In the name of sacred bonds of comradeship
Gennady ZYUGAOV, Chairman of the CC CPRF, Leader of the People’s Patriotic Forces of Russia.
To the fraternal people of Ukraine
Dear brothers and sisters. Each of us is hearing misfortune knocking on the doors of our homes. Ukraine and Russia are facing a dreadful threat. The West dreams of committing the unthinkable…
Our friendship has been attacked more than once. There was a time when the enemy had the guise of cunning Papal legates who were dragging southern Russian principalities into the Catholic fold. Then there was the Polish nobility which wreaked violence and sought to eradicate the age-old memory of our unity. Attempts to conquer us were made by Turks, Swedes, the French and the Germans. They spoke different languages, their uniforms and banners were different, but century after century they went about their grisly business seeking to divide and enslave our people. Nazi ideologists harbored plans of utter cynicism. On April 2, 1942 Rosenberg, a prominent Nazi, submitted to Hitler Memorandum №1 on Germany’s future policy in the lands of the USSR. With regard to Ukraine, he assigned the “political task” of “encouraging the aspirations for national independence” with the aim of “deterring Moscow and securing the great German living space in the east” and of “creating a powerful raw materials source and an additional food base for the Great German Reich.”
Today the Banderovites assure us that Hitlerites set Ukrainians apart from the other Slavs and treated them better. This crude lie exposes the Nazi’s Ost plan. The whole occupied population of Russia was to be either exterminated or deported to Siberia. Even in Galicia 65% of the people were to be evicted and the rest to be made slaves. Hitler said it in so many words: “We will seize the southern part of Ukraine… and make it an exclusive German colony. It will not be difficult to drive out the current population … in a hundred years’ time millions of German peasants will live there.”
The later-day enslavers are pouring sweet balm into the ears of the Ukrainian “elite” promising it a place “at the common European table.” In reality our beloved Ukraine faces the threat of devastation and of becoming a mandate territory. The selfish Anglo-Saxons, like Nazism, need a protectorate whose population and resources could be thrown into the furnace of international adventures. They have no need for an “independent Ukraine.”
The Western rulers seek to set the Russians and Ukrainians against each other. The dregs of the universe have more than once provoked conflicts when each drop of the blood shed ended up in the pocket of Uncle Sam in the shape of gold coins. Just recently the once prosperous multi-national Yugoslavia was torn apart. Now Washington repeats the mantra of an “inevitable” war with Russia. No sooner did Zelensky say that Moscow is not preparing an attack than he received a “sobering” call from Biden. The White House occupant explained that such things should not be said even in a whisper.
But have we become so stupid as to allow ourselves to be duped by provocaterus who are fomenting enmity and hatred? At the most difficult moments the people’s wisdom and our unity gained the upper hand over disunity. It was at such a moment that Bohdan Khmelnitsky made his impassioned plea: “Lord! Give us strength. So that we are all united forever.” It was at such moments that Russian and Ukrainian workers rejected the false promises of Skoropadsky and Petlyura and together started building their socialist state. It was at such moments that the airman Ivan Kozhedub, the partisan leader Sidor Kovpak, the military commanders Timoshenko, Eremenko, Malinovsky, Chernyakhovsky together with Zhukov and Rokossovsky, Meretskov and Bagramian rose to defend our great Soviet Motherland.
Thirty years ago we were forcibly divided contrary to the will expressed in a nationwide referendum. We have been slashed by borders and are being fed Rosenberg’s lie that Ukrainians and Russians are long-time enemies. Of course, speaking about the 1991 tragedy each of us may blame Gorbachev and Kravchuk, Yeltsin and Yushchenko, Yanukovich and Saakashvili, Poroshenko and Zelensky… But what about us? We are all choosing our destiny for generations ahead. It is our personal responsibility — of each and every one – to defend our land and ensure a happy life for our children and grandchildren.
