A good number of the “protestors” are neo-Nazis, and use Nazi symbols, being descendants of Ukrainians who fought with the Nazis. It is not all made up.
“A good number of the “protestors” are neo-Nazis, being descendants of Ukrainians who fought with the Nazis”
Only communist governments punish descendants of “criminals”.
And you know this as fact?
While it is true that Ukraine originally welcomed the German Army as liberators from Stalin, when the SS Einsatzgruppen followed the Wermacht into Ukraine and started mass exterminations of people they called “untermenschen” (”subhumans”), the Ukies fought back viciously.
I doubt there’s much love for Nazism there.
They want to be left the hell alone for once, to guide and direct their OWN lives and fortunes.
Like ANY people that love freedom.
“...being descendants of Ukrainians who fought with the Nazis. It is not all made up.”
Please elaborate. I consider myself to be somewhat versed in WWII history and as I recall many Ukrainians initially did offer service but were denied. Later in ‘43 when the war turned bad the Nazis forced conscription. By that time however many Ukrainians had grown to resent the Germans and had joined the partisans or were serving in the Red army. Also the UKIP leaders (who declared independence shortly after the Nazi invasion) were collectively deported to German concentration camps.
The numbers:
-Ukrainians serving in Soviet Army and Partisans ~ 4.7 million.
-Ukrainians serving in Axis armies ~ 90,000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_collaborationism_with_the_Axis_powers
I do not think the ‘Nazi descendant’ analogy is warranted particularly considering the casualty rates on the Eastern front. Most the 90,000 either died or surrendered to Western forces so there would be few descendants in Ukraine today.
I have o good friend in Russia who told me the same thing. Part of Ukrainian opposition against Russia are, in fact, Nazis.