The publication contains the memoirs of V. Kryzhanivskyi (born in 1940), an engineer, member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the first convocation, participant of the 1991 conference in Bialowieza Forest, the first Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (1991-1994), a public figure and a long-time expert on parliamentary regulations. The memoirs reveal the pages of his life, his environment and achievements, as well as demonstrate little-known facts of the post-Stalinist era in Ukraine. Along with the theme of the revival of Ukrainian statehood and the peculiarities of diplomatic work, the memoirs also highlight the theme of Russian imperialism, which inevitably had to lead to war with an independent Ukraine. The memoirs are intended for a wide readership: from researchers and journalists to diplomats, politicians, parliamentarians, and anyone interested in our recent past.