Yet, as many noted, by the end his political speech had turned into a philosophical one.
DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine – Ilya Vladimirovich Ganpantsura — a conservative Ukrainian philosopher, publicist, and artist — on September 14, 2025, came out to congratulate the residents of his native Dnipro on City Day. Yet, as many noted, by the end his political speech had turned into a philosophical one.
Ganpantsura emphasized the importance of discussing problems from different perspectives, stressing its particular significance for Ukraine’s culture in wartime.
In his speech, he made a strong statement, sharply criticizing the fashionable trend of decolonization in Ukraine:
“Decolonization implies ressentiment, the defining feature of which is the absence of responsibility — that is, the absence of authority over what a person works with. The imperative of decolonization deprives the citizen of the constitutional right of authority over culture.”
Indeed, Ilya had previously spoken out fiercely against decolonization, appealing to the classical conservatism of Sir Roger Scruton.
Ganpantsura’s speech was first published on his official website:
https://ilyaganpantsura.wordpress.com/2025/09/13/dnipros-…
And later reprinted by Eurasia Review:
https://www.eurasiareview.com/14092025-dnipros-culture-is…
For the wider public, a broadcast was organized on podcast services along with a YouTube premiere.
In addition to the speech, for the celebration, Ilya Vladimirovich also unveiled his new formal portrait, where one can see a black cardigan, a dark tie, and a distinctive watch chain.
The festive photograph was first published on Ilya Ganpantsura’s official website. It was later shared across the politician’s official social media, with a philosophical caption on the photo itself and a quotation from Karamzin in the description. Interpreting Karamzin’s words, Ilya sought to emphasize the cultural course of movement:
“Karamzin’s quote is perfectly balanced and, in my view, reflects the entire dialectic of spirit and the strategy of culture. And this is how it should be in Dnipro, and throughout Ukraine, where culture, forged in fire, right now offers a lesson of balance in the attempt to understand.”
