putin
© Laurence Griffiths
Putin is everywhere. Everyone talks only about him. He is on the receiving end of all the aspirations and curses. It's not even a cult of personality - it's more like schizophrenia.

If you try to talk to someone, especially if it's a someone who is dedicated to the "Euromaidan", he will give you a lengthy list (in a size of a half-meter check at the supermarket) of grievances toward Putin. He grabbed Crimea, conquered the country, bought provocateurs, etc.

Fear and Loathing in Ukraine - all because of Putin. The more they talk about it, the more excited and fierce they become. They even invented a nickname for him: Putler, and added a mustache.

One enemy, one hate, one fear. Here is something many Ukrainians are united about.

Yes, it's Putin who hung Russian flags around Ukraine at night. And earlier, it was he who helped to bring to power armed Bandera people. It's Putin who drove the bulldozer and threw "Molotov cocktails" and burned tires. He drove around the cities, smashed the monuments and painted swastikas. It was Putin who beat the hell out of Rabbis and desecrated Ukrainian synagogues. It was he who broke into the offices of the Ukrainian TV channels to establish such an information dictatorship that Goebbels would be green with envy.

It was Putin who said that we should hang the "Muscovites." He put unarmed people on barricades and then, while being an acting president, fled to Rostov-on-Don. He hired the snipers. It was him! It was all his fault!

Any defect, any horror, any tragedy can be attributed to Putin. That's really very convenient. Here is a scapegoat who can answer for everything, one we can hate, so we won't have to hate those who, until recently, stood on "Euromaidan."

Putin is everywhere. He's the one pissing in the hallway. He's the one doing the littering and graffiti. He screams under the windows at night in a drunken voice. He sells alcohol and cigarettes to children. He's rude when taking public transportation. He doesn't pay salaries, he steals. Yes, Putin is part of all of us.

Why hasn't he appeared before? Why was he invented only now? After all, it's so convenient -- to always carry Putin with you. "Why have you failed at school?" "Putin clouded my mind." "Bastard, you cheated on me with your secretary!" "I'm sorry honey, Putin has messed with my head." "You slimeball, drunk again!" "It's Putin who forced me to drink!"

The problem is not who Putin is. The problem is who we are.

In Ukraine, as well as in other former Soviet Union countries, most of the people never want to be responsible for anything. Any dispute inevitably turns into a search for the guilty. Who could be the scapegoat? Who could be imprisoned? Someone was found and gotten rid of -- thank God for that. Now we can live on, just as before.

Nowadays this model of behavior in Ukraine is as relevant as ever. Especially when association with the EU resembles a truck that is being robbed "on the go" and while side-slipping left and right. Especially when snipers who killed both demonstrators and Berkut people were not hired by Yanukovych, when people are being kidnapped for dissent, when there is a threat of reprisals against "Jews" and "Muscovites" -- when the split of Ukraine took place.

After all, people in Crimea voted for Putin at the gunpoint, right? Putin bought Crimeans, forced them to walk and drive through the streets chanting "Russia" and waving Russian flags. He forced them to come in mass to the main square. He ordered a holiday -- and there was a holiday.

The all-powerful Putin.

Then why are you, new Ukrainian leaders, always telling people what a nobody Putin is?

Three months ago Crimea wasn't even considering separating from Ukraine. Crimeans wanted to live in a peaceful country, but were offered a war. They were intimidated and frightened. And what they had behind them were twenty-odd contradictory years.

Now, you call them separatists. Tell me, how are they different from those who came with weapons for Hrushevskyi? Maybe the difference is that there was no gore and violence? For now, there is none here as well, but you probably will try to change that, right?

Crimea separating from Ukraine had already become clear in January. Why didn't you remember the integrity and unity of the country then? Where were you? Why didn't you come to Crimea? After all, you stood on "Euromaidan" (oh, this Schicklgruber's syndrome!) and supposedly expressed opinion on the behalf of the whole country. So, why weren't you with the people that supposedly fully supported you? Why did you betray your people?

Yes, now you are brave. Miroshnichenko beat the hell out of Panteleimonov. Ljashko punished Lugansk's "separatist", and some unidentified individuals kidnapped Gubaryov in Donetsk.

How many more stories like this await us? How many militants will be brought to Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Odessa? How long are you supposed to represent a peaceful protest? How long are "European values" going to be instilled using crowbars and clubs? How long are you planning to torture your country?

It's agony, real agony. For God's sake, don't torture yourself and Ukrainians! The more hysteria, provocation and statements, the deeper the split of Ukraine.

Can't you see that the Southeast has risen to fight you? Inspired by Crimea, it will fight even more fiercely, and that reaction is the direct result of your actions.

Still looking for the separatists? Look in the mirror.

You promised that separatists will suffer everywhere. Can you punish yourselves? Arseny Petrovich swore that he will put a bullet in his head if they lose. Then why are all the others the ones who get the bullets?

You've already lost. That's why you keep looking for the perpetrators. You destroyed the country, not Yanukovych, not Kuchma, not Kravchuk, not even Yushchenko, but you. Part of the Ukrainian people do not want to have anything to do with you. The same part you stubbornly refused to listen to, but claimed to speak for.

"We are supported by everyone, we're fighting for everyone." Well, good for you!

As it turns out, not by everyone and not for everyone. Everyone runs away from you. First - Crimea. Next - Southeast.

Good for Russians in Crimea -- they are happy. They have a real happiness -- they came home. Even with the Russian Tatars, agreement has been reached. What are those whose homeland continues to be Ukraine supposed to do? Those who do not want to part with it? Those who were driven by a noble impulse and supported you during the "Euromaidan"? What are they supposed to do?

A woman from Crimea writes: "It's never been so bad." This woman beat cancer. She is a strong person, but she feels bad because of you. And there are a lot of people like this. You betrayed them and now you want to subjugate and destroy people in the Southeast. Has Crimea taught you nothing?

That's why you talk all the time about Putin. You need him as a cover as you don't want to answer for anything. You forgot the ideals of "Euromaidan." You split the nation, betrayed your country, betrayed us Ukrainians. And now you want to put all the blame on Putin.

Yes, you need an external enemy, I understand. So people won't notice the internal one. But believe me, the focus has changed. You are being noticed. And soon, no Putin will help you...

Plato Besedin
Writer, literary critic and essayist

km.ru / spetsproekty