Maidan even in a hundred years will attract researchers

Vyacheslav Likhachev – historian and political scientist, expert on ultra-right movement and xenophobia on the post-Soviet space. Author of several books on radical nationalist movements in Russia and Ukraine. Head of the Monitoring Group of the rights of national minorities in Ukraine. A native of Russia, more than ten years he lived in Ukraine, currently resides in Israel. Vyacheslav Likhachev talks Andrei Portnov (Historians.in.ua).

A. Portnov: I’ll start with the question, what for you personally “euromaidan”? How did he influence your vision of the Ukrainian society and your research?

Likhachev: Very difficult question … First – a personal dimension. However, once a reservation, it seems to me there is something unfair to describe their own experiences related to the Maidan. I now live thousands of miles from Kiev (I’m Russian, after ten years of living in Ukraine, I moved to Israel shortly before the event), and it hardly makes sense to describe what I felt and thought, looking at the broadcast “Gromadska” of those who was at that moment under fire. But, on the other hand – the Maidan has indeed become very important in many ways a watershed event for me. Of course, he became one of tens and hundreds of thousands of people who were direct participants in the events, but the perception of the distance has its own specifics.

The most important for me was the aspect ratio of engagement and objective examination. As much as it may sound, it is in the context of the Maidan, I realized that I cease to be an observer, a specialist. Or, at least – no longer only be a specialist. What I suddenly closed up for himself something of a social activist, not, however, really active, perhaps less interesting to the readers. (In Israel, it has developed quite significantly and in some areas very effective community of people coming out to rallies in support of Ukraine, to collect and send money and medicine to help the wounded – first from the Maidan, and then -. From the ATO zone) In addition, Independence has made me what -What kind of a public figure, a popular commentator of what is happening in the English media. But rather, I wanted to talk about something else.

I was researching xenophobia, crime monitoring of hate, to monitor the activities of radical nationalist groups. It is known that it is – one of the problems that have become suddenly acute and urgent in Ukrainian and “okoloukrainskom” information in the context of last year, I would even say inadequately sharp. It is on these topics are largely based propaganda speculations aimed at discrediting the protest movement and the victory of the revolution.

What is happening in Ukraine, it made me reflect quite intensively on research methodology in a similar situation, intellectual honesty, the intonation of texts, choice of themes. I’m afraid you do not want to turn into a propagandist, but I always find myself on the fact that choosing my words carefully, depending on the audience, and, as a rule, be clear about the practical purpose of writing the text for each and every oral presentation. It is not wanting to deal with, I propaganda, however, are consistently in the past year, the situation need to refute any public accusations and counter organized and systemic anti-Ukrainian campaign. This problem is, in general, is facing anyone balancing between research and journalism, science, and social activities, commenting on current events.

To give just one example. During the winter protests, I was offered a very lucrative job. I – one of the three or four authors, actively and professionally writing about Ukrainian ultra-nationalist and other right-wing radicals. Obviously, this is why mediators from Kiev offered me good money to tell the international community about the “Ukrainian fascism.” This order I was offered exactly at the date of adoption Rada of “the dictatorship of law.” Actually, before I had to work in the political technology sphere, including political parties, which I did not sympathize, and I was quite cynical in this matter, but this time I felt some kind of line that was simply unable to go. Of course, I refused. Perhaps it was unprofessional …

But a few days later, when employees of repressive organs and “death squads” from “titushok” began to kill, I clearly realized that, it seems, is now generally can remain without a profession. If managed Maidan drown in the blood, many activists (among them – “my” characters) would find themselves in jail or on the wanted list at best. In this situation, I think I just had nothing else to write about Ukrainian nationalist radicals – all told me it could be used against them. The fact that they are today quite successfully participate in the elections or make a spectacular career in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, for me personally, as though it may sound, it is very gratifying. About MP neo-Nazis (of course, I mean strict and not “Kisielewski,” the meaning of the word) to write can and should be, on the political prisoners neo-Nazis I would say much more difficult,

