UPDATE: Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 · 4:23:26 AM +00:00 · Beak
What a nice surprise and honor to wake up only to find my diary on top of the list of trending stories. This gives me hope that the topic hasn’t vanished from people’s minds on DK, even if there are more pressing concerns at the moment.
Two years ago I happened to come by an article written by Ukrainian historian and writer Nazar Rozlutsky in which he aptly described why Ukrainians won‘t stop fighting even if all odds seem to be against them. Especially this quote stood out to me and helped me understand why ordinary people, who never before in their lives had touched a gun, would so adamantly defend their country from Russian aggression:
Some of them have already died. And some will never return to their profession because they have burned out.
But they all continue to fight. Because Ukraine is behind them. Because if they lay down their arms, their parents will be killed, their wives and daughters will be raped, and their homes will be destroyed or confiscated.
euromaidanpress.com/...
Today, almost two years later, Nazar still hasn’t given up the fight to liberate his country, even if the attention of the world has waned and other news have overshadowed the struggle of the Ukrainian people.
The following text was copied from a xitter (pronounced: [sh’itter] h/t Istvan13) thread and perfectly captures the disappointment the Ukrainian people must feel as they have to accept, that after more than two years and the death of thousands of innocent people, among them many children, the west still can’t muster the strength and courage to stand up against the bloody slaughter and deliver the material that is necessary to end this terrible tragedy in a swift and decisive manner.
It is humiliating to see how many politicians squirm in order to avoid having to take a definitive position. The head of government of my home country in particular has made an art of shirking responsibility and as a citizen of this country I am deeply ashamed of this behavior, that even has created his own verb “scholzing”, which has been defined as “communicating good intentions and then finding, using or inventing every possible reason to delay and/or prevent them”.
But still the Ukrainian people carry on, because it is the only option they have, as surrendering would have far worse consequences than continuing to fight.
The sheer resilience that speaks from Nazar's words has convinced me that this people will win in the end, no matter how much suffering and sacrifice that means. And there are thousands and thousands of his kind.
Two years ago, I wrote a post that went viral and was translated into various languages. The post was about Ukraine's determination to fight to the end.
Today, I want to add more…
At that time, people were pushing Ukraine to negotiate. I wrote then that Ukraine would not negotiate until the russian occupiers retreated from our territory. Neither independence nor territorial integrity can be a subject of negotiation.
Now, two years later, I want to reiterate my statements. I say this at a time when russians have been launching mass rocket attacks on our cities for several days in a row.
When American politicians cannot agree on a critical aid package necessary for Ukraine to defend not only the front lines but also cities in the rear. When senior US officials try to persuade us not to attack russian oil refineries.
When Polish farmers block the Ukrainian border. When a joint team of Americans and russians is preparing to launch into space. When the war in Ukraine has long disappeared from Western newspaper headlines.
I do not retract any of my prior statements. Furthermore, I want to add. We will not just fight to the end or to victory. We will fight as we see fit and will not listen to any "concerned voices."
We will bring the war to russian territory, we will attack their military, metallurgical, and oil plants. We will invade russian territory. We will make sure they have no peace until the last russian soldier leaves Ukraine.
We listened to "advisers” for too long, telling us not to escalate, not to irritate russia - but it did not help us. We listened to those who verbally supported us but continued to buy russian oil, planning joint projects with the russians. We will no longer listen to them.
The price of these calls for peace and negotiations - is that, as a writer and historian, I still have to fight the occupiers. The price of these meaningless words is the destroyed houses today in Zaporizhzhia, the trolleybus with civilians hit by a russian rocket.
It is the death of the wonderful poet Maksym Kryvtsov, who instead of writing poems went to war. It is the death of my colleague Yuriy Juice, who like me was a professional historian, but instead of sitting in an office, he went to the trenches.
It is the death of the poet Viktoria Amelina, who was not even a military person, but it did not save her from a russian rocket containing elements made in Western countries. I can tell thirty such stories. Thirty people russians forever took away from me.
So the next time American politicians, Polish farmers, Slovak voters, or anyone else thinks of pushing us to compromise or wage war in a way that won't hurt their interests - I will ask them to shut up.
We fight, and we will fight as we see fit. Until we drive the last russian occupier from our land. You can help us by giving us more weapons and blocking trade with russia. Or you can betray us. But even if you betray us, we will still continue to fight.
I would like this text to reposted and shared around the world. Spread it, copy it, translate it, send it to politicians.
Nazar Rozlutsky
PhD in History,
Author of six books
Junior Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
I truly hope that Europe understands that the only thing which stands between us and the horrors only the Russian Mir can bring, are these brave people.
Slava Ukraini.