In the following we share a statement previously published on Communist International - International Comunista (CI-IC.org).
Proletarians of all countries, unite!
OUR POSITION AGAINST THE IMPERIALIST WAR OF AGGRESSION OF RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM AGAINST UKRAINE
The aggression of Russian imperialism against Ukraine is an unjust war of aggression, the criminal aggression of an atomic superpower against an oppressed country. Thus, the main contradiction of our time, imperialism-oppressed nations, is expressed again, this is what is happening and not something else. Do not let yourself be confused.
The Third Plenum of the Communist Party of Peru correctly stated that:
“To see this we have to remember or re-study what Chairman Mao says about contradiction (in volume I, on page 354 and the following page): “In a semi-colonial country such as China, the relationship between the principal contradiction and the non-principal contradictions presents a complicated picture”; and raises three possibilities: the first is “When imperialism launches a war of aggression against such a country, all its various classes, except for some traitors, can temporarily unite in a national war against imperialism”, that is the first one, that is so, when the imperialists unleash a war of aggression, invade a country, then obviously it is invaded, when Japan invades China, when Japan invades Korea or when the US invades Vietnam or when the social-imperialism that led in the USSR invades Afghanistan, there the contradiction is nation-imperialism, but what makes the difference is the aggression, it goes to conquer, to subjugate, for its world interests of whatever it is, in other words there is no revolution, that is the third case, in other words when there is an aggression in accordance with its world conflicts it attacks a country and takes possession of it, that is the first case, he says”.i
After discussing the other two possibilities, which are not relevant here, Chairman Gonzalo concludes on the first possibility by summarising as follows:
“…when imperialism invades, unleashes aggression without there being a revolution, that was a predominant case in the previous century, which all the great powers did, and it happens in this century when there is no revolution but imperialism, because of its hegemonic struggles, leads to this, that’s how it happens“.ii
Consequently in the present case, the question is, that with the Russian imperialist invasion of Ukraine, the contradiction nation-imperialism has become the principal contradiction in Ukraine. Therefore, it is possible, and moreover necessary for us, that the different classes in this country, except for a small number of traitors, temporarily unite in a national war against imperialism. The complex situation between the imperialist (super)powers, the oppressed nations and the rotten regimes of the sell-outs, in combination with the extensive propaganda of the various parties involved, which has been going on for years, harbours the possibility of losing one’s orientation. We must guard against this and clearly emphasise the class character and the main contradiction without losing sight of the third contradiction, that is the imperialist struggle.
This war of aggression of Russian imperialism against Ukraine is the result of its contention with Yankee imperialism for hegemony after decades of encirclement of Russia by Yankee imperialism, with its “allies” in NATO and its constant attempts to destroy Russia’s nuclear capabilities. This is the other contradiction that is expressed in the current developments, that is, the inter-imperialist contradiction.
The direct invasion of Ukraine by Russian imperialism is the consequence of a development that began with the revisionist Khrushchev and the restoration of capitalism in the former socialist Soviet Union – here the transformation of Ukraine into a semi-colony of social-imperialism – until the collapse of revisionism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, i.e. imperialist struggle, without revolution, without real independence, but only a change of hands: a complex interplay of the different interests of the imperialist superpowers and powers, oppressed nations and rotten regimes of traitors, the corrupt, agents of the different powers, etc.
In the process that preceded the current war, it is obvious to all how the Yankee imperialists, in collusion with the British, French and German imperialists, using Poland especially, committed subversion against the Yanukovych regime, initiated and led the Euromaidan, initiated and managed the new Ukrainian regime that pushed them more and more into the conflict with Russia with all possible means. Likewise, the actions of the Yankees and their “allies”, the ever increasing encirclement of Russia, with the final aim of neutralising its nuclear arsenal and finally bringing Russia to surrender, to subjugation, have attacked Russian imperialism precisely through these manoeuvres of Zelensky. This threatened its own borders. The Russian proposal for a spoils-sharing agreement last December was abandoned because the Yankees, in their anti-Russia strategy, had more time to consider the principal internal development in Russia, the positioning of different groups of the different factions and groups of the ruling classes there, to wait and see in this difficult and extremely tense situation, to register the results of the latest developments. We repeat: imperialist Russia is on the defensive because it has not had the recovery they expected in the present century after the dissolution of the revisionist Soviet empire, in this defensive situation they carry out offensive actions, like now with the invasion of Ukraine, in order to gain the initiative. This is a necessary condition for them not to sink any further.
