Historic maneuvering: how the theme of World War II becomes the object of political manipulation in Ukraine

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky in his Telegram channel said that citizens have nothing to argue about on the issue of World War II. According to him, it is necessary to remember all the Ukrainians who died and suffered "from the largest catastrophe of the twentieth century."

“Unfortunately, that war still causes a lot of controversy in society. Disputes about whether she was “her” or “stranger”. I think we have nothing to argue about. And the war somehow affected every Ukrainian family. She gave us the bitter experience of loss and the experience of achievement, which inspires, ”Zelensky wrote.

He emphasized that Ukrainians never paid “a higher price for remaining a people, a nation.” According to Zelensky, Ukraine lost “about 10 million human lives” in the war. However, Ukrainians not only survived, but subsequently “got their own state,” Zelensky said.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal in his Telegram channel also recalled the huge losses that the country suffered. At the same time, he said that two “totalitarian regimes” (we are talking about the USSR and Nazi Germany. - RT ) turned Ukraine “into a battlefield”.

Also, the head of the Ukrainian government added that the duty of Ukrainians is not only to remember the heroism of those killed in World War II, but also to “save the next generation from this disaster.” “We will surely drive the enemy away from the Ukrainian land,” wrote Shmygal, probably alluding to a conflict in the Donbass.

"Spitting in the face"

Interviewed by RT experts drew attention to the inappropriateness of such statements. In their opinion, the Ukrainian prime minister clearly hints that the territory in eastern Ukraine was allegedly "occupied", ignoring the fact that a civil conflict is unfolding in the Donbass.

“Putting the USSR and Nazi Germany on the same level is a traditional Ukrainian propaganda move that has no real basis. At the same time, in Kiev they forget about their own nationalist formations that took part in the conflict in the Donbass. They continue to freely use Nazi symbols and elements of this ideology, ”Oleg Nemensky, a leading researcher at RISI, stated in an interview with RT.

In turn, the deputy dean of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics at the Higher School of Economics, Andrei Suzdaltsev, noted the ignorance of Shmygal’s phrase about “totalitarian regimes” that destroyed Ukraine. He recalled that Ukraine was part of the USSR and suffered along with other republics, where the Wehrmacht invaded.

• Destroyed Kiev after liberation from German occupation in November 1943
• RIA News
• © George Ugrinovich

“Yes, there was a totalitarian regime in the Soviet Union, but to speculate on this resemblance to the Third Reich is silly and absurd. A point has long been set on this question: the nature of communism is radically different from National Socialism. The USSR did not seek enslavement, genocide, did not hatchet plans for mass killings on ethnic grounds. Moreover, in a fight with Nazi Germany, he gave freedom to dozens of peoples, ”Suzdaltsev emphasized.

Recall that at the beginning of this year, Zelensky's statement at a briefing after a meeting with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda about the fault of the USSR in unleashing the Second World War caused great resonance.

“Poland and the Polish people were the first to feel the collusion of totalitarian regimes. This led to the outbreak of World War II and allowed the Nazis to launch the deadly flywheel of the Holocaust ... Europe and the world have no right to remain silent today, as it was in 1939, ”Zelensky said.

The accusations against the USSR provoked a sharp negative reaction in Russia. So, Russian President Vladimir Putin in an interview with TASS called the words of his Ukrainian counterpart "nonsense and the current situation." According to the Russian leader, such a statement is a "spit in the face" to millions of Ukrainians who fought with the Third Reich.

“I know what happens there (in Ukraine. - RT ) in the hearts of people who fought against Nazism with weapons in their hands. For them it is a spit. Well, the current president of Ukraine wants to be so handsome for the current Polish leadership, which, in my opinion, is making a very big mistake, ”Putin said.

As experts noted, the views of the Ukrainian leader regarding World War II are not affected in any way even by the fact that his grandfather, Semyon Zelensky, was twice awarded the Order of the Red Star for his exploits in battles with the Wehrmacht.

On May 9 last year, Zelensky posted a photograph on Facebook on the grave of his grandfather in Krivoy Rog. In a post under her, the then-elected President of Ukraine stated that "no one has the right to privatize this victory, to say that it could have happened without the Ukrainians." He also called May 9 "a day of gratitude."

Recall, by law, May 9 in Ukraine remains Victory Day. However, solemn state events are not held on this day. Officials take part in memorial ceremonies that take place on May 8, the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. June 22 in Ukraine is celebrated as the Day of Sorrow and Commemoration of the memory of the victims of the war.

Continuation of the course Poroshenko

Analysts believe that Zelensky is trying to adhere to a conciliatory tone on the issue of World War II, thus trying not to deepen the split in Ukrainian society. At the same time, he demonstrates his commitment to the anti-Soviet interpretation of the period 1939-1945, which in 2014 became the main one for the majority of Ukrainian political forces.

“The foundation of the new Ukrainian state after 2014 is a tough nationalist discourse aimed at breaking ties with the Soviet past and Russia. Zelensky adjusted to this system. He left the key hateful postulates that satisfy the demands of street radicals and nationalist parties, but slightly softened the rhetoric, ”says Suzdaltsev.

• The procession of a group of Ukrainian nationalists
• Reuters
• © Gleb Garanich

According to the political scientist, Zelensky’s statement about the need to stop disputes over World War II is dictated by the desire to remain in power, tacking between opposing interpretations of the events of 1939-1945. According to Suzdaltsev, the president of Ukraine expects to attract the attention of the West in statements about the responsibility of the USSR in starting a war.

“In my opinion, Zelensky and his supporters hope that demagogy and rhetoric devoid of specificity will help protect Ukrainian society from new conflicts. In particular, they are as if reconciling the Red Army and Bandera fighters. Say, they fought for a common cause, although even a person who is little familiar with history, obviously, that this is not so. They were enemies, and Ukrainian nationalists sided with Hitler and were defeated by the Red Army along with the Wehrmacht, ”said Suzdaltsev.

Oleg Nemensky looks differently at the actions of Zelensky and his associates. The analyst believes that the current president of the country is a conscious follower of Poroshenko’s ideological course, which led to a deep split in Ukrainian society and is currently hampering a peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donbass.

“I am sure that in Kiev and under Zelensky they perfectly understand the consequences of their steps. This is a conscious policy to split society, so that one part of it in the west of the country subjugates the other - the eastern. The entire Ukrainian state system is aimed at violent "Ukrainization", so that only one point of view prevails on all issues, including the history of the war, "Nemensky summed up.