A comment on Cas Mudde's article "A new (order) Ukraine?"

I am in a tricky situation commenting on Cas Mudde’s article “A new (order) Ukraine? Assessingthe relevance of Ukraine’s far right in an EU perspective”. On the one hand, Mudde is one of the best experts on the European far right whose work I deeply respect and quote often in my own research. On the other hand, his article is exactly the reason why over forty world’s leading specialists on the Ukrainian nationalism and extreme right have issued a statement calling “upon all those who have either no particular interest for, or no deeper knowledge of, Ukraine to not comment on this region’s complicated national questions without engaging in some in-depth research”. As Mudde himself acknowledges that he is “not a scholar of Ukrainian nationalism”, he obviously falls into the category of academics and commentators mentioned in the statement.

While Mudde claims that he did “some serious reading on the issues” of the Ukrainian far right, his “literature review” seems to draw – not exclusively but for the most part – upon my own research published some time ago. My current research, however, has been largely ignored.

Greek neo-Nazi Golden Dawn criticizes Western "usury" for supporting Ukrainian democracy

The Greek Golden Dawn, Europe's most extreme neo-Nazi party represented in a national parliament, has issued a statement criticising "the international usury of Washington and Berlin" for their "direct involvement" in the developments in Ukraine:

The Golden Dawn condemns the direct involvement of the US and the EU in a sovereign country which undoubtedly leads to bloodshed and civil war. The wretched Greek leadership headed by Venizelos does not say a word about the deadly risk of the Hellenism and Orthodoxy in Ukraine that is already manifested by the violent attacks against our compatriots.

Americans, Germans and Zionists, who are hitting nationalism of peoples in every corner of Europe , with the first objective being Greece and the Golden Dawn, are now cooperating directly with the Nazi party in Ukraine, because it serves their geostrategic goals. The People's Association [Golden Dawn] supports holding free elections, in which people will decide the future of their country, rather than the ravens of international usury of Washington and Berlin.

Nikolaos Michaloliakos, now imprisoned leader of the Golden Dawn, with his followers

Russian fascist Aleksandr Dugin's dreams of dictatorship in Russia

The newly acquired independence of the democratic Ukrainian state is now under attack from the most imperialistic and war-mongering circles in Russia who are backing pro-Russian ultranationlists in the Crimea and are forming Russian terrorist troops for subversive operations in Ukraine.

One of these circles is the neo-Eurasianist movement headed by Russian fascist Aleksandr Dugin who is openly calling for killing Ukrainians and annexing parts of the Ukrainian state to Russia to build a fascist Eurasian Union.

American anti-Semite and former leader of Ku Klux Klan David Duke with his Russian colleague Aleksandr Dugin

Защитить завоевания Революции - To defend the achievements of the Revolution

(scroll down for the English version)

Слава Украинской Национальной Революции! Слава Народу Украины! Слава Украине! Вечная Память Героям!

Вместе с тем, присоединяюсь к словам Андреаса Умланда:

Yanukovych's regime is over, but two huge problems remain:
(1) The budget, economy and stability of the Hrivna.
(2) Separatism, crazy governors, and Russian "Eurasianism".
Both problems can still kill the Ukrainian state. No reason to celebrate or relax.

Я бы особенно остановился на словах Януковича о том, что происходящее в Украине является "нацистским переворотом". Очевидно, что он повторяет всю ту же кремлевско-террористическую пропаганду, о которой я так много писал в этом блоге. Сам бывший человек Янукович уже не имеет никакой власти в стране, но у него есть сторонники, которые все еще сильны.

Учитывая вышеупомянутые слова Януковича, сейчас необходимо сделать все необходимое для предотвращения возможных провокаций против представителей этнических меньшинств и их культовых и культурных памятников и сооружений. Нужно понимать, что для доказательства наличия "нацистского переворота" контрреволюционные силы могут пойти на физическое насилие и вандализм. Самооборона Майдана и лояльные Революции правоохранительные органы должны немедленно организовать охрану культовых и культурных зданий этнических и религиозных меньшинств. Это будет важным вкладом в защиту демократических завоеваний Украинской Национальной Революции.

У меня нет контактов ни с Самообороной Майдана, ни с украинскими правоохранительными органами. Если у читателей такие контакты есть, то передайте соответствующим лицам содержание этого сообщения.

Glory to the Ukrainian National Revolution! Glory to the People of Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine! Eternal Memory to the Heroes!

At the same time, I would like to support the words of Andreas Umland:

Yanukovych's regime is over, but two huge problems remain:
(1) The budget, economy and stability of the Hrivna.
(2) Separatism, crazy governors, and Russian "Eurasianism".
Both problems can still kill the Ukrainian state. No reason to celebrate or relax.

