[brownsfan]

*** Many Russians and Ukrainians originally welcomed the Germans as “liberators”. ***

Interesting. I didn’t know that.

[Leaning Right]

Below is a photo of some Ukrainians greeting a German soldier. As others have noted, had Hitler treated the Ukraine like he treated France (made it a client state), things might have gone differently in the east.

By the way, here’s where you’ve got to give Stalin some credit. He treated conquered German allies relatively well. Former German allies Rumania and Bulgaria even fielded armies that fought alongside the Soviets.

[rellimpank]

—there was even a divison of Russian defectors, led by a General Vlasov—

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andrey-Andreyevich-Vlasov

[SES1066]

Interesting. I didn’t know that.

Soviet General Andrey Andreyevich Vlasov defended at the Battle of Moscow and was captured by the German while trying to break the siege of Leningrad/St.Petersburg. He defected to the Germans in a major propaganda coup. Modern opinion is that it was a combination of pragmatism and personal knowledge of Stalin.

From 1935-39, Stalin initiated a series of internal attacks that have come to be known as "The Great Purge". From the 'Kulaks' (Ukraine) to the Red Army, a multitude of institutions and society itself was faced with oppression and show trials on an unprecedented scale. When Vlasov was captured in mid-1942, Stalin had already stated that all surrendering Russians would be treated as traitors if repatriated.

So, yes, even AFTER the German/NAZI atrocities of 1941-43, many Russians looked at what had occurred earlier in and by their own government and had a hard time deciding between the frying pan and the fire!

[Jimmy Valentine]

After the Holodomor, the Ukrainian people wanted to free of Russia. The Nazis missed a big opportunity by abusing them.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

But the Ukrainians had two choices. Get starved to death by Stalin or side with the Nazis where they had a better chance of survival.