Ukraine Introduction

By The Editors

To Our Readers:

This issue of Socialist Viewpoint includes 18 articles and statements about the Russian invasion and war on Ukraine, all of which include information that helps us to make sense of the complexity of this horrendous war. While all these articles include important facts, the editors have strong agreement with the analysis in those articles which put the full blame for the Russian invasion at Putin’s door while recognizing the provocations from the United States and NATO. These articles include: “Russia and Ukraine” by John Blackburn, of Scotland; “Stop Russia’s War Machine Now!” An interview with Vitaliy Dudin of the Ukrainian democratic socialist organization Sotsyalnyi Rukh (Social Movement); “We Still Need Anti-imperialism” by Christine Bucholz of Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung; “Stop Putin’s War! By Ashley Smith; “War Criminals of the World Spilling the People’s Blood” by Dr. Nayvin Gordon; “Invasion and War in the Ukraine” a statement from the U.K. Fire Brigades Union; “How the Left Should Respond to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine” by Roane Carey; “Russian Troops Out Now! For Ukraine’s Independence!” editorial by World-Outlook; and “The Lie of American Innocence” by Chris Hedges.

We take note of the strong disagreements within the U.S. antiwar movements with some holding diametrically opposed positions on this war. We take Ukraine’s side of self-defense and self-determination against the Russian imperialist assault on a separate country whose people want to live in the independent country of Ukraine.

While we completely agree with Dr. Martin Luther King’s statement that the U.S. is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world, that truth does not mean that other authoritarian regimes—like Russia—with strong militaries and weapons of massive destructive capabilities also instigate wars of great destruction and violence.

Russia out of Ukraine!

—The Editors