While preparing for the conference, I came across an interesting article in the official journal of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists, namely in the newspaper “Shlaj Peremogy “. In the issue of the newspaper dated 6 November 1977, there was an article about the ABN conference in Chicago. It turns out that on 21-22 October 1977, here in Illinois, a conference of the Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations was held, in which representatives of the Baltic countries, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Cuba, Vietnam and other nations conquered by the totalitarian communist regime took part. At that time, national leaders in exile were making plans for the collapse of the USSR as the main stronghold of the world totalitarian system. At that time, no one believed in the collapse of the Soviet Union. Only our predecessors in emigration understood the true essence of the Moscow “prison of nations” and worked in the name of their future states.
But under what conditions did they do it? Then, after the long era of the “Cold War”, there was a so-called “détente” between the West and the Soviets. At an international conference in Helsinki in 1975, Western countries agreed with the USSR on the inviolability of borders in Europe. A number of agreements on nuclear disarmament were signed. In Western political circles, the idea of a policy of peaceful coexistence with the Soviet Union prevailed. The media published photos of the passionate embrace of communist leader Brezhnev and US President Gerald Ford.
However, Ukrainian nationalists and the ABN we created were the few who warned everyone about the dangers of such frivolity. We stubbornly built our own plans to build nation-states on the future ruins of the Soviet Union.
We were convinced that the Ukrainian nation would be safe and have a chance for development only by winning its own state. No other form, such as the one that existed at that time – the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, within the Soviet Union, suited us. Because only we knew that appeasing the aggressor would not lead to lasting peace and tranquility.
Today, I am proud that I have the honour to lead the ABN in a new format, as the Anti-Imperial Block of Nations, and to continue the work of my predecessors, such as the first President of the ABN, Yaroslav Stetsko, who, here in Chicago, 48 years ago, formed a world front to fight communism and Moscow.
The frivolity of politicians from world democracies paid off. Within a few years, Moscow unleashed a bloody war in Afghanistan, destabilising the relationship with the West. At that time, every fourth person killed in the Soviet-led war in Afghanistan was a Ukrainian. I was a schoolboy then, but I remember well the pompous funerals under red flags. We, Ukrainians, were then informed that these were mercenaries hired by the Americans fighting with us in Afghanistan, that if our troops left, the Americans would install their missiles there, and in general, we were helping the “fraternal Afghan people in their fight against world imperialism led by NATO.”
Now in Russia, everything is repeating itself. Believing that the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the so-called “democratic Russia” would bring peace and tranquility, the West made a big mistake. Of course, Moscow’s loss of control over Ukraine, the Baltic countries, the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia reduced aggressive appetites. However, within a few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the totalitarian empire began to demonstrate its aggressive policy, seizing part of the territories of its neighbours: Moldova and Georgia, provoking instability between Azerbaijan and Armenia, forming and supporting loyal and totalitarian political regimes in Belarus and the countries of Central Asia.
I would like to mention separately the two bloody wars waged against the independent Republic of Ichkeria. The West turned a blind eye to this for a long time, not recognizing the right of the Chechens to their own state. For us, Ukrainians, this issue is resolved and unambiguous – the people of Chechnya have the right to their own state, and their territory is occupied by Russia.
Meanwhile, the new leader of Russia, Putin, was preparing for a new war. He generously spent hundreds of billions of dollars on military purposes. He built a world empire of propaganda and lies. He created a split between the leaders of world democracies and individual countries. He sponsored and still finances politicians loyal to Russia in various countries and terrorist political regimes like Hamas.
The apogee of this policy was the formation of a global axis of evil consisting of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
This international political totalitarian monster has united technology, capital, markets and arms production. It is the greatest threat to the world’s democracies. The Moscow leader, Putin, was the first to challenge them, unleashing a war against Ukraine. Unable to quickly break the resistance of the Ukrainians, he is waging a war of attrition and counting on a split in the ranks of our allies. The Russians are deepening any contradictions that exist in civilized societies in every possible way and undermining their resources. However, Moscow also has its weaknesses. Its resources are also not unlimited, and society is not ready to tolerate war forever.
