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Girzhov: The number of Ukrainians in Russia decreased by 1 million. They are not gone, not dead, just call themselves Russian Empty Girzhov: The number of Ukrainians in Russia decreased by 1 million. They are not gone, not dead, just call themselves Russian

Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:37 pm
Russian authorities began to destroy the Ukrainian public organizations long before the war in the Donbass, he said in an interview with "GORDON" co-chairman of the association "Ukrainians of Moscow" Victor Girzhov, who recently denied entry to Russia. He also described the conditions in which there is now a Ukrainian diaspora and why its population over the past decade has decreased by one million people.

Victor Girzhov - a journalist, a political scientist, co-chairman of the public association "Ukrainians of Moscow" and the Executive Secretary of the Congress of Ukrainian Russia. October 14, Russian border guards removed him from the train "Kiev-Moscow" and reported on the ban on entry into the Russian Federation over the next five years.

Girzhov 20 years he lived in Moscow, is married to a Russian woman, raised two sons. He was engaged in social activities, represented the interests of the Ukrainian diaspora. Girzhov believes that Russian politicians irritated his public appearances in support of Ukraine on the central TV channels, where he is frequently invited to participate in a talk show. "In recent years, about the Kremlin figures I was constantly asked why I live in Russia, and oppose it, and warned that I was ever expelled. That's what happened," - said Girzhov edition of "Gordon". According to him, he was an easy catch for the repressive apparatus, because a citizen of Ukraine.

According Girzhova, trimming Ukrainian movement in Russia began long before the occupation of the Crimea and the war in the Donbass. Even in 2010, it was eliminated two major Ukrainian public associations. And even earlier, in 2009, the Russians banned from entering the Diaspora activist Yuri Kononenko. He was also taken off the train on the way from Kiev to Moscow. Despite the fact that the five-year period of limitation has expired, an activist can come to Russia and visit his sick father.


FSB to take such decisions on their own can not. I am sure that it was done deliberately, and at least in consultation with Surkov, and even with Putin himself

- What happened to me - a political issue - said Girzhov. - Now Kremlin is studying the reaction of Ukraine, our Foreign Minister, politicians and society. If you keep silent, swallow, they will continue to advance - to put pressure on the Ukrainian organizations and activists. Once the birthplace of their people throws, so they can continue to grind.

Ukraine to this action should respond quickly and dramatically. And our Foreign Ministry has not yet swung. The Ukrainian Embassy in Russia, too, did not react. And it's not about me - it is necessary to develop new standards for Ukrainian diplomacy and actively protect the rights of its citizens.

- Have you figured out why you were denied the right to enter Russia?

- Get the information I can not. Decisions are taken by the Federal Security Service and, as I have explained, the matter of "national security." Consequently, such information can be requested only through diplomatic channels.

At the border I was given a document by hand, which means that in accordance with Articles 26 and 27 of the Federal Law on the entry and exit to the territory of me banned from entering for five years, until September 1, 2020. While I waited for the train, I flipped through the law, but there is nothing clear. These articles - a threat to national security, public health and so on. I do not know how I threatened the security of the Russian Federation, and especially the health of citizens. However, what appeared on talk shows or supervised by public associations?

FSB to take such decisions on their own can not. I'm sure it was done deliberately, and at least in coordination with the Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov, and even with himself, Vladimir Putin. Without the approval of the Kremlin's crank this action impossible.

- And what is now the Kremlin and Putin personally, such a scandal?

- To keep the power in the country they stop at nothing. Now fully trimmed from the Ukrainian information space influence, and from the Russian liberal-democratic forces (even though they are few in number and poorly organized). Power through the media holds absolute brainwashing of its population and systematically brings his hatred to the Ukrainians, Americans and Western Europeans. While there is an external enemy - the society will think less about their daily bread.

As for my story, there is regime kills two birds: personally crushes me, and puts pressure on the Ukrainian public organizations. And of course, it's violence to a particular organization. "Ukrainians of Moscow" and four of our regional community - members of the "World Congress of Ukrainians" - hit the stop list of undesirable NGOs. Denied entry to me, they thereby make another step towards the destruction of Ukrainian public movement in Russia. No leader - no organization.

- In Russia, e st people with more radical views than you ...

- I - the easiest option for violence. As a citizen of Ukraine I was the easiest way to punish. One flick of a finger taken off the train - and no problems. With its citizens much more difficult to manage: they are so easy to enter the country will not close, it is easier to kill as Nemtsov.

The massacre of Ukrainian organizations in Russia began a long time and is aimed at their complete collapse

- Do you think that now the Diaspora fall apart?

