Statement of Communist, Left and Anarchist Forces of Russia on Events in Ukraine

Anti-government rioters clashing with police in Ukraine. The western-backed opposition is seeking to overthrow the existing government., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Statement of communist, left and anarchist forces of Russia on events in Ukraine

By Workers World staff on February 27, 2014
The following statement was issued Feb. 26 by an array of communist, left and anarchist forces in Russia.

The longstanding policy of the bourgeois government of Ukraine, as well as the global economic crisis, have created intolerable living conditions for the majority of its citizens.

During the last half of the Yanukovych regime, a significant part of the solution to the economic problems was promised through European integration. The sudden abandonment of the announced plans provoked widespread discontent and actions.

The process was classless and largely spontaneous. A nationalist movement was used by the liberal opposition as the street strike force, and thereafter the nature of the protest acquired anti-communist or even fascist traits.

The new government resorts to the power of force exactly as did the Yanukovych bureaucracy, unable to meet the needs of the people and solve their urgent problems. Western and Russian imperialism do not feel any real sympathy for the people of Ukraine, and only take advantage of the situation in their favor. That is, [they] attempt to gain financial benefit, and — in the case of the West — to create chaos on the borders of Russia. All these forces are interested in living off the people and will do it secretly or openly.

Anti-communist and anti-Russian furor, the abuse of our common Soviet past, are the main features of the emerging nationalist state now. Information concerning the pogroms on the headquarters of the Communist and leftist parties, the beatings of ordinary communists and labor activists, and the demolition of monuments to Lenin clearly show that the fascist backlash that we previously observed in the Baltic States and Europe, has already overwhelmed brotherly Ukraine.

We, the undersigned leftists, communists and anarchists of Russia, declare our protest and demand an end to the persecution of our comrades! We invite all citizens of Ukraine, using any available resources, to immediately express their distrust of the deputies of the Ukrainian Parliament, organize the community and the workforce to create self-defense groups, local governments and reliable mechanisms of popular will. We call upon the citizens of Russia to be ready to take a direct part in helping the Ukrainian people, to contact the Anti-Fascist headquarters in assistance to Ukraine.

We urge the communist and leftist parties and anti-fascist organizations around the world to put pressure on their governments to prevent the establishment of a fascist regime in Ukraine.

Workers of all countries, unite!

Statement Signed By:

Interregional Association of Communists
Moscow City Communist union
Russian Communist Workers’ Party, the Communist Party CPSU-EIF)
Working Foundation Academy
Revolutionary Workers Party
Movement Communards
The New Left
Communist Youth Union
Left Front
Revolutionary Communist Youth League
The Other Russia
Individual Action (social revolutionary)
Institute of Globalization and Social Movements
The initiative group for the referendum “for the responsibility of government” (IGPR CALL )
Vanguard of Red Youth – Labor Russia
(AKM -TR) (partial support)
Institute of Innovation Development
Fund “The new political system”
“Kolomna bush”
All-Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik) (VKP(b))
Pravda.Info
Red TV