Former CIA chief covers tuition fee for son of fallen Ukrainian soldier

The Kyiv-American University (AUK) campus hosted a meeting of students, friends, and partners of the university with General David Petraeus, a leading global security expert and a great friend of Ukraine, last week.

The former CIA Chief General Petraeus has over 37 years of experience in the US military, including commanding the International Joint Forces in Iraq, serving as Chairman of US Central Command, and Commander of the Joint Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. During the event, General Petraeus shared his views on Ukraine's success in its new stage of war against Russia.

We are extremely grateful to General David Petraeus not only for his vision, but also for his generous support of the UCLA Scholarship Fund for Children of Fallen Heroes. The Fund was created at the initiative of the ALC President Dan Rice to provide children of fallen heroes with an opportunity to receive a quality American higher education in Ukraine. General Petraeus fully covered the tuition fee and also became a mentor for Arsen Snitsar, the student and son of a fallen hero, the university's press service said.

Arsen's father Oleh is one of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who were killed in action on the battlefield during Russia's full-scale war.

During the event, Major General Vladyslav Klochkov, head of the Main Department of Moral and Psychological Support of Ukrainian forces, presented Arsen with the Medal of Valor posthumously bestowed on his father.

When presenting the medal, David Petraeus emphasized: "We have a great moral obligation to take care of the children of fallen patriots. The best way to ease the burden of war for their families is to give their sons and daughters the opportunity to get a quality education. I am sure that this is exactly what their fallen parents would have wanted."

The university continues to consistently support children of fallen veterans of the war in Ukraine and their families by providing them with access to American-based higher education.