In this complex situation as described above, what we have to propagandise, “is that people’s war is the form that corresponds to the revolutionary struggle. However, revolutionary wars or armed struggles that are not subject to people’s war [deserve our support] as long as they do not depend on powers or superpowers. Some people tell us how they will win if they don’t have the support of anyone. We don’t want that support because what it does is to pass us from one exploiting hand to another” (PCP, Putting the MRDP into Action, November-December 1987)iii
We repeat: the invader is Russian imperialism, the spoils in dispute is the oppressed nation of Ukraine. We cannot and must not accept it. Never. Therefore, it is right to raise the just anti-imperialist slogan: Death to the invader! We wish and support, first of all, the defeat of the criminal Russian imperialist invader. At the same time, we demarcate ourselves from the lackey regime of the Yankee imperialists – We have no support for the Zelensky regime. Furthermore, we consistently reject any direct or indirect interference or intervention by the other imperialist powers.
The Ukrainian people must, can and will liberate themselves by their own efforts, sweat and blood with the frank and unrestricted support of the international proletariat and the peoples of the world. For this, our class in Ukraine must reconstitute its Communist Party as a militarised, Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Communist Party, heir to the great and glorious CPSU, the party of Lenin and Stalin. Only such a party, opposite and opposed to all bourgeois parties! – can really lead the national liberation struggle to victory as part of the struggle for socialist revolution (counter-restoration) and bring the criminals stained with the blood of the class and the people to the people’s justice. Our solidarity is with the Ukrainian people and their resistance. Their armament is correct, necessary and important. They must form their own military detachments. We defend the fraternal friendship of the Ukrainian and Russian peoples against the “Great Russian” chauvinists. The Ukrainian and Russian peoples are brothers and as such were the victors over German fascism and were the builders of socialism under the leadership of comrade Stalin. Our class in both Russia and Ukraine has the task of leading the proletarian socialist revolution as a counter-restoration through people’s war. But the Ukrainian proletariat and people have a task as an oppressed nation, that is to free themselves from the yoke of imperialism, at this moment to smash the Russian imperialist invaders.
In the face of the invasion of the Russian atomic superpower, the masses in Ukraine are mobilised and active, but they lack just and correct leadership and direction. By distinguishing the true patriots from the agents of foreign powers, by practising independence, self-support and relying on their own efforts together with the solidarity of the international proletariat and the peoples of the world, by practising a correct united front policy with all those who are ready to fight against the invader and for the true independence of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people will free themselves from the imperialist yoke. We must vigorously support this impulse of the masses. And to the comrades, the true patriots of Ukraine, we cry out: take the weapons that are being distributed, drive out the invaders and conquer their weapons too. Then, turn the war against the sellouts and lead the establishment of a own state. Reject the calls for the help of Yankee imperialism, the sole hegemonic imperialist superpower, self-proclaimed world gendarme and main enemy of the peoples of the world, its “allies” in NATO or the German, French, and British imperialists, especially their military and economical support, because it is the handing over of the country to other imperialists. The ones who makes this call are not real patriots, they are simply agents of foreign powers. The struggle may be hard and protracted, but it will be victorious; it is the only form of true patriotic war for an independent Ukraine. We must not let the tiger in through the back door when we fight the bear through the front door.
At the same time, of course, the cynical and hypocritical lies of the NATO leaders, who babble about a turning point that this war supposedly represents, must also be exposed, for what peace have they brought to the peoples of Yugoslavia, what peace have the masses in Donbass seen since 2014? Pax Americana means nothing but war, everywhere in the world, Europe included.
They are shocked, they claim, but NATO, i.e. the Yankees, in the person of Joe Biden, have thrown Ukraine to Russian imperialism. In the collusion and struggle, the struggle is absolute and the collusion is temporary and relative, but above all conspiracy at the moment. Not for nothing is the Biden regime working on a military hotline with the Russians, a “back channel of communication” between US General Mark Milley, Russian General Valery Gerasimov and US General Tod Wolters for NATO, to “allow officals from both countries to exchange information”iv.