Honestly, that at a certain period, I quite clearly articulated and formulated its mission in the public sphere rather as propaganda (or education), rather than as research. In winter and spring I have been actively commenting on what is happening in Ukraine for English and Hebrew-speaking press, he gave public lectures in Israel, Poland, Germany. Around March, by the way, from time to time it was possible to talk and write about it even in some Russian media. In the context of widely deployed propaganda campaign, first to implement the regime controlled the media Yanukovych, then – Russian agitprop, I found myself in the situation of the need to confront the false political technology schemes. Of course, I was telling the truth and only the truth, not concealing including unpleasant things for me.

By some very intelligent and friendly people, I began to receive allegations that he had become “samomobilizovannym propagandist” and writing as a political consultant, not as a politician. This situation is extremely problematic for me. Every time I try to “test” yourself for objectivity, and constantly have doubts about the justification of the public position taken by me. All this could not fail to put in front of me a number of important questions about the fairness and objectivity of the research.

Well, if a little abstract from the personal-emotional perception, of course, Maydan and all subsequent events – it is a huge field of research, including in particular in the sphere in which I am engaged. Perhaps the fact that I was away from the event and is not involved directly in them, something helps me to write about them. Now, on the scale of the problems caused by unleashed against Ukrainian war itself Maidan several stepped into the shadows … But I am deeply convinced that this phenomenon was the most spectacular event in modern Ukrainian history, and one of the highlights – in post-war European history as a whole. I do not think that would be pathetic exaggeration to claim that the Maidan, and a hundred years will bring researchers, fascinate and inspire fighters against tyranny worldwide.

A. Portnov: Can we talk about some dynamics of xenophobia, anti-Semitism in the context of “Evrorevolyutsii”, the annexation of the Crimea and the war in the Donbass? And how does the expert knowledge on these issues with a comprehensive, without exaggeration, a worldwide propaganda about the “fascist coup”?

Likhachev: The rapid chrede events and processes, in my opinion, recorded different trends that are clearly not easy to generalize. I’ll try to fix the points that it seems to me indisputable. Firstly, euromaidan and dignity revolution is much clearer than, say, the Orange Revolution, articulated discourse of civic nationalism. It should be mentioned, as a historian, I do not believe that nationalism itself – a destructive force, is inextricably linked to xenophobia, chauvinism and contempt for human rights. Frankly, I and his own political views tend to be characterized as a “nationalist”. Historically, nationalism was formed with the system of representative democracy, and by and large is the foundation for narodopraviya. Based on the idea of ​​the nation nationality principle was formed as an alternative to the traditional imperial and monarchical principle of citizenship. Nationalism, in large part, it’s just a certain model of the state system in which power is legitimated by the choice of the population, endowed with civil rights (completely non-obvious thing in the long term history of human civilization). The struggle for the rights of citizens, who are exposed to the infringement on the part of the usurper – a classic engine of national protest, striving for democratic values. Euromaidan was the result of activities of civil society, in the sense described above – Ukrainian civil nation to a much greater extent than an instrument of the political opposition. Yanukovych regime were unhappy with virtually all segments of the population – that, in fact, and it makes a revolution dignity what it was. It seems to me that its interpretation in terms of “national revolution” is quite justified, with the caveat about the multicultural and civilian character of the nation as its subject.

