BUTO MAGAZINE

The Russian Military

Russia's Unprovoked War on
the Innocent People of Ukraine
Must Stop and so does the Discrimination of Africans/Black Americans ...

By Curry DeLoatche | June 28, 2023

The senseless bloody and bitter raging war between Russia and Ukraine is problematic on so many levels. These warring factions are not just neighboring countries, they were once one unified nation combined of real families: fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, etc. As a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine designated itself an independent state.

A referendum on the Act of Declaration of independence was held December 1991 with 92% of voters approving their declaration of independence. They were officially declared and formalized as an independent country on August 24, 1991. Immediately following, Ukraine once called “Little Russia” because of its lengthy existence with the Russian empire, declared it would no longer follow the laws of the USSR, and have their own elections free of corruption and scandals. 

The Russian vs Ukraine battle has been going on since 2014. After talks between these warring fractions stop, Vladimir Putin escalated the war on Feb. 24, 2022. The war took an extremely violent turn. It was to a point where a half-a-million people had been killed literally by family. It is a war over land and a territorial dispute. A dispute which caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis, forcing a vast number of the Ukraine people to leave their homes, friends, family, and their country, to escape a violent war and persecutions that no one on either side wanted. 

Over 500.000 individuals (combining both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers) have been murdered or wounded as of Dec. 2023. According to World Vision, “the conflict in Ukraine has displaced over 3.6 million people within the country.” Most of the displaced Ukraine citizens have been disbursed to various shelters and make-shift living facilities throughout Ukraine. In addition, “the violent conflict has forced another 6.3 million people to seek refuge abroad as of January 2024” , according to World Vision. The need for humanitarian aid is overwhelming with approximately some 14.5 million people requiring assistance, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Even more horrific, is where Putin and his regime are aggressively taking thousands of Ukrainian children from their families and placing them under Russian control. They have immediately assigned them Russian citizenship and merged them into families throughout Russia. It is a process which is part of a crime of genocide according to the Genocide Convention. (The first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1948. It was an agreement made after the atrocities during the Second World War, to never stand for this type of behavior again.) 

Apparently, this is one of Putin’s idea to remain in power well into the future by replacing those fallen Russian soldiers with small children so they too one day can be used as pawns in one of [Vladmir Putin’s] illegal and unwanted wars against an “underestimated” strong adversary – like Ukraine. Even more disturbing, is the fact that the Russians erected barriers to prevent the children’s natural parents from ever seeing their children again. 

This disturbing so called military maneuver by Russia was documented by way of investigations by several international organizations and groups, including the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, The International Criminal Court, Amnesty International, Missing Children in Europe, as well as a host of journalist for an array of media outlets. 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin (Who explicitly supported forced adoptions and created enacting legislation to make it easier to implement.) Although the ICC has no teeth to actually arrest Putin due to Russia withdrawing its signature from the Rome Statute in 2016. Therefore, by not participating in the ICC, it leave’s the organization with absolutely no authority over Putin or Russia.

a group of people holding a blue and yellow banner

THE BOOMERANG EFFECT OF RACISM WILL ULTIMATELY HUNT THOSE WHO INFLICT PAIN OR DECEPTION ON OTHERS

The overt kidnapping of Ukrainian children is a process that’s likened to what was done to Africans during the slave trade. It is for this reason that I believe all humans need to have compassion and empathy for others regardless of one’s race and ethnic background. Black children during slavery were separated from their parents to prevent any type of bonding relationship. The children were separated and sent in different directions, as with their parents to never be seen again together. 

I would be remiss to not mentioned that historical fact and comparison, especially in the light of what occurred with African students who attempted to escape Ukraine due to its raging war with Russia. Thousands of Ukraine’s citizens attempting to escape the violence was allowed to leave and the Africans were ordered off the trains even though they secured their spot first to make room for Ukrainians. I just felt the Ukrainian government should have had a bit more understanding for those students knowing their similar history.

However, Ukrainian authorities saw fit to blocking African immigrants (students studying at Ukrainian Universities) from fleeing to safety, only because of the color of their skin and allowing its people to leave freely and safely. Videos on social media showing Ukrainian officials stopping African students from boarding trains, and for those who gained entry to trains, they were ordered to leave by Ukrainian authorities at gun point. As a person of color in America whose ancestors experienced, and/or witnessed both slavery and the civil rights era, along with the brutal treatment of people of color, I am appalled by the Ukrainians and its government’s behavior. And especially, in the light of Black struggle globally.

10 and 20 banknotes on white and brown textile

I am sympathetic to the Ukrainian peoples’ issues, and support the U.S. helping them financially, but I also feel President Volodymyr Zelensky owes Africans/Blacks an apology stemming from the actions of [his] racist police. When President Zelensky came to America with hat-in-hand requesting monies for his embattled country, he should have known that part of the billions of dollars he received and still requesting are hard earned money from Blacks/African Americans tax dollars as well.

Those students could have been my own children studying in Ukraine. And if they were, they would not have been treated any different as the Africans. As this war continue in Ukraine, so does the fight for equality for blacks all over the world. Everyone deserves the right to be free and treated with respect and equally. I personally believe in Zelensky and understand the great pressure he is undergoing. But I also understand racism 

a woman holding a sign that says all aries matter

Statement of the African Union on the reported ill treatment of Africans trying to leave Ukraine.

AFRICAN UNION

UNION AFRICANA • UNIÃO AFRICANA

website: www.au.int

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P.O. Box 3243 Telephone: 011-551 7700 Fax: 011-551 7844

28 February 2022, Addis Ababa: The current Chair of the African Union and President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, are following closely the developments in Ukraine and are particularly disturbed by reports that African citizens on the Ukrainian side of the border are being refused the right to cross the border to safety.

The two Chairpersons recall that all people have the right to cross international borders during conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity.

Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach international law. (sec) In this regard, The Chairpersons urge all counties to respect international law and show the same empathy and support to all people fleeing war notwithstanding their racial identity.

The Chairpersons commend the efforts by African Union Member State countries and their embassies in neighbouring countries to receive and orientate African citizens and their families trying to cross the border from Ukraine to safety. 

12:10 PM • Feb 28, 2022

Moscow – Kremlin’s (meaning fortress) Red Square, considered once one of the best places to visit. The political, historical, architectural and business center was once the pace were the people considered home but now live in fear for a ragging war with no end in sight.

The Ukrainian people protest spills out into the streets calling attention to President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war against them, which has destroyed their way of life. All because of one man’s ego, greed, and lust for absolute power. 

Vladimir Putin is confronted by a host of reporter, questioning him about the war between Russia and Ukraine. As they attempt to get answers as to why now and what’s the end game? Putin appear to be unabashed and provides no answer.