The importance of strengthening sanctions against Russia

Why do Ukrainians refuse to participate in the same events with Russians?

Published

28.05.2024

Any events involving both Ukrainians and Russians, in fact, equalize the victim and the aggressor, create an illusion of reconciliation and promotes Russia’s narrative about the “fraternal” peoples, although Russians continue to wage the genocidal war. For this reason, most Ukrainians strongly refuse to participate in such events, and it is not only about emotions or offenses, but also about the fact that such platforms should be used to voice the calls for a just peace, and not for creating an illusion of reconciliation that is advantageous to Russia.

The war has deeply injured Ukrainians and they continue to experience its ravages while various organizations constantly try to call on us for a dialogue with Russians describing them as “good” ones because they “have left Russia” and “oppose the war.” Meanwhile, Russia continues to wage its genocidal war against Ukraine, and taking this into account such discussion platforms with the participation of both Ukrainians and Russians bring neither peace nor justice closer.

Russia is an aggressor, and Ukraine is a victim. We are in a priori different positions and this will not change as this war goes on. Any public events with the participation of Ukrainians and Russians only imitate a balance and reconciliation. Imposing this balance on Ukrainians is unacceptable as it blurs the line between the aggressor and the victim. For example, a rapist never has equal positions with his victim in court – he is on trial and she testifies for the prosecution. This is the only logical and fair distribution of roles.

In addition, such a dialogue feeds a Russian imperial narrative about the “fraternal peoples.” Russian imperialism has been always using it to conceal its encroachment on Ukraine, our history, culture and freedom. Russia is trying to convince everyone that reconciliation is needed because we were allegedly “simply torn apart.” But this is not true because there were a lot of wars between Ukrainians and Russians throughout our history, and they always broke out because Russians wanted to conquer us and we wanted freedom. Today’s war is not an exception.

Thus, Ukrainians rightly demand that public platforms be used not for pointless and harmful attempts to reconcile them with Russians but to demand justice for Ukraine. Reconciliation is only possible when the aggressor – Russia – suffers a military defeat and Ukraine gets justice.

Why do Ukrainians not want to take part in joint peace projects with Russians? (Don’t you want peace?)

Published

08.05.2024

Such projects legalize the aggressor state, equalize perception of the aggressor and its victim and consequently tolerate the idea of destroying Ukraine and Ukrainians. Russia uses such events to justify its aggressive actions and promote Russian propaganda’s untruthful narratives about “a neighborly dispute”, “fraternal peoples” and “a single nation.”

Ukrainians cannot implement joint projects with Russians as the war drags on. A call for Ukrainians and Russians to stay united while the latter are destroying Ukrainians is not only inappropriate but also unacceptable and toxic. In fact, it is a call for starting a dialogue with the murderer directly at the moment of killing the victim.

Any joint projects reaffirm Russia’s narratives about “a dispute between two neighbors,” “fraternal peoples,” and “a single nation.” By devaluing the full-scale invasion, Russia tries to present it for the international community as “a family squabble” or “a domestic regional conflict.” This is an attempt to tie the history of Ukraine to Russia by force and deny Ukrainian’s right to make their own historic choice. However, dozens of millions of Ukrainians (91%) reject the allegation of being “a single nation” with Russians. They clearly identify themselves as Ukrainians.

Ukraine takes part in the events which can have a real impact on changes in Russian society. Ukraine’s representatives participate in the summits of the enslaved peoples of Russia. Ukraine often on its own proposes to hold meetings of representatives of the peoples of Russia and other countries which have been oppressed by the Kremlin’s policy.

At the same time, Ukrainians do not take part in the forums organized by the Russian opposition as neither the opposition nor its events proved significantly effective. Also, the Russians involved in them have no influence on Russia’s agenda, even in theory. They are not involved in military struggle and do not organize at least any mass rallies in Russia. The latest Free Russia Forum in 2024 raised only EUR 50,000 at an auction for the needs of Russian volunteer detachments. Although there are wealthy Russians among the participants of the Forum, including millionaire Khodorkovsky.

What will happen to the global economy if Russia wins the war?

