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andaHard
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UkraineBetweenaRock
andaHardPlace
by
ThegovernmentsoftheUnitedStatesandRussiaareattemptingtoshapeeventsinUkraineintheir
owninterests,notforthebenefitoftheUkrainianpeople.Ukrainianshavelongsufferedfrom
dominationbyMoscow,undertheRussianczarsandlaterintheSovietUnion,mosthorrifically
underStalin.WiththeendofCommunismintheSovietUnionandEasternEurope,millionshoped
forfreedomandanewbeginning.However,theUnitedStatesandWesternEuropeexploitedthe
collapseoftheSovietsystemtoexpandtheirownmilitaryandeconomicpower,extendingNATO
intoadozenformerlyCommunistnations(CzechRepublic,Hungary,Poland,Bulgaria,Estonia,
Latvia,Lithuania,Romania,Slovenia,Slovakia,Albania,andCroatia),and,theyhoped,into
UkraineandGeorgiaaswell.Equallydestructive,theWestattemptedtouseitseconomicheft,
shocktherapy,andinternationalfinancialinstitutionsliketheInternationalMonetaryFundand
theWorldBanktopushabrutalcapitalismonthepeopleoftheformerCommunistcountries.
Inlate2013massprotestseruptedinUkraineagainstthegovernmentofViktorYanukovych,
culminatinginhugedemonstrationsofhundredsofthousands.Despitehavingbeenelected,
Yanukovychwasarepressiveandgrotesquelycorruptrulerwholavisheduponhimselfobscene
privileges,includingavastpersonalcompoundfurnishedwithaspa,azoo,alargeboat,amassive
carcollection,andagoldentoilet(!),whiledefendingtheinterestsofthewealthyoligarchswho
supportedhisgovernment.
InJanuary2014,Yanukovychsignedaseriesofantidemocraticlawssimilartothosealready
imposedonRussiansunderVladimirPutin,whichsharplylimitedfreedomofspeechandassembly.
Asmassprotestsmounted,thegovernmentsentriotpoliceonFebruary18tobrutallyrepressthe
peopleinthestreets.Twodayslater,riotpoliceagainfoughtagainstprotesters,andthebattle
culminatedinsniperswhohadtakenpositionsonrooftopsshootingatdemonstrators.SomeMaidan
detractorshavearguedthatthesniperswereactuallydeployedbytheoppositiontocreatean
incidentthatwoulddiscreditthegovernment.Theevidenceforthistheoryisdubiousinanyevent,
thecorruption,repressiveness,andundemocraticrecordoftheYanukovichgovernmentare
indisputable,andgavemorethanadequatecausefortheuprising.

TheMaidanwasanexpressionofmassdiscontentthathadbeenbuildingforyears,andcannotbe
explainedawayassimplytheresultofafalseflagoperationoraplotbyWashingtonthoughwe
knowthattheUnitedStatesandotherWesterncountrieshaveworkedtotakeadvantageofpopular
dissatisfactionfortheirownpurposesandwilldoeverythingtheycantoseethattheradical
democraticpotentialoftheMaidandoesntcometofruition.Theywillbehelpedintheireffortsby
thefactthattheUkrainianleftandlabormovementsareveryweak,leavingavacuumtobefilled
byleaderswhoembracetheneoliberalausteritymeasurespromotedbytheUnitedStatesandthe
EuropeanUnion.ThesemeasureswillcausebittersufferingforthemassesofMaidanprotesters,
manyofwhomhavebeenundertheillusionthatjoiningtheEuropeanUnionwillbringthem
prosperityandadecentstandardofliving(anillusionheldaswellbymillionsinGreeceandother
southernEuropeancountriesuntilbitterexperiencehasbeguntoshowthemotherwise).Inaddition,
thoughthefarrightforcesofSvobodaandtheRightSectorwereonlyasmallportionofthe
protesters,theyplayedakeyroleinthephysicaldefenseoftheMaidanagainstviolentgovernment
attack.Todaythereareanumberoffarrightfiguresinthetemporarycoalitiongovernmentthatwas
hastilyconstitutedbyparliamentafterYanukovychleftKievitremainstobeseenwhetherthe
Ukrainianpeoplewillpermitthesedangerouselementstoremaininleadinggovernmentpositions.
