KIEV IS RUSSIA OF COURSE! PART II.

…In order to appease Artem, Lenin raised no objections to his running Eastern Ukraine as Artem saw fit, but as long as he, in turn, would agree not to insist on the split of Ukraine by demanding a formal recognition of the Donets-Krivorog Republic, and by issuing his own money. (The all-red flag adopted by DKR was OK, though.) But as far as Lenin was concerned, there was only one Ukraine, the Soviet Republic of Ukraine, even if that existed only on paper. Also on paper, Lenin rushed to officially appoint Artem, as early as in December 1917, Commissar in charge of all-Ukrainian Economy and Trade, which happened to be the highest post, or rather, combination of posts, in this phony government, in the conspicuous absence of the post of Prime Minister. To make this “government” appear representative of all Ukraine, Lenin included in his speculative list a couple of ethnic Ukrainians, Comrades Zatonsky and Skrypnik, who were allotted somewhat lesser positions.

It is worth noting that during all this time that Lenin was so competently giving away fictitious Ukrainian titles, Ukraine was even in his book a republic totally independent of Lenin’s Russia, and was to remain such, at least formally, until the end of 1922.

Needless to say, in Lenin’s mind, Russia owned Ukraine forever and ever, and it was indeed a very Russian thing to think that way. Aside from any general Soviet position on the nationalities of the former Russian Empire, Ukraine was uniquely special. Her legendary city of Kiev had been the first capital of the ancient Russian State, as well as the cradle of Russian Orthodox Christianity. “No Russian in his own mind would ever imagine a Russia without Kiev in it.” (!!!)

That is why Lenin’s reproach to Artem that by splitting Ukraine Artem was surrendering Kiev to Western Ukrainian nationalists was well deserved, and hit home. But before the two of them had a chance to settle all these delicate issues, involved in the dual status of Eastern Ukraine, Artem’s Republic was invaded, in March 1918, by German and Austrian troops as a peculiar result of the peace treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed by Lenin’s own government with Russia’s World War One enemies. A vicious Civil War broke out now as well, and Artem had his hands full for the next couple of years.

During a brief respite from war, in January 1919, Lenin presented Artem with a sugared pill. Moscow was reinstating Artem’s Central Committee membership, revoked just in the previous year, on the grounds of his separatism in Eastern Ukraine. In exchange, Artem was to agree to the appointment of Grigori Petrovsky, an ethnic Ukrainian, as President of Ukraine, with Artem becoming Vice President. Lenin also explained that giving Artem the Presidency might alienate the Ukrainian population of the Republic, and, from now on, as a general rule, he was to set it as the standard Soviet policy on nationalities to give the highest nominal post to the nationals, retaining the post number two, and the actual power with it, for the ethnic Russians.

By the spring of 1920, Artem was once again in full control of Eastern Ukraine. But as soon as he received Lenin’s invitation to move to Moscow and become his prospective successor, the offer proved too tempting and too challenging for him to say no: his short-lived Donets-Krivorog Republic had already been dissolved and had become a part of Ukraine again back in February 1919, just as Lenin wanted, and for a good reason too.

…Kiev Is Russia Of Course! Emblematic words! Today history is repeating itself in Ukraine. Large Russian populations in Eastern Ukraine, and in the Crimea were only yesterday fuming about the rabid anti-Russian policies of President Yushchenko, anxious to separate themselves from his regime rejoining Mother Russia. But not so fast, comrades!... By splitting Ukraine, you will be surrendering Kiev to the Western Ukrainian nationalists, and no Russian in his own mind can ever imagine a Russia without Kiev in it.--- Sounds familiar?--- Well, it should!