In her address, she addressed the issues of occupation and assimilation of the Tatar people, drawing parallels between Russia’s modern imperial war against Ukraine and the Muscovite capture of Kazan in 1552. Furthermore, Aida Abdrakhmanova expressed deep sorrow over the death of the prominent politician and public figure Janusz Bugajski.
“Friends! I am grateful to everyone who comes every week to support Ukraine, and thank you to the organisers of the Nordic Ukraine Forum for the opportunity to speak at today’s demonstration.
Why are we gathered here today? To support Ukraine.
Why does Ukraine need our support? Because Russia treacherously attacked it back in 2014 and, since 2022, has been waging a full-scale war, destroying cities and killing civilians.
This war is not just a struggle for territory or resources. It has a deeper goal: an attempt to break the united and cohesive Ukrainian nation, to erase the memory of its culture and history, and to make a country of 40 million people part of the “Russian world.” This is not an accident—it is Moscow’s deliberate imperial policy of coercion and assimilation.
Why am I, a Tatar from the Volga region, speaking about this? Because what is happening in Ukraine today is familiar to us from our history. It was in October 1552 that my people—the Volga Tatars—experienced occupation. Muscovites and the loss of statehood, genocide, as well as the Holodomor and assimilation. And what’s especially alarming: according to the census, over the past ten years, approximately a million people have stopped listing Tatar as their native language. For a nation of five million, this is a true catastrophe. We are already losing people, and language is a loss that is difficult to repair.
What Russia is doing now in Ukraine is a continuation of the same imperial logic. A regime that applies the same methods of suppression to civilians and infrastructure as it did a century ago remains a danger to other countries and peoples. Russia is not susceptible to creative evolution; it has remained in the Middle Ages, with its methods of waging war and its practice of genocide against peoples. For us, these are not abstract words—they are a history lesson.
What can we, ordinary people, free societies, and politicians in democratic countries, do? Don’t betray Ukraine!
Support it politically, militarily, economically, humanitarianly, and diplomatically. Because the loss of Ukraine would be a serious blow to the entire idea of a free Europe and a democratic world, and would strengthen the influence of an aggressive regime that will not stop at one country.
For nations enslaved by Moscow, there is also an internal lesson: self-preservation. Our centuries-old experience shows that the only reliable way to protect our rights, language, and culture is independence. Only by being free can we prevent our people and resources from being used for foreign military purposes.
I also want to remember and thank a man who always stood with peoples for their right to self-determination. Three days ago, Janusz Bugajski passed away—a senior fellow at the American think tank The Jamestown Foundation, a staunch defender of peoples’ right to self-determination, a resolute opponent of Moscow’s imperial policies, and a trusted friend of Ukraine! His support was important to many, and the more such people gather around us, the stronger our solidarity and the easier it will be to resist Russian imperialism.
We must not be afraid to unite against Moscow. After all, Moscow is looking for allies all over the world—let’s look for them too. Only together, by politically and morally supporting Ukraine and fighting for our rights, can we defend freedom and defeat the evil empire of Russia!
Glory to all peoples striving for freedom! Glory to Ukraine!”
