“Great Russia” struggles with monuments-parasites to “heroes” of the Ukrainian nationalism.

The history of the independent Ukraine inseparably linked with the introduction of the special approach to historical events for the last 20 years which meets the extremely negative reaction all over the country. The consequences of this politics are the occurrence of monuments and memorial plaques in many cities of Ukraine to new “heroes” of an epoch, many of whom were the direct helpers of fascists during the occupation of Ukraine. The head of public organization “Great Russia” Yury Mikhaylovich Apukhtin tells that such monuments have been nicknamed as the monuments-parasites in the common people. He tells about the struggle history against these “parasites” in Kharkov in interview to our Internet portal.

There are so-called the monuments-parasites, many monuments and the memorial plaques created in Ukraine for last 20 years, along with the monuments devoted to outstanding historical landmarks of our city and our country. These monuments are imposed to our city violently. And the installation of these “objects” occurs, frequently, at the expense of the destruction of monuments of the previous epoch. So it happened with the monument “To fighters for the Soviet Power” which was on a central square of the Soviet Ukraine, nowadays Constitution for many years. The monument became an original symbol of this square to which the citizens of Kharkov have got used for a long time.

Not so long ago there was a project of replacement of this monument to “Independence” monument according to the epoch trends. It will be the second monument to this event in our city, in 300 meters from one more already established. Probably the authorities follow the doubtful logic that the more will be the monuments, the more this independence would be. They don't stop by that the already existing monument of “nezalezhnosti” causes the uttermost contempt by the unsightly kind at the citizens of Kharkov - this strange construction similar to an ear of corn, with a weak-willed bird above and the bronze girl of the extremely emaciated kind at the monument basis. This composition symbolizes, according to the idea of the authors, the greatness of young Ukrainian independence.   The new monument should represent 12 meter lady, “Nika”, in a jump over the ball catching a laurel wreath. And the city power has made decision to dismantle one of the most known symbols of Kharkov for realization of the purposes. It was not so simply to make – the monument is in the state register of monuments, it means, that it is impossible to take it down simply. Therefore the decision to transfer a monument in one of the parks on city suburb was accepted. It has caused the protest actions of many public organizations. The believers have made the protest and were dissatisfied with that the pagan goddess would be directly located before an orthodox temple. But it hasn't prevented the city authorities to dismantle the monument and to prepare a platform for installation of “Nika” - independence   And it is instead of, for example, restoring the historical shape of this square what it was before the war. The most beautiful building of Kharkov city, Noble assembly, is settled down here. But, as it already happened time and again, the vague symbolism of “nezalezhnosti” has seemed to the authorities more important common sense.

Similar step has been done with the monument to Gorky from the same name park. The mayor has declared that the monument is plaster and demands reconstruction. The monument has been taken away, but hasn't returned back. Even the more sad fate overtook the monument of Makarenko, the world famous tutor who transformed the homeless children and gangsters into normal people. The monument is transported to the territory of FED factory, “for safety” as the city authorities confirm. But FED is the closed enterprise and the stranger can't get there to look the monument.

The special place is occupied with illegal monuments which the active workers of the nationalist organizations like to place in our city. The majority of them has appeared on a nationalism wave in the late eighties, the beginning of 90th years. The most known of them is the UPA stone in the Youth park. The citizens of Kharkov concern this “monument” with extreme contempt. I studied the judicial document in which the nationalists complained that somebody constantly pours the paint and sewage, write on the offensive words over the stone to “heroes”. What to be surprised here – the national memory of UPA crimes remained for ever how the present authorities tried to alter the history. Some legal cases flared up round this monument in which the lawyers of the City Council have showed their worth from the most impartial party. The discontent of the citizens of Kharkov by this monument has led to that unknown persons have dug it near to an installation place by means of the dredge. The monument had been dug out and put back and the criminal case has been brought on this fact and Sergey Pozdnyakov from the organization “Eurasian Union of the youth” was unreasonably accused. At the same time our organization has directed the claim to court about illegality of installation of this monument. And not to set it going, the lawyers of the City Executive Committee have gone on cunning – have offered Sergey Pozdnyakov's mother to submit the same claim, ostensibly for protection of the son. And on this basis the claim from our organization has been suspended. But we continue the struggle in courts to protect and Evgeny Pozdnyakov and to dismantle the illegally established monument to UPA terrorists. Despite that the City Council takes any measures that it hasn't occurred. Last trick of lawyers – they have suggested to sell the land round the monument to the figurehead, ostensibly under cafe. Then, this pseudo-owner has directed one more claim to court against the monument. And all that was done not to set the judicial claim from our organization going by means of these false claims.

