Yevgeniya Svatukhina on Vesti.FM: Zelensky tries to mitigate radicalization of Ukraine

Yevgeniya Svatukhina, an analyst of the Vestnik Kavkaza news agency told in the National Question program on Vesti FM about the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, one of the most odious nationalist government institutions in Ukraine, whose leader Vladimir Vyatrovich was resigned this week by the government decision. According to the expert, by this decision, President Vladimir Zelensky tries to mitigate the radicalization of Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance is an organization that combines the functions of a think tank and a central executive body accountable to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The purpose of this entity is a creation of a ‘fair history of the Ukrainian nation’, as well as ‘restoration and preservation of the national memory of the Ukrainian people’, ” Yevgeniya Svatukhina recalled official data on the goals of this Ukrainian state structure.

“A new stage in the Institute’s activities begins in 2014 when the organization’s leadership was changed in the wake of a political reshuffle in Ukraine. An active propagandist of the extremist organization Ukrainian Insurgent Army (banned in Russia), active fighter against the ‘communist past’ Vladimir Vyatrovich became the director of the organization. The practical activities of the Institute at this stage were associated, first of all, with the implementation of measures for decommunization,” the expert drew attention.

“In 2015, the so-called ‘Decommunization Legislation’ was developed by the UINR,  condemning the communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and prohibiting propaganda of the corresponding symbols. In addition, it was supposed to open access to the “1917-1991 archives of the repressive institutions of the communist totalitarian regime” and the perpetuation of “victory over Nazism in WWII”. The bill ‘On the legal status and memory of fighters for Ukraine’s independence in the 20th century’ also was included to the legislation, ”Yevgeniya Svatukhina said.

“Speaking of the implementation of this part of the ‘Decommunization legislation ”, we shell note that the authors did not take into account the public’s opinion, in particular, local referenda were not held: it was exclusively top-down initiative. We should estimate Ukrainian citizens attitude to radical rhetoric by the results of the presidential election, when Poroshenko, the main initiator of the decommunization, lost,” the expert noted.

Despite the fact that Zelensky is not interested in continuing the policy begun by his predecessor, most likely, the Ukrainian leader will not completely abandon it, so as not to alienate nationalists. This, in particular, is indicated by the preservation of the law ‘On the condemnation of the communist and national-socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of propaganda of their symbols”. Moreover, the Constitutional Court recognized its legitimacy in July, ” the analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza concluded.