Most of the commentary by Russian writer Pavel Kukhmirov. The last paragraph is from an unidentified editor.
[RodinaNaNeve] Despite all the anti-ideological charge of our current official discourse, the ideological process is still going on. Especially now. Especially in the Donbass. Yes, it does not spill out to a wide audience (it would be strange). But it has always been like this – from the very beginning of the events of 2014. And right now there is a discussion going on in the Donbas*, which I personally cannot but briefly comment on. Moreover, people who I personally know and deeply respect participate in it. Even taking into account the fact that in this situation, to put it mildly, I do not agree with them in everything.
By Pavel Kukhmirov
The essence of the matter is as follows: the well-known Donetsk commander Alexander Sergeevich Khodakovsky (the last surviving major field commander of the first militia of the DPR), who took part in the liberation of Mariupol in this war, spoke critically on his TG channel about the spontaneous re-Sovietization taking place in during the special operation: the restoration of monuments to Lenin, Soviet rhetoric, the use of the red banner, ect. Let me emphasize: not “against”, but “critically”. That caused serious counter-objections.
The arguments of the respected Alexander Sergeevich Khodakovsk, in general, boil down to the fact that that idea has already outlived its usefulness and, most importantly, it is opposed to Orthodoxy. On which he calls to bet, curtailing the re-Sovietization in principle. In general, his statements could also be called thoughts aloud. At least, they go in this format. I'll quote two of his last posts on the subject:
"... And why should I love Lenin? We are not so naive as to believe in children's stories about the stove-maker and so on? Lenin was no good-natured grandfather. It was one of the smartest and most efficient machines of the time..."
I am against the demolition of monuments, and I have spoken about this in the Orthodox community more than once. But I once again raise the question: why disturb the ashes of a dead and not buried person? Nevsky, Donskoy, Suvorov, Ushakov, Zhukov, Konev, Tolbukhin, Rokossovsky ... These are all Russian people in spirit who defended their land and multiplied it. And politicians who pushed ideas that lost to human nature is something else, in my opinion ...
In pursuit, I was going to the position through the village. Towards me on foot the brigade commander of the Russian airborne brigade. Then he explained that he went to church to light candles. I arrive at the positions at the common command post - there is a deputy brigade commander of the same brigade with a rosary in his hands and a small cardboard icon, the edge of which sticks out of a bulletproof vest pocket ... And this is all the time ...
... Danger exposes and sharpens this understanding, and comfort only gives rise to a craving for safe suffering - and you can shout about Lenin from the sofa as much as you like, but the brigade commander did not wear carnations to his monument ... By the way, there are a lot of monuments, a lot of fans, - but there are flowers in the church every day, and at the monuments ... (c).
Well, I will share my own thoughts on this issue. As short as possible, since I don’t really want to participate in the discussion itself. I don't like to argue publicly with people I respect. Excuse me. But I still can’t help but express myself, albeit briefly.
To begin with, I’ll immediately clarify: I am not a particular fan of the Soviet period of our great history. As well as I am not his hater. I evaluate it calmly and, I hope, objectively. And everyone who tries to emotionally/hysterically stagger me in one direction or another, I send to a known address. Again, without engaging in dialogue (I'm fed up with such meaningless conversations, guys). This is as a disclaimer.
Now on topic. I categorically disagree with Alexander Sergeevich Khodakovsk that Soviet symbols and re-Sovietization itself, as such, in the liberated territories is negative. Everything is quite the opposite. This is just perceived as the restoration of historical integrity, which was destroyed by Ukraine.
Historical Russia (in the purest sense of the word) has existed with Soviet symbols for almost a century. And the memory of it comes directly from the people who perceive it as something of their own, primordial. Moreover: the return of Soviet symbols is perceived by the people in the liberated territories precisely as the return of historical Russia. You can treat it as you like, but it's a fact. As well as the fact that the people have exactly the same attitude towards Russian Orthodoxy.
As for the opposition between Orthodoxy and the Soviet period. There is such. But this is not a given, but our historical tragedy, which must be overcome. Even the collapse of the Secular Union, in many respects, was due to the same irreconcilable opposition of Orthodoxy and the Soviet way of life. And if this situation had not developed at one time, then the USSR would not have fallen and the current war would simply not have happened.
And what is happening now, our common homeland (I'm talking now about the territories on both sides of the obscene border of 1991) was brought precisely by de-Sovietization. First of all, Ukraine, but also Russia, as well as other fragments of our common Motherland. Moreover, it was she who, in the end, totally turned into de-Russification. These two processes went hand in hand, and reverse Russification, as I believe, may well be combined with certain elements of re-Sovietization. This is at least logical.
Further, the key ideological content of the current military operation is the war against Ukrainian fascism and the global evil behind it. And such a war, in any case, gives references to the Great Patriotic War - draws direct parallels with it. It is her archetypes that are spontaneously demanded: red stars, the Banner of Victory, signs and symbols. Why oppose all this to Orthodoxy - another, no less significant part of our self-identification? After all, this is still the same rake, only the approach is from the other side.
Exactly the same mistakes of the Soviet period (which ended badly) and the subsequent already quite conscious malicious intent of our enemies. But we, on the contrary, need to restore integrity, don't we? Moreover, according to all sociological studies, not only in Russia and Ukraine, but throughout the entire post-Soviet space,
The fact that the respected Alexander Sergeevich Khodakovsk does not like revolution in any form can be understood - both his occupation and the experience of the past eight years contribute to this. But only the request for re-Sovietization is not revolutionary in nature - on the contrary, it is deeply conservative.
And this conservatism, in its essence, is not much different from the Orthodox - it is exactly the same traditionalist. And here, on the contrary, I personally see a historical chance for Russian and Russian society. Because, in my deep conviction, only the reconciliation of Orthodoxy and the Soviet period can lead us out of the vicious circle. I note that now, speaking of Orthodoxy, I am exactly the same talking about other traditional religious denominations of our country (and not only it). It's my opinion. And not only mine.
It is worth noting that the author's father is an Orthodox priest.
I repeat once again for especially gifted lovers of both "Holy Russia" and "immaculate communism" - I am not a fan of the Soviet period and not his hater. And I'm not going to argue with any of you - go in peace. But I still want to say a few words to some people in the finale. Of course, I wrote this text as a kind of answer to a person I respect. But here are citizens who occupy much higher offices and broadcast such ideas, I would ask: do you understand exactly what you are doing, or as always? Do you definitely have something to replace the re-Sovietization that you so dream of dismantling? In ideological terms?
Or do you again live in your own world, in which Heavenly Jerusalem hovers over Moscow, and fascist Ukraine is defeated in one day by the forces of “one parachute regiment”? I won't say anything. I know the answer. Let the question hang in the air.
(c) Pavel Kukhmirov
Note:
Both the editors of Rodina on the Neva and the author of the text know that according to the rules of the Russian language, one must write “in the Donbass” (in the Donetsk coal basin). But for the author, it is important to use the preposition “on”, because this is what the inhabitants of the region and the fighters of the Donbass militia say in colloquial speech.