Paying the ultimate price for everyone else’s freedom.
Author: Alexander Markov | Image: UE Army
A few weeks ago, my friend and classmate Denis died fighting in the battle to liberate Kyiv. A Russian tank killed him while he was 26 years old, just like me. He was protecting our country with all his might. The Russian called him a "nazi" and took his life away. A few days ago, while I was online, I started a discussion with a Russian woman making false statements about nazis in Ukraine.
She conveyed that Russian-speaking eastern Ukrainians are trapped by the nazi regime and that soon the Russian troops will save them. I tried to explain to her that I was born and raised in Ukraine, that there are no nazis here, and that our friends and families lived in freedom and happiness until Russia barbarically invaded our cities and countryside and began indiscriminately torturing, raping, and killing civilians.
I told her that all we wanted was to be free, enjoy our democracy and decide together on our own future in peace and prosperity. Of course, she did not listen to me. She kept claiming that I am an abnormal Ukrainian and that because of my ideas and willingness for freedom, I am a terrible citizen and don't deserve to be a genuine Ukrainian. My arguments and disagreements make me a "wrong" kind of human being, not worth being saved from mother Russia.
Does anyone comprehend what this indeed means? As a human, I am the perfect "target" for the Russian "saving" mission, but since I am expressing my disagreement, I must be considered a "defective" Ukrainian. Broken, disillusioned, perhaps even dangerous to the society at large. Those ideas represent the pure essence of fascism in its purest form, undoubtedly racist and prone to genocide for the "people's good." The Russians are here to annihilate us, not to save us. They want to kill us and, at best, completely enslave us under their rules. Anyone who does not obey their brutality scheme is considered a "nazi" and has to be killed or put in jail.
This is really what Russians have in mind; this is what they are doing to us. I am pleading with all of my foreign friends and colleagues. Please understand what is happening here in Ukraine. This is not a "conflict," as some press calls it, not even a just a war. It's a full-blown planned genocide against Ukrainians and their society, against their culture and history. Built on Russia's plans for a new wild oppressing regime in Europe. Russians are committing terrible crimes against Ukrainians.
They are raping women, killing innocent children, destroying our homes, and stealing our right to freedom while sealing the truth of their actions under a blanket of lies and fee it to their population. It seems evident that at this point, we can only try to protect ourselves and fight until the end to keep our country and freedom. I am not begging for help. I want my voice to be heard. I want the truth to be unmistakable, transparent, and unfiltered. To let you all know what it feels like to be hunted by murderers, damaged by rapists, and killed by Inhumans.
Those are no mans nor beasts; they are so wretched they could not be identified by any of the vocabularies known to society.
Alexander Markov is a UI/UX Designer from Kyiv. Denis Kotenko was a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and actively participated in the operation to liberate Shirokin. In the fall of 2021, he began working in the press service of the Ministry of Veterans. He created videos, memes, and telegram messages to actively support the Ministry as well. He leaves behind a wife and a small child. Please consider helping them with any kind of donation you can foster using this Paypal on this email sshmrkvvvv@gmail.com They surely need your help and will be profoundly grateful for your support.