Now the Moscow empire is losing more people in a month of war in Ukraine than in 10 years of war in Afghanistan. Western sanctions are undermining their economy. More and more Russian citizens, especially those of non-Russian origin, are wondering what results this war can bring for them.
Putin understands that Ukraine’s victory will give impetus to the collapse of Russia. The nations colonised by Moscow, especially the small ones, are paying a terrible price for participating in the war against Ukraine. On average, residents of the city of Moscow die in the war 87.5 times less often than Dagestanis, 275 times less often than Buryats, and 350 times less often than Tuvans. 40 percent of the current Russian occupation army are not ethnic Russians. By centralizing economic resources, Russia has created unbearable living conditions in the colonised territories. The low standard of living and state propaganda force men from distant lands to go to war.
In fact, Moscow is fighting at the expense of the resources of enslaved peoples and colonised territories. Oil and iron ore of the Idel-Urals, Siberian gas, Buryat gold and rare earth metals, Yakut diamonds and coal – this is the economic basis of Russian Nazism. We must return these riches to those to whom they belong – to the peoples inhabiting these territories. So that these resources never become a threat to the democratic and civilized world.
We can talk about Russia for a long time. About the grief and suffering of its neighbours and the nations it enslaved. But these problems will not disappear by themselves. Someone believes in a democratic Russia, in replacing the Nazi leader Putin with a democratic one. What’s more, they are trying to follow this path, supporting the Russian opposition in exile. This is the wrong path. The Russian people, the political elite, and business circles are infected with Nazism and chauvinism. International isolation, sanctions, military defeat, and ultimately the disintegration of the country as an empire and the emergence of new states independent of Moscow – this is the main recipe for long-lasting peace and tranquility. Just as the coalition of allies once put an end to Hitler’s Nazism, winning the Second World War and punishing the aggressor, so now the entire civilized world must support Ukraine in its fight against the empire. And a big role in this will belong to the people of America and its political leadership.
What can we do about this here, in the United States of America?
No one in this room needs to be convinced of the need to support a warring Ukraine. But I would draw attention to new aspects of such support. This is, first of all, support for the nations enslaved by Russia, their organisations in emigration and representative structures, and individual representatives. Migration support for political refugees who are being oppressed by the American migration authorities is especially relevant now. Their deportation to Russia means prison, torture, and, possibly, death. For example, the organisation “Svitanok”, based in New York, organised an appeal to American congressmen to prevent the deportation from the United States of America of Alexander Bolokhoyev, an activist of the Buryat organisation “Tusgaar Buryaad-Mongolia”.
Representatives of the nations enslaved and colonised by Moscow, who are fighting for the independence of their nations, clearly tie their statehood to the victory of Ukraine in the war against Russia. Without such a victory, the issue of their statehood will be postponed for many years. Some of their representatives joined the ranks of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, creating national units. We are convinced that in this way, the beginnings of future armies of new independent states that will arise in the post-Moscow space are being created.
We must remember that Moscow has never released any enslaved nation voluntarily, without a fight. Therefore, it is important to continue to involve representatives of the nations enslaved by Russia in the struggle in the ranks of the Defence Forces of Ukraine. Such a mobilisation campaign should be held constantly.
It is necessary to help them create organisational structures and modern media. We in the Anti-Imperial Block of Nations created the University of Free Nations in 2023, which has already prepared more than 70 representatives of the nations enslaved by Russia to fight for statehood.
Let us recall the historical example of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists: fighting for the Ukrainian State in the underground and in emigration, the OUN always prioritised information and propaganda, personnel and organisational and military work. And this bet justified itself. In the turbulent times of national revolutions, it was the military, political and ideologically trained cadres who became the core of national governments, which attracted the broad masses of the people to the struggle for statehood.
So, I call on Ukrainians, wherever they are in the world, to support the struggle of the nations enslaved by Russia. If we truly want to achieve security and peace for future generations of Ukrainians, we must set a course for the destruction of the evil Muscovite empire.
Let us remember one of the main OUN slogans, proclaimed back in 1940: ” Freedom for nations! Freedom for the Individual!” This is how we will win!
Glory to Ukraine!
Український погляд
