Borotba

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Borotba
LeaderSerhiy Kirichuk
FoundedMay 1, 2011 (2011-05-01)
HeadquartersOdessa
IdeologyCommunism
Marxism–Leninism
National Bolshevism
Political positionFar-left
International affiliationLeft Front (Russia)
Website
Official website

The Association “Struggle” (Ukrainian: Об'єднання "Боротьба" Ob'yednannia “Boroťba”) is a Marxist–Leninist organization operating in Odessa and Kharkiv, Ukraine. It has close ties to the Left Front in Russia.[1]

History

Taking the name of an earlier Ukrainian left-nationalist party, which had merged with the Ukrainian Communist Party in 1920,[2] Borotba has been described as part of the emerging heterogeneous New Left in Ukraine.[3] Its leader is the Russian, Victor Shapinov, formerly active in Russian Communist Workers Party before moving to Ukraine in 2005.[4] The association was established in May 2011 by former members of the "Organization of Marxists" (Ukraine) (an anti-revisionist Marxist-Leninist group formed in 2007 aiming for the refoundation of the Soviet Union[5]); the Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU) and its youth wing the "Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine; the "All-Ukrainian Union of Workers"; the "Youth Association Che Guevara"; and the "Youth against capitalism" movement, with some individual leftist activists also joining.[6][7] The founding congress was attended by delegates from across Ukraine. International guests from Sweden and Russia were also present.[6]

Activities

When the Euromaidan movement started in 2013, Borotba were critical of protesters' demands from the outset. According to antiimperialista.org, Borotba's critical position won them a support among the anti-Maidan working-class, particularly in Kharkiv.[8]

Some members of Borotba, including Dennis Levine, attempted to recruit protesters to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Ukraine to fight against increased public transport costs in Kiev. According to Svetlana Tsiberganova, they were attacked by the far-right.[9]

Borotba has condemned what they considered a "Western-backed"[10] and "fascist" February 2014 coup in Kiev and called for a socialist revolution in Ukraine against the government of "ultra-nationalists and Nazis".[11] Borotba's analysis of the authorities that replaced former President Viktor Yanukovych and his second Azarov Government after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution of 22 February 2014 is that far-right nationalists received too much power and control over important ministries and agencies including defense, anti-corruption and national security, education, agriculture and the environment, as well as the office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.[12]

Borotba's members took an active role in political events in Kharkiv in March 2014.[13] On March 15, Borotba, the "People’s Unity" and other groups called a public meeting in Kharkiv. At the rally, according to an eyewitness on thewebsite of Workers Power, Borotba's flags dominated the scene and Borotba's newspaper, the "Front", was widely distributed.[14] That day, Borotba joined other pro-Russian nationalist groups in storming the regional administration building,[15] which at that time was occupied by pro-Maidan activists, and their members are accused by other left wing organisations for taking part in the beating of pro-Maidan activists, including anarchists and the well-known Ukrainian author Serhiy Zhadan.[16] Borotba justified their action by flatly calling the occupants members of Right Sector.[17] On April 15, and May 8, 2014, Borotba's office in Kharkiv was raided by police.[18]

In Kharkiv, Borotba activists claim to have printed 100,000 leaflets and 10,000 posters persuading the voters to boycott the presidential election in May 2014, since they considered it unrepresentative, radical rightist, and illegitimate.[19]

On May Day Borotba members staged a rally in Kovalska Street in Odessa.[20] The following day, Borotba member Andrey Brazhevsky was beaten to death by a far-right mob after jumping from the third floor of the burning Trade Union Building during the 2 May 2014 Odessa clashes as reported by Workers World.[21][22][23][24] Following 2 May 2014 Odessa clashes and other attacks on Borotba's members and offices, Borotba claims it was forced underground.[25][26]

Later in May, Borotba joined other Russian nationalist and Anti-Maidan parties (Yury Apukhtin's "Southeast" movement, the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine and the KPU) in rallying against the presidential elections.[27]

The leader of the Odessian regional organisation of Borotba, Aleksey Albu, fled to Russian-annexed Crimea, where he founded a "Committee for the Liberation of Odessa" on 24 May 2014 together with representatives of the pro-Russian party Rodina and of the organization "Slavic Unity".[28][29]

