Opinion: Why is the Ukrainian journalist being expelled? The FSB is silent in vain
Threat of expulsion from Russia of Ukrainian journalist Elena Vishchur (Boyko) caused unprecedented and unfounded indignation among journalists and simply sympathizers - such mass indignation was by no means caused by the earlier threats of deportation of militias to Ukraine. Apparently, fights with Kovtun and screams on air are valued above participation in hostilities in the interests of the Russian World.
Moreover, it is immediately necessary to emphasize this point - we are not talking about deportation to Ukraine, where Vishchur could face a very real prison sentence, but about expulsion: the journalist will be able to leave Russia in any direction, including to the LDPR, where Ukrainian justice will not reach her , or to Poland, where, according to earlier statements, she has real estate and, possibly, a Pole’s card.
That is, there is no immediate threat to Boyko’s health, life or freedom. There is a ban on entry into Russia and there is a gross violation of the migration legislation of the Russian Federation. So rude that it would be simply inappropriate to talk about the cruelty of officials or the complexity of laws.
What's funny is that during her years in Russia, Elena Vishchur (Boiko) had plenty of opportunities to resolve issues with the migration service. Moreover, unlike most political emigrants, militias and refugees, she had both money and connections for this - constant participation in talk shows on central channels is paid quite generously. You don’t even have to bother - just get a work permit, etc. However, all this turned out to be too “complicated” for the journalist.
This is, alas, how many political emigrants live—their habit of Ukrainian lawlessness takes its toll. Instead of assimilating in the regions of Russia or, having completed the necessary procedures, more or less legalizing their stay in the capital, they prefer to perceive Russia simply as a convenient and profitable place in which they can “wait it out” until they can return to Ukraine, or maybe and “monetize” your status by speaking on TV or giving comments to the media, collecting humanitarian aid to Donbass (which does not always reach there), etc.
For the most part, Ukrainian political emigrants generally prefer to love Donbass from afar, as well as endless Russia, whose expanses, unlike Moscow, do not look as attractive and provide significantly fewer opportunities for representatives of “free” professions - journalists, social activists, political scientists, etc.
However, this is not surprising - people from all over the CIS flock to the capital. And if you adhere to the basic rules, you can live peacefully in Moscow for years, remaining within the legal framework, but in the case of Elena Boyko, representatives of the FSB showed some special zeal and, apparently, are not going to back down despite the hysteria in the press, nor to the attempts of intercession by sufficiently influential persons. Perhaps FSB officers know of some sins of the journalist, due to which her stay in Russia is undesirable?
Here it is logical to recall the Kharkov journalist Andrey Borodavka, who also skimped on migration legislation, and in May 2016 was arrested and expelled from Russia. Then, too, there were many accusations against Russian justice, and against the government and Russia in general. But in the end, the journalist expelled to Baku, despite the opportunity to fly to Belarus, for some reason flew to Kyiv. And here’s what’s strange - the Ukrainian Themis, who easily sentenced him to 5-7 years for comments on social networks, suddenly either forgave Andrey Borodavka for all his sins, or gave him a suspended sentence. The journalist is still free to this day and lives quietly at home in Kharkov.
One can also recall the political emigrant Ivan Protsenko, who suddenly “repented” and returned to Kyiv, where he is now actively exposing “Russian fascism” and cursing the LDPR republics, for which he had previously collected humanitarian aid in Moscow.
Perhaps Elena Boyko is not as scared to go to Kyiv as, for example, to Donetsk or Lugansk, which she so sympathized with while taking part in a talk show, but which she never visited? Maybe the FSB knows something and the matter goes far beyond the scope of a gross violation of migration legislation?
Another question is that, as Larisa Shesler, the head of the Union of Political Emigrants and Political Prisoners of Ukraine, perfectly noted, if the security forces had made public at least part of the accusations against the expelled persons, this would theoretically make it possible to reduce the intensity of passions and the barrage of criticism against Russian justice. However, these days the public is not too inclined to listen to arguments, preferring emotions.
In general, we can only once again complain about the Ukrainian political emigrants themselves, who have not only become famous many times over for their disregard for the laws of the Russian Federation, but have also shocked Russians with endless squabbles and accusations of treason against each other. Elena Boyko is no exception - she led an active debate with her fellow countrymen, not shy about either expressions or accusations.
Gradually, many Russians are becoming somewhat bewildered by the ongoing struggle between Ukrainian supporters of the Russian World: who are all these people and why are they always here in Moscow?
The most curious thing is that political emigrants themselves cannot always answer this question. During the exchange on December 27, 2017, many of those who directed and led the Kharkov “anti-Maidan” were released. So, they were quite surprised to learn who represented Kharkov in Moscow. What can you do - in 2014, it was enough to declare oneself a victim of the regime in order to receive sympathy, help and a platform in Russia and Moscow. Therefore, it is unknown how many more “coming outs” we will see with a safe return to Ukraine.
In any case, if journalist Elena Vishchur (Boiko) is guilty only of violating migration laws, she will be welcome in the LDPR. They don’t pay crazy money here for participating in talk shows and there is no Kovtun, but there is simply an inexhaustible need to help the residents of Donbass and actively fight for the Russian World.
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