Published

01.04.2024

The cost of Russia’s victory for the international community will be much higher than the amount of aid that is being provided to Ukraine today. And the crisis will affect not only the defense complex.

The military-industrial complex will become a priority. If Russia prevails, the states will enter an arms race by increasing their defense budgets, which will mean higher taxes for citizens. Russia has announced many times its intention to seize the Baltic states, Poland, Romania and even the Czech Republic. In particular, Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev has numerous times called into question the sovereignty of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Moldova. Hence, the citizens of these countries will gain the most dramatic experience from transferring their economies on a war footing. In addition to militarization, the countries will have to mobilize their citizens whose supplies will fall on the shoulders of taxpayers.

Russia’s victory will inspire the sleeping dictatorships. Russia is one of the largest dictatorships in the world today, but there are others. In 2022, there were 59 dictatorship regimes in the world which could potentially create an alliance. This is guaranteed to result in global instability and insecurity for decades. On the contrary, Ukraine’s victory over one of the largest and most well-equipped armies of the world will mean victory of democracy over authoritarianism. It will also send a strong restraining message to other dictators. In particular, Ukraine’s victory could prevent China from invading Taiwan and entering into a confrontation with the United States, which would inevitably involve Europe into a war.

Russia’s victory will give it control over 25% of the entire grain market. Taking into account the strategy of the dictatorship, they will weaponize food. Ukrainian grain export is important for the countries of Africa, Middle East and South Asia. If the supply of Ukrainian grain is interrupted, people will face an increase in food prices and even hunger. In July 2023, Russia withdrew from a critically important grain deal and threatened all ships heading for Ukrainian ports, therefore food blackmail is a realistic scenario.

The world must help Ukraine to defeat Russia, otherwise the scale of the global economic crisis will be incommensurable.

What is wrong with Russian culture, and can a culture exist outside politics?

Published

30.07.2024

The culture of any country reflects the essential views and values of most of its population. And the promotion of its system of values in the world is the core of state policies. Thus, the culture and politics are indivisible.

Since olden times, Russia has been using its culture as a propaganda element to achieve its political goals – a kind of soft power. Russian writers have been cherishing the Russians’ arrogance towards other ethnic groups for centuries, making any people enslaved by Russia look like less educated, less civilized, meanwhile describing Russians as a unique and the only exclusively talented people.

Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Brodsky wrote Ukrainophobic pieces. Anastasia Levkova accurately described this in her book “There Is Land Behind Perekop”:

“What’s so wrong with Russian literature?” I asked Vlad. “You don’t understand, it justifies the criminal policy,” he said. “Does it? I think the opposite,” I argued, “It always resists the policies: Pushkin, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy – all of them opposed the government. Not to mention Solzhenitsyn, Brodsky, and Pasternak.” “You don’t understand,” Vlad insisted, “They might expose the government’s crimes, but they still poetize the people and its ‘mysterious soul’ which wants such a criminal authoritarian power. And, by the way, their government boasts of its literature and uses it to attract new admirers to the literature, the state, and the entire Russian world.”

The use of culture in the development of imperial ideology formed the basis of the aggression against Ukraine. Russian propaganda literally convinced the Russians that Kyiv is Moscow’s “periphery” and Ukraine’s independence is a mistake. The world has seen the consequences of such ideology in Bucha and Mariupol.

All countries can make mistakes at some stage, but they must admit them after some time so as to have a chance to start a new history. For example, after World War II, the German culture, which once allowed National Socialism, has gone through a serious process of repentance. And now Germany is a developed country with democratic values. This wave of tectonic shifts in social conscience after World War II passed by Russia and the Russian culture did not undergo any signs of evolution. Even on the contrary, for example, the Russians oppose such changes as demolition of monuments to Communist leaders. Thus, the Russian culture continues to promote chauvinism and imperialism.

Russian culture poses a direct threat to other peoples. You can be sure that if Russian pop stars regularly tour around your country, if your bookstores are packed with Russian publications, and if Russia organizes its festivals and performances in your country, then Russian tanks will also come soon. That is why, it is important for Russian culture fans to have a critical look at it instead of blindly admiring it.