There were many similar “monuments-parasites” on the wave of Yushchenko’s coming to power. For example, the plaque to Nikolay Mikhnovsky has appeared on a building of the Ukrainian postal polytechnic institute. Many don't know who it was. And this is the Ukrainian terrorist of the beginning of 20th century, his ideas were added to the arsenal by Dontsov, the classic of the Ukrainian nationalism. Mikhnovsky propagated not only the nationalism, he has tried to blow up the monument to Pushkin on the Poetry square. The explosion traces are visible on a monument till now. And they put the memorial plaque to this person who blew up the monument in our city. It has been established without any decisions of the City Council under instructions of mayor Shumilkin of that time.

There was a stone in honor of declaration of the Ukrainian nation on central square of Freedom, near the underground exit. It is written “nation” on it though it is told about independence of the Ukrainian people in the declaration. It is established by not known person approximately in 1991. There are no documents on its installation. It has been underground established in city center – and it is not possible to make something with it, even with the help of court.
There is a well-known monument “Mirror stream” in Kharkov and the avenue to heroes-members of the Komsomol is behind it. And the nationalists of the organization “Pora” have managed to put a stone there to so-called heroes of fight under Krutami in January, 2005. But not many know that was “the fight”. The nationalist mythology describes this fight which has occurred on January 29, 1918, as the heroic resistance of 300 cadets -Spartans against the superior forces of coming Bolsheviks. I looked into details of this historical myth under documents of those years and memoirs of participants.

It has turned out that there was no and the fight as such and 300 heroes - Spartans. About 300 cadets were really sent there, namely the students of cadet school of the Kiev University. But all this command has run up at the first shots when there were the Bolsheviks. And one group number of 28 persons has lost the way and also left to station Kruty at night, where has come into the hands of Bolsheviks. The nationalists have constructed the whole myth round it – “300 Spartans”, ostensibly, heroically were lost in struggle against the red. They have arranged the big holiday and put this stone.

I have asked the question: are any documents on installation of this monument. It has turned out that there are no documents. Naturally, we have sued in 2009 and have begun examination. And though the court has made the negative decision, which is under control of the City Council, the stone has disappeared for 2 weeks before it– the nationalists have understood that it can be taken away and took themselves, ostensibly on reconstruction and preservation. But then, in June of this year I have received the information from the deputies of City Council that the active workers of All-Ukrainian Union “Freedom” want to establish a stone in the same place again. We have made an application on protest action carrying out and have collected the active workers of several public organizations in the day when they were going to make it. We were 40 persons and there were 100 policemen in order to “anticipate” the possible conflict. And the nationalists, having seen what stir has arisen, have refused the illegal installation of a monument. The square at the Mirror stream managed to be defended.

And, perhaps, the most resonant case concerns the memorial plaque to Joseph Slipoy, the patriarch of Greco-catholic church who in 1945 has been condemned under article “for treason to the Native land” and has spent a week in prison of Kharkov during the transfer to Siberia. In 1941 this “priest” welcomed the Germans, went to Berlin to Hitler and SS “Galicia” was created with the help of his participation. There is a weight of confirming documents to it. And when he was caught in 1944, he has defected at once and has written the letter to Stalin with “sincere” wishes of a victory to the Soviet state. After he has served the term, since 1958 he lived in Moscow, carried out the scientific activity. But he has started to write the letters and sent the messengers to Kiev and Lvov to revive the uniatism. And in these letters he demanded, that the Uniat priests who have passed in Orthodoxy, were destroyed physically. Naturally, he got the second term for these letters. But there was a resonance from Vatican and world community and in 1963 Slipoy had been released. He has left to Vatican where has lived till 1984 and has died at the age of 93 years. He has started to carry out the huge activity against the USSR and Orthodoxy there, but even the Pope didn't support him. Slipoy demanded the patriarchy creation in Ukraine, but three Popes refused him. Nevertheless, Slipoy has proclaimed himself as the patriarch Joseph I because of what the Greek-Catholics had the the sharpest split abroad. And they put the memorial plaque in Kharkov to this character!

When we began the criminal case on this memorial plaque, there was an enormous resonance not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. The diaspora in Canada has made a fuss, there were the protests in Lvov and Kiev. As it turned out, this Slipoy is very big and sacred person for them and they couldn't admit the plaque dismantle.

How this plaque to Slipoy has been established? It has occurred in July, 2005 As soon as Yushchenko has won, the diaspora and the World Congress of the Ukrainians have decided to hold the session in Kharkov. And before their arrival to Kharkov have decided to establish the plaques to Slipoy and Mikhnovsky to show the visitors the high level of “svidomosti” of the citizens of Kharkov. The World Congress of Nationalists is the ardent Galicia nationalists, who have emigrated to Canada and America for last hundred years. Only after 1991 year they began to appear in Ukraine. And they have asked then the mayor Shumilkin to put the plaque to Slipoy on the former prison where he was ostensibly. The plaque installation to Slipoy got under position about installation of “memorial plaques in Kharkov”. When we looked into this position, it has appeared that this plaque is established in infringement of all norms. The decision of the mayor hasn't been spent through the toponymic commission and the indispensable conditions haven't been executed.

But the nationalists have quickly consecrated the plaque and have quickly put it. And the consecration was done by the priest of autocephalous church Igor Isichenko. As it has turned out later, the impostor comes from republic of Mordovia who doesn't recognize by the autocephalous church, but who represents himself as the patriarch of the Ukrainian autocephalous church. Where you will dig, so there are rascals everywhere.

The plaque has been established and, naturally, it has caused the huge indignation of the citizens of Kharkov. In 2008 year the unknown persons have broken it.

But the nationalists have made a new plaque for 2 weeks and have put on the same place. This time there was no order about installation in general as the previous order of the mayor concerned the previous plaque. We have registered the claim concerning all these facts with a substantiation of installation illegality of a plaque and necessity of its dismantle. In this substantiation we have cited all data about the crimes of Slipoy and the additional data which became known to us. It has turned out that Slipoy was not in that building on which the plaque was established. The building of the former prison is further, in the court yard, but there, of course, nobody would see the plaque, therefore the plaque has been established on a building before it, where the State Automobile Inspection settles down now. In turn, nobody has the documents on this building – it is not known on whose balance it is. According to the positions, the plaque installation is necessary to coordinate with the proprietor of this building. Certainly, it was done by nobody. Besides, we gave the variety of the roughest infringements.

In the end, after long trials, the court has made the decision in my advantage. There were instructions to dismantle the plaque in the judicial decision, but the executor has not been specified. Any of services of Kharkov did not incur this responsibility. And the standard form in office-work “to take down a plaque in favour of the claimant” has been applied in the court order. At that time I had a meeting with Greek-Catholics on television. And I have told then– here is the court order and it is written that a plaque is mine now and I will do what I want. The communists and I have arrived, have unscrewed the plaque for 2 minutes, have thrown in the car, have brought, have broken it with the sledge hammer and have dug. The whole wave on television, in Kiev, in the central editions has risen. The threats fell down in my address.

The Greek-Catholics acted, the mayor of Lvov Sadovy has started to contact Dobkin. That has written to him that it is Apukhtin, who has condemned and broken it and we are not guilty here. But the command from Anna Herman has come then - to put the plaque into place. Dobkin has given the interview to a site of Greco-catholic church in which has declared that a plaque will be established again at the desire of Lvov and for money of Lvov in Kharkov. As a result in January, 2011 Dobkin makes the decision to put a plaque and on February, 23 it has been established again, despite a scale protest action of many public organizations and parties.
Here is how these people act.

The present power in Ukraine uses the nationalist symbols and ideology, but it would be naive to think that they sincerely support it. This ideology approaches exclusively as a way of power preservation. If it ceases to carry out this problem for any reason – the authorities will refuse it at once. Our public organization and other patriotic forces make all possible efforts to suspend the introduction of this nationalist ideology which criminally deforms our history and interferes with the unity of the Russian people.
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