I would like to draw particular attention to Yanukovych’s words that events in Ukraine are a ‘Nazi coup’. Ostensibly, he reiterates the same Kremlin-terrorist propaganda I wrote about numerous times earlier in my blog. The former human being Yanukovych has no power in the country now, but he has supporters who are still strong.

Considering Yanukovych’s words, it is essential now to do everything to prevent possible provocations against representatives of ethnic minorities and their religious and cultural buildings and monuments. We must understand that the counter-revolutionary forces might use physical force and vandalism in order to prove the presence of the ‘Nazi coup’. The Maidan Self-Defence Force and the law-enforcement loyal to the Revolution must provide immediate security to religious and cultural monuments of ethnic and religious minorities. This will be an important contribution to the protection of democratic achievements of the Ukrainian National Revolution.

I have no contacts with the Maidan Self-Defense Force or with the Ukrainian law-enforcement. If my readers have them, please pass the contents of this message to the relevant people and officers.

Translated into English by Oleg Naumenko.

The Ukrainian protests are about liberty and freedom, and not right-wing extremism

Here's my piece offered to The Guardian's "Comment is free" section, but rejected. I am not surprised because the editors of the "Comment is free" promote only the pro-Kremlin line of the argument. The piece was written 10 days ago.

Almost two centuries ago, in 1822, the National Assembly of Greece, then under Ottoman rule, issued a Declaration of Independence. In particular, it said:

“The war which we are carrying on against the Turk ... is not aimed at the advantage of a single part of the Greek people; it is a national war, a holy war, a war the object of which is to reconquer the rights of individual liberty, of property and honour, rights which the civilized people of Europe, our neighbours, enjoy to-day; rights of which the cruel and unheard of tyranny of the Ottomans would deprive us”.

Had this kind of declaration been written by leaders of a European nation today, the fighters for national independence would have been slammed by two camps. One camp would have been certain pockets of the far left criticizing the declaration for its nationalism and war-mongering. The other camp would have been a certain faction of the far right siding with an oppressor of a subjugated nation. Both camps would have identified the most extreme and violent element of a national liberation struggle and misleadingly extended this element to cover the whole liberation movement.

Russia’s role in deadly Kiev clashes

My short interview for Metro, "Analysis: Russia’s role in deadly Kiev clashes":

With the violence escalating in Ukraine, international leaders are stepping up their pressure on President Viktor Yanukovich. But why, when the situation was getting calmer, did the government shoot dozens of protesters?

Metro spoke with Anton Shekhovtsov, a Ukrainian academic specializing in political extremism.

Who’s to blame for the violence and deaths in Kiev?

Two parties are responsible: Viktor Yanukovich and his government, and Russia. Yanukovich wouldn’t have been able to attack the protesters without Russian support. It’s because he wanted a $2 billion loan from Russia. He went to Sochi, where he met with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. Now he’s back and he’s cracking down on the protesters.

But why would Russia want to support such an unpopular president?

Russia isn’t really interested in Yanukovich. It’s interested in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine. Russia is establishing its Eurasian Union, and without at least parts of Ukraine, it wouldn’t work. That’s why Russia was so opposed to Ukraine signing the partnership agreement with the EU: It wanted Ukraine in the Eurasian Union.

Will protesters head home now that the situation has become so dangerous?

No, they’ll stand their ground. This is a fight for Ukrainian independence. We’ve had independence since 1991, but only formally. Now people want real independence. The protests aren’t just about Ukraine signing an EU agreement; it’s really about independence. And that’s why Putin is so afraid. He knows that if Ukrainians defeat their government, Russians could want to do the same thing.

The Ukrainian criminal terror regime in a war against the people

Viktor Yanukovych's criminal terror regime backed by the Russian imperialists has unleashed a full-fledged war against Ukrainians. Deadly clashes erupted this morning between riot police and anti-presidential protesters near the parliament building in central Kyiv.

At least seven protesters are reportedly dead, over 150 injured in the course of several hours. Police is presumably using live ammunition, shooting, as well as throwing Molotov cocktails, at protesters. Snipers are shooting at people from the roofs of the surrounding buildings. Armed thugs (titushki) paid by the government are acting alongside the riot police. Death toll is likely to grow rapidly.

If you read that "radicals", "extremists", "neo-Nazis" or whatever are leading the protests against the "legitimate government", DO NOT BELIEVE ONE WORD OF THESE LIES. The Ukrainian PEOPLE are fighting the terrorist regime.

And the revolution in Ukraine should end the same way it ended in Romania: