Sign: "Ukraine opposes Yanukovych." Photo by Alex Fylypovych.

Sign: “Ukraine opposes Yanukovych.” Photo by Alex Fylypovych.

Two weeks ago, for the first time in its 22 years as an independent country, Ukraine’s government exerted ruthless violence on its own people.

On Nov. 21, a few hundred students assembled in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, to assert their support of Ukraine joining the European Union – a promising political move for the economically and politically struggling country. Joining the EU would significantly distance Ukraine from its long-time bully, Russia, in many economic and political aspects.

Earlier this November, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had expressed a wavering position on signing the preliminary EU association document. Concerned for their country’s future and hopeful that their presence would push Yanukovych to sign the EU agreement, Ukrainian students and youth gathered in Independence Square in Kyiv.  They wanted to remind the east-leaning Yanukovych of his responsibility to act on behalf of improving the country’s standards of living – not to please neighboring Russian President, and apparent handler of Yanukovych, Vladimir Putin.

However, rather than addressing the students in a democratic manner, Yanukovych acted in a backwards way.  Hauntingly reminiscent of heavy-handed Soviet oppression, he sent in police equipped with tear gas and batons, who repeatedly clobbered a group of non-violent demonstrators. Yanukovych’s sadistic attempt to discontinue the peaceful student protesters instantly fired up the Ukrainian spirit, and resulted in a worldwide Ukrainian effort to impeach the malicious president.

Hundreds of thousands of outraged and pained Ukrainian people now stand vigil in the streets of Kyiv. Bold blue and yellow Ukrainian flags wave atop the bundled crowds, who are bracing against the raw winter. The united people continue to peacefully protest Yanukovych’s ill intentions. Marching to his doorstep from all corners of the country and the world, Ukrainians are assembling to remind him that they have not and will never tire from defending their right to freedom.

A poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology calculated that 70 percent of Ukrainians who swarmed the square did so primarily because of their disgust with the savage attack on the Ukrainian youth. The second reason was to rally against Yanukovych’s selfish refusal to sign the EU agreement.

Amazingly, the Ukrainians continue to address these episodes of Russian encroachment in non-violent tactics. Ukrainian women poke flowers through the militia’s shields, while men stand with linked arms in front of ministry buildings, as snow coats their hats and jackets. Cold but determined, the Ukrainian people are once again demanding human dignity.

On Sunday I gathered with fellow Ukrainians in front of the Ukrainian consulate in New York City. In Chicago, the Sears (Willis) Tower glowed blue and yellow in support of the peaceful demonstrations. The power of social media – from Facebook’s Euromaidan page to Twitter’s #euromaidan – serve as evidence of the undying Ukrainian spirit linking patriotic hearts worldwide.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the young country was never able to wriggle completely free from the oppressive grasp of Russia. Russian political figures continued their hostile bigotry, preventing independent-minded Ukrainians from gaining valuable positions in government. As a result, the young country has been figuratively independent, but continues to suffer from corruption and poverty. According to a University of Pennsylvania Wharton School article, Transparency International ranks Ukraine 144 out of 177 in corruption – tied with Nigeria, Iran and the Central African Republic.

Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko, the international WBA heavyweight boxing champion, stood tall among the people in Independence Square. He expressed the country’s frustration and desire to escape the corrupt Ukrainian government’s close ties with Russia: “For 22 years [the government] promised us to change the system and that we will live better, but nothing ever happens. How many years have they told us this, that we’ll become a European country … but they lie. Now is the decisive moment, all of Ukraine is gathered here because we’re tired of corruption … We must do everything so that this government ceases to exist.” Journalist Mark Rachkevych quoted Klitschko on kyivpost.com, which provides continuous coverage of the protests throughout Ukraine.

Having celebrated its 22nd year of “independence” in August, Ukraine still bears the scars of Soviet oppression, political corruption, and centuries of cultural persecution. The people have endured Tsarist bans on their printed language to horrors like Stalin’s attempt to wipe out the Ukrainian populace in the 1932-33 government-induced famine-genocide — the Holodomor. Like their ornate, embroidered shirts, the Ukrainian people have intricately woven pride and perseverance into their hearts.

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.