Relaunching the Idea of an Anti-russian Bloc of x-Captive Nations

As ludicrous as it sounds, russia’s war against Ukraine not only united the nation, government and military into a powerful force in defense of Ukrainian independence and sovereignty, it is also sowing the seeds for an updated alliance or bloc of x-captive nations against russian aggression.

The last time this type of alliance was called into existence was during the Second World War.

The Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations was created as a coordinating center for the liberation of captive nations of the soviet russian empire. The ABN attributed its existence and its ideological foundations to an underground conference of representatives of non-russian peoples that took place on November 21-22, 1943, near Zhytomyr, Ukraine, on the initiative of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, and at which a platform of a joint revolutionary struggle against russian communism was formulated. The goal of the ABN was the dismemberment of the soviet union into national states – in other words, the de-colonization of the USSR.

Among the participating nations for varying periods of time have been Ukrainians, Armenians, Bulgarians, Byelorussians, Cossack, Croatians, Czechs, Estonians, Georgians, Hungarians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Slovaks, Turkestanians, Vietnamese and Cubans. Others such as Poles were regarded as kindred spirits.

Headed by Yaroslav Stetsko until his death in 1986, the ABN’s motto was “Freedom for nations; Freedom for individuals.” Its branches existed in many countries and it disbanded in 1996 after the dissolution of the soviet union.

Today the existential threat from russia is as great as it was in the 1940s.

On the eve of the first anniversary of russia’s latest invasion of Ukraine, President Biden undertook the daring and dangerous mission to personally assure Ukraine and President Zelenskyy of his and America’s unwavering support until victory over russia is achieved. This message was then taken to Poland to reassure Poles and other former captive peoples that their independence in the face of ongoing russian threats is equally important to the United States.

Biden’s yearlong commitment as well as Ukrainians’ bravery, sacrifice and dedication to victory compelled him to declare “Kyiv stands, Ukraine stands.” This maxim will have the same staying power as President Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Echoing his words about the Ukrainian capital, in Warsaw on February 21 President Biden declared: “Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud. It stands tall and, most important, it stands free.”

This proclamation from the leader of the free world did not fall on deaf ears in the Kremlin as putin readied his reply. Today russian rockets hit the port city of Kherson, killing six Ukrainians.

In the Polish capital, President Biden met with NATO leaders of what he referred to as the eastern flank, meaning representatives of the x-captive nations, and thanked them for supporting Ukraine and assured them that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never.” – in a taunt aimed at putin.

Biden noted the symbolic nature of his visit to the region by stating “We are seeing it not only as a visit paid here in Poland, it is a visit to our region combined with a visit to Kyiv. It sends a very powerful message of responsibility, which the United States of America carries constantly the responsibility for the security of Europe and the world.”

Biden’s remarks to some 30,000 Poles, Ukrainians and others in Warsaw were laced for laudatory words about freedom and democracy and the need to protect and fight for them. He spoke of the great, united international effort to help Ukraine, indicating that all free world leaders are aware that russian aggression and subjugation could spread as they have in the past. Continuing with the theme of unity, Biden said that “Over the past year, the United States has come together with our Allies and partners in an extraordinary coalition to stand against Russian aggression.”

Speaking about the brutality of russian invaders and the killings and rapes to which they’ve subjected the people of Ukraine, Biden said “No one — no one can turn away their eyes from the atrocities Russia is committing against the Ukrainian people. It’s abhorrent. It’s abhorrent.” At the same time he assured all listeners that “We’ll hold accountable those who are responsible for this war. And we will seek justice for the war crimes and crimes against humanity continuing to be committed by the Russians.”

Despite putin’s aim to tear apart the unity of the North Atlantic alliance, Biden said “NATO will not be divided, and we will not tire,” adding that it remains united and strong and it is “the single-most consequential alliance, and I would argue maybe the most consequential alliance in history, that — not just modern history, but in history.”

Calling on putin to stop the war as only he could do, Biden said: “If Russia stopped invading Ukraine, it would end the war. If Ukraine stopped defending itself against Russia, it would be the end of Ukraine.
“That’s why, together, we’re making sure Ukraine can defend itself.

“The United States has assembled a worldwide coalition of more than 50 nations to get critical weapons and supplies to the brave Ukrainian fighters on the frontlines. Air defense systems, artillery, ammunition, tanks, and armored vehicles.

“The European Union and its member states have stepped up with unprecedented commitment to Ukraine, not just in security assistance, but economic, and humanitarian, refugee assistance, and so much more.”

President Biden’s speech rang loud with the concepts of unity, togetherness and coalition that now need to be given life. The ideological and structural foundations for such an alliance of x-captive nations of russian subjugation were laid in Kyiv and Warsaw. He spoke of an eastern flank of NATO. It was virtually blessed by Biden. Now all that’s missing are signatures on the dotted line. Bring that into formal existence. The former enslaved peoples’ only salvation is for them to form a regional mini-NATO, an updated Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations (ABN), that would conspicuously promote and safeguard their collective securities against russia.

The time has come for such a bloc: Freedom for nations; Freedom for individuals.