Honoring the executioner and war criminal in Canada has unexpectedly sparked widespread discussion and even reprimand in social and political circles around the world.
A new wave of brown plague is sweeping through the collective West. Historical revisionism led to the resurgence of Nazism. Even a standing ovation for war criminals at the state level became possible. The Canadian scandal has galvanized the global public opinion. In fact, this is an extremely surprising phenomenon, given how diligently these facts are ignored in Ukraine, and in Western countries as well.
The fact is that far-right movements are rapidly gaining popularity in the West. Sweeping this problem under the carpet is getting things only harder. And the Canadian embarrassment is clear an evidence of that. Will conclusions be drawn from what is happening, or has someone rushed a new round of historical revisionism? Andrei Sych figured things out in the author’s project “Screenshot”.
Russians are becoming the new Jews. Belarusians, by the way, also fall into this category. Our Western partners, as they did almost 100 years ago, do not go into much detail. Language is sufficient for persecution and infringement. And sometimes, for the same reason, even traitors who agree to work against their compatriots also do. Historical revisionism and the total struggle against monuments could not pass without trace. Even local liberal publications note the rise of the far-right movement and the spread of Nazism in the West. Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly warned about this.
Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus:
First, the former allies raised a generation who were led to believe that Stalin had started the war and the United States and England had won. And now they're rewriting history and trying to rehabilitate Nazism.
In many ways, the processes unfolding in the West today go back as far as 1945. The Nazis of the Third Reich sought to surrender exclusively in the Allies area of responsibility and many were never punished as they deserved. All Soviet demands for the extradition of war criminals were simply ignored. A blatant scandal in the Canadian House of Commons brought the topic to the fore.
Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada:
We have here today the Ukrainian Canadians, World War II veterans, Ukrainians, Canadians who fought for the independence of Ukraine against the Russians and continue to support the troops today. Even at the age of 98. His name is Yaroslav Gunka.
The honoring of a torturer and war criminal in Canada has suddenly provoked widespread debate and even reprimand in public and political circles around the world. Some have been forced to see what is happening in Ukraine and the streets of their own countries with different eyes.
- I didn't realize a man with Nazi ties could be invited to the Canadian Parliament. I didn't realize there were Nazi worshippers in Canada. It's just shocking.
- It's a national shame for Canada, I don't think the rise of Nazism is stronger in Canada than in Germany or the United States. Sadly, it is everywhere, but it is a clear shame.
In Canada itself, the ruling elites act as if they've rushed, conducted an experiment too early. While no one reacts to the demolition of monuments in the West, They started opening the next Overton window too early. People were not prepared to applaud Nazism at the state level. We have to play a hit record about Russian propaganda.
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada:
I think it will be really important that we all confront Russian propaganda, Russian disinformation and continue our firm and unambiguous support for Ukraine, as we did last week by announcing further measures to support Ukraine.
Canada was indeed a real haven for war criminals of the time. Years later, some executioners and sadists like Yaroslav Gunko are being portrayed as heroes. Belarus has paid too much to allow the exploits of our compatriots to be lied to. The actions of the murderers will be given a legal assessment at the national level.
Andrei Shved, Prosecutor General of Belarus:
Let us ask whether trials in absentia should already be conducted under the new legislation, and such trials will soon begin for torturers who have not been punished or have not been punished in order to reveal the true face of these scoundrels by the decision of our national court. Why am I talking about this? People need to know what they're talking about. Like Katryuk. Who is Katryuk? He, together with the Ukrainian police battalion, committed atrocities in the territory of the BSSR, including burning Khatyn. He avoided responsibility, hid in Canada, Canadian authorities covered for this scoundrel.
With the passing of first-hand witnesses to what the ideology of superiority and radical Nazism entails, the responsibility of preserving historical memory falls heavily on our shoulders. Gunko and Katryuk will never be heroes to Belarusians.
