An undeclared war is being waged by Russia against Ukraine. By now, barely making the world’s headlines because it is slow and creeping- a few more meters of captured land, a few more explosions, a few more Russian tanks, a few more dead at a time.As Europe marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall and the reunification of Europe, Russia is doing all it can to resuscitate the bygone era of division and brinkmanship, continuing its aggression against Ukraine, buttressed by bogus claims of defending Russian speakers from the advances of fascism and outlandish accusations against Europe, and the West.
The conflict in Ukraine is not an internal affair. Not a civil war. Nor a rebellion of disgruntled citizens. It is Russia’s war against Ukraine for daring to choose a different – European – path. Sponsored by the Kremlin, the illegal armed separatists, many of whom carry Russian passports, have been inflicting heavy damage on the Ukrainian forces and civilian population, before and during the ceasefire, using sophisticated weaponry, tanks, multiple rocket launcher systems, and heavy artillery. While Ukraine followed the ceasefire agreement, Russia-backed separatists used the time to rearm and grab more territory. By now, these illegal armed groups are probably better armed than some of the smaller European states.
The holding by the separatists of illegal elections in eastern Ukraine is another clear violation of the Minsk agreements. Russia alone endorsed these sham elections and even arranged the presence of “observers”, a bunch of hardline nationalists, Nazi sympathizers, and xenophobes, tried and tested in the illegal plebiscite of Crimea.Mateusz Piskorski who poses for pictures with Nazi swastika in the background. Frank Creyelman of Vlaams Belang, an open xenophobe, known for demanding amnesty for those who had collaborated with Hitler regimes during World War II. Marton Gyongyosy, who once suggested that Hungarian Jews should be tallied up because they pose threat to the state. Srda Trifkovic, once the defender of Slobodan Milosevic and an Islamophobe. Ewald Stadler, member of the extreme party FPO, known for delivering one of the most racist speeches ever in a European parliament. The list could go on.
A peaceful settlement of the crisis in eastern Ukraine is squarely in Russia’s hands. It bears full responsibility for the further escalation of the situation – and for creating another frozen conflict in Europe. Attempts to redraw Europe’s borders by military force 25 years from the fall of the Berlin Wall are criminal and undermine the very foundations on which this organization, the United Nations, is built.Heftig !