Secondly, however, the dominant “inclusive” model of civil nation in the protest movement opposed also articulated “exclusive” model. On the Independence from the beginning I was present, and aggressively represent themselves anti-democratic radical nationalist discourse. Actually, it was his presence was from the very beginning used in propaganda aimed at discrediting the protest movement. We can not say that this propaganda was completely on anything not based. Indeed, right-wing groups have not only tried to impose its discourse around the Maidan, including violent methods, but also to some extent succeeded. Due to the fact that the protest movement, for various reasons, there was no other “finished” symbolic language, people naturally embraced nationalist slogans, however, it seems to me, largely reinterpreting them. (In parenthesis, I note that on the actions of Israel, in a society extremely sensitive to such rhetoric, the participants chanted not just the standard “Glory to Ukraine! -! Heroes of glory”, but “Glory of the nation – Death to the enemies”, especially with the beginning of the Russian invasion.) in this case, the actual ideological national-radicals on the Maidan were negligible marginal in the context of the scale of the movement. The media demonized the “right sector” after the peak of its popularity due to the events on the street. Grushevskogo, it was no more than five hundred people (in this case is appropriate to note that the leadership of this group clearly articulated non-ethnic character of his understanding of the national question). Even in this context, we can recall at least untwisted in the public space “Hundreds of them. Svyatoslav Horobrih ” formed by young neo-Nazi in the strict sense of the word “fellow travelers” of “Freedom”, there were about 150 people. However, only in the organized structures of the non-ideological self-defense in Kyiv hosted 16 thousand activists. In total, the streets of Ukrainian cities at the height of the protest came about two million people. Tens of thousands of protesters a variety of views have been actively involved in a physical confrontation between the repressive bodies and mobilize the power of the bandits. Ridiculous to talk not only about leadership, but also about any significant role of the far right in this context. In total, the streets of Ukrainian cities at the height of the protest came about two million people. Tens of thousands of protesters a variety of views have been actively involved in a physical confrontation between the repressive bodies and mobilize the power of the bandits. Ridiculous to talk not only about leadership, but also about any significant role of the far right in this context. In total, the streets of Ukrainian cities at the height of the protest came about two million people. Tens of thousands of protesters a variety of views have been actively involved in a physical confrontation between the repressive bodies and mobilize the power of the bandits. Ridiculous to talk not only about leadership, but also about any significant role of the far right in this context.

In addition, in the third place, it seems to me important to emphasize that the presence of representatives of various social groups, including ethnic, was significantly and markedly on the Maidan. Only because of this factor was totally inadequate to represent neo-Nazi protest movement. As we all remember, the first dead on the street. Grushevskogo been ethnic Armenian and ethnic Belarus. The shot “heavenly hundred” were three Jews and representatives of other ethnic communities. It is well known Ukrainian society, and it is important for him. My little note about the dead Jews was reproduced in social networks thousands of times, becoming the most widely read my text in all the years of journalism. Immense popularity acquired one of the “warlords” of the Maidan, Israeli journalists dubbed the “Jewish centurion.” This indicates that, that, despite the nationalist symbolic language, Independence led to a better understanding of the diversity of Ukrainian society. But it was even before the Jewish community activist and businessman Igor Kolomoisky has become in the public space by symbol resolute resistance to Russian aggression.

Kyiv International Institute of Sociology conducts annual surveys of the ethnic majority and the various minorities. Results this year have not yet been released (I look forward to them), but I am more than confident that the attitude specifically toward Jews has improved this year.

However, actually answering the question, it is unfair to be silent about the fact that the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the country has increased quite markedly. More specifically, we are talking about the number of acts of vandalism. According to preliminary results of the year, in the area of ​​anti-Semitic violence situation has not changed compared to the previous period. I have been monitoring hate crimes and can responsibly say this with the figures in hand. But you must be very careful to interpret these statistics. Firstly, a number of incidents, I am inclined to regard as provocative. I suspect a high probability that they were deliberately initiated by the previous government and the Russian invaders to create the necessary political technology in order to “pictures”. Such provocations I refer, for example, cases of attacks on Jews in Kiev in January and an act of vandalism against the synagogue in Simferopol, the next day after the Russian invaders took control of the city. Secondly, we must not forget that the country is in a war situation. The overall level of psychological acceptability of violence has changed incredibly. In this context, the growth dynamics of xenophobic crimes loses its drama. Finally, it is important to place the dynamics of the last year in a broader context. I have been monitoring xenophobic crimes for ten years in Ukraine. The peak of racist violence in general in our country occurred in 2007 – 2008 years. The largest number of acts specifically anti-Semitic vandalism and ideologically motivated violence against Jews was recorded a little earlier, in 2005 – 2007 years. The increase in the number of incidents,

