Enduring Power of Stepan Khmara – A Reflection

Stepan Khmara (1937-2024), a leading figure and ideologue of the Ukrainian liberation movement, human rights defender, and political prisoner up to the Declaration of Ukrainian Independence in 1991, and afterward a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, fierce guardian of Ukraine’s sovereign independence, and a constant admonisher of russia’s dangerous recidivism, passed away today, according to his wife, Roksolyana. Ukraine has lost another great, historic champion of Ukrainian independence. It can be said that as he endlessly warned against the ongoing peril of a russian invasion of Ukraine, he became the conscience of all Ukrainians everywhere.

An article by the late Stepan Khmara titled “russian empire’s All-inclusive War against Ukraine” was published in the summer 2023 edition of The Ukrainian Quarterly.

In it he wrote: “After Ukraine’s victory, centrifugal tendencies in the russian empire will grow. Disintegration processes can develop according to two types: territorial and national-territorial. The Far East, Kuban is prone to the first. The second, the peoples of the North Caucasus, Volga, Tatarstan, possibly Yakutia, etc.

“To many, what has been said may seem like a fantastic dream. The new, unusual is always perceived that way. I experienced it in my life. When I was actively involved in political life, even in the evil empire, my close acquaintances looked at me with surprise and fear, as a weirdo and a fantasist.

“The incompetent presidents of the United States that followed the great President Reagan did not believe in and did not favor the collapse of the ussr, they were also afraid of it. By the way, even now, President Biden is afraid of the collapse of russia. But if we compare the overwhelming force of good, then the fear of evil comes from a small mind that lacks intelligence and morality.”

I would like to share with you an event from three decades ago that personifies Khmara’s overarching strength and inspiring personality.

This took place in January 1992, some five months after Ukraine declared independence from the russian empire. At that time, I was president of the United Ukrainian American Organizations of Greater New York – the local branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America – and we were in the midst of organizing the annual commemoration of Ukrainian Independence of January 22, 1918. Understandably, it was earmarked to be a major occurrence because Ukraine had just re-established its long-sought-for independence. I invited Stepan Khmara, who was in the United States at the time, to deliver the keynote address and much to the dismay of the civic elders of the day, I also invited Hennadiy Udovenko to share the podium with Khmara. The latter was a Ukrainian government official who had genuinely crossed the great divide between being a soviet communist bureaucrat and a stalwart national leader of independent, sovereign Ukraine. The elders weren’t sure what would the now late Hennadiy Udovenko say about the Ukrainian independence movement then and now and how could he appear with a former political prisoner of the evil empire. If you recall, Udovenko was then permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations and later became minister for foreign affairs, president of the 52^nd session of the United Nations General Assembly and leader of Ukrainian National Movement Rukh.

I felt it was appropriate to designate Udovenko, as a government official of independent Ukraine, to be first speaker while Khmara would be second. However, inasmuch as Khmara was in the United States on a speaking tour, his escort, my friend Askold Lozynskyj, informed me that he was on a tight schedule that evening and asked if he couldn’t speak first. As a courtesy, I had confirmed with Udovenko who said absolutely.

The hall where the commemorative event took place was filled beyond capacity with several hundred enthusiastic community members who jubilantly welcomed both keynote speakers.

Khmara spoke passionately and eloquently about the centuries-long Ukrainian independence movement, Ukrainian nationalism and freedom, Ukrainian national, human and religious rights, political prisoners, the dissidents and the continuous threat of russian recidivism and a possible return to subjugation. He also told us, the Ukrainian diaspora, what should be done to keep Ukraine independent and russia at bay. They were all themes that he powerfully enunciated throughout his life but now the assemblage heard them in person.

The attendees gave him a rousing standing ovation as he concluded.

As Khmara was leaving the stage, Hennadiy Udovenko approached the podium and declared “I can sign my name to everything that Stepan Ilkovych said!”

The symbolism of a former political prisoner and fighter for Ukrainian independence winning such adulation from a government official of a very young independent Ukraine brought the attendees to their feet for extended applause and cheers. This was the unity that Ukrainians had dreamed of.

And such was and will be the enduring power of Stepan Khmara. Whatever he said about Ukraine can be collectively endorsed by all Ukrainians.