Ukraine must recognize USSR's Afghan war as occupation

It is well known that the USSR was invited to Afghanistan by Amin. The USSR came and, first of all, eliminated Amin himself and installed a more pocket-friendly Karmal (greetings to collaborators – Moscow's logic is unchanged as such people are treated as consumables). And then there were 10 years of war, for imperial pomp. The world opposed the Soviet occupation in 1979 in word and deed (boycott of the Olympics), and Pakistan, Iran, even China, not to mention the United States, directly helped the resistance.

The Soviet attempt to occupy Afghanistan lasted almost 10 years. There were up to 30,000 killed/missing occupiers. For the USSR, the war was the beginning of the end. It is clear that the Kremlin's adventure was presented to the people as a noble duty. The attack on the neighboring state was again called 'international duty'.

Some people were forced to join the occupiers, but there were plenty of people who left of their own free will. Corruption and looting in the occupier's army then were the same as now – the 'limited contingent' became a springboard for career growth along the party line, and sometimes even property.

“The cult of calling the occupiers internationalists and the occupation a 'duty' has remained. All Ukrainian authorities up until now have preferred to avoid a categorical decision on the issue. They did not want to provoke a negative reaction from former 'Afghans' who have risen to various levels of politics and business and have always been powerful lobbyists for their interests.”

Two years after the war ended, the USSR died. But the cult of calling the occupiers internationalists and the occupation a 'duty' remained. All Ukrainian authorities up until now have preferred to avoid a categorical resolution of the issue. They did not want to provoke a negative reaction from former 'Afghans' who have risen to various levels of politics and business and have always been powerful lobbyists for their interests. There were many arguments that these people had become someone and done something useful for Ukraine in 30 years, they had come to the Maidan, and there were some who were among the first to go to war in both 2014 and 2022. Eventually, the point was voiced that they were forced to, they had no option to refuse.

All of this is true, and they did benefit Ukraine and defended it, but before that they were Soviet occupiers. This is the reality, part of the tragedy of a stateless occupied nation (the USSR - occupation 1921-1991) – to be installed in the military, state and other apparatuses of the occupying country.

“This is the reality, part of the tragedy of a stateless occupied nation (the USSR - occupation 1921-1991) – to be installed in the military, state and other apparatuses of the occupying country.”

In order to heal from the occupation, society must gain strength and call a spade a spade. This is like atonement for sins – yes, Ukrainians were also occupiers within the Soviet occupation contingents wherever they existed officially and unofficially. Afghanistan is one of them. Now we can see what 'international duty in the Moscow style' looks like.

Therefore, for those who were crushed by the millstones of the aggressions of the Evil Empire, this page of their biography is more a tragedy and sadness than pride and heroism. By the way, the numerous monuments to 'internationalist soldiers' could be reinterpreted as a memorial to those who died in the military and political adventures of the Soviet regime.

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About the author. Vitalii Haidukevych, journalist.

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