AfterYanukovych
Onceinpower,thenewpostYanukovychgovernmenttookstepsthatwerecertaintomakethe
countryvulnerabletoRussianattemptstoundermineUkrainesindependence.First,parliament
passedalawrevokingthestatusofRussianthenativetongueof30to40percentofUkrainians
asanofficiallanguageinareaswhereRussianspeakersconstituted10percentormoreofthe
population.ThisreactionarylawwasquicklycanceledbythenewactingUkrainianpresident,

AleksandrTurchinov,whomusthavecometorealizethatitwouldsetoffanexplosivereaction.
Butthedamagehadbeendone,fosteringsuspicionandhostilitytowardthenewgovernment
amongmanyRussianspeakers,particularlyintheeasternandsouthernregionsofthecountry.
Compoundingthisdisastroussignalaboutlanguagerights,thenewgovernmentdeclaredfromthe
outsetthatitwouldadoptthecripplingeconomicmeasuresdemandedbytheEuropeanUnionand
Westernfinancialinstitutions.Consciousofhowhugelyunpopularthesocialcutsand
privatizationstheWestwasdemandingwouldbe,whenthenewprimeminister,ArsenyYatseniuk
(famouslyknownfamiliarlyasYatstoU.S.AssistantSecretaryofStateforEuropeanand
EurasianAffairsVictoriaNuland),announcedhisdeterminationtocarryoutharshausterity
measures,heconceded,eerily,thatdoingsowouldmeanthatUkrainewouldbeledbyasuicide
government.
TheRightsofLessPowerfulCountries
NATOwasanimperialmilitaryalliancefromitsinception,andwiththeendoftheSovietempireit
lostevenitsretrogradeColdWarrationaleforexistence.TheCampaignforPeaceandDemocracy,
ofwhichIamCoDirector,andantiwarmovementsaroundtheworldcalledforNATOtodissolve
after1989(betterlatethannever).Instead,NATOaggressivelyextendeditsreachintotheformer
Sovietorbit.Thisfact,however,doesnotjustifyRussiasinterferenceinthedomesticaffairsof
Ukraine:supportingalightningreferenduminCrimeaundertheshadowofRussiantroopsand
operativesordeclaring,asPutinhas,thateasternandsouthernUkraineareNovorossiya(or
NewRussia),signalingthatMoscowwouldbejustifiedinintervening,byforceifnecessary,to
defendRussianspeakersinthatregion.Powerfulcountrieshavenorighttoturnneighboring
nationsintobufferstatesbyinvokingsecurityasajustification.Whenrealorconcoctedsecurity
threatsareusedtojustifyimperialismbytheUnitedStates,Russia,oranyotherstrongmilitary
power,prospectsforpeaceanddemocracysufferaterribleblow.Ukrainiansfacecomplexand
pressingproblemsinestablishingjustanddemocraticstructuresintheircountry,buttheyneedto
workthroughthoseproblemswithoutimperialinterferencefromeithertheWestorRussia.The
negotiatingpartnersshouldbeeasternandwesternUkrainians,nottheUnitedStates,theEuropean
Union,orMoscow.
TheRussianannexationofCrimeaistobecondemnedbecauseoftheintimidatingwayinwhichit
wasachieved(andtheprecedentthatwasthussetforfutureintimidation),andbecauseofthefact
thatshortshriftwasgiventoconsideringtherightsofTatarsandUkrainianspeakers,whotogether
makeupathirdofCrimeaspopulation.Butthereisgoodreasontobelievethatthemajorityof
CrimeanswouldhavefreelyvotedtorejoinRussiainafairreferendum,anditseemsdoubtfulthat
CrimeawilleverreturntoUkraine.