- There are activists who could replace me. But it is a strong moral factor. People look, especially in the regions - and just scared. Nobody wants to be unsure.

- That is also the campaign of intimidation against activists?

- Quite true. The massacre of Ukrainian organizations in Russia began a long time and is aimed at their complete collapse. First, in 2010 and 2012 according to the decision of the Supreme Court have been eliminated Association of Ukrainians in Russia (ESD) and the Federal National Cultural Autonomy of Russia (FNKAUR). We have created an analog ESD - Ukrainian Congress of Russia (RBM), but twice Justice Ministry refused us in the legal registration of the association.

- Could you explain what is going on in the Ukrainian movement in Russia? For example, recently the representative of the organization "Ukrainians of Moscow" Alexander cradle and said (quote): "Russian and Ukrainians - a single nation, including velikorosov, malorosov and Belarusians."

- It is absolutely ukrainofobsky Kremlin project, whose mission - to create the appearance of freedom of national minorities. It is headed by Bogdan Bespal'ko that single day of his life was not in the Ukrainian movement. We did not have time to register, and they are easily poreshali all organizational issues, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation considered the unprecedented rapid and registered their request. Bespal'ko is a member of the Council on International Relations under the Russian President, it is often on TV, acts against the independence of Ukraine. The paradoxical situation: Ukrainian autonomy, which is to deal with the preservation of national identity, culture and traditions of the people, is strongly opposed to it all. It's like bees against honey ...

In Russia, the world's largest Ukrainian diaspora. It has nearly two million people, of whom 254,000 live in Moscow. Because of persecution and as a result of assimilation we have already lost almost a million citizens. We compare the results of the census of 2002 and 2010: there were three million ethnic Ukrainians, and eight years later the Ukrainians called themselves only two million. The rest did not die, and left the Russian Federation, and simply abandoned their roots, no longer position themselves as ethnic Ukrainians. Somewhere they can understand. But this is the result of moral, psychological pressure, which began long before the war, and, as we see, is continuing.

My wife will arrive in Kiev, and will remain until the children in Moscow. But I'm afraid, Ukrainian passports with them will not be easy

- On the eve of your trip to Kiev, there were no signs of such developments?

- A couple of months ago, I came home district and two men in civilian clothes. To provide workers with the Federal Migration Service (FMS). I immediately said, "You're from the Federal Migration Service or FSB?" And he made a mental note that they have on the forehead is written in huge letters - "FSB". One of them presented a certificate migration officials, another carefully studied the contents of the bookcase ... Nothing really I did not ask, they say, checking documents.

This finale, in general, was predictable. Last time, when I was pro-Kremlin political scientists and officials met on TV all the time asking, "Why do you, a citizen of Ukraine, live here and speak out against Russia? Have you ever been expelled. " This question interested and supporters of Yanukovych - Elena Bondarenko, Volodymyr Oliynyk, Igor Markov and others who have registered on the Russian TV channels. To which I replied that I speak not against Russia, and for Ukraine and its right to be an independent country, most choose the way forward.

Lately I have also noticed wiretap phone and "outdoor advertising" near the house. Of course, the thought crept, but until recently did not believe ...

- What are you going to do next?

- To live and work for the benefit of Ukraine already in its territory. Back in Russia, probably in the near future will not happen. I will try to do what I do best - working in the media, politics or loan of public activities.

On Friday, I met with the Deputy Minister of Information Policy Tatyana Popova. She contacted the Foreign Ministry and recalled that the time would have to think about the note. She promised to prepare and publish on its website a press release. I will wait for further developments. I hope to help in finding employment. It is possible that will turn directly to the president.

I did turned out to be here at all without things because it came on the same day. Only train on Saturday, I was given clothes and a laptop. It gives strength is that at every step I meet sympathy and support.

- So, you in the morning, without batting an eye, the Russian border guards fired and refused to let the evening?

- Exactly. I came to the state administration to take part in the contest for the vacancy director general of the National Cultural Centre of Ukraine in Moscow. I had a good chance of getting the position. And so everything was broken. The contest was not held due to lack of quorum, the meeting was moved to two weeks. And in the evening I turned on the border.

- How your family took the news?

- Like me, they are very distressed and upset. We try to support each other. Because they, too, were under attack. The wife on the same day, 14 October, dismissed from their jobs. She worked in the trade organization. Is this not a planned action? All events occurred sequentially. Such accidents are not possible.

-Zhena Going to move to Ukraine?

- We are discussing this issue. Most likely, it will arrive in Kiev at the end of the month. I would like to pick up sons. I am afraid that with the Ukrainian passports after all what happened to them will not be easy. But they are adults - will decide what to do next.

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