At the U.S. Congressional Helsinki Commission hearing "Russia's Imperial Identity" on September 19, experts discussed the deep roots of Russian imperialism and its role in the war against Ukraine.
This was reported on the live streaming page of the US Helsinki Commission.
Among the speakers was Timothy Snyder, a professor of history at Yale University, who explained how imperialism is at the heart of Russian war crimes and noted that this myth helps Russia avoid responsibility for its actions.
Snyder explained that Russian imperial ideology shapes not only the views of Russians, but also Western opinion, which perceives Russia as the victim and Ukrainians as the object of aggression. He noted that controlling the discourse allows Russia to limit Western aid to Ukraine.
The experts also discussed the problematic issue of the Russian government's oppression of other peoples in Russia, which has been going on for decades. In particular, a representative of one of Russia's small ethnic groups spoke at the hearing. She said that entire communities, such as the Chukchi and Tuvan peoples, are suffering because of the war and are often targeted for accusations of crimes committed by the Russian military. She also noted that the war has opened the eyes of many members of these peoples to their vulnerability in Russian society.
Congressman Steve Cohen, co-chair of the Helsinki Commission, emphasized his support for legislation recognizing Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide. The hearing also discussed evidence of brutal actions by Russian troops against Ukrainian civilians.
Researcher Maria Vyushkova spoke about the disproportionate representation of small ethnic groups in the Russian army and how myths about "bloodthirsty savages" are created. She emphasized that these stereotypes are rooted even in progressive circles of Russian society.
Timothy Snyder stressed that in order to overcome this discourse, it is necessary to know history better, because "myths about empire grow where no one knows history". The participants of the hearing appealed to U.S. lawmakers to provide Ukraine with air defense equipment.
The Ukrainian creative project Cultural Landing also spoke at the hearing. Ukrainian musicians performed pieces of music that help Western audiences understand what Ukrainians are fighting for.
Author: Danylo Pievchev