However,accordingtorecentopinionpollsconductedbytheU.S.headquarteredPewResearch
CenterandtheKyivInternationalInstituteofSociology,thesituationineasternandsouthern
Ukraineseemsquitedifferent:thegreatmajorityofthepopulationintheseregionssaythattheyare
suspiciousoftheKievgovernmentandwantameasureofautonomytoprotecttheirregional
interests,butwishtoremainpartofUkraine.Arguablypeopleintheeastandsouthshouldhavethe
righttosecedeandbecomeindependentorintegratedintoRussiaiftheysodesire,buttheirviews
shouldbeexpressedinlegitimatevotesthatwilleitherconfirmordisconfirmtheopinionpolls,not
inhastyreferendumsconductedunderpressurefromunaccountablearmedgroupsandRussian
militaryintimidation.(TothosewhosaythatRussiahasntintervenedmilitarilyinUkraine,my
replyistwofold:1)therearemorethanlikelysecretRussianoperativesplayingaroleineastern
Ukraineand,inanycase2)eveniftheRussiantroopsmassedontheborderwithUkrainehavent
firedashot,theyarebeingusedasaweapontointimidatethepopulation.DanielEllsbergusesa
metaphortomakethispointinanothercontext:hehasoftensaidthatwhentheU.S.threatensto

usenuclearweapons,itisinfactusingthem,justassomeonewhopointsagunatsomeoneshead
inthemidstofaconfrontationisusingthatgunwhetherornotheactuallyfiresit.)
ApeacefulresolutionoftheUkrainiancrisiswilldoubtlessneedtoinvolvesomekindof
significantlydecentralizedstructureforthecountry,thoughtheextentofregionalautonomy
remainstobenegotiatedinhardbargainingbytherepresentativesofbothsides.However,ahuge
obstacletodemocraticbargainingisthepresenceofultranationalistandfarrightelementsonboth
sides.
UltraNationalistsandtheFarRight
ThefarrightpresenceinthenewKievgovernmenthasbeenbarelymentionedinthemainstream
pressintheUnitedStates,butitissignificantandverytroubling,evenifitspositioninaruling
coalitionissubjecttochangeinthenearfuture.Fornow,thefarrightSvobodaPartyholds
importantpositions:SvobodasOleksandrSychisdeputyprimeminister,thepartysIhorShvaikis
agricultureminister,andAndriyMokhnykisecologyminister,whileformerSvobodaMPOleg
Mokhnytskyrunsthegeneralprosecutorsoffice.(ForSvobodasstatedprinciples,seetheAll
UkrainianUnionSvobodaprogramProgramfortheProtectionofUkrainians.1)Svoboda
deniesthatitisfascist,andhasgonetosomelengthstodistanceitsreputationfromitsneonazi
originsandpresentitselfassimplyarightwingnationalistparty.HoweverSvobodasracistand
fascisticcolorationpersists:in2004,SvobodaleaderOlehTyahnybokgaveaspeechcallingfor
UkrainianstofightagainstaMuscoviteJewishmafia,2andcelebratedtheOrganizationof
UkrainianNationalistsforhavingfoughtMoscovites,Germans,Jewsandotherscumwhowanted
totakeawayourUkrainianstate.3In2012ahighlevelSvobodamember,YuriSirotyuk,charged
thattheselectionofpopstarGaitana,whowasborninUkrainetoaCongolesefatherandUkrainian
mother,wasabadchoicetorepresentthecountryintheEurovisionsongcontestbecauseshewas
notauthenticallyUkrainian.ItlookslikewedontwanttoshowourfaceandUkrainewillbe
associatedwithadifferentcontinent,somewhereinAfrica.4Observersdisagreeaboutwhether
Svobodaisproperlycategorizedasneofascist(Ibelieveitis),butthereisnodoubtthatitisdeeply
reactionary.
