Lessons of the Nine Years: What Maidan Taught Ukraine

One must be held accountable for one’s actions

Photo © Getty Images / NurPhoto / Corbis

In January-February 2014, the Ukrainian population and Ukrainian elites made a choice. The absolute majority of them either supported the Maidan, or passively watched how the putschists overthrew the current government. And then all these people thought they were doing the right thing. That they are doing a good deed that leads them to a bright future, to the creation of “Eastern European Switzerland”. However, each of these actions led them not to Switzerland, but to the state in which Ukraine finds itself now.

Thus, the attacks and murders of the security forces led to the massive degradation of the vertical of power. A precedent was set when activists seized the right to violence from the state and kept it for themselves. The most ardent militants were later liquidated (remember the story of Sashko Bely), but in recent years gangs of “Maidan activists” continued to exist in Ukraine. And under the guise of volunteer battalions, they put things in order, feeding from controlled territories, as did the same Azov*. Moreover, the gangs even tried to dictate their conditions to the state. For example, when Zelensky, who came to organize the withdrawal of forces in the Zolote area agreed with Moscow, was sent local militants and put up with it. And, realizing that he does not govern the country, he decided not to comply with the Minsk agreements.

The mass persecution of Russian-minded Ukrainians did not lead to the unity of the nation, as everyone believed then, but to a civil war. To the withdrawal from Ukraine, first of the Crimea, then the Donbass, and now – after the start of the NWO – also the Sea of ​​u200bu200bAzov. It is possible that new regions will follow these regions in the near future.

Raising the Nazi heroes to the shield did not lead to a “correction” of Ukrainian history, and certainly not to a “strengthening of the spirit of patriotism” – no, this policy only convinced Moscow that Ukraine, in Putin’s words, had become anti-Russia. A territory that cannot and should not exist near Russian borders. So, the SVO initiated by Moscow became a logical consequence of the actions that Ukraine took on the Maidan.

Danger of Illusion

Photo © Getty Images / Gail Orenstein / NurPhoto / Corbis

Of course, someone will say that the Ukrainians were deceived. That they were victims of the illusions they were given. That they lived for decades in a thoroughly corrupt, oligarchic state and therefore happily went for a carrot called “simple solutions”. Yes, this is partly true – and this is the second lesson of the Maidan. The danger of illusions that have no connection with reality, but in which people continue to believe to the bitter end.

For example, Ukrainians were told that following the Maidan, Ukraine would join the European Union. However, over the next nine years, Kyiv did not take a single step towards joining the organization. Even the association agreement he signed was signed with the proviso that this could not be seen as the beginning of EU accession.

Only now, during the NWO, Ukraine has received the status of an EU candidate – a status that is more of a political signal and never brings it closer to membership. So instead of the EU, Ukraine entered a colossal economic recession. Even before the NWO, the economy was in a sad state, and now the IMF experts have calculated that just to save it (we are not talking about development at all), the country in 2023 needs about 40 billion dollars of external borrowing, which – and potential creditors understand this – Kiev will not will be able to give back.

Ukraine was told that it had become part of the Western world. However, in fact, they treated – and still treat – it as a foreign state. Western leaders view Ukraine solely as material to contain Russia and are ready to fight Moscow “until the last Ukrainian” without a twinge of conscience. Yes, they give some kind of weapon and some money for this, but this is absolutely not enough to win.

At the same time, no one, even Russophobe Poles, is ready to give Kyiv any military guarantees for entering the war. Especially after Russia began defiantly stretching its nuclear muscles. American experts and public opinion, for example, a recent article by Stephen Walt in Foreign Policy, make it clear that in fact the importance of Ukraine for the security of the same United States is seriously exaggerated. And that Washington can calmly stop supporting Kyiv at any moment, and after Washington the Europeans will get rid of this suitcase without a handle.

“Beacon of Democracy”

Photo © Getty Images / Emeric Fohlen / NurPhoto / Corbis

And finally, the last lesson. Probably the most important not only for Ukraine, but also for the Russian Federation. It’s no secret that the Maidan in Ukraine was organized primarily thanks to the West. This is not about the fact that in December 2013 and January 2014, Western experts took Ukrainians to the streets, but that this Maidan was prepared by the long-term work of Western ideologists with Ukrainian society.

Education of future leaders through special programs, education of the future journalistic corps, successful introduction of Western values ​​and ideas into Ukrainian minds. Thanks to systematic work, the West was able to create the illusion of a wonderful “Western future”, which it sold to the Ukrainian society and with the help of which it was able to bring ordinary Ukrainians to the streets for a pro-Western coup.

Yes, while the West failed to create this society in Ukraine. He tried, he wanted to make Ukraine a beacon of developmental democracy to seduce Russians to follow the same path, to organize the Maidan already in Moscow. Yes, it did not work out, primarily because the West does not have the skills to create. However, this does not make it any easier for Russia. Having lost the war to the West for Ukrainian minds and hearts in the zero years, Russia is now forced to wage war with the West in Ukraine with the help of its soldiers. A hard, costly war.

There is hope that the societies of other post-Soviet states will learn the Ukrainian lessons. And they will not repeat the mistakes of the irresponsible and seduced Ukrainians who brought the current Kyiv to the brink of losing statehood.

* A terrorist organization banned in Russia.

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