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Ukrainian activists ban essential symbol of Victory parade, veterans shattered

Published: 10 May, 2009, 11:20

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TAGS: Anniversary, Scandal, Russia, Holiday


The Victory Parade is a 64-year-old tradition that unites all former Soviet Republics. But an organization in Western Ukraine called 'Svoboda,' is calling for the banning of Soviet Symbols from Victory celebrations.

May 9th, 1945 – a day of celebration, of freedom, of victory. It was a victory that came at a great cost, but the fight united millions against a common enemy. The role of the Soviet Union in World War II was key – and even now, over half a century later, Victory Day is a celebration shared and respected in all former Soviet Republics. But there are some forces trying to break this sacred bond from within.

An organization in Ukraine vehemently opposes the use of the Red Army Flag and other Soviet symbols during the Victory Day Parades.

“Svoboda” was always for banning Communist ideology and the Communist party, because such ideology just crippled the Ukrainian nation – there was repression, shootings, and famine. Therefore in our 18th year of independence, we’re absolutely against displaying any symbols under which millions and millions of Ukrainians died,” says Andrey Mishenko, regional chief of the Svoboda group.

They aren't alone in their unusual demands.

The Ukrainian Insurgent Army was a military wing of the country's Nationalist Movement. In 1941, it was formed as a resistance group who fought Nazis – but later changed sides and joined the enemy. They attacked the Red Army and Soviet Partisans, and, according to some historical documents, played a significant role in the ethnic cleansing of Western Ukraine's Polish population.

Despite the fact that the group, or UPA – as it is known – was formally disbanded in 1949, it still exists today, defending its fighters and condemning all things Soviet. They enjoy a notable influence in Western Ukraine, and demand recognition from the country's political forces – claiming that what their fighters did was for the sake of Ukraine.

“Ukrainian insurgents were fighting invaders and NKVD troops against expulsion, deportation, and the destruction of the Ukrainian nation. This struggle didn’t stop for many years, and, as we know it wasn't until 1991 that Ukraine became independent,” says Sergey Tkachuk, archbishop of the UON-UPA.

Archbishop Sergey is a father confessor for the UPA. His chapel is full of icons, but alongside Jesus and the Holy Virgin are some rather unusual faces.

Opponents of the movement to ban Soviet symbols for Victory Day commemorations claim the people glorified by groups such as the UPA are the very people who shot their own comrades during the war years.

Nontheless, activists continue to fight against any kind of Soviet memory. And in a small city in Ukraine, they've won that fight.

A court ruled that the use of the Red flag during the Parade was prohibited. But how LEGAL is that ruling?

“The right to use symbols of Victory by the country which defeated fascism is written in a special law. Ukrainian law says absolutely clearly that symbols to immortalize victory, as well as government symbols can also be used and, after all, it’s a red flag too. The court ruling absolutely contradicts the law. I believe it would be overturned on appeal,” says lawyer Mikhail Pogrebensky.

The debates may go on for a long time, but there are those who haven't got much time left: those who fought and survived the Second World War, the liberators for whom Victory Day is the most significant day of the year.

So how do they feel when something they were prepared to die for…is questioned?

“Its a crime, its an awful crime to try and take away the red flag from Victory Day. That flag is a symbol of our fight, our pain – and our victory,” says a war veteran.

“The flag was what we fought for. We WERE the flag, and we won with it. To try and take it away from Victory Day celebrations would be a terrible crime,” says another war veteran.

These words are echoed in banners carried by members of the parade. “Your so-called 'heroes' shot their comrades in the back,” reads one of many rising above the victors alongside the Soviet Red Flags.

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Oleksander June 23, 2009, 18:05
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To begin with , this article deals with UKRAINIAN activists in UKRAINE , so who cares about what flag moscovites want to display . The simple truth is that Ukrainians don't want anything to remind them of the "bad old days " , when russia was painted red . Not that the " new , democratic Russia " , is any improvement .

Marzipan6 May 12, 2009, 13:09
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I agree with CountCash, to commemorate anything under the swastika would be an obscenity because of the unspeakable suffering which Nazism caused. Soviet Communism caused similar suffering, and those who suffered under both the swastika and the hammer and sickle, like the Baltic countries and other, see very little difference between the two. The emotional reaction which both flags justifiably evoke in them is a similar one of revulsion. To compare either the crimes of the swastika or of the hammer and sickle with the crimes committed under any other flag on earth would be a nonsense. Those two are in a class of infamy all their very own.

Count Cash May 11, 2009, 15:35
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The Soviet Flag is the historical truth, that represents one group of the allies that fought to defeat of the Nazis, it is as simple as that. Just the same way the US flag was, the Union Jack was, indeed all the flags of the Allies. These are the flags to be present on rememberence days, including our victory day, to correctly, historically show who defeated the Nazis. Yes there are lunatic extremists, who might say, you shouldn't use the Union Jack, because that is a symbol of oppression in the UK over the Welsh, Scottish and Irish who were biiterly oppressed, or that it represents the bitter oppression in the British Empire, or it represents bitter oppresssion of the Iraqi people now. Similarly another Lunatic could say the Stars and Stripes represents the oppression of the Red Indians, the oppression of the slaves, the oppression of the people of Yugoslavia and Iraq. Yet another extremist could say that the Australian flag represents the oppression of the Abhorigines, or the Baltic countries flags represent biitter oppression they assisted in Iraq .... So remove them all from everything to do with remeberence, how truly absurd. The lunatic extremists game goes on and on. Anyone can play the game, if the cap fits wear it. Hey why have a Russian flag, because this represents the oppression of the Russian peasants This is where the flag burning starts, this is where the extremism is seated. This is why US flags are burnt, all by extremists. This is where the Nazis reappear. The extremist changes history to suit where they want to lead the people. The honourable leader educates their people to be able to stick to historical facts, and handle any pain associated with the truth. To ask a soldier to undergo immence suffering, to defeat the Nazis, and then claim that the task is too great to for someone to differentiate between multiple uses of the same symbol, is absolutely absurd and laughable. The Nazis must never be remembered, in terms of any symbology, and regalia, even the smallest organisational part. The Nazis completely Natzified germany, any connection to them, however small, must never be made in terms of rememberance. The message must be simple to all our generations. 1. The Nazis were evil 2. The allies defeated them in a just cause, and are rembered with honour for who they were, in true historical terms, with their flags, regiments, medals ... We owe a huge debt to these people. 3. That there was no honour in being a Nazi, it was rank evil. There was no honour, there was no bravery, it was just evil. The suggestion to remember Nazis is revulsive and proposterous and would only come form a true Nazi extremist. such ideas, re-seed the ground for the lunatic extremists, and when the hell lets loose, and the dying starts, the innocent ones, once again are slaughtered. The fate of a Nazi, s a simple grave, with ourselves asking mercy on their soles. nothing else. This is our humanity, sending them to the hell they deserve. The message must aways shine bright that no part of the Nazis will be remembered. Otherwise, they will return! The EU and NATO were organisations, founded to secure security in Europe, they need wake up and stamp out lunatic movements who are trying to play dangerous games in constructing historical fiction, based on confused logic, and confused historical timelines. If they don't then they are simply failing to do their job.