The following is a translation of the editorial of Bulletin 7 of the Olga Taratuta Initiative, a French-based group that supports Ukrainian and Russian war resisters.
This newsletter is the seventh of the Solidarity Initiative “Olga Taratuta”, created on February 24, 2022. It comes one year after the previous issue, published in January 2024. Does this mean that our activities have slowed down in 2024? Unfortunately not, quite the contrary, because the war in Ukraine has only redoubled and with it the need for solidarity with those who refuse it. Our human and material resources have been mainly devoted to “field” activities, but we will try in 2025 to publish the newsletter more regularly, why not with your help? We need translators (Russian, English), and especially distributors. You can photocopy the newsletter to distribute it around you. We can also send you copies if you have the possibility to drop the newsletter off in bookstores, associative places. In any case, do not hesitate to contact us by email
In this maelstrom of misfortune and despair that war brings, we have been able to see some reasons for hope. Of course, it is at our microscopic level, but these grains of sand contradict many current speeches, in the media but also sometimes in activist circles! First of all, Ivan, a young Russian rebel whom we had favorably supported in his asylum application, has now acquired his autonomy and flies freely on his own wings. There is also our young friend Boris, also a Russian rebel, who has also officially obtained his refugee status. Thanks to his efforts and the support of companions who have housed him throughout this period, in one year he has learned French and found a job that will also allow him to have his autonomy. In addition, his friend Natalia, who is Ukrainian, was able to join him and has also obtained refugee status. We wish this couple much happiness, a symbol of a possible future despite the din of the bombs.
We warmly thank all the people who participated in the solidarity fund with the rebels and deserters. We collected almost 5000 euros, half of which was used for winter solidarity with the anarchists in Ukraine, and the other half for solidarity with the Russian rebels we are hosting, as well as for solidarity with the Orange Fox Bike strikers. This strike, led this fall in Paris by Russian and Ukrainian refugees who went so far as to occupy their workplace, is another reason for hope.
Solidarity can be expressed in different ways. For example, Sergei, another Ukrainian refugee, has happily made the most of the vegetable garden that a companion of the Initiative has made available to him.
We participated in the anti-militarist days organized by the CNT-AIT of Auch, the weekend of November 11, where we presented the situation of the anti-war movement in Russia and the deserters in Ukraine. The Union Pacifiste (UPF) also invited us to present the Initiative in its program “Si Vis Pacem” on Radio Libertaire. The program can be listened to online here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb3toLOuNtg. We also participated in the Friends of Maurice Joyeux programme on January 12th https://radio-libertaire.org/podcast/enregistr/2025-01-12_55.mp3.
Finally, in December, we participated in a rally in support of Russian and Ukrainian deserters, in order to make visible the reality that thousands of young people refuse to go and get themselves killed.