[Authorsnote,May27:ThisarticlewaswrittenbeforetheMay25elections.Electionresults
indicatethat,fornowatleast,thefarrighthasverylittlepopularsupport.AstheRussiannews
serviceRTconcededaboutthepresidentialexitpolls,Ultrarightradicalnationalistsappearedto
havecompletelyfailedintheelections,withSvoboda(Freedom)PartyheadOlegTyagnibok
securing1.17percentofthevoteandRightSectorleaderDmitryYaroshlessthanonepercent.5
Atthetimeofwritingthisnote,finalvotingresultshavenotbeenconfirmed,buttheyaredescribed
asapproximatingtheseverylowfigures.IntheKievmayoralelection,Svobodamayhavefared
somewhatbetter,thoughstillnotwell:with40percentoftheballotscounted,thepartyscandidate
received6.45percentofthevote.6]
AlthoughastrongcasecanbemadethatSvobodaisindeedneofascist,regardlessofhowone
characterizestheparty,UkraineisnttodayafasciststatenonfascistneoliberalpartiesandPrime
MinisterArseniyYatseniuk[and,afterMay25,PetroPoroshenko]leadthegovernmentandfascist
measureshavenotbeencarriedout.Butitisanominoussignthatreactionaryelementslike
Svobodahavebeenlegitimizedwithgovernmentposts.Intheabsenceofasuccessfulleft
alternative,neoliberalausteritymeasuresarelikelytostrengthenneofascistandfarrightforcesa
dynamicwehaveseeninotherpartsofEurope,forexamplewiththeriseofGoldenDawnin
GreeceandtheFrontNationalinFrance.Recentstepstakenbythenewgovernmentgivea
foretasteoftheirplans:gaspriceshavebeenraisedby56percentandithasbeenannouncedthat

25,000civilservantsaretobelaidoffandchildsubsidiescut.
UltranationalistandfarrightelementsalsoplayasignificantroleontheproRussianside.For
example,asTashShifrinnotesonherDreamDeferredwebsite,TheDonbassPeoplesMilitiais
ledbyPavelGubarevaformermemberoffascistparamilitaryorganisation,RussianNational
UnityandoftheProgressiveSocialistPartyofUkraine,whichdespiteitsnameisalliedwiththe
EurasianYouthUnionlinkedtoinfluentialRussianfascistAleksandrDugin.7Inhisarticleonthe
anarchistleaningwebsitetahriricn,LaurentMoerireportsthatthereisverydisturbinginformation
aboutChetnikshavingbeeninvitedtojoinRussiansfightingtogetherwiththeCossackWolves
(theWolvesareaparamilitaryorganizationknownfortheirruthlessnessandhaveengagedin
combatinChechnyaaswellasinGeorgia).8AndinApril2014,AleksandrIvanovSukharevsky,
leaderoftheRussianneoNaziPeoplesNationalParty,addressedtheproRussianforcesinSouth
EasternUkrainegivingthemhisfullsupport(cited,withaphotoofSukharevskyspeakingthissite
showsmanyotherexamplesoffarrightelementsamongtheproRussianforces9).
WithinRussia,VladimirPutinhasusedtheUkrainianconflicttofosterultranationalistsentiments
thatbuttresstheincreasingauthoritarianismofhisgovernment,whichismarkedbyhyper
patriotism,harshantiprotestlaws,repressionofjournalists,viciousdiscriminationagainstgays,
andanunholyalliancewiththeRussianOrthodoxChurchthatwesawondisplayinthecruel
persecutionofPussyRiot.Itsnosurprise,then,thatPutinandtheRussiangovernmentarepraised
byfarrightforcesthroughoutEurope,includingHungarysneoNaziJobbikparty,theBritish
NationalParty,GoldenDawninGreece,theItalianFronteNazionale,andMarineLePensFrench
FrontNational.(Ironically,SvobodahadobserverstatuswiththeultranationalistAllianceof
EuropeanNationalMovementsuntilMarchofthisyear,leavingonlyafterleadersoftheAlliance
endorsedtheannexationofCrimeabyRussia.)InsideCrimea,therepressiveconsequencesofbeing
broughtintoMoscowsorbitareillustratedbythe(failed)attempttobanthismonthsTatar
commemorationofthe70thanniversaryofthedaythemassdeportationoftheirfamiliesbegan
undertheordersofJosefStalin,andthecancellationoftheGayPrideparadescheduledforApril
2223inlightoftheRussianlawbanninggaypropaganda.10
MuchhastobedonetorealizethedemocraticpromiseoftheMaidanuprising.Forstarters,the
UkrainianpeopleneedtoinsistthatSvobodaberemovedfromthegoverningcoalition,andthatthe
KievgovernmentrepudiateitsdeadlydealwiththeEUandtheIMF.Butbeyondthesefirst
necessarysteps,ordinaryUkrainiansacrossthecountrydesperatelyneedtocreateademocraticleft
movement,withmembercontrolledunions11andpoliticalpartiesthatcanrepresentthem.They
neednewradicalandsocialistpartiesthatcantakemajorenterprisesoutofthehandsofthe
oligarchswhodominatewestern,eastern,andsouthernUkraine,nationalizethem,andplacethem
underthedemocraticcontrolofworkersandthelargersociety.Theyneedpartiesthatcanbuildan
independentUkraineunalignedwitheitherNATOorRussia,outsideoftheGermandominated
EuropeanUnionandtheRussiandominatedEurasianEconomicUnion,andfreetodevelop
unrestrictedtraderelationshipswithallcountries.
