On 1 November, an international conference “The North Caucasus as a Security Frontier for Europe” was held in Kyiv, dedicated to the third anniversary of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognising the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as temporarily occupied.
According to one of the co-authors of the Ukrainian parliament’s historical resolution text, political scientist, officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Basarab: “The idea that the time has come for Ukraine to finally de facto recognise the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, arose in the first weeks of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The idea belongs to the Ukrainians and was born in Kyiv. Professor Volodymyr Vasylenko, a well-known international lawyer and diplomat, was invited to discuss the correct formula for this decision. Following a series of discussions, Volodymyr Andriyovych prepared the final text of the draft resolution. Professor Vasylenko received the necessary documents and testimony about the period of the declaration of independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria from Akh’yad Idigov, the former chairman of the parliament of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
In April 2022, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine’s draft resolution text on recognising the facts of armed aggression and occupation of the Chechen Republic and the genocide of the Chechen people was already prepared. In order for this resolution to be voted on in the session hall, a group of enthusiasts carried out colossal lobbying work in Ukraine and beyond. Using the available opportunities for informal connections, this project was transferred to representatives of all possible state structures, and work was personally carried out with parliamentarians. This idea was presented to several circles of the Chechen national liberation movement at once. They all immediately approved it.
Seeing caution and scepticism within Ukraine regarding the adoption of this document, attempts were even made through channels of “peoples’ diplomacy” to reach out to our closest European allies, so that they would first adopt such a decision regarding the CRI in their parliaments, and only then would Ukraine follow them. Those with whom we spoke abroad accepted the idea, but no more.
At some point, it seemed that all possibilities had been made use of, but the prospects for adoption were not visible. However, the resolution was waiting for its time. Routine non-public work was underway to promote it. Due to the combination of efforts and circumstances, on 18 October 2022, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the resolution “On condemnation of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, the occupation of its territory and the crime of genocide of the Chechen people”. Few people know under what circumstances, in fact, at the last moment, the word “recognition” in the title of the resolution was replaced with “condemnation”. That is why many still mistakenly pronounce the title of the resolution with the word “recognition”.
According to the moderator of the first panel discussion of the conference, People’s Deputy of Ukraine Oleg Dunda, “This event became another stone in the foundation of the decolonisation of the Russian Empire and the need to adopt a law on the formation of the foundations of state policy on interaction with the national movements of the empire.” The speakers during the first part of the discussion were President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Akhmed Zakayev, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov and others. During his speech, Viktor Yushchenko emphasised that Ukraine must move towards leadership both in Europe and among the peoples enslaved by Muscovy.
The conference was attended by a delegation of the Anti-Imperial Block of Nations, consisting of the President of the ABN, Oleh Medunytsya, and the Executive Director of the organisation, Oleh Vitvitskyj. The ABN has a long history of cooperation with the Chechen national liberation movement, one of the most important periods of which fell on the time of the Moscow-Chechen wars. Humanitarian and informational support for the struggle of the Chechen people was one of the main components of this cooperation. At the same time, the story of the rescue of Alla Dudayeva, which took place under the coordination of the ABN, and thanks to the membership of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (Banderites), deserves special attention.
Oleg Medunitsa emphasised this in his speech at the conference. He also added: “Today we declare our full and reliable support for the struggle of the Chechen people for freedom and believe that, like other peoples of the North Caucasus, the Chechen people will gain freedom and restore their state.”
Recalling the events that preceded the adoption of the historic resolution, Mykhailo Basarab noted: “I would like to separately note Hanna Hopko and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, who were fully involved in the process of promoting the draft of this resolution. Hanna, as the head of the VRU Committee on Foreign Affairs of the previous convocation, raised the topic of nations enslaved by Russia, when it was not mainstream, as they say. Yaroslav not only significantly contributed to the promotion of the draft resolution on the CRI within the walls of the Verkhovna Rada, but also later initiated and headed the parliamentary TSK on the development of the basic principles of the state towards nations enslaved by Russia.”
It is no coincidence that Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, who moderated the second panel discussion of the conference “North Caucasus in NATO’s New Security Strategy,” was awarded the Order of Friendship by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. The second part of the discussion was attended by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Secretary General of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party Anna Fotyga, Italian historian and writer Francesco Benedetti, and Director of Programs at the Central Asian and Caucasus Institute of the United States, Laura Linderman.
High state awards of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria were also awarded to Ukrainian MPs Maria Mezentseva, Lyudmila Buimister, and Oleg Dunda. In their speeches, they, together with the heads of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – Ruslan Stefanchuk and Oleksandr Kornienko, emphasised the importance of adopting the Law of Ukraine on Support for National Liberation Movements of Enslaved Peoples.
The final declaration adopted by the conference participants states that de-occupation, restoration of the rule of law, and respect for the rights of all peoples of the North Caucasus are integral elements of long-term European stability. For the European Union, Turkey, and the United States, a North Caucasus free from Russian oppression is a guarantor of political stability in Eurasia.
Supporting the peoples of the region in their quest for freedom, security, and dignity is an integral part of the policy of deterrence and a just peace. In such a situation, it is critically important for Western politicians and experts to begin to view the North Caucasus not through a pan-Russian prism, but as an independent macroregion with its own characteristics, elites, and its own future. It is important to begin a dialogue with those who have their own vision of the future for the region, not tied to its continued stay in the “prison of nations.”
“The conference participants support the development and implementation of a phased Roadmap for a de-occupation policy for the North Caucasus,” the declaration states, “through the use of mechanisms of universal jurisdiction, documenting crimes, supporting appeals to international courts and treaty bodies, expanding personal and sectoral sanctions for repression, military mobilisation, deportation and cultural destruction, protecting refugees and displaced persons, supporting political prisoners, access to medical and psychological care, preserving language and culture and countering disinformation, supporting independent media and expert analysis.”