Criticism

On March 3, 2014, several left-wing and anarchist organizations in Ukraine, including the Autonomous Workers Union, the "Direct Action" Independent Student Union and the Left Opposition socialist organization, criticized Borotba for alleged cooperation with conservative pro-Russian groups in Ukraine and allegedly spreading "overt lies and fact manipulations, deceiving foreign leftists and antifascists".[16] In a rebuttal, Borotba rejected the accusations as "hypocritical" and "irrelevant".[30] Borotba claims that it has regularly criticized Russian authorities and organized in solidarity with left-wing Russian organizations that met with repression from the Russian authorities.[31]

The regional coordination office of the German federal Die Linke party distanced itself[32] from Borotba and its founding member Serhei Kirichuk, who is currently living in German exile, after serious accusations levelled by Ukrainian anarchists[33] became known, and a book presentation which Serhej had helped to organise, was cancelled due to the authors ties to Russian neo-nazi groups such as Russian National Unity and the anti-immigrant DPNI.[34][35] In the follow-up, the German Left party cancelled several events with Kirichuk, such as a panel discussion in Hamburg on the 2 July 2014[32] and in Kiel 3 July 2014.[36]

Kirichuk responded to many of the accusations levelled against the organisation, especially with regard to their support for what - in his eyes - are incorrectly termed 'pro-Russian' separatist's in the South and East of Ukraine, in an interview with Andrej Hunko Germany's Die Linke.[37]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ukraine's Borotba association ready to help Left Front in case of persecution and arrest of its activists in Russia, Interfax-UKRAINE, 13 September 2012.
  2. ^ Draft Resolution on the Ukrainian Borotbist Party 6 February 1920
  3. ^ Volodymyr Ishchenko (NaUKMA, Department of Sociology). Ukrainian New Left and Grassroots Social Protests: A Thorny Way to Hegemony, presented at the "Making the World Working Class" Tenth Annual Historical Materialism (journal) conference, London, 7–10 November 2013.
  4. ^ Greg Butterfield "The left in Ukraine and the origins of Borotba Workers World 22 October 2014
  5. ^ International Council of Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People ""Organization of Marxists" Is Born in Ukraine" North Star Compass July/August 2007, Vol. 15, No. 11-1
  6. ^ a b History of the organization, Official site of the "Borotba" Association, accessed on 15 May 2014.
  7. ^ Greg Butterfield "The left in Ukraine and the origins of Borotba Workers World 22 October 2014
  8. ^ by Initiativ e.V. Duisburg, Germany "Reign of fascist gangs. Ukraine: Interview with a leader of Borotba (struggle)", antiimperialista.org (14 June 2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.
  9. ^ http://www.liva.com.ua/not-my-war.html Not My War, by Svetlana Tsiberganova
  10. ^ Bill Van Auken, "The International Socialist Organization and the Ukraine crisis", World Socialist Web Site (16 April 2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.
  11. ^ The government of ultraliberals and Nazis, Official site of the Borotba Association, accessed on 15 May 2014.
  12. ^ Roger Annis. "Popular Rebellion Deepens in Eastern and Southern Ukraine as NATO and the Kiev Government Step Up Attacks", truth-out.org (13 May 2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.
  13. ^ Template:Ru icon Григорий Пырлик. «Боротьба» за Юго-Восток. Кто, сколько, зачем, Mediaport, 22 March 2014.
  14. ^ Franz Ickstatt (Gruppe Arbeitermacht, German section of the League for a Fifth International), "The mass movement in Eastern Ukraine: an eyewitness report", Workers Power (June 21, 2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.
  15. ^ Borotba during the protests in the Southeast Borotba.org: Kommunique Nr.6, accessed 4 July 2014 (Russian). Russian text: Координатор харьквоской «Боротьбы» Денис Зайцев: «Сегодня, ударная группа харьковской «Боротьбы», вместе с другими антинационалистическими силами взяли штурмом областную госадминистрацию. Translated: Coordinator of Kharkiw group of Borot'ba, Denis Zajcev: "Today the hit group of the Kharkiw Borot'ba took over the regional administration together with anti-nationalist groups"
