Yes, Russians Hate Ukrainians and Vice Versa

If you’ve seen “West Side Story” you know the scene. It’s the crucial pre-rumble meeting between the Jets and Sharks in Doc’s drug store that will decide the fate of the two gangs.

Riff’s Jets attempt some opening pleasantries but Bernardo of the Sharks won’t have it. He bluntly tells his opponents: “Look, every one of you hates every one of us, and we hate you right back. Let’s get at it!”

Indeed, the history of Ukraine and Moscow, later to be renamed Russia, basically follows the same scenario. We hate each other right back. They have invaded, conquered, enslaved and killed Ukrainians and Ukrainians have then waged war after war trying to free themselves of Moscow’s bondage.

Earlier this week that war spilled over into the UEFA championships.

Denmark is one of the global sites of a monument to Ukraine’s national poet laureate Taras Shevchenko. On Monday, Denmark played Russia and Russian fans took out their rage or drunkenness on Denmark by desecrating the Ukrainian monument with the colors of Russia’s flag. Danish police are now investigating this defacing of a monument to the Ukrainian national poet.

“We strongly condemn this act of vandalism and provocation against Ukraine,” the Embassy of Ukraine said. “This shameful case once again demonstrates to the civilized world that Russian aggression against Ukraine is real.”

Danish police confirmed it had received a report of vandalism against the Shevchenko monument and that it was investigating the incident. Copenhagen city authorities were made aware of the vandalism on Monday afternoon and cleaned the monument within an hour, a spokesperson for the Copenhagen municipality said.

Unsure whether Danish police will find the perpetrators but Shevchenko’s ghost prevailed and his words about Ukraine ultimately triumphing over Moscow rang true. Denmark won 4-1.

As for me, I have more than 7 million reasons to hate Russians.