agencies — the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (2008–2010) and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (2014–2016). Victor Hvozd was also the founder of the Independent Analytical Center for Geopolitical Studies “Borysfen Intel”, whose employees took up the preparation of this collection, which included almost all public speeches and publications of Victor Hvozd, which in one way or another are related to intelligence activity. These are, in particular, his articles in Ukrainian and foreign print media, Internet publications, speeches on TV and expert forums, on radio broadcasts. Their main theme is the geopolitical situation in the world, which determines the place of Ukraine today, as well as the reasons for recent developments, and concrete proposals for defending our national interests and state security.

Victor Hvozd had always raised the topic of reforming our intelligence structures, which he considered important today, when it is necessary to fulfill extremely complex tasks of state-building. Accepting an invitation to speak on television or radio, Victor Hvozd set a condition: he would state his position on the organization of intelligence activities. Yes, he was convinced that intelligence should be outside politics, especially it should not be used privately, no matter how much some of those in power wanted it to be.

The book also contains the author’s reflections on the historical retrospective and parallels with the present, views on our state’s relationships with many countries of the world, on the processes of education of the younger generation of Ukrainians, etc.

By the way, on the pages of the book, readers will find QR codes with which they can directly listen on YouTube Victor Hvozd’s speeches in TV or radio studios. To make it more convenient, we have compiled the content of such programs, and in many cases for their individual parts we also have prepared interview transcripts.

It should be noted that in his speeches, articles, interviews or lectures Victor Hvozd always tried to be frank, and called all things by their proper names. As it happened, for example, in an interview in 2014, immediately after the events on the Maidan, when the people were able to remove the criminal leadership from power and began to build state structures as it should be done in a democratic state.

In a word, the publication of this book is an extraordinary event, especially for those who were somehow related to intelligence activities. In general, we promise: whoever picks up this collection will not just learn a lot about current events, but will really think about them.

The book, prepared by the team of the Independent Analytical Center for Geopolitical Studies “Borysfen Intel”, is a respectful memory of Victor Ivanovych Hvozd, our Chief, Comrade and Colleague, and is dedicated to his blessed memory.