Victims of Empire: Solidarity Against Russian Tyranny
Adel Bashqawi
April 6, 2025
There is no doubt that Russia’s boundless imperial ambitions—first in the lands and homelands of its neighbors in the Caucasus region, and later in Ukraine and other former Soviet republics in the twenty-first century—have imposed a new and harsh reality on the region and on the peoples and nations subjected to Russian tyranny and colonial domination.
Ukrainian officials’ engagement with the plight of Circassia in particular, and the North Caucasus in general, is no longer hidden or met with indifference. On the contrary, Ukraine’s friendly and sympathetic stance toward the victims of imperial and colonial aggression reflects a growing alignment with the aspirations of peoples who have suffered bloodshed, genocide, and displacement.
In this context, there is no longer room for hesitant states to indulge in the luxury of delay or to issue unrealistic expectations regarding the recognition of the legitimate rights of peoples violated by the Russian state. A front of truth has emerged against a front of evil and arrogance. This includes, in particular, those countries that endured genuine tyranny since the eighteenth century in various colonial forms:
- Russian colonies
- Eastern European countries
- The fifteen republics of the former Soviet Union
Subsequent Developments
Following the resolution of the Ukrainian Parliament to recognize the Circassian genocide on January 9, 2025, the news unsurprisingly went viral. On March 28, 2025, a subsequent and thoughtful gesture was issued by the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers, signed by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. It appealed “to the governments of the world to help raise awareness about the genocide of the Circassian (Adyghe) people, as well as other crimes committed by the Russian Empire, by disseminating knowledge about such crimes in educational and research programs.” [1]
Political analyst Paul Goble described this as “a victory by Circassian organizations who have sought such a declaration for more than a decade, and equally important, a reaffirmation of Kyiv’s commitment to support peoples within the current borders of the Russian Federation who have been—and continue to be—oppressed by Moscow.” [2]
It is worth noting that an event was held on March 31, 2025, by invitation from the American Friends of Ukraine in New Jersey. The event, titled ‘International Rights Presentation of the Real Political Prisoners of Putin — The Captive Nations of the Russian Federation. It was attended by Circassians, Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars, and Mongolians. [3]
In a further development, “on April 2, 2025, an interdepartmental meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. It was chaired by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha” and focused on formulating the core “principles of Ukraine’s state policy regarding engagement with the national movements of colonized peoples within the Russian Federation.” [4]
This unprecedented and positive step forward was highlighted by the participation of “National Deputies Maria Mezentseva-Fedorenko, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, and Oleg Dunda—members of the temporary special commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine tasked with preparing the draft principles of Ukraine’s state policy concerning national movements of small and indigenous peoples within the Russian Federation. The meeting also included representatives from ministries, government departments, research institutions, and public organizations.” [5]
Conclusion
These recent actions serve to highlight the atrocities and crimes that the indigenous Circassian nation endured during the Russian Empire’s 19th-century invasion—crimes that resulted in illegal occupation, followed by extermination, ethnic cleansing, forced deportation, and ultimately crowned by annexation. The unfolding support from Ukraine underscores the need for global recognition of these historical injustices and a collective stand in solidarity with oppressed nations still living under imperial legacies.
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References
[2] https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/04/ukrainian-government-calls-on-nations.html