  16. ^ a b Statement of left and anarchist organizations about Borotba organization, Official site of Autonomous Workers' Union, March 3, 2014, accessed on 20 May 2014.
  17. ^ Borotba during the protests in the Southeast Borotba.org: Kommunique Nr.6, accessed 4 July 2014 (Russian)
  18. ^ Template:Ru icon Маски-шоу в офисе партии «Боротьба» в центре Харькова, Dozor.kharkov.ua, 21 June 2014
  19. ^ Ukraine: 'Socialist prospects in south-eastern Ukraine', Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal, May 25, 2014.
  20. ^ May Day rally of 'Borotba' union in Odessa, GuardianWitness.
  21. ^ Greg Butterfield, "GUILTY: Washington, Kiev responsible for Odessa massacre", Workers World (May 6, 2014), accessed on 15 May 2014.
  22. ^ Union Borotba, "Salute to Martyr Andrew Brazhevsky, Murdered By Fascists", a-revolt.org (4 May 2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.
  23. ^ "Neo-Nazi terror in Odessa: more than 40 killed, hundreds injured", The council of 'Borotba' union (May 3, 2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.
  24. ^ Odessa, Ukraine: Right sector and Maidan activists murder at least 43 persons, Ukraine Human Rights website, 3 May 2014.
  25. ^ Terror in Ukraine forces left wing organisation Borotba underground – interview with Sergei Kirichuk, In Defence of Marxism, 21 May 2014.
  26. ^ Junta launches repressions against Borotba activists: Statement of the union ‘Borotba’ (Struggle), Official site of the Borotba Association, accessed on 15 May 2014.
  27. ^ Rally in Ukraine's Kharkov calls for boycotting presidential elections, promises referendum; "East Ukraine’s Kharkov region to hold independence referendum - movement “Southeast”" Tass 18 May 2014. Apukhin, the leader of the “Great Russia” NGO, is a pro-Putin activist ("Yuri Apukhtin: “We have nothing to do with the European civilization. We are completely different.”" nahnews.com.ua 20 December 2013
  28. ^ Template:Ru icon "On Crimea, a committee for the liberation of Odessa was founded Website of Borot'ba", accessed 11 July 2014
  29. ^ Template:Ru icon Representatives on the run founded a "Committee for the Liberation of Odessa" on Crimea. Quote: "The Organisation was created by a member of the city council of the party "Rodina" (homeland), Aleksandr Vasilev, a member of the regional council, leader of the regional organisation of Bor'ba (Russian name for Borot'ba) Aleksey Albu and the leader of the "Odessian Squad" Dmitry Odinov, who at the same time is member of the extreme right wing 'Slavic Union'." ipress.ua (22 May 2014). Accessed 11 July 2014.
  30. ^ Statement of the union ‘Borotba’ over recent smear campaign against anti-fascists in Ukraine
  31. ^ Borotba Solidarity With the Protests in Russia
  32. ^ a b Vom Maidan in den Bürgerkrieg? From Maidan to civil war? (German) DIE LINKE Landesverband Hamburg, accessed 4 July 2014
  33. ^ Template:Ru icon От мелких мошенников до убийц. Очерк о политической эволюции сталинистов на примере организации Боротьба Nihilist.li: From petty criminals to murders. Essay on the political evolution of the stalinists at the example of the organization Borot'ba. English translation
  34. ^ Template:De icon "Von Borot'ba vermittelte Nazi-Veranstaltung abgesagt - wann distanziert sich DIE LINKE?", "Nazi-event organised by Borotba cancelled", de.indymedia.org, accessed 4 July 2014. Template:Source needs translation
  35. ^ Template:De icon "'Nazis im Nadelstreifen': Stanislav Byshok und Alexey Kochetkov". "Nazis in suits: Stanislav Byshok und Alexey Kochetkov", Blog "invia 1200", accessed 4 July 2014. Template:Source needs translation
  36. ^ Bündnis Friede, Freiheit, Brot Kieler Friedensarbeit, accessed 4 July 2014
  37. ^ "They hate us because we are communists", Interview with Sergei Kirichuk by Andrej Hunko (09.07.2014). Retrieved 24-08-2014.

External links

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