Ukrainians see that even the so-called liberal Russians are not against the war in Ukraine, they just do not like that this war is a failure and worsens their lives.
“It was five o'clock in the morning, and we were still sitting in the casino. Our hotel in Lviv filled the basement with card tables, slot machines and roulettes, which my friend and I were sitting at, waiting for the end of the morning air alarm. On the first night, we discussed the absurdity of the situation. Now tired of another sleepless night, we silently watched the news on a huge flat screen. In the best of times, this TV showed races, football, boxing, any other competition that people could bet money on, ” Eliot Ackermann wrote in his article for TIME.
At one point, Maria Ovsyannikova , a Russian journalist who interrupted a news program on a state channel and staged a protest against the war in Ukraine, was recalled on television. An hour later, three or four TV channels remembered her action. But the app on the phone reported an air alarm stop. The hotel guests slowly climbed the stairs to their rooms.
Among them was Matt , an entrepreneur who opened businesses in Turkey, Syria and Afghanistan and recently graduated from the Jenson Institute of International Affairs at Yale University. At one time during the Iraq war, he traveled from Germany to the war-torn country to deliver oars to an Iraqi rowing team. Farsi-speaking, he also studied at Tehran University but did not complete the course. Because the Iranian government accused him of espionage and sent him to prison for 41 days.
After an air raid, Matt invited the author to meet with IT entrepreneur Andrei . The Ukrainian looked exhausted. As a father with a baby, he counted the days from the last time he slept normally at night. After ordering coffee, the company sat down at a table in a cafe near the hotel. During the conversation, Matt, who speaks Russian well, admitted that he was afraid to order in Ukrainian, which he knew worse. Russian words can slip through. With blond hair and blue eyes, Matt could easily be mistaken for a Russian. And this is dangerous at a time when Ukrainians are hunting for Russian saboteurs. His fear was understandable.
If you have problems, just say, “Palyanitsa.” Whoever disturbs you will leave you alone, ”Andrei advised.
He repeated the word slowly, pronouncing each sound clearly. The Ukrainian businessman explained that the correct pronunciation of the word will always be a problem for those who speak only Russian all their lives. The author of the article and his friend Matt tried to say the word over and over, but in vain.
“It's probably better for you guys to speak English,” Andrei said.
When asked what “palyanitsa” is, he answered that it is such a delicious Ukrainian bread. Ackermann laughed, but it didn't seem funny to Andrei. The American journalist apologized, explaining that he found this method of detecting Russian saboteurs ridiculous. Also, some Russians seem to support the Ukrainian people. Such approaches can be counterproductive. In confirmation of his version, Ackerman recalled Maria Ovsyannikova and her actions during the news release.
– Do you consider her a heroine? – Andrew interrupted him.
“I think she's brave,” the journalist replied.
“She was fined 30,000 rubles. That's less than $ 300. Then she was released immediately. And should we really applaud her, despite the fact that a few days ago she calmly spread propaganda while Russia was at war? ”The Ukrainian explained.
Ackermann tried to argue that the war lasted only a few weeks. And some people need time to find their conscience. But this angered Andrei even more.
“Really? A few weeks? Don't forget, this war continues when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, or at least since the invasion of Donbass. It takes eight years to find a conscience?” He said.
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The author realized that the narrative that defines Ukrainians and Russians as victims of Putin 's war frees Russian citizens from decades of complicity.
“I am sick of stories in the media that pity liberal Russian immigrants. They fled to Helsinki or Istanbul to continue working remotely and mourn the devaluation of the ruble. Their complaints are always about the fact that they have no future in authoritarian Russia, and not about the genocide taking place in Ukraine. They say, “Stop the war.” They do not say: “Save Ukraine”. They would be happy if Russia annexed Ukraine. They are against the method of this annexation, against the war that made them pariahs. The end of Ukraine suits them, as did Crimea, Georgia and Chechnya. Did any of them leave Russia after these successful invasions? No, of course. They are against the failed war, not for Ukraine. That's the difference, “said the Ukrainian businessman.
