Olena Styazhkina on the attitude of Ukrainians to russians: it is better to be vigilant than dead

The meaning of the very existence of russia as a territory is rooted in the search for greatness, and russian population reaches the said greatness by killing others. Moreover, the system of “greatness through murder” is embedded in the literary, political, domestic and even family context of the russian state.

This opinion was expressed by the writer Olena Styazhkina at the Honorary Lecture of the Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation “Open Ukraine”.

“I recently meet our warriors and they asked me to convey the following. The best way to express what we wish to tell the russian people is through our weapons. And the more weaponry is there, the more languages – English, French, Spanish, Danish – the Russian people will hear and, consequently, the sooner they will learn not to kill, not to rape, not to violate borders, and not to annex foreign territories. Cannons serve the best definition glossary for cannon fodder,” she said.

Olena Styazhkina is convinced that prior to addressing the russian people, it is necessary to ascertain whether they exist as such. According to the writer, russians have no signs of political identity or ethnic integrity.

“Their political and social lexicons are arranged in such a way that lies and slander are inscribed in their regular behavior. This is the Paska language... russia is unique in its kind, because it means hordes, it means tribalism, it is a tribal system as such. This is a formation of imperial facades and nothing more,” she believes.

“And once everything superfluous is removed, it turns out that the meaning of the very existence of this territory is governed by the search of greatness, and they acquire this greatness by killing others. Moreover, this system of “greatness through murder” is embedded in the literary context, as well as the political, domestic and even family context,” the writer is convinced.

According to Olena Styazhkina, Ukrainians should not forgive the Russians, or expect any apologies from them: “Forgiving is about people. If a crocodile bites off your hand, should you consider this crocodile the victim of a crippling totalitarian burden in the past?”

The writer is convinced that Ukrainians should pass on to their descendants the truth about the dangers to be expected from their neighbors: “Our task is to teach our descendants that they (russians – ed.) can repeat it. They are always capable of this. Let us be alert and vigilant, it is much better to be vigilant than dead.”

The Kyiv Security Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s “Open Ukraine” Foundation, is the major platform in this country to discuss issues of war and peace, national and global security.