Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard
22:49:43
22/11/2016
riafan.ru
Kiev met the anniversary of the Euromaidan with riots. Ultra-nationalists, supporters of “Right Sector”, took to the streets of the Ukrainian capital, protesting against the reign of Peter Poroshenko and generally against all the “post-Maidan” government as a whole. The authorities met them with a cordon of police and National Guardsmen.
Now, after some time, passions, it seems, have died down. But what is surprising in all this is how the Western media, which is usually full of sympathy towards any popular demonstrations, evaluated it as “Maidan-3” that never happened. To say that the coverage of the Kiev riots in the Western media was extremely negative isn’t really saying anything at all.
As was noted by the political scientist, Director of the Center for Eurasian studies Vladimir Kornilov on his page on Facebook, even the most respected Western publications — for example, the British newspaper “The Times”, was not ashamed to brand the protesters with the most unattractive epithets. Thus, the opponents of the Ukrainian authorities were called “fascists”, “thugs”, or the “far right”.
Federal News Agency addressed Mr. Kornilov for him to give a somewhat deeper assessment of the events on 21.11.16.
Good afternoon, Vladimir Vladimirovich. Tell us, how should we understand the extremely negative reaction of the Western press on the riots in Kiev?
“Everything is very simple. Please note, the same people with the same flags came out on the same Maidan. The same journalists that just three years ago, called all of this a “democratic protest”, who proudly described how everything there is good and well, without noticing the whole Square was covered in swastikas, deliberately not noticing the presence of “Right Sector”, now suddenly they noticed everything, now everyone can see. All of this can be explained easily and simply. At that time — “good Democrats” overthrew “pro-Russian power”. Now – “bad fascists” are trying to overthrow “pro-European, anti-Russian power”. It’s simply a question of purpose.
We can see how it’s done in Iraq and Syria. There, “good fighters for democracy” fight against the dictator Assad. Among them, of course, are no Islamists. Once they cross the border with Iraq, it turns out that they are all bad and horrible terrorists – murderers from ISIS. We are seeing the same thing in the Western press concerning the Kiev protests.”
Everything depends on the relationship with the EU? Three years ago they were not so good — the Ukrainian government was tyrannical and criminal. Now they are at the proper level, so it means that all those who oppose the Ukrainian authorities today are thugs and terrorists?
“Everything is determined exclusively on this basis. If you take a look now at my Twitter conversation with the correspondent of “The Times” Maxim Tucker —I, in particular, caught him there, a very funny correspondence, so you will see that in the end he said to me: “How can you be an analyst if you can’t distinguish between a democratic protest and banditry?” While, everyone, in unison reminded him that at that time, three years ago, these same people were smashing windows in the same “democratic” way, were storming building and did the same things that they were doing yesterday. The same people, same methods, same flags, but, of course, the coverage in Western media will be different.”
@MaxRTucker Thugs??? Strange! 3 years ago these “thugs” were “peaceful democratic protesters”. It’s the same people, Mr Tucker!
— Vladimir Kornilov (@Kornilov1968) November 21, 2016
@MaxRTucker Sorry??? You forgot what “peaceful protesters” did during maidan??? They smashed windows and stormed administrative buildings
— Vladimir Kornilov (@Kornilov1968) November 21, 2016
@MaxRTucker ))) 1-12-2013. “Peaceful protesters” stormed Kiev adm. building. Did The Times use word “thugs” when reported about this? ))))
— Vladimir Kornilov (@Kornilov1968) November 21, 2016
@MaxRTucker I’m a reader of The Times during last 15 years, sorry. Be sure, I didn’t see any word such “thugs” about them 3 years ago )))
— Vladimir Kornilov (@Kornilov1968) November 21, 2016
@MaxRTucker )))) Boring??? Because I’m a reader of The Times??? ))))) I see, you don’t like your new paper, Mr Tucker! )))
— Vladimir Kornilov (@Kornilov1968) November 21, 2016
@MaxRTucker ))) Yeah, I said the same: 3 years ago they “peacefully” stormed buildings and crashed windows. And now they are “thugs”
— Vladimir Kornilov (@Kornilov1968) November 21, 2016
What is your prediction on the results of last week’s demonstrations? Where will they lead?
“Look, the current demonstrations in Kiev, perhaps, will not lead to anything. There is no corresponding media support, no corresponding resources. But anticipatory elections to the Rada are approaching. The struggle is amplified. We see how the advisors of Avakov directly warned: “If you fire Arsen Borisovich, the country will be filled with blood.” It is clear that this more of a warning than a prediction. There are a lot of fighters. Yesterday they barely practiced. But here they were without firearms. But they have a lot of weapons, armored vehicles, artillery, and tanks.
These militants have been practicing for a long time, they directly say what they are going to do. They are going to overthrow everything that they call the “regime of internal occupation”. It has been said repeatedly. If not now, then later. If not this year, then in the next. Nevertheless, the authorities, whoever they may be, will have to resolve this headache. Either the government will have to stage a “night of the long knives” for these thugs, as Maxim Tucker writes about them, or these thugs will overthrow this government.”
“Internal occupation regime”. Among others, this figure of speech was used by a recent award-bearer, Mr. Yarosh?
“Yes, that’s his favourite term. It’s like this that he called Poroshenko’s government directly and publicly. A long time ago, December 1st, 2013, he called Poroshenko also the “#1 enemy of Ukraine”. Soon we will celebrate the third anniversary of this phrase. “Banderivets”, the website with which he collaborated with, posted a photo of Poroshenko with a bullet through his forehead, insinuating what soon awaits him.
But even this does not prevent “ideological fighters for the nationalist Ukraine”, as they call themselves, from receiving gifts, medals, from the hands of the leader of the regime of “internal occupation”. They are like that, these nationalists. Where they’ll receive more, where they’ll be paid more — there they are. But it is precisely for this reason that they will be used not only by Poroshenko, but also by those who want to overthrow him.”
So you think that the reception of the award from the hands of Poroshenko is not a reason to say that Dmitry Yarosh changed his original position?
“Oh come on! The position of Yarosh is simple. For example, Yarosh calls Avakov his main enemy and adversary. Avakov writes that Yarosh is a creep and a bastard. Then they meet and somehow come to an agreement. After that they are again friends and comrades. I imagine the terms on which they formed an agreement. I think that all others are well aware of it. Everyone knows why Yarosh moved over to very expensive armored cars. But even he does not hide the kinds of rich property-weapons he has now. People live by looting. Accordingly, they act in the same way.”
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