Regarding the relation of facts and propaganda … That’s what she and propaganda, to manipulate facts, or even invent them, ignoring reality. Recently Russian media referring to a kind of “leader of the Jewish community of Odessa,” reported dozens of anti-Semitic attacks by the Ukrainian radical nationalists in the city. “Right sector” declared war on the Jews, “screamed the headlines, for example, once the” Izvestia “newspaper solid. Needless to say, I carefully checked this information, of course, will not receive any confirmation. They do not know the person in the local Jewish community, represented in the message as its “leader”. When an Israeli journalist asked the Russian embassy for clarification responded that came to power in a coup government hides the facts, ignore them and Ukrainian media. The journalist was also recommended to read the results prepared for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (and, of course, translated into English) “monitoring” a pocket-psvedo human rights organizations that receive public funding.

A. Portnov: Why, in your opinion, the Russian propaganda was quite successful in Germany, and in France and in Israel? And why Ukraine is only a very limited extent been able to resist it?

Likhachev: Firstly, because Russia has for many years invested significant financial and intellectual resources to the creation of the propaganda system and network impact of agents worldwide. I admit, before the start of the current anti-Ukrainian campaign, I underestimated the scale of the operation. Second, the West any doubts clean hands of the new Ukrainian authorities, including everything concerning allegations of xenophobia – it’s a great excuse to do nothing. I distinctly remember the feeling of anger and helplessness that gripped me in the Bundestag in April, when I tried to call on German politicians to do something against Russia already occupied Crimea, and at the very moment unleashes carnage in the Donbass, and heard (from left camp Deputies) questions about neo-Nazis in the “right sector” … a prominent part of the European establishment wants to believe the lies of the Kremlin. It avoids the decisive intervention, which can certainly hit on the wallet is not only Russians, but also in Europe … As regards the adequacy of the Ukrainian counter this system … Well, if the Ukrainian government machine unable to establish the army supply, whence to take an effective propaganda machine? Young “from the wheels” Ukrainian democracy is just learning to resist running against her colossus. To effectively combat lacks neither the financial nor the intellectual resources. In this situation, special importance is the work of civil society organizations and individual activists – journalists, researchers, human rights activists and public figures. but the Europeans … As regards the adequacy of the Ukrainian counter this system … Well, if the Ukrainian government machine unable to establish the army supply, whence to take an effective propaganda machine? Young “from the wheels” Ukrainian democracy is just learning to resist running against her colossus. To effectively combat lacks neither the financial nor the intellectual resources. In this situation, special importance is the work of civil society organizations and individual activists – journalists, researchers, human rights activists and public figures. but the Europeans … As regards the adequacy of the Ukrainian counter this system … Well, if the Ukrainian government machine unable to establish the army supply, whence to take an effective propaganda machine? Young “from the wheels” Ukrainian democracy is just learning to resist running against her colossus. To effectively combat lacks neither the financial nor the intellectual resources. In this situation, special importance is the work of civil society organizations and individual activists – journalists, researchers, human rights activists and public figures. whence undertake effective propaganda machine? Young “from the wheels” Ukrainian democracy is just learning to resist running against her colossus. To effectively combat lacks neither the financial nor the intellectual resources. In this situation, special importance is the work of civil society organizations and individual activists – journalists, researchers, human rights activists and public figures. whence undertake effective propaganda machine? Young “from the wheels” Ukrainian democracy is just learning to resist running against her colossus. To effectively combat lacks neither the financial nor the intellectual resources. In this situation, special importance is the work of civil society organizations and individual activists – journalists, researchers, human rights activists and public figures.