Ukrainiansneedaninternationalenvironmentthatnourishesratherthanthwartsdemocracyintheir
country,andthatswherewecanhelp.WecanexpressoursolidaritywiththeUkrainianpeopleby
demandingthatRussiapermanentlywithdrawitstroopsfromtheUkrainianborderandcease
makinginterventionistthreats,andthattheWestceaseitsescalatingmilitarypresenceinEurope,
movetodismantleNATO,andwithdrawitsdemandsforprivatizationandausterity.Wecancall
foraidwithoutimperialstringstoUkraineandothercountriesineconomiccrisis.Insupportingthe
Ukrainians,wearehelpingourselves.Afterall,weallneedawayoutofthecruelworldour
mastershavemade.

May20,2014
ReadersmayalsobeinterestedinseeingtheCampaignforPeaceandDemocracysMarch10,2014
statementOpposeNATO,RussianInterventioninCrimea,andtheIMF."
1.FindSvoboda'swebsitehere.
2.DavidStern,Svoboda:TheRiseofUkrainesultranationalists.
3.CitedinPerAndersRudling,RuthWodak,andJohnE.Richardson,eds.,TheReturnofthe
UkrainianFarRight:TheCaseofVOSvoboda(Routledge,2013),229247.
4.MariaDanilova,Ukrainianpartyaccusedofracisminpopscandal,AssociatedPress,Feb.22,
2012.
5.UkrainianoligarchPoroshenkoleadingpresracewithover50%votes,RT,May25,2014.
6.Klitschkoreceivesover56percentofvotesinKyivmayorelectionsaftercountingin40percent
ofwards,KyivPost,May27,2014.
7.TashShifrin,Ukraineslidestowardscivilwar:dontchooseasideinbattleofreaction,Dream
Deferred,May5,2014.
8.LaurentMoeri,ExcuseMeMister:HowFarIsItFromSimferopolToGrozny?May19,2104.
9.AntonShekhovtsov,RussianandproRussianrightwingterroristsspreadingfearandhatein
Ukraine,April19,2014.
10.SeeDanielReynolds,RussiasGayPropagandaLawTakesEffectinCrimea,Advocate,
May1,2014,citedbyKevinAndersoninhisarticleinthisissue,Ukraine:DemocraticAspirations
andInterimperialistRivalry.
11.SuchunionsaremissinginUkrainetoday.AsSeanLarsonnotesinContradictionsofthe
RulingClassinUkraine,inthisissue,Theopinion[amongthepublic]predominatesthattrade
unionsarerelicsofthecommunisteraforthepurposeoforganizingvacationsorchildrens
summercamps(functionslargelyresponsibleforsustainingunionmembership)ratherthanfighting
organizationspushingfortheinterestsofworkersonthejobandinpolitics.
Note:themapwasdrawnbyLisaLyons,basedonanoriginalmapatwww.polgeonow.com.
Source:Ukraine2001Census.[Weregretthatweomittedthisnotefromtheprintissue.]
SourceURL:http://newpol.org/content/ukrainebetweenrock%E2%80%A8andhardplace
Links:
[1]http://twitter.com/share
[2]http://www.cpdweb.org/letters/Ukraine.shtml
[3]http://newpol.org/category/topic/warandpeace
[4]http://newpol.org/category/topic/socialprotests
[5]http://newpol.org/category/places/russiaussr
[6]http://newpol.org/category/places/europe/easterneurope/ukraine
[7]http://newpol.org/category/issue/57