Epress.am News from Armenia
Epress.am journalist Yuri Manvelyan from Armenia and composer, publicist Elmir Mirzoyev from Baku met members of Ukraine's Right Sector in Kiev on Sunday, March 16.
The image of the far right created by the Russian state propaganda machine did not correspond to the impression the journalists received when speaking with Maidan's fighters.
Video in Russian only. English transcript below.
Transcription of the video interview in Russian (translated into English from Armenian):
Dmitry (Right Sector member): I'm from Lviv. Lviv has been called a city of terrorists and gangs, which is very painful. It was unpleasant when they said that Lviv two weeks ago was speaking Russian for two days in support of the Russians living in Crimea. I've already repeatedly said that half of the population in Lviv is Russian; half, Ukrainian. It can be said that Russian is heard more often than Ukrainian in Lviv.
Where that opinion came from I don't know. In fact, that which is heard on Russian television is crazy nonsense. Let every journalist come to Lviv and ask people in Lviv, those from Moscow, from St. Petersburg, whether that's true or not.
As for what pertains to the fact that we're fighting for the rights of our people, we are simply called Ukraine. We are citizens of Ukraine and not Russians, Ukrainians.
We have a lot of experience in engaging in partisan warfare. For example, the last struggle was in '61. Those same resistance groups were fighting against Russia and Germany… they were fighting for their state. They tell all those made-up tales and stories because they're afraid. And if the Russian troops think that they're so strong… yes, theirs is a powerful army; we don't have an army — it can be said our politicians destroyed it. But they will get a highly partisan resistance. Ukraine has great experience in this. And politicians can just go to hell. People have to control politicians, not politicians, us.
Whatever will happen will happen. They have to understand that the Verkhovna Rada MP shouldn't be a swanky position.
It's a lie when they say that the Russian-speaking population's rights are being violated. We speak Russian at home too. They say if you speak Russian in the store they won't respond to you. That's nonsense. The 2012 [UEFA] European Football Championship was held here. Ask the foreigners who came to Lviv.
"As for what they're fabricating, I don't know. In Crimea, they've simply blocked all the Ukrainian TV channels, broadcast only the Russian ones, and say whatever they want. And our authorities do nothing against this.
Yuri (Right Sector member): An officer came here today with his family and said there's an information blockade in Crimea. The soldiers know nothing; they are told nothing. They are sitting in silence. Perhaps something should be said to them? Perhaps they should be prompted?
Dmitry: Our people tried to go to Crimea — they weren't allowed in. If Putin said that their troops are not in Crimea then we should've immediately slaughtered, eliminated them. But there's no order from the commander-in-chief, and the poor troops don't know what to do. And this is our government: they've simply transferred our flag to others.
One more important thing: a law on a [newly created] National Guard was signed. What do we get: serving in this National Guard will be the same internal troops and Berkut fighters, and they will report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Nothing will change. They convince people here that people from here will also be included and those registered in military commissariats too. But I don't know how these people who fought against them will serve with them in the same subdivision. I don't know; it's absurd. New, ordinary people have to be gathered, who are not subject to any ministry.
If power has to come from the people, let it come from the people. In the local self-government bodies of the villages, where everyone knows everyone else, let them do what they want. The political parties are wrong. Everyone in his city, his village let himself be a leader.