Leave it to us to hate
The column of Svidomi CEO, Anastasiia Bakulina
Most Ukrainians did not believe in the beginning of a full-scale offensive. Then, finally, on February 24, we woke up to sirens and explosions. The whole world was amazed by the courage of the Ukrainian people, including the military, and then I thought: "Finally, you will understand us!".
The war in Ukraine is now in its ninth year, yet the world continues to tolerate Russians, award them prizes, and romanticise them in pop culture. I sincerely believed that a full-scale offensive would change the situation, and the world would declare a boycott of the Russians. But in April, Ukrainians proved that a Ukrainian and a Russian could not carry the same cross together as a symbol of peace [in April, a Ukrainian and a Russian woman living in Italy carried a cross together during the Easter procession in the Vatican. According to the Vatican, it symbolised the reconciliation of peoples - editor's note].
The world did not hear us. Instead, it looked at us as someone who was not balanced. During such discussions, you can see the question running like a red thread: "Why do you hate ordinary Russians so much? After all, Putin started the war." So I will try to explain.
My friend's grandfather was a soldier of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Ukrayinska Povstanska Armiia) who served time in a Soviet camp for his activities. My school is named after the poet Vasyl Stus, who was imprisoned and killed by the Soviet authorities for his actions. Every fourth Saturday in November, I light a candle in memory of those who died of starvation in the 1930s. On May 18, I lit a candle again in memory of the deported and starved Crimean Tatars. All these events are linked to one criminal state — Russia.
During its existence, Russia has been an empire, a union, and a federation; it has changed several leaders. However, it has not changed its interest in capturing Ukraine.
Russia has been destroying Ukrainian culture for thousands of years. For example, in 1937, 1111 Ukrainian filmmakers, writers, scientists, and other elite members were shot in the Sandarmokh tract.
Ukrainians were forbidden to speak their native language, and all textbooks were ordered to be destroyed. Our ancestors experienced this during the Russian Empire and Stalin's rule, and we are living in temporarily occupied territories today.
In 1720, it was forbidden to print books in Ukrainian. In 1863, the Valuev Circular came out, banning the printing of Ukrainian-language religious and educational literature. In 1876, the empire issued the Ems Ukaz (Decree) prohibiting the printing and importation of Ukrainian literature from abroad. In 1914, Tsar Nicholas II abolished the Ukrainian press and banned Ukrainian prose. Stalin continued to ban the Ukrainian language, making its spelling closer to Russian and persecuting Ukrainian intellectuals.
With the collapse of the USSR, the policy toward Ukrainians changed somewhat (a Russian "democratic" state was formed, right?). After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukrainians wanted to separate from Russia, and we were given this illusion. Instead, the number of Russians in the information field increased, New Year's concerts became joint, and TV shows and movies were dubbed in Russian. Phrases about "fraternal peoples" were heard on the screens, and the Communist Party quietly existed in the Verkhovna Rada. I was born and raised at that time. And until I was 15, I had nothing against Russian songs or TV shows. And there was the Revolution of Dignity.
A month after the end of the Revolution, Russia stole the most precious thing from me - the place of my childhood. My Crimea. I remember watching the news and repeating to myself, "This can't be happening." I had the same thoughts when I saw a photo of the filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who was on the verge of death due to a hunger strike in a Russian prison.
Has Russia apologised for the crimes it has been committing for thousands of years? No. Has it paid reparations? No. Do Russians admit guilt for their country's policies? No.
The Russian-Ukrainian war has been going on for nine years. The Russians could have stopped this terror. But instead, they continue to consider us a "little brother," deny responsibility and do not want to let go of Ukraine.
Over the past year, Ukrainians have learned how the siren sounds, seen cities covered with tortured people's bodies and the return of soldiers exhausted by hunger and torture. Our hatred for Russians is growing every day. We have a right to it. We owe our ancestors and must take revenge for them.
So leave it to us to hate.
