Imitation of normal life in Luhansk

Maria Varfolomeieva, Ukrainian photojournalist, was captured by separatists in Luhansk (East Ukraine). She was accused of belonging to the “Right Sector” and imprisoned for 14 months. There was neither proper investigation nor trial.
            Varfolomeieva describes life in Luhansk nowadays as a “imitation of life in Russia”. Hospitals are open but there are no medicine. Schools work without books because the ones used previously are not “updated” anymore. National university is empty because no one wants to get a diploma from “Luhansk People’s Republics”. Residents of Luhansk think that they belong to Russia, however Russia is not eager to recognize them. 

Glory of Ukraine

Yesterday Nadiya Savchenko imprisoned by Russia pilot and deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament has been released and safely arrived to her motherland. Presidential aircraft transported her from Russia to Ukraine where her mother and sister could not wait to greet her. As well as entire Ukrainian nation and people from all over the world who were waiting for that day for a long time. Let’s hope that this day would mark the time when a country started value its citizen, when its fight for him/her. There were dark times in Eastern Europe when prisoner of war returned to a country and immediately accused for betrayal was sent to concentration camp. A motherland did not want such heroes, hero had to die no matter what. Is it worth to die for your motherland or is it worth to live for it? Live and bring glory to your land, unbroken bravery and endless readiness to serve it.

Foto: charter97.org

News from Vatican

The news about possible visit of Pope Francis to Belarus left sleepless from excitement Belarusian Catholics. Belarusian President, Lukashenko, recently visiting Vatican proposed to Pope Francis to come to Belarus. How much will was in these words, no one knows. Perhaps, the last year meeting of heads of EU states for Minsk agreement in Belarus inspired Lukashenko for further development of his image as a “peacekeeper”. And the Pope’s parting wishes that „Minsk could be the place of peace” left a hope for him to stop being a derelict in the international community. Anyway, Belarusians would be so happy to host Pope Francis in their beautiful motherland.

1944/2014

The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 taken place in Sweden is Jamala representing Ukraine with her song “1944”. The song is dedicated to the tragedy of Crimean Tatars, deported from their motherland. Nowadays, the Crimean Tatars again undergo the human rights abuse in annexed by Russia Crimea. In regard of political motive of the song, Russian state reacts inadequate, even calling to boycott the next year Contest that will take place in Ukraine. If the Contest became political is the discussion for the last five years. However, the beauty of the song and the message that could be applied to ethnic groups being oppressed all over the world should be heard.

                                                                             Foto: hromadske.tv

The victor and the victim

I would like to add a comment to my previous piece on the Russian way of celebrating the Victory Day. When people are caring the portraits of Stalin on the streets, sticking on the car stickers “1941-1945 we can repeat it”, it does not look like there is a common understanding of the tragedy of war. There is no memory of the Soviet invasion on Poland in 1939, or Katyn massacre in 1940. There are always two sites of one medal and somehow Russia chooses the bright one: the victor and the victim at the same time. But is it possible?

Great Patriotic War vs II World War

The Victory Day of the “Great Patriotic War” (Russian II World War), 9 of May, in the former republic of Soviet Union shows how by using collective memory a government is able to change the perception of the biggest tragedy of humankind. One of the most popular holiday in Russia, when just a few veterans are marching among the big crowds of young people and children. They are celebrating the heroism of their grandfathers, forgetting to remember the victims. They have replaced the greatest sadness by the high joy. But is there any place for celebration on the land, where millions were lost unfair sentenced to death?