To shake hands with Lucifer...

On May 9, when a Russian Nazi was proclaiming anti-Nazi slogans on Red Square in Moscow, I came across an interesting text by the captain of the 103rd Detached Brigade of the Tank Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, vice-rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, director of the Sheptytsky Center, Oleh Yaskiv. It dealt with the human aspect of war and post-war ethics for Western society. "We have a chance to find a new ethic for the confused Western European society, which will help it overcome the fear of meaninglessness. And this new ethic can be written in Ukrainian," Yaskiv writes.

Note that it is an ethic for a "confused Western European society." But no matter how confused, perhaps a little disoriented, and afraid Europe was at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, common sense and understanding prevailed that it was under Kyiv, and thus in the East and South of the giant terra incognita, that the fate of the entire continent was being decided.

Another confirmation of this conclusion is the complete, total separation of European leaders from the "victory" event in Moscow. Elementary human decency, not to mention solidarity with Ukraine, did not allow any of them to come to Putin, or even to send him a telegram, which is protocol for such cases.

“Elementary human decency, not to mention solidarity with Ukraine, did not allow any of them to come to Putin, or even to send him a telegram, which is protocol for such cases”

Instead, the presence on Red Square of self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Presidents Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia makes it clear that the concept of ethics is still a value divide between the democratic and post-USSR camps.

Of course, each of those who came to vouch for the war criminal had their own reasons. Lukashenko, in principle, will share the dock with Putin at the International Criminal Court if he gets the chance, so he has nothing to lose. The Central Asian leaders Rahmon and Mirziyoyev still see Russia as a certain guarantor of relative "peace" in their clan- and feudal-dominated countries. Pashinyan is frightened by the prospect of defeat in a clash with Azerbaijan and the presence of a Russian military base in Gyumri. In the end, there are many reasons to disregard universal ethics for the sake of real politics in the most cynical sense of the word.

“There are many reasons to ignore universal ethics for the sake of real politics in the most cynical sense of the word”

Personally, I was surprised by the arrival of the Kazakh leader Tokayev, who has recently (especially after he drove away the CSTO "assistants" who helped him cope with the riots in January last year) demonstrated, as Russian propagandists like to say, "Russophobia." Some sources explain Tokayev's action very simply. The Kazakh president came to Moscow at the humble request of Xi Jinping, a recent guest of the Kremlin who is looking for his own meanings and interests in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

And we can agree with this explanation. Almaty needs to have a powerful ally behind it in case the bunker man suddenly gives up his soul to the devil naturally or as a result of an assassination attempt by "well-wishers." One of them, Igor Strelkov, a "military commander" and "reconstructionist," has already outlined the next victim of Russian imperialism – Kazakhstan. "If the Russian Federation survives (! - Author), if it wins this war (if we do not win, we will have nothing at all), then there will be a battle for Kazakhstan. If we fail to establish a government in Kazakhstan that is completely loyal to Russia, we risk having another front. Even in this war, even in the near future," Strelkov said.

“I think these "dear" guests actually played a completely different role. They additionally and very reliably insured Putin's parade and the war criminal himself against unpleasant surprises. For example, attacks by Ukrainian or partisan drones, no matter how fantastic it may look”

But I think these "dear" guests actually played a completely different role. They additionally and very reliably insured Putin's parade and the war criminal himself against unpleasant surprises. For example, attacks by Ukrainian or partisan drones, no matter how fantastic it may look. In other words, by convincing a few leaders to shake hands with Lucifer, Russian diplomats deliberately handed over the functions of Russia's leaky air defence system to them.

The ethical norms of the civilised world do not fit into the logic of the Russians, but, as we can see, they actively use them when it comes to personal interests. You know, you can have different attitudes toward Russia and its "tsar," but hitting the square where top politicians from several countries (even if they are not influential) have gathered would be interpreted by everyone as an act of international terrorism.

Therefore, the 2023 "victory" parade was another humiliation for the Russian dictator and the black swan of his final defeat. And those who stood next to him, I hope, will one day also be forced to explain to their own peoples the rendezvous with Lucifer.

About the author. Ihor Hulyk is a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Espreso website.

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.