Back to Occupation: Why Ukrainians Are Returning Under Russian Control and What Can Be Done About It.
Will the new "Berlin Wall" save us?
MP Maksym Tkachенко stated that around 150,000 Ukrainians have returned to the occupied territories. However, he later apologized, claiming that this was just his assumption, and that it is impossible to calculate the number of those who have left. This statement came right after he faced criticism from the Office of the President for his "irresponsible remark."
One can only hope that the Office of the President and other government institutions are taking the situation of displaced persons seriously.
Another MP, Mykola Knyazhytskyi, made a statement about "hundreds of thousands of applications" from Ukrainians abroad wishing to renounce their citizenship. Knyazhytskyi clearly lied. This claim was refuted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in response to an inquiry from the civil network "Opora." Since the start of the war, only 928 such applications have been submitted.
Nonetheless, "word of mouth" suggests that people are returning to their devastated towns and villages in the occupied territories, while Ukrainians abroad are increasingly deciding to remain in foreign lands permanently.
Is the state justified in labeling such decisions as "irresponsible"? Certainly not. The state can only deem its own decisions irresponsible. A person's life and fate belong solely to that person.
Moreover, the state consistently pushes its citizens toward these so-called "irresponsible" choices. The foolish threat to cease consular services for those who fled the war, intimidation regarding the closure of bank accounts, and so forth—these are all effective measures that drive Ukrainian refugees to renounce their state, change their taxpayer registration from Ukrainian to foreign, and so on. Who benefits from this: the state or the citizen? Everyone loses.
More than half of the financial aid from Western partners is directed toward non-military needs. There’s enough for paving stones and lawns... but not enough for the citizens who have lost everything and fled to Ukrainian territory—this too pushes them back into the arms of the occupiers.
The government is responding inadequately. Its only answer is to establish yet another parasitic agency to bring back Ukrainians.
Meanwhile, Ukrainians abroad are integrating into their local societies, learning languages, seeking employment, and contributing taxes to non-Ukrainian budgets...
In the occupied territories, the occupation authorities are fighting for the bodies and souls of Ukrainians. And not just with slogans from a collection of rabid imperial propaganda. Russia is pouring significant funds into restoring the destroyed infrastructure and housing, offering jobs, paying substantial pensions, and of course—brainwashing...
This cannot be countered merely with patriotic slogans and the president's videos. Because thanks to "word of mouth" and the internet, anyone can compare and choose where their life will be better. And the further we go, the more examples there will be for comparison.
In Russia, they understand that creating acceptable living conditions in the occupied territories is just a continuation of their imperial policy by other means. The war is not only on the front lines but also in the rear. The economic war for Ukrainian citizens will continue even after hostilities cease. Both sides will have to reckon with this, as no "Berlin" wall stretching a thousand kilometers will help.
Where it is easier to find work, where salaries are higher, where medical care, police effectiveness, courts, state institutions, and utility services are better—these are the comparisons citizens will make first and foremost. I suspect that the meaning of fiery slogans will come last.
This unavoidable truth gives rise to two pieces of news: one good and one bad. The positive aspect for the ordinary Ukrainian is the existence of this very competition: let the two state machines compete for citizens, and they will choose where it is better for them. The bad news is that if the Ukrainian state loses this economic war, it risks simply disappearing. Meanwhile, Ukrainians will remain. They will automatically find themselves in the territories of other states and become their citizens—Russian, Polish, Romanian, Hungarian...
To prevent this disaster from happening, to ensure that the horrific sacrifices of this war are not in vain, Ukraine must start caring for its citizens right now, or as politicians like to say: "Turn towards the person." Who should do this personally: Zelensky or Yermak? They should. But so should the tax collector, who is used to living off bribes, the unscrupulous workers of the Military Commissariat, the doctor in the clinic who mistreats Ukrainians who come to her for help, and the drivers who park on lawns and in disabled spots. All together, meaning both the big and small Ukrainians, make this state uncompetitive, inhumane, and unlivable. Besides slogans, something more is needed for comparison.
The author expresses a personal opinion that may not coincide with the editorial position. The responsibility for the published data in the "Opinions" section lies with the author.