The following op-ed was submitted by Matthew Dubas of "The Ukrainian Weekly", which is distributed throughout the United States and Canada. It is in response to the Global Post article entitled Soviet-Styled Youth Squads Making a Comeback in Eastern Ukraine. The views expressed by Mr. Dubas, who is part of the publication's editorial staff, are solely his own.
This is part of the occupying power's (Russia) plan to indoctrinate a
new generation of zombies, to "correct" certain ways of thinking, and to
erase historical memory. In time, Putin hopes that these people will
forget that they ever identified themselves as Ukrainians, just as he
continues to do in the breakaway regions of Georgia (South Osettia and
Abkhazia).
In just two years of occupation (but
centuries of subjugation under the Russian empire and the Soviet Union,
and local oligarchic clans/organized crime groups), we can see how
slavery is maintained.
Russians are tired of
dying in Ukraine (and in Syria), and even the locals don't want to
serve, so children are used as propaganda tools.
This
is a consequence of war - a war no one wants to admit is ongoing - a
distraction point for Putin. But where is the glory in being buried in
secret, without honor, on a mission of invasion of a peaceful neighbor?
How
much longer is this going to be allowed to continue? The parallels
between terrorist warlords and using youths in similar fashion should be
beyond disturbing, but motivate an adequate response.
That response should include cutting Russia's resupply routes to its
proxies on the Ukrainian side of the border because without resupply of
arms, munitions and personnel, Russia's popularity with the so-called
"separatists" would turn against Moscow and it would be unsustainable to
continue to fight.
Economic sanctions, that have recently been extended by the U.S., Canada and the EU, have worked to a point (as has the drop in the price of oil), and it will be telling how Russia copes with the lack of revenue. One such response from Russia as this article shows, is that Russia has upped its propaganda campaign in the occupied territories of Ukraine - with military recruitment efforts increased in Crimea (where the local population is being force to accept Russian citizenship, and Crimean Tatars are being forcibly pushed out of their indigenous homeland) as well. Social payments, on the other hand, are on the back burner and people are being asked to live with less resources, including food, gas and other basic essentials. Yet, the oligarchs and Kremlin elite live in abundance.
Russia also sees the opportunity to increase its propaganda on a European audience that has, through funding by Russia, seen an increase in the popularity of Euro-skeptic parties and the Brexit vote has motivated Russia to continue on this course to divide Europe and its resolve against Russian aggression. We have even seen an increase in Soviet-style espionage tactics with regard to U.S. diplomatic residences being ransacked or furniture rearranged or faucets left running, etc, which are more signs of Russia's increasing frustrations.
The NATO summit in Warsaw this weekend (July 8-9), and a subsequent meeting between Russia and NATO following the summit should give us more clues as to how well the tensions are being managed and to what degree NATO members stand united against Russia.
Economic sanctions, that have recently been extended by the U.S., Canada and the EU, have worked to a point (as has the drop in the price of oil), and it will be telling how Russia copes with the lack of revenue. One such response from Russia as this article shows, is that Russia has upped its propaganda campaign in the occupied territories of Ukraine - with military recruitment efforts increased in Crimea (where the local population is being force to accept Russian citizenship, and Crimean Tatars are being forcibly pushed out of their indigenous homeland) as well. Social payments, on the other hand, are on the back burner and people are being asked to live with less resources, including food, gas and other basic essentials. Yet, the oligarchs and Kremlin elite live in abundance.
Russia also sees the opportunity to increase its propaganda on a European audience that has, through funding by Russia, seen an increase in the popularity of Euro-skeptic parties and the Brexit vote has motivated Russia to continue on this course to divide Europe and its resolve against Russian aggression. We have even seen an increase in Soviet-style espionage tactics with regard to U.S. diplomatic residences being ransacked or furniture rearranged or faucets left running, etc, which are more signs of Russia's increasing frustrations.
The NATO summit in Warsaw this weekend (July 8-9), and a subsequent meeting between Russia and NATO following the summit should give us more clues as to how well the tensions are being managed and to what degree NATO members stand united against Russia.
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