UWC calls to prevent resurrection of Stalin’s legacy

In advance of large-scale Russian propaganda events in June and July, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) sent letters to world leaders calling to prevent the resurrection of Stalin’s murderous legacy and counter Putin’s attempts to forcibly reshape the map of modern Europe. UWC emphasized the need to boycott Kremlin’s propaganda actions and called to outlaw public displays of Soviet totalitarian symbols.

Today Russia whitewashes the crimes of the Soviet communist regime and attempts to twist historic events. June 24, the new date selected for the parade in Moscow is part of this strategy. On this same day 75 years ago Stalin held his “Victory parade”. This year’s parade, as well as Russian state-financed “Bezsmertny polk” campaigns, are yet another manipulative effort by Russian propaganda to impose Kremlin’s version of history and the cult of Stalin on the world, portraying Soviet oppressors of captive nations as ‘liberators’. Moreover, state-sponsored mass gatherings amid COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate Russia’s blatant disregard for human life, typical for all totalitarian regimes.

“Kremlin exploits Soviet totalitarian symbols of World War II to justify and glorify its modern-day aggression, occupation of Crimea and invasion of Ukrainian Donbas. Recent Putin’s article for the “National Interest”, just like the parade on the eve of the vote for amendments to Russian Constitution, affirms Russia’s intentions to rewrite history and whitewash its crimes. – stated Paul Grod, UWC President. – We urge the world leaders to condemn the glorification of the murderous Stalin regime and the crimes of the modern-day Russian aggressor. We call to boycott Kremlin’s propaganda campaigns, and to outlaw public displays of totalitarian symbols”.