The atmosphere became tense. “Burner,” Matt said, trying his best. Andrei smiled and told his friend that “he is already doing better.” The next morning, Ackermann and Matt sat roulette in the basement again, waiting for the air attack to end. The previous attack hit Lviv airport . So, thinking about where the rocket would fall today, Ackermann remembered the word “genocide”, which Andrew used in conversation.
“I have always been taught that people living under autocratic regimes are definitely not enemies. The enemy is the regime itself. This theory seems to underlie the West's sanctions strategy. It aims to create internal pressure on Putin and possibly separate the Russian people from him. The whole Western strategy is based on two variables: supporting the Ukrainian people in battle and helping the Russian people resist Putin. If any of this fails, the people of Ukraine will fall victim to genocide. This term is often exaggerated. But his definition corresponds to the situation: “Deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political or cultural group.” Putin has never hidden his desire to “solve the Ukrainian issue,” the article said.
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This summer, he wrote a huge essay published by the Kremlin denying the very existence of Ukrainian nationality . He claimed that the Russians and the Ukrainians were “one people,” that is, the Russian people. And if Putin organizes genocide, do ordinary Russians act as accomplices? Although polls in Russia are not very credible, many independent studies have found that a strong majority of Russians support the war against Ukraine. If the support for the war is great, does this make the whole Western strategy based on internal pressure in Russia erroneous?
“In a conflict already reminiscent of World War II, we seem to be deliberately projecting our sentiments on the Russian people. In order for Ukraine and the Western liberal order to win this war, we probably need to treat Russia as Germany in the 1940s, ”the article reads.
The Americans and the West are more inclined to separate the Russian people from the regime that represents them than the Ukrainians, whose resistance to Russia remains extremely stable after eight years of war. The vast majority in Ukraine is still against any territorial concessions, including Crimea and Donbass . And if the lessons of businessman Andrei about the correct pronunciation of “rusni-pyzda” do not convince in the Ukrainian mood, you can just walk around Lviv and look at the exchangers. Opposite the ruble, some zeros. So he is not needed here.
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The next morning, Ackerman and Matt were waiting at Yaroslav Hrytsak , a history professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University, at the Vienna Coffee Shop in Lviv. When he arrived, he sat down in his chair, as if preparing for a lecture.
“This is the oldest cafe in Lviv,” he said, raising his index finger to his nose. – It is worth noting that the oldest cafe in Lviv is called Vienna, and the oldest cafe in Vienna is called “Lviv Cafe”. This is a very good first lesson in the politics and culture of Eastern Europe. “
Gritsak, like Andrei, does not believe in the possibility of separating the war in Ukraine from the Russian people. When asked to explain why he looked out from behind his glasses and exhaled, it was as if his interlocutor had run into a movie theater in the last 15 minutes of the film and asked what he was talking about.
“No one understands Russian identity better than Ukrainians. You see, Russia's identity is spiritual, in it Russia is considered the savior of the world, “the historian said patiently.
Asked why Russia wants to save the world, Gritsak said: “From the West, of course. Right now, Putin is not fighting against Ukraine. Remember, he is fighting Nazis and Nazism, which are synonymous with the West. In Putin's imagination, Ukraine does not exist. This is a fiction, a creation of the West, which he must destroy. From Napoleon to Hitler, Russia has always been the savior of the world from the West and its rational fascist leanings. Russia defeated Napoleon, she defeated Hitler. And Putin will defeat Obama and Biden. “
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“Obama? He's not even in office, ”Matt wondered.
“As I said, this is not a logical war, but a spiritual one. For more than 500 years, there have been many attempts to liberate Russian society. Each of these attempts was thwarted by a brutal autocrat. Why do Russians choose not to be free? The answer in Russian culture. If Russia is truly the savior of the world, it means that its suffering is important, that this suffering is synonymous with piety. That is why sanctions will not work. Is it possible to persuade a Christian to renounce the faith by making him suffer? Of course not, his suffering will only bring him closer to God. There were periods of freedom in Russia. But she always returns to a state of suffering. It is important to understand that it was not Putin who seized Russia, but Russia who surrendered to Putin. And Putin used Russia's history of suffering to consolidate his power, “Gritsak explained.
