Modern Ukraine, unfortunately, remains in the shadow of historical stereotypes and political games that are being formed in good old Europe. In today's world, when the world is changing faster than ever, many questions remain unsolved, and the decisions made are often based on old ideas and geopolitical interests.
In both cases, there is always a stronger one, for which the rules differ from the general ones. This closed circle somewhat resembles the realities of the times of state monarchies, when everyone has defined and prescribed roles, there is an established order of things, and any changes are anomalies. Only Ukrainians do not sit still in this coordinate system. They turn everything upside down time and time again and look for their place under the sun. At least recently, the publication ZAXID.net notes.
In textbooks on the history of Ukraine, we observed the image of the disenfranchised Ukrainian people for decades. Oppression, Polonization, Russification, oppression... However, the world is somewhat different. It is unpredictable and unfair, contains a lot of meanness and inconsistency. However, even without noticing it, we live next to amazing people. They are worthy of admiration and writing books about them, shooting films. A challenge to the established order and injustice, a long-standing propaganda cliché, is the credo of many of our compatriots. Actually, this is the way to the acquisition of subjectivity by Ukraine. Not everyone likes him, but it doesn't happen otherwise.
The reality and fairy tales of grandfather Diarey
The declaration of independent Ukraine took place factually and legally, but it did not reach the consciousness of people (often Ukrainians themselves) far from immediately. For a long time, we were perceived as Russians, and many Ukrainians saw themselves as such. Both used strange and ephemeral constructions like "Russian". They believed that they were talking about everyone who lived in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
About those who, in their perception, due to chance and circumstances, did not become part of the Russian Federation. At the same time, they also mention a certain "Russia". However, "Russia" itself never existed. There are people in Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, etc., who consider themselves "Russian" and see in this a connection with "Russia", but the name of that state in the swamps is the Russian Federation. Before that was the USSR. Even earlier, the Russian Empire. To her is Muscovy. "Russia" did not exist and does not exist now. There are Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation. "Russia" is only in the schemes of Russian propagandists.
It is profitable for them to spread nonsense about Prince Volodymyr, the "ruler of Russia" or about a single historical path and common cradle, that is, lies about Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians, who are supposedly one people. They invest a lot of money in this, their propaganda constantly talks about it, arbitrarily interpreting the events of the past in a way that is beneficial to them.
"Research" is written in this spirit in the Russian Federation, in the West, and in our country. Until recently, this was generally the dominant political narrative when talking about Eastern Europe. This space was considered a Russian sphere of influence. Such a matrix, established and entrenched, but built on lies and injustice, did not provide for corrections and suited everyone. In some places, they are still afraid to retreat from such thinking. For example, in the West.
Dialogue with "Stalin's children"
The actions and position of the Russian Federation can be explained if one is aware of the political darkness that is raging there. Imperial diarrhea, characteristic of politicians, elites and a significant part of their population. The behavior of the civilized world is strange.
Constantly appealing to rational thinking and universal human values, the collective West never dared to question the fabrications propagated by the Russians. Even though not all of them are historical or neutral. The majority are xenophobic and contradict the values of the West, and a significant part are political and openly directed against Europe.
However, it never bothered anyone. The haughty Russians were distinguished by arrogance and meanness, no matter where fate threw them. Bias and despotism gushed from the Russian authorities at the international level. Everything suited everyone. This was taken as the norm. "Stalin's children" can. Only when the hands of the Russians became elbow-deep in blood did the adequate part of the world understand that it could not continue like this any longer.
Although we cannot criticize the world for its ideological immaturity or lack of principles. Even after the declaration of independence, many Ukrainians believed Russian propaganda for a long time, watched Russian films and listened to Russian-produced music.
They considered Ukrainian to be of poor quality and did not notice that Russian products were poisoned by propaganda and contempt for everything human. The magnitude of these processes was such that it felt as if a warm bath was being prepared for us. The goal is another Belarus, that is, a depoliticized desert, with the inhabitants of which you can do whatever you want. Then conscious Ukrainians took the floor.
From 2004 until now, Ukrainians have repeatedly changed the course of history. These were internal issues. As a challenge to the election results in 2004. The events are large-scale. As the Revolution of Dignity and the repulsion of Russian aggression, which has caught the attention of the whole world.
This moment is often behind the scenes, but Ukrainians have repeatedly taken the initiative in their own hands at the most unexpected moments and changed the established order. This destroyed the "dealers", broke the plans of the politicians who "solve" the issue in a Chamberlain style.
When it seemed that there was no way out, the Ukrainians had their say. The Soviet Union, in particular, was destroyed by the Russians. For example, when Boris Yeltsin called on his supporters to protest. However, among other things, Ukrainians who voted for independence in December 1991 in a referendum buried the USSR. Later, this map became Leonid Kravchuk's political trump card.
The democratic protests of Ukrainians in 2004 allowed Viktor Yushchenko, perhaps the most successful prime minister in the history of our country, to restore justice and become president. Ukrainians changed the course of events during the Revolution of Dignity and during the criminal aggression of the Russian Federation against our country. In the first case, such unity and will were not expected from us, in the second - stability.
Unfortunately, Ukrainian society was not able to transform any of these unexpected maneuvers into systematic and consistent political reforms that would allow for the creation of effective state bodies, fair courts, and equal rules for all.
One more jump…
At the time of the declaration of state independence of Ukraine in 1991, there was a factor of surprise and disruption of the established order. The surprise factor also worked during the events of 2004, 2013-2014, and also in 2022. During the Orange Revolution, thugs from the Party of Regions, who wanted to come to power by falsifying elections, did not believe in the potential and self-organization of Ukrainians.
During the Revolution of Dignity, Ukrainians shook the whole world, showing the most democratic countries, whose elites had forgotten the meaning of the words "values" and "democracy", what will, principles and identity are. Blocking the path of Putin's plague, the Ukrainians destroyed the cynical plans and expectations of the collective West about the occupation of part of Ukraine by Russian troops and the subsequent guerrilla war in these territories.
An example of sudden and unexpected actions of Ukrainians can be considered the operation of the Armed Forces on the territory of Kurshchyna. We still do not know for sure what the goals of this operation were and in what context the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine sees these events, but this offensive came as a surprise to people in Ukraine, the West and Russia.
There was a lot of criticism of the operation of the Ukrainian side. However, it is undeniable that she raised the spirits and gave hope to Ukrainians. It is no less important that these sudden large-scale actions dispelled a number of myths of Russian propaganda. The proud knot of sentiments in the West, which, it seemed, began to look for ways to reconcile the parties, even through substantial concessions to Ukraine, was also cut.
The Kursk operation continues and has certain positive consequences for the Ukrainian side. However, the euphoria from her fell. We are once again facing the threat of freezing the war on uncertain (consider it unfavorable for Ukraine) conditions. In the West, they are gradually returning to the policy of spreading hands and running between drops.
Once again, the Ukrainians have turned everything upside down, but will this benefit our country in the long term? Situational pattern breaking works, but not as long as it would like. It is obvious that neither winning the war nor building effective state institutions can be achieved by situational leaps.
Ukrainians had many opportunities to make sure of this. Both require a strategic and thought-out plan, a vision. If this does not happen, we will continue to see swings of mood and expectations. Tossing and turning between sky-high euphoria and unbearable routine that drags you to the bottom. We, of course, hope for the first, but at some point the second may prevail.
Evgeny Gulyuk
