Журнал "Культурный тренд" CultureTrend_May-June_17 | Page 48

/ #together /
civil war, where one nation kills itself.
It is a manipulation of the citizens’
consciousness. This is not about the
internal conflict in the country, but it is
about the aggression of the one country
according to another. The situation we
observe today is a result of a carefully
planned operation. Everything has
been prepared for a long time with a
help of the local elites.
When the
WAR
is a way to
distract
people
interview by
Viktoriia Stepanets
The following interview was done by
Viktoriia Stepanets, a member of the
Young Peace Journalists.
Viktoriia Stepanets is a journalist, was
born in Kiev, Ukraine. She studied
multimedia journalism in the High School
of Economy in Moscow, Russia. Viktoriia
took part in various projects related to
peacebuilding, including LofC Caux and
Peace Tour around Ukraine. Now she
works as a journalist in the cultural sphere
and participates in the Young Peace
Journalists project trying to learn more
about the situation of internally displaced
persons in her country and refugees in the
larger world.  
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Vjacheslav came from Lugansk to Kiev
in 2014 and got Internally Displaced
Person status. Today he lives in Kiev
and is a chief editor in the Informator.
media online edition, which highlights
the news of Lugansk and Lugansk
region. Vjacheslav shared his view
about the relationship between Russia
and Ukraine, present and future
of Ukraine, and also expressed his
opinion on the decommunization
process in Ukraine (editor’s note:
decommunization process means to take
down monuments which are connected
with Soviet Union, to rename streets and
cities named after the Russian or Soviet
Union heroes)
How would you describe the
situation in Ukraine?
“Everything is bad, everything should
be remake”, - I often say these words to
the journalists which work in my issue.
And today I say the same words to
Ukraine. A lot of people make an effort
to present the situation in Ukraine as a
What position do the citizens
of Lugansk and Lugansk region
adhere? In case the referendum
on self-determination of Lugansk
and Lugansk region is hold, what
decision would be taken?
It is very difficult to determine the
position of this region. The separate
opinion on this question depends
exclusively on the particular person’s
surrounding, and this person can be
misled that it is the opinion of the
majority. In fact, everything is a bit
more complicated. There is no sense
to held the referendum today because
everybody is under the power of a
propaganda, from the Ukrainian and
the Russian sides.
I have a question to you as to a chief
editor. What criteria do you follow to
present the information, especially
during the period of war, as objective
as possible?
It is very difficult and painful issue.
The journalists do not know how to
behave themselves in the war period.
One of the principles of an objectivity is
a necessity to provide the information
from different sides, to present the
points of view of different parties.
But it means to give the word to the
terrorists too, and we realize what
they can tell about. Also a problem
is in the writing about the military
events directly from the places of their
development. By having a conversation
with the witnesses, by publishing
their comments, the media endangers
them. Generally, these people are
captured in such occasions. Often in
such situations the representatives
of the media claim that they did not
ask anybody to tell anything, and that
means that the arrested person is a
spy. Thus he is captured, and the more
he begins “to make noise”, the more
“expensive” he becomes.
Being a chief editor I strictly forbid
my journalists to make photos in the
places of military events. I suppose
that the safety of the journalists
is paramount. In such situations I
have to be content with the facts the
journalists inform by telephone or
email without providing any video
or photos to confirm their words.
When the journalist informed us that
during a half an hour in the direction
to Lugansk a heavy machinery goes,
most likely, tanks, we published this
way: In the direction to Lugansk the
heavy machinery goes, probably, tanks.
Undoubtedly, it violates the law of the
information, but when it is a question
of life and death, the rules of a game
should be changed.
How do you see the solution of the
Ukrainian conflict?
It is necessary to switch off the
television – and the empire will
collapse. The war is not for the territory
or placement of the military bases.
The war helps to keep people in an
obedience, to enhance the reputation of
some representatives of the authorities.
Nor The United States of America, nor
Europe has to solve our problems. We
must rely on our own strength. But
it has to be taking into account that
the interests of Ukrainian people and
Ukrainian authorities are not the same.
While Ukrainians want to stop the
war and to live peacefully, Ukrainian
government aggravates the situation.
The war is an effective way to distract
people from the pressing issues, non-
responsibility of the authorities to
their obligations, not implementing
numerous reforms Government
promised. The escalation of the conflict
is favorable to the authorities of the
country and it explains a lot. I would
say, it explains everything. If the war
had not begun, it would have been a
continuation of the Maidan (editor’s
note: Maidan means the beginning
of the revolution in Ukraine, in
2013, when people revolted against
the President Viktor Yanukovich). A
military ardor of the people would be
directed to the Ukrainian Government.
It could not been allowed.
What is your attitude to the
decommunization process in
Ukraine? Particularly, do you
suppose is the decision to take down
a lot of monuments of Lenin in the
Ukraine effective?
The decommunization process was
necessary in Ukraine. Perhaps, it was
not the best time for that: taking down
the monuments of Lenin, renaming of
a numerous streets and cities while
there were a lot of problems in Ukraine
which required a deep intervention
and prompt solutions. But we have to
realize that Ukraine has to be freed
from the Soviet past. It is only formal
that Ukraine is sovereign from 1991. In
fact, the fight for independence began
from Maidan, and a decommunization
is a part of this struggle.
of Lenin’s monument does not hurt me.
I suppose it would be better to collect
the monuments of the controversial
heroes in one place, for instance, in
the special park. But it requires a
big financing. And money, as always,
is not enough. My conclusion: the
decommunization process began to
be implemented at a wrong time, but
everything that had been done has to
be done.
Today we observe that there is being
built a high wall between Ukraine
and Russia. Do you suppose is this
way correct? How do you see the
development of the relationship
between Russia and Ukraine in the
nearest future?
I consider that Russian troops must
be withdrawn from the territory of
Ukraine. What about the development
of the relationship between Russia
and Ukraine, I am convinced that the
decision to break all ties and to build a
fence even higher is a way to nowhere.
The world has to be without borders.
Especially, in the 21st century. We
have to be able to know what happens
in the Russia, Europe, United States,
and they have to realize what situation
is in Ukraine. We have to travel around
the world and gain experience from
each other, to interact and build strong
international relationship. And even
if one country is at war with another
country, it is needed to be understood
all reasons of this conflict, and not to
make only one side guilty in all that
happens. We do not need to fence
ourselves off from each other, vice
versa, we have to find a compromise
for the benefit of our country. Another
issue is that the media manipulation
imposes us the different information,
and it is impossible to find the truth.
People have to travel, speak with
witnesses, analyze. And we, journalists,
have to state the facts and speak about
different issues, not only what we want
about or what is advantageous.
How do you see the future of
Ukraine?
I am as a sad optimist: I observe that
we began to build a civil society, and,
as a result, we will have built it. And
even if we have to go through all these
difficulties, I believe we will cope with
it and prove to everybody, first of all
ourselves, that Ukraine is strong,
worthy and self-respecting country.
Don’t you think that such a fight
against the Soviet past as vandalism
only intensify a hatred among the
people?
Yes, intensify and, moreover, wound
a lot of people for whom Lenin is
still a hero. Personally for me, these
monuments are not historical or
cultural value. Therefore, taking down
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