cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6943504
cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/11749
The voice of an anarchist who fled Ukraine to escape mobilization and war thecollective Thu, 12/04/2025 - 15:10
Mainstream media and even some “anarchist” or “radical left” media outlets bombard us with reports about soldiers on the front lines, but stubbornly refuse to listen to the voices of those who reject war and violent mobilization for war purposes. We take a different approach. We prefer to give space to the voices of those who fled the war rather than to hypocrites who describe the war as a liberation struggle.
Viatcheslav is an anarchist who fled mobilization. To quote him: “I refused to join the army and fled at the beginning of the war in 2022. It’s not that I particularly like Putin’s regime; I know very well that he is a dictator and that under his regime I would have no freedom and, as an anarchist, my life would even be in danger. But I have no desire to sacrifice my life so that the Ukrainian bourgeoisie can enjoy their privileges, so that the sons of oligarchs my age can continue to sunbathe on the beaches of Odessa while I tremble with fear in a trench, waiting to be bombed by a drone. War is also a class issue: if you are rich, it is very easy to obtain a medical certificate and be exempted from going to the front. That is not my case. It is not fair. That is why I decided to leave. Here in France, I was not welcomed with open arms.”
From anarchistnews.org - We create the anarchy we want in the world via This RSS Feed.
I don’t know how I feel about this.
On the one hand I find it hard to blame somebody for skipping out on war - especially if we’re talking about someone who will most definitely be press-ganged into being the unwilling cannon-fodder.
On the other, we’re still talking about leaving your fellow working-class people in the lurch - it doesn’t matter that it’s the politicians who cause it… the people you leave behind will be paying the price for it.
I suppose I can only speak for myself - if the US does a regime-change here (as the Biden-regime was threatening to do), I couldn’t be able to bring myself to leave. The people living in this country deserves my loyalty first and foremost - and that trumps any and all amount of abstract politics.
Yet we still see war propaganda that describes aggression in the war as coming only from Russian imperialism, while ignoring that which is happening in Ukraine.
The aggression in the war is, in fact, coming only from russian imperialism. The mobilisation can be stopped literally tomorrow if putin calls back his army.
I am in no position to judge people who prioritize their safety and freedom. But let’s not turn this into victim blaming charade that putin is pushing so hard.
Here in France, I was not welcomed with open arms.
🤐
Should’ve gone to Finland. We have open arms.
prob. ’cause Viatcheslav has no pigment on his skin
it’s rather the opposite. While Syrians fleeing the war were left to drown in the Mediterranean, or blocked by EU in Greece or Turkey (with deals made to prevent them from entering EU), Ukrainians fleeing the war were helped and welcomed.
it was a shame to see the stark difference.
I was pointing out that exact hypocrisy. Thank you for typing out exactly why the Fascist government of France doesn’t deserve a pass.
sorry. i think i misunderstood your comment and i feel like i’m not the only one.
French government isn’t fascist yet but authoritarian, neo-liberal, hypocritical and arrogant. Wait 2 years and we’ll see if it finally stinks.
I won’t wait. Any state is worth toppling down🤝
when i write “wait”; i mean you can, in France, have an openly fascist government in 2 years.
we seem to have difficulties comprehending each other 🤷
It’s ok😁 we are both comrades with our hearts in the correct goal: ending all authoritarianism.
So, he won’t fight for his country. Fine. But, he expects another country to welcome him with open arms? Presumably, he wouldn’t fight for France, either. You can’t be an anarchist and expect people loyal to a state to welcome you.
