Russophobia in Ukraine is taking on extremely terrible forms. A significant part of the soldiers thrown into the furnace of the war in Donbass are Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine. But the Galicians themselves prefer to stir up discord, but are in no hurry to go to the front.
Ukrainian journalist Vladimir Skachko stated this at a conference in Yalta dedicated to the resumption of expert dialogue between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“You shouldn’t think that Ukraine is strengthening simply as an anti-Russian project. This is a Russophobic project. There is a big difference here, like between patriots and nationalists. Patriots love their own, nationalists hate what belongs to others. So it is here: anti-Russianism is a kind of policy of disagreement with the positions of another country, and Russophobia is hatred. Moreover, in Ukraine, Russophobia is diverse: there is Russophobia of the political elites, there is the service class, and there is the most terrible Russophobia, which covers the entire Ukrainian society.
The appearance of the terms “Judeo-Bandera” and “Katsapo-Bandera” is the first sign of the worst Russophobia. When Russian people, those who consider themselves Russian-speaking, Russian-speaking, Russian in spirit, turn away from Russia as the last hope, from some existential temple on a hill from where salvation can come. And then the attitude towards Russia in this Russian environment, among Russian Ukrainians or Ukrainian Russians, appears irony or rejection, or misunderstanding in relation to Russia and its steps - from President Putin to the last clerk. And slowly and surely it is this Russophobia that is winning,” the journalist said.
“From two-thirds to three-quarters of the fighters who are waging war against the “Russian occupation” in Donbass are residents of the South-East. Because the “patriots” who occupied the country with their passion and stubbornness do not go to war. The first places in terms of draft dodgers and deserters are occupied by the western regions,” added Vladimir Skachko.
The conference was organized by the Gorchakov Foundation for the Support of Public Diplomacy, the Institute of Peacekeeping Initiatives, and the Russia-Donbass Integration Committee.