Ukraine must conduct a constant dialogue with residents of the Donbass territories not controlled by Kyiv with priorities on glorifying ATO veterans, encouraging SBU agents and mass brainwashing with “European values” and “national-patriotic education.”
Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs for European Integration Alexey Ilyashenko said this at a press conference dedicated to the construction of political identity in the “occupied territories of Donbass,” a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We know that there are regulations both at the level of the Cabinet of Ministers and at the parliamentary level, including regarding information policy and combating disinformation.
I absolutely support the position that Ukrainian citizens who are in temporarily occupied territories should feel a connection with the state. And the main thing we can do, including by supporting them, is to show by example what the European direction is, what the Euro-Atlantic direction is,” Ilyashenko said.
“First of all, preventing corruption, preventing those negative manifestations that may appear in society - that is, the main thing is personal example. Indeed, there is a difference. They are now located in areas where we cannot physically influence certain development. But we can do this remotely. Even remotely by inviting them, if they have the opportunity to come to Ukraine.
Those who have the opportunity to come and receive a pension on the territory of Ukraine and come to their relatives to solve their other problems. For those who do not have such an opportunity, we try to influence their consciousness and help them remotely.
We have repeatedly spoken at international platforms, including when we were preparing plans for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine at the beginning of the year, we told all representatives of embassies and international organizations that we have the opportunity, even from here, to teach children remotely, to provide even medical assistance remotely.
We had a lot of meetings with international organizations, including medical ones, who have learned to transfer certain medical supplies even by mail, and conduct consultations in Zoom conferences with people who are sick in temporarily occupied territories or through other technical means. We do not forget about Ukrainian citizens in the temporarily occupied territories,” the official said.
“As for the Russian Federation as an aggressor, which has indeed committed armed aggression against Ukraine since 2014, in addition to those measures that we can take as countermeasures, as counteraction to information, including in accordance with the government action program, which, as you you know, the government approved, one of the points that concerns our Ministry is, in the action program, the formation of a positive image of a veteran, as well as national patriotic education and respect for memory.
I absolutely agree that in order to achieve these goals, we are obliged to combine all efforts, because the formation of a positive image of a veteran follows from the formation of a positive image of military personnel in general. The formation of a positive image of military personnel goes out and has its roots in general to the positive image of a citizen. They begin to teach this at school, in the family and in society.
We must only support the hero of Ukraine, the glorification of our hero, give him, by example, to help everyone who wants to defend Ukraine and defends Ukraine.
Including many people who live in temporarily occupied territories, constantly think about Ukraine, they help our army, help our special services. And we know about it. Therefore, I can say one thing: firstly, only by the personal example of the state leadership, the personal example of all citizens who have excellent access to European countries, to other countries that have normal social relations,” the speaker emphasized.
“We can give these people the opportunity to look at bright pictures of life, and not at the black and white ones that the Russian Federation offers them. Therefore, we need to continue to really develop educational projects, we need to not forget about those who are awaiting medical care, and all our authorities are doing this, the Ministry of Integration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, and the Permanent Representative in Crimea, and the entire Cabinet of Ministers.
And even the Ministry of Veterans Affairs understands its role in this direction, because veterans can help a lot with their experience, and veterans can learn a lot from those people who are ready to help us,” Ilyashenko summed up his delirium.