Statement by the Chairman of the CC CPRF Gennady Zyuganov.

The situation in the zone of hostilities in Ukraine has recently seen a dramatic change. The terrorist acts on the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, on the Crimea bridge and daily shelling of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant show that the globalists would not stop at anything in order to destabilize our country. What we see today is not a special operation, but a war of the USA and its allies against Russia with the hands of Bandera Fascists. 

The Western countries are providing Ukraine’s criminal regime with the latest weaponry. They are funding and training units of Ukrainian armed forces that are being formed. Their headquarters plan and control the operations of the Neo-Nazi soldiery and provide them with intelligence information. They set the targets of the strikes at Russian troops, cities and villages.

NATO experts man the control systems of precision weapons. Thousands of mercenaries are directly involved in combat. The USA and its satellites are practically financing the Bandera regime in Ukraine. As part of modern hybrid warfare they are waging an information, propaganda and economic war against Russia. The recent terrorist acts have undoubtedly been organized by American and British special services which have long been specializing in this kind of crimes.

Undisguised entry of NATO into the war against Russia is a game changer which calls for a change of the strategy and tactics of the leadership of the state and the army, and the gearing of the entire country toward ensuring victory. Considering that the LPR and DPR, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye oblasts, are now parts of Russia today we are fighting not in Ukraine, but on our own territory. That, too, is a new phenomenon. But we should understand that the task of liberating the people of Ukraine from the Neo-Nazi regime is still on the agenda. 

The Russian armed forces are up against major challenges. However, it would be totally wrong to put all the blame for these problems on the current leadership of the Armed Forces. They deserve every kind of support and help. It is incumbent upon us to give an objective and stern assessment of those who have over many years been undermining Russia’s defense capability.

The defense industry and science have been dramatically wakened. Thoughtless and sometimes downright subversive privatization has led to the liquidation of many strategic enterprises. Incidentally, the process of deliberate bankruptcies continues to this day.

Society has been forced to assume the solution of many supply problems faced by the fighting army. All honor and praise to the millions of patriots in all the corners of our land who have undertaken to purchase and deliver to the army various equipment, food, clothing, night vision instruments, UAVs, drugs and medical equipment. Yet all this is the duty of the state and its relevant bodies. In 1941-1945, too, there was a flow of parcels to Red Army soldiers from the rear of the country. But the state fully supplied all the army needed.

The recent years have seen a number of measures to rebuild the Armed Forces and the defense industry. However, the damage caused by the liberal “reformers” and “the fifth column” has been so great that it would take years to make up for it. Society expects that those who are to blame for the current serious problems of our army and have treacherously undermined its defense capability will be severely punished. 

Public opinion makers have gravely damaged Russia’s combat readiness. Years of pursuing the course for suppressing patriotism, foisting Western “values” that are alien to our people as well as fraudulent elections were bound to entail dire consequences, as witnessed by thousands of young men dodging draft. The blame lies not only with them but also with those who have deliberately been turning our youth into rootless cosmopolitans. 

Intensification of hostilities, NATO openly joining the war against Russia have revealed the existence of forces which, wittingly or unwittingly, impede the solution of the problems facing our country and army. Part of the bureaucracy, especially in the economic and financial spheres, is behaving with such unconcern as if there were no special military operation, as if this operation has not developed into NATO’s war against Russia. This is beginning to look like sabotage. Urgent legislation needs to be taken to punish those responsible for this, including for inaction of public office holders at a time when urgent crucial decisions need to be taken.

Amid growing military threat to the country the unity of society is vital. It is not the army but the whole country that is at war. Each and every one today must take on board the slogan of our great ancestors: “Everything for the front, everything for victory.” However, genuine consolidation of the social forces can only be achieved through a change of course for one that is socially oriented. Justice, collectivism and mutual help are the cornerstones of our society. It is necessary to immediately introduce a progressive taxation scheme and repeal the decision to raise the retirement age.

The battle should be waged not only against external enemies, but also against internal enemies of Russia, the management crisis, economic lag, widespread impoverishment, and an appalling social split. Criminal greed and thievish irresponsibility of the oligarchy. Against Russophobic and anti-Soviet intrigues of “the fifth column” in the sphere of culture, education and propaganda. In the 20th century this battle was brilliantly won by the Soviet Power which accomplished Leninist-Stalinist modernization within the shortest possible time. Putting an end to exploitation, joblessness and illiteracy. Rapidly industrializing the economy. Outstanding peaceful accomplishments of socialism provided the foundation of our victory over Hitler’s brown plague. It is high time to understand the meaning of this historical lesson and realize that new victories can only be won by changing the course in favor of socialism, justice, equality and genuine responsibility of power and the citizens for their country.

Nationalization of strategic spheres of the economy, maximum support for its innovation-driven development, dissemination of the experience of people’s enterprises, social protection of the citizens, free and high-quality medical care and education – this is the foundation of our initiatives and proposals. This is the program of victory which needs to be adopted at the state level. Without it, it is impossible to administer a crushing rebuff to those who seek to destroy the Russian World and wipe the state born of it off the face of the Earth. In the conditions when the country has arisen to defend its sovereignty and independence, when hundreds of thousands of young men are going to the front, everyone must do one’s utmost to defeat Neo-Nazism and Bandera followers who have the backing of the USA and its NATO satellites. 

The CPRF and the patriotic left in Russia are confident of winning the battle against the same enemy that came to us in June 1941, that is, the united forces of the aggressive West. Back then these forces were led by Hitler’s Germany. Today it is the USA, Great Britain and their vassals. If this struggle is to be successful, there needs to be a total concentration of all our resources and spiritual strength. The Russian leadership must take all the measures that it calls for.

Chairman of the CC CPRF                                                   

Gennady Zyuganov