Not to be a pessimist, I would say that this problem is not so very heavy, as it seems, at least in specific issues. A year ago, when the protests began, the world Jewish press has apprehended them, to put it mildly, with considerable caution, both because of historical stereotypes, and under the influence of anti-Ukrainian propaganda machine, which at that time still played up, and some Ukrainian Jewish leaders. Well, not to mention the fact that many leaders of the Russian Jewish community for a long time and systematically involved in the Kremlin games, especially carefully – on the “struggle against anti-Semitism and the revision of the outcome of World War II in Europe.” I do not want to seem immodest, but I do not think that the sin against the truth when I say that this (agree, very little) information section of the front, I was one of three or four is actively writing and acting of people in January – February, in general, to reverse the situation and change the atmosphere in this segment of the information space. A much greater role in this was played, of course, the chairman of the Vaad of Ukraine Iosif Zisels, who at that time was the only leader of the Jewish community structures, to actively support the Maidan. Today, he has been creating an informal coalition of the international community to support the Ukrainian Jewish selection (ten years ago, this type of work Iosifa Ziselsa to establish lobbying networks of different organizations in the United States led to the cancellation of the amendments, “the Jackson – Vanik amendment” against Ukraine). to reverse the situation and change the atmosphere in this segment of the information space. A much greater role in this was played, of course, the chairman of the Vaad of Ukraine Iosif Zisels, who at that time was the only leader of the Jewish community structures, to actively support the Maidan. Today, he has been creating an informal coalition of the international community to support the Ukrainian Jewish selection (ten years ago, this type of work Iosifa Ziselsa to establish lobbying networks of different organizations in the United States led to the cancellation of the amendments, “the Jackson – Vanik amendment” against Ukraine). to reverse the situation and change the atmosphere in this segment of the information space. A much greater role in this was played, of course, the chairman of the Vaad of Ukraine Iosif Zisels, who at that time was the only leader of the Jewish community structures, to actively support the Maidan. Today, he has been creating an informal coalition of the international community to support the Ukrainian Jewish selection (ten years ago, this type of work Iosifa Ziselsa to establish lobbying networks of different organizations in the United States led to the cancellation of the amendments, “the Jackson – Vanik amendment” against Ukraine).

A. Portnov: Will the “euromaidan” status of the Russian language in Ukraine and the attitude to it? I ask because, for example, that of the TV Ukrainians were able to learn that even the commanders of volunteer battalions with openly right-wing ideology, were Russian-speaking people.

Likhachev: I think correctly on the matter only adequate sociological studies can answer across the country. According to subjective feelings, the situation is ambiguous. On the one hand, as I have said, and the Maidan, and the protection of Ukrainian sovereignty fostered articulated and legitimate in the eyes of the public Russian-speaking Ukrainian patriotism. On the other – it is clear that many Russian-speaking segment of the information space is viewed with suspicion, he obviously would shrink. No mention of the idea of ​​any kind was the official status of the Russian language – this idea, as it seems, in Ukraine forever discredited. And it’s very sad, because linguistic diversity – it is certainly an advantage and a testament to the power of society, rather than vulnerability. Collapsing surviving Russian-speaking niche, for example, in education, will inevitably frustrate the part of the population that remains skeptical to dominate Ukrainian-language culture. This segment of society is still significant, and I’m not prepared to evaluate these people as a “fifth column” and “Kremlin agents of influence.” Unfortunately, the “exclusivist” approach in this area is increasing, and this trend seems to me very dangerous, at least potentially.

A. Portnov: How do you assess the fact that one of his colleagues described the phenomenon of the new Jewish Ukrainian patriotism?

Likhachev: I am very interested in this phenomenon, and I’m watching it with great curiosity and not without sympathy. This topic, as you can see, “pops up” all the time and when you answer the other questions.

Quite obviously, an active and visible (with little in absolute terms, the number of the Jewish community), the Jewish presence in the information space in the conditional “patriotic” the context is one of the evidences of occurring before our eyes, active processes of formation of civil Ukrainian nation.

