Courting disfavour

All my life I have opposed aggression, violence and war, devoting myself instead to entirely peaceful pursuits such as science, teaching, education and public service as a politician, human rights activist, election commission member and electoral monitor.

I never imagined I would live to see the day my country’s political system and foreign policy became so thoroughly rotten, in which thousands of ordinary Russians advocating for peace and against war could be put on trial for discrediting the armed forces and justifying terrorism.

The war will soon reach its three-year mark — three years of casualties, destruction, deprivation and the suffering of millions, the likes of which haven’t been seen on European soil since World War II. I simply cannot remain silent about this.

At the end of April, our former defence minister announced that some 500,000 Ukrainians had been killed or injured in the war. Just think about that number! How many people has Russia lost then, if, as officials would have us believe, Russian forces are constantly advancing along the entire front line? We don’t know, nor do we know who will be held accountable or to what end all this is being done.

Our government and the people who support its militaristic aspirations have desired this war for so long, but now that it has come home to roost, I want to ask them: have our lives improved? Is this how you see the well-being and security of our country and its people? Or did you imagine that things would turn out differently?

But for now, it isn’t those who started the war, the mercenary fighters who have done so much killing, or the public figures who broadcast propaganda in support of the conflict who have to pay. No, it’s us ordinary Russians who have spoken out against the war and spoken up for peace. We pay the price, sometimes with our freedom, sometimes with our lives.

I belong to a disappearing generation whose parents fought in World War II or survived it and all its hardships. Our now deceased parents begged us to avoid a return to war with all our might, as they understood from first-hand experience that peace is the most valuable thing on Earth for any of its people. We have now neglected their will and debased the memory of the last war’s victims.

If I am guilty of anything it is that I, as a citizen of this country, allowed this war to go ahead. I could not stop it. Please consider that in the verdict. But I would like to share my guilt and accountability with the people who orchestrated, fought in and supported the war, as well as those who prosecuted advocates for peace.

I live in hope that will happen some day. I ask the people of Ukraine and my fellow citizens who have suffered due to this war for forgiveness. Ever since a criminal case was opened against me for my calls to end this war, I have been clear about my attitude to this vile human endeavour.

All I can say now is that violence and aggression beget nothing more than retaliatory violence. This is the true cause of our misfortunes, of our suffering, of our senseless sacrifice, of the destruction of civilian and industrial infrastructure and our homes.

Let’s stop this bloody, pointless massacre. It serves neither us Russians nor the people of Ukraine. Isn’t it time to leave our neighbours alone and deal with our snowballing domestic problems? We have long since demonstrated to the whole world how brave, resilient and peace-loving we are. Maybe enough is enough?

In a 1904 letter to his son, Lev Tolstoy wrote: “For me, the madness and criminality of war are so clear I can see nothing else.” I second the words of our great compatriot, and you can too.