“This city was Austro-Hungarian, Polish and Russian. The Poles have particularly serious claims against Lviv. But their culture is not the same as that of the Russians. They are able to rethink the past while Russian culture tends to repeat it. In the first case, it is akin to driving a car with a small rear view window that you can peek into. In the second, it's like driving with a windshield completely covered with mud. And all you can do is keep looking in the rear window, ”he added, putting his hands on his chest.
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According to Gritsak, World War III has already begun . Russia, like Germany after World War I, suffered a humiliating defeat at the end of the Cold War. He compared the Russian government of the 1990s to the Weimar government. Putin, like Hitler, took advantage of historical discontent, distorted the facts, turned it into politics, and sold it to the Russians, taking advantage of their disappointment. All this to convince them of the need to free Ukrainians from the “Nazi” government led by a Jewish president.
“We don't like it when people who kill us call us brothers,” Gritsak said.
He added that the Russians had “concluded an agreement” with Putin, as with any despot in its history. They allowed him to take away their freedom, but he must give them “glory.”
In the afternoon of the same day, Andrei arranged for the author to meet with political adviser Melania Podoliak , who now runs a warehouse filled with aid for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines. Sitting at a table with a journalist, she flipped through photos on the phone with sniper optics, tactical vests, personal protective equipment. She was then sent a video of a six-wheeled truck hauling a howitzer to the firing position.
“I bought this truck,” she said proudly.
A fair-haired, petite woman in tea-sized glasses leaned over the table and said, “Let me ask you a question. How many Ukrainian-language schools exist in Russia? ” When the author answered zero, she confirmed that this was the case. And then she reminded of the situation with Vladimir Senishin , who was trying to open such a school in Tula. It all ended with his murder near his house on a well-lit street. The cause of death – a broken skull, stab wounds in the right temple, penetrating facial injuries. Police have not found the killers. Shortly afterwards, his wife, Natalia Kovaleva , a member of the Ukrainians in Russia organization, was also beaten so badly that she was taken to the intensive care unit. And in this case, too, the culprits were not found.
“All this happened not last year or after the second Maidan in 2013, but back in 2006,” Podoliak said. – The reason why Russians are here is because we successfully achieved our freedoms after the Maidan in 2013. They hate us for it, “she added.
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And what about the possibilities of the Russian Maidan, acts of resistance like Ovsyannikova's action? And what about opposition leader Alexei Navalny ? Doesn't it matter?
“Bulk!” Podoliak said, posting on Twitter. In it, Navalny wrote that it is one thing if Putin kills peaceful Ukrainians and destroys critical infrastructure for the approval of Russians. And quite another, if the bloody adventure does not enjoy the support of society. Podoliak asked the journalist to look at the comments under the message. Navalny understands that every day of Russian silence is a catastrophe. And not for the Ukrainian victims, whom the Russians do not care, but for Russia. Podoliak's distrust of Navalny stems from the fact that he is also a Russian nationalist. And it may be that the opposition is even worse than Putin. Because the West praises him and closes his eyes if he opposes Ukraine. The journalist again mentioned Ovsyannikova's action.
“And what? The propagandist came to television with a poster and should we thank her? “She worked on the First Channel for 8 years… 8 years!” Podoliak stressed.
“Look, I know it sounds harsh. Maybe you can't understand this or you think I'm offended by the Russians or even unfair to them. What I feel about Russians is not hatred, it is indifference. I am indifferent to their suffering. And I think the world should treat them the same way. But you're American, so maybe you don't understand. In your country, life is a pursuit of happiness. We don't live like that here. Our life is about survival. It has always been so. And one country is to blame for this, “she explained.
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