Sentsov in NYC: Opposition to Russia

Continues due to Putin’s Aggression

Former Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov addresses Ukrainian Americans in New York City.

Despite torrential rain last Saturday, several hundred Ukrainian Americans filled the hall in the Ukrainian National Home in New York City to hear a former Ukrainian political prisoner divert the free world’s attention from fake Ukrainian-leading topics to real issues pertaining to Ukraine — how to persevere and survive in the face of Russia’s unrelenting war.

Oleg Sentsov, a 43-year-old cinematographer from today’s Russian-occupied Crimea, was released on September 7, 2019, after spending some five years in the still active polar network of infamous Russian concentration camps for opposing Vladimir Putin’s aggression against his homeland.

The soft-spoken but still fiercely dogged Ukrainian patriot, Sentsov told the supportive audience at the assembly that was organized by the contemporary Ukrainian NGO Razom that Putin’s imperial policies compel Ukrainians to continue their opposition.

With Ukraine continuously dragged into hopeless Minsk negotiations about returning peace to Ukraine and the region, Sentsov pointed out their broad unreliability, emphasizing that nothing positive for Ukraine will be forthcoming. The reason is Putin’s dishonesty and belligerent intentions, he said.

Ukraine and its allies cannot negotiate in good faith with Putin’s Russia because the achievement of peace is impossible, Sentsov elaborated in halting Ukrainian. He clearly accentuated that peace is not Putin’s goal but rather he intends to destroy Ukrainian independence and return Ukraine to its previous colonial existence in Russia’s prison of nations.

Ukraine cannot give in to Russia so our opposition continues, he emphasized.

Sentsov was sentenced on August 25, 2015, to 20 years imprisonment on trumped up charges of setting up a branch of a “terrorist group” and organizing “terrorist acts” in April 2014. In reality, his crime in the eyes of Moscow was to fervently oppose Russia’s invasion and occupation of Crimea and its persecution of Crimean Tatars and others. His conviction in a military court in Russia followed a grossly unfair trial, on politically-motivated charges, and was based on “confessions” obtained through torture. During his arrest by the Russian State Security (FSB), he was tortured by FSB by putting a plastic bag over his head until he passed out. They also threatened him with rape and murder, which forced Sentsov to “confess” to organizing explosions, acts of terrorism, and illegal possession of firearms.

He became the subject of a global defense campaign and earned the support of Amnesty International and PEN. On May 14, 2018, Sentsov declared an indefinite hunger strike until all Ukrainian political prisoners were released in Russia. Sentsov ended his hunger strike after 145 days, citing the “critical state of his health” and the impending threat of hospitalization and force-feeding. He lost more than 30 kg. Two weeks later, on October 25, 2018, Sentsov was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament.

Sentsov was ultimately freed last year and flown along with 34 other freed prisoners to Kyiv on Sept. 7. Some 300 remain in Russian prisons, he reminded the crowd.

In his first appearance in Lviv, Sentsov was quoted by The New York Times as calling Putin’s mission to make Russia great again by embracing the corpse of Soviet power “political necrophilia.” He also said at the time “By blood and language, I am totally Russian. By birth, I am Crimean. But by spirit, I am Ukrainian. That is the most important.”

At yesterday’s rally, Sentsov said the Revolution of Dignity on Maidan was an epiphany for many Ukrainians who took to heart massive national insurrection’s historical importance. Russia’s invasion of Crimea and eastern Ukraine showed Russia’s true face, he said. Consequently, he and millions of others in Ukraine understood that they were Ukrainians.

He recalled that on Maidan the fighters comprehended that they were fighting for Ukraine under the Ukrainian flag for the future of their country.

The emotions and passions that gelled as a result of Maidan led Sentsov to believe that Russia will never defeat Ukraine. This is our country and we have to fight for it, he said.

Despite current critical opinions about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sentsov noted that he doesn’t enjoy the favor of the Russian president. Putin, he said, would rather see as president of Ukraine someone like Viktor Medvechuk, a known supporter of the Russian leader’s policies.

The Russo-Ukraine War of 2014-2020 is taking its toll on the nation, as Sentsov pointed out that the costly battle is getting deadlier. The price for safeguarding Ukrainian independence and freedom is steep. He said some 14,000 Ukrainians have paid the price with their lives for defending their country.

However, returning to his earlier affirmation, Sentsov pointed out that the free world, NATO, the European Union and the United States will never really get involved in this battle. They don’t want to help. So, Ukrainians are left to help themselves, echoing the mantra of Irish revolutionaries and freedom fighters “sinn fein.”

As for the mission beyond the borders of Ukraine, he urged Ukrainians to continue what they’re doing for their families and Ukraine to prevail against Russian aggression, he urged.