A point of view on current events.

Imi Lichtenfeld began developing and using Krav Maga out of necessity, to protect the Jewish residence in Bratislava against fascist thugs that were empowered by the ultra nationalist movement spreading across Europe in the 1930s.  Eighty years later however, violence is still all around us; from everyday crime to domestic violence, to violence on a more global scale, such as government repressions and genocides.   One recent act of aggression that hit very close to home is the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

I was born in Ukraine, although back then Ukraine was not an independent country, but rather a republic of the Soviet Union.  Soviet Union had 15 republics that each had a variety of ethnicities, languages and cultures that were ultimately unified by choice or by force into one nation.  Russia was the largest and most influential republic.  Russian language was the national language, and to ensure proper assimilation, Russian citizens were often shuffled among these republics to ensure uniformity within the communist nation.

Jewish by birth, I was categorized by the government as neither Ukrainian nor Russian, but simply as Jewish.  A label that would often lead to hatred, anti-Semitic violence and persecution and ultimately to our family’s immigration to the United States.  As a result I do not identify myself as Russian or Ukrainian, and do not take favoritism in the current standoff between the now two independent nations.  But as a self defense instructor I hate repression and violence towards any persons, and therefore would like to analyze the current conflict from a neutral perspective with inside knowledge of the two cultures, politics and peoples’ mindsets.

Ukraine and Russia are historically home to Slavic people whose birthplace resides in Kiev, the present day capital of Ukraine.  Centuries ago, Kiev was a kingdom that ultimately adapted Christianity and spread across the land to give rise to Russia and Ukraine.  With the unification of Ukraine and Russia by the Soviet Union, the integration of the two cultures was even more intensified.   My hometown resides in the northern part of Ukraine nearly dead center between the west and east of the country.  Some of the residents speak only Russian, others only Ukrainian, others speak both and some a hybrid language of the two.  After the collapse of the Soviet Union and formation of independent Ukraine, Ukrainian nationalism became more prominent, and many people started identifying themselves as either Russian or Ukrainian.  Many of those that identify themselves as Russian were actually born in Ukraine but have parents or grandparents that have migrated from Russia during the Soviet era.  The bottom line the lines between the two ethnicities are often blurred and frequently dependent on people simply identifying themselves as one or the other or identifying with the political views of one or the other country.

The political views of Ukraine have been very volatile after its independence.  It found itself stuck between Russia and Western Europe geographically and politically.  And over the last few years it has gone from a pro Russian to a pro Western government and back.  The last, most recent and most violent change in political outlook in Ukraine saw the country oust its pro Russian president.  Immediately, Russia capitalized on Ukraine’s weakness and instability and annexed Crimea, where the majority of the population identify themselves as Russians.

Historically, Crimea was Russia’s territory until 1954, when the Soviet Union decided to turn it over to the republic of Ukraine.  Sixty years ago this decision had little significance, as Russia and Ukraine were part of the same country.  After the collapse of the USSR, Crime stayed with Ukraine, until recent events brought Crimea back to Russia.  Was Russia justified in annexing Crimea back to its territory?  Maybe, or maybe not.  What is clear is the way in which they went about the process was certainly wrong.

Putin justified his actions by claiming to protect ethnic Russians living in that region from Ukrainian ultra nationalists that have sprung up after the coup.  Furthermore, on paper, Putin allowed a referendum, a democratic vote for the Crimean people to decide their own fate.  But a democracy cannot be exercised at the point of a gun.   Over 30,000 armed Russian troops, a Russian fleet and heavy artillery were brought into Crimea.  And when the citizens voted, 97% were in favor of joining Russia.  A very high number for a place that where only 58% of the population identify themselves as Russians.

Krav Maga was developed because there was a need to defend one group of people from another that labeled the first group to be different and wanted to exterminate it.  I see parallels in the current developments between Russia and Ukraine.  What will happen to the Ukrainians living in Crimea now that it is annexed by Russia?  What will happen to their wellbeing?  Similarly, what will happen to the Russian speaking population of Ukraine?  Will there be backlash against them?  What about the other minorities living in these areas, such as Muslims (Tatars) and Jews?  Ukraine has an unfortunate history of violence towards Jews.   When a country falls into chaos, this violence is often intensified as people look for scapegoats to pin their problems upon someone else.  There have already been a few incidents of some minor violence towards a few Jews in Kiev and Eastern parts of Ukraine.  What’s next?

Unfortunately I don’t have the answers to these questions.  I guess we will see what will happen soon.  In the meantime I am glad my close friends and family are no longer in Ukraine and are safe and sound here in US.

Yury

“So that one may walk in peace” – Imi Lichtenfeld