Posted: 10.05.2024 12:00:00

Expert on anti-war protests in Poland and Latvia's statement on permission for Ukraine to strike at Russia

Representatives of several anti-war movements organised a Peace March in Warsaw, demanding to stop the supply of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine and chanting: ‘This is not our war’, ‘Stop the Americanisation of Poland!’. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said that Ukraine had received weapons from a number of Western partners with permission to strike at Russian territory. Candidate of historical sciences Vadim Yelfimov commented on the situation in his talk with Alfa Radio.

As noted by the political expert, scales of anti-Russian, anti-Soviet and anti-Belarusian hysteria are amazing in Poland. “A certain part of the country's population, especially young people, have probably had their minds cleared. I can recall a situation when a Pole once gave me a ride. I got into his car and saw that he had a St. George ribbon tied at the bottom, not on the windshield. It was actually hidden. Therefore, I think that Poles have an underlying understanding that their current government is doing something wrong and unnecessary to the country. They're just intimidated. A propaganda is being spread there: i.e. an unannounced ban on professions. Why was Andrzej Duda insisting on a judicial reform in the past? He was doing that to suppress any dissenting view with the help of judges and laws, but – apparently – there is a limit to any patience. Poland is on the verge of drawing it into the special military operation in Ukraine. American, German troops and others have already been dragged there. Those Poles who have common sense are beginning to understand that all this will end very badly, and nobody is allured by Poland’s fate of 1939. I cannot but welcome the fact that common sense is beginning to break through,” Mr. Yelfimov said.

The expert also commented on the words of Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze that Ukraine had received weapons from a number of Western partners with permission to strike at the Russian territory. “From the point of view of political science, this is called probing, since none of the serious politicians says ‘a permission has been given to use these long-range missiles to strike at the territory of Russia’. However, it's supposed to be such, since such long-range missiles are provided. Actually, this is a double game, and Ms. Braze is just giving away the secret of the Polichinelle. Why is she saying this openly? She is probing public opinion and preparing it for the fact that these missiles will be used to attack the territory of Russia. A minor politician has been chosen. This is Baiba Braze who is promoting the idea that some countries ‘have allowed Ukraine…’, though not naming them. I would like to repeat that the Baltic States cannot in any way seriously influence the situation, they do not have such missiles, they cannot supply them. Differently speaking, they are managing the property and political baggage of other parties. Probably, there is a distribution of roles within the North Atlantic Alliance: some allies supply weapons, and others make statements. The Baltic States do the latter,” Mr. Yelfimov summed up.