When it comes to neo-Nazis and the far right, Ukraine has an image problem. Kremlin propaganda has, since the earliest days of the EuroMaidan Revolution, sought to falsely portray the Ukrainian government as being infested with fascists and anti-Semites, and spread the lie that its volunteer battalions were mostly manned by neo-Nazi, nationalist thugs who sought to oppress and kill Russian-speakers.
In fact, the far right is far stronger in most Western countries, and far, far stronger in Russia, than in Ukraine. But all propaganda is based on an element of truth, and Russia has picked up on a problem in Ukrainian society, amplified it greatly, and turned it on the country to damage Ukraine’s image abroad.
Moreover, the common image of the far right in Ukraine – shaven-headed, tattooed, knuckle-dragging cretins harassing gay activists or threatening to impose “Ukrainian order” on people – is just part of the picture. In the background are lingering prejudices inherited from the Soviet period that can still be found in all layers of society.
One example was seen, of all places, in Ukraine’s Consul General’s Office in Hamburg, Germany, where Consul General Vasyl Marushchynets was recently pictured holding a birthday cake made in the form of the book “Mein Kampf” by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
Marushchynets had also allegedly posted derogatory statements about Jews, Russians, Hungarians, Roma and other nations on his Facebook page.
To its credit, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry responded quickly to this outrage: “Anti-Semites and those who provoke hatred between nations have no place either in a civilized society or in the (Ukrainian Foreign Ministry),” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin wrote on Twitter on May 13. He said the ministry had suspended Marushchynets and started an investigation and disciplinary proceedings.
But this incident serves to remind us that anti-Semitism in Ukraine is not simply the creation of Kremlin propagandists. It is a real problem that Ukraine must address if it is to take its rightful place in the family of civilized nations.
Acknowledging that there is a problem is the first step to solving it. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has done the right thing by condemning a racist among its ranks, instead of attempting a cover-up, as would probably have been done in the past. And that will make Ukraine look better in the eyes of the world.