I think, moreover, in the last year is appropriate to talk about the gradual formation of the identity and mechanisms of cultural representation is Ukrainian Jewry. Earlier, Ukraine’s Jews (as well as Belarus and Moldova) were more specific carriers of identity if not “Russian”, the “Soviet” Jewish. The discourse of “Ukrainian Jewry” was a lot of small handful of intellectuals who do not find real support in the community. Today, self-awareness is Ukrainian Jews is rapidly becoming an important part of the collective identity. It is extremely interesting to me the process, and I think he is already irreversible.

A. Portnov: What we know about the dynamics of xenophobia in the annexed Crimea? What developments can be expected there?

Likhachev: Unfortunately, the monitoring mission is extremely difficult to work in the occupied peninsula. Of course, we try to fix the xenophobic incidents, but they are almost impossible verifitsiirovat correctly. The correct answer to this question can only with the involvement of relevant data of sociological research, which is not there. It is obvious that aggressive and Islamophobia Tatar in Crimea is an important element in winning the Russian imperial and Russian-nationalist ideology. Violent incidents against the Crimean Tatars, including kidnapping and murder, are more likely to wear at least partly xenophobic character, not to mention the obvious manifestations, such as attacks on mosques.

However, unfair to write off all the consequences of the Russian aggression. Similar sentiments all post-Soviet years there were at least a substantial portion (if not most) of the population of Crimea, and, unfortunately, the Ukrainian government has not taken any effective and systemic efforts to rectify this situation. After the Russian invasion clean and uncomplicated xenophobia naturally mixed with aggression against political opponents. Who did not take on the whole fact of the annexation of the Crimean Tatars are in this situation doubly vulnerable.

Puppet government accomplices occupiers and their Kremlin bosses could choose two different strategies: “bribery” of the Crimean Tatars and the suppression of their social activity. I do not think it was a deliberate rational choice, but de facto authorities began to act on the second circuit. At the same time, to be fair, although the situation is terrible, I have to say that Russia’s repressive machine yet more waiting, and did not apply in relation to disloyal Crimean Tatar population of all the legal possibilities for prosecuting.

A. Portnov: Speaking of Russian society, which is often so easily and willingly called “fascists” of the Ukrainians. How would you describe it? And what processes are taking place there?

Likhachev: Honestly, I have long ceased to believe that I understand the Russian society and can comment on the processes occurring in it. I can only say a few obvious platitudes. Xenophobia has an important place in the consciousness of the population and the information space of the neighboring country. I will not focus on the extent of racist violence in Russia – although, of course, always a pleasure to console themselves with the fact that our neighbors, the problem is much more acute, but it seems more interesting. The current at the moment the enemy of time, which is not surprising, the population indicates a television “picture” and not the real daily experience. If kavkazo-, islamo- and migrant Russians else can you explain the mass discontent by some objectively occurring social, demographic and migration processes (albeit loosely) the other “waves” of hatred caused by a completely artificial. For example, the unwound state machine on level ground homophobic campaign that accompanied the adoption of openly discriminatory legislation. I am not inclined to think that we are talking about trying to distract people from the real socio-economic problems. Rather, the logic of events related to the final restoration of the system of a closed society, can not be followed by formation of an image, both external and internal enemies.

The most relevant “enemy” today – is, of course, “Ukrainians”. And public opinion polls, and monitoring of hate crimes show that hatred has switched from traditional objects to the new. Society, unfortunately, is very easy to manipulate, and very willing to believe in the television picture, offering him a bloodthirsty “Ukropov” raison d’être which – in the destruction of Russian babies. If the Russians like it, what to do about it? Before the Ukrainians are now so massive challenges and tasks in the construction of their own society, it seems to me, should not be wasting time and resources on futile attempts to explain something to the neighbors. We – people of different historical fates, it seems, today it can be stated definitively. And thank God.

Sourse, 20/11/2014