Time has made it clear why the USA wished to see a government coup in Kiev in 2014. Another act of a major drama was launched. Provocations with killings on Maidan… People burnt alive in Odessa’s Trade Union House… Thousands of Donbas citizens killed by punitive forces… The much- touted “Euro-integration” turned out to be a sham. Obviously, the West’s aim is to rob and enslave Ukraine in order to continue to confront Russia and dictate its will to the world.
The insane dream of Washington hawks is a fratricidal war between our peoples. Behind the smokescreen of a “Moscow invasion” the world oligarchy is stepping up its Anti-Russia project and is staging dangerous provocations. Trumpeting Russia’s readiness to attack Ukraine, the USA and NATO are pumping its Bandera rulers with arms.
The conquerors’ tactic is as old as the world. Opposing it, talented Russians and Ukrainians have passionately called for friendship and cohesion. The ideas of the philosopher Grigory Skovoroda and the writer Nikolay Gogol strike a symbolic note. “If I have friends I consider myself to be not only rich, but also happy”, said the former. And the latter echoed the sentiment through the mouth of Taras Bulba: “No bonds are more sacred than those of comradeship.”
Great words. Right thoughts. The way to be followed is so clear. Unity is our strength. Our divisions bring humiliation, shame and ignominy.
Ukrainians and Russians are at a crossroads. History has again exposed us to trials. The West seeks to make us quarrel and to divide us. It wants to make unacceptable the very thought that Ukraine and Russia can be friends, promote mutual links, cherish the memory of our common victories and the dearest of them, the Great Victory over Fascism. Shall we allow ourselves to be deceived? Shall we be able to pull through? Shall we be able to resist the treacherous plans?
Wily brains dream of erasing form the consciousness of our people the fact that Soviet Ukraine was respected and loved in the Soviet Union. Its successes were rejoiced at. They added to the common heritage of a great and powerful country where citizens were not divided by nationality and language. Where friendship of the peoples helped to build Dneproges, to hoist the Victory Banner over the Reichstag and to conquer outer space. At that time honest labor was praised and respected. That is why the centenary of the formation of the USSR is a time of shared pride and synergy and not quarreling and hostility. A time of good memories, radiant hopes and ambitious plans. It is time we countered the venal oligarchy and the threats of adversaries with truly citizens’ diplomacy, direct conversation with each other, warm and hearty communication.
Brothers! Comrades! Friends! Our ancestors are looking at us. The future of our descendants depends on us. We cannot entrust our fate to Western puppeteers, nor to brazen oligarchs, nor to corrupt officials. We have seen how the greed of the rich bais and CIA’s perfidy blew up Kazakhstan overnight. Its authorities liked to parade their “stability.” But the abscess of social cleavages and injustice came to a head giving free rein to banditry and fratricide.
We communists are convinced that guys from Kharkov and Sumy, Zaporozhye and Kiev must not be enemies of their kindred peers from Ryazan and Khabarovsk, Archangelsk and Moscow. These guys, like all of us, have similar names, common roots and faith, our relatives live on both sides of the border. Let us, then, stretch our hands of comradeship toward each other in our struggle against provocateurs of every stripe. It is time we got down together to the common business of changing the very foundations of our life. The time is coming to chase away all the enemies of our peoples.
We trust that the tenderness of women’s hearts, the will of our men, the wisdom of the elders and the light in our children’s eyes will help us avoid a calamity and demonstrate to the world our successes and achievements. We must prove again that we are capable of broad integration and the joining of efforts. By pooling our talents and potentials, we shall be competitive in any markets. By embarking on the path of creative endeavor, we will strengthen our potential and secure a worthy and peaceful life. And then, as before, our grand deeds and trail-blazing discoveries, our great writers and poets, our soulful songs, colorful folk dances and sporting achievements will be known and admired all over the world.
Let us be wise, firm and consistent!
Let us be united in defiance of evil and treachery!
Let us do everything for a worthy and glorious future of our peoples!