The war itself does not mean that collusion no longer exists. It is still prevailing on a general level, that is why we are not facing a third world war, because no imperialist is in a position to start it yet, because the strategic balance between the single hegemonic superpower, US imperialism, and the atomic superpower, Russian imperialism, still exists; the period of world history of the struggle between imperialist masters and the struggle against them is not over yet. But in any hot spot, such as eastern Ukraine at present, the spark of the third world war can be ignited.
According to Putin himself, Russian imperialism will not conquer Ukraine: “At the same time, our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories”v. Why? Not because it doesn’t want to, but because it can’t. It’s impossible! Let us realise the weight of the masses. No imperialist power, no matter how much military arsenal it has at its disposal, can conquer mega-cities without accepting enormous human and material losses. And the Russian imperialists’ own internal situation does not permit this. Let us remember the ongoing disaster in Iraq and, in particular, the victory of the Afghan people last year: 20 years of occupation and terrorist bombing could not break the will of the masses to fight. Moreover, there are the lessons of the Second World War. Both sides, especially the senior officers, also know each other from Afghanistan. Even inside Russia, while we see the emerging anti-war protests against the killing of brethren, the Putin administration has only limited its room for manoeuvre. That is why it has not called it by its proper name of war, but by the euphemistic “military operation”.
This is the trap Putin fell into. A somewhat desperate move to at least loosen the noose around his neck, in the hope of gaining something. At best, a Russian Manchuko in southern and eastern Ukraine, at least a neutral buffer between him and NATO. After a week of war, it is clear that there has been some miscalculation on the part of Russia. Things are not progressing as quickly as planned and hoped, especially in the east, and even if they claim air sovereignty, the Ukrainian regime can still carry out at least isolated actions. Dozens of Russian planes and helicopters are said to have been shot down, and even cruise missiles cost a fortune. Moreover, the Yankees and their accomplices appear to be arming Ukraine for protracted urban warfare. In addition to sanctions, it is these ruinous costs of war that develop in the very spirit of Yankee imperialism.
Even if there is much talk of a turning point, the situation in the world has not (yet) fundamentally changed, even with the unjust war of aggression. We insist. However, the weakening of Russian imperialism does not only play into the hands of the Yankees and their accomplices. China could benefit even more from this.
In the area of the economy, closer Sino-Russian cooperation seems evident in the area of raw material exports from Russia to China and the export of semi-finished and finished products from China to Russia. The Chinese themselves are celebrating the “de-dollarisation” of Sino-Russian trade, which is boosting the yuan enormouslyvi. But experts are sceptical about the significance of this for both dollar-dominated economies. That is why the newspaper El País of 03 March 2021 published an article in which it says that China can offer Russia a lifeline, but not save it. All these measures of “de-dollarisation” are more propaganda than effective, because the world order by which the so-called dollar economy has been imposed is the order emanating from the Second World War, a new economic order can only emerge from a new world war, with a new hegemonic superpower to replace Yankee imperialism. But we are sure that in that case, imperialism will no longer be able to exist because the world people’s war will sweep it away.
In the political sphere, we do see a neutral position of Chinese social-imperialism on the war in Ukraine in the UN Security Council. However, it sends “strong signals to the world that the relations and trust between China and Russia is tangible and firm despite US-led Western attempts to sow division between them using the crisis”vii. To this point: “Xi said China supports Russia in solving the issue …”viii. China and Russia suffered a setback at the last UN General Assembly in dealing with aggression in Ukraine where even many African countries closely linked to social-imperialist China voted to condemn Russian aggression. This makes it difficult for them to advance in Africa.
The flood of arms in Europe is an interesting aspect of the current development, especially the uncontrolled distribution of assault rifles in large quantities to anyone who can carry a weapon, without registration or anything else. At the same time, further militarisation, especially of the EU and thus mainly of the FRG. Germany’s European Commission President von der Leyen said: “For the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack. This is a watershed moment.”ix A turning point! The German chancellor said something similar: “we accept the challenge that now faces us … that Germany will supply Ukraine with weapons for the country’s defence. … To make it possible, the Bundeswehr needs new, strong capabilities … a major national undertaking … Better equipment, modern technology, more personnel … 100 billion euro … We will now – year after year – invest more than two percent of our gross domestic product in our defence. … the next generation of combat aircraft and tanks … are our utmost priority.”x
There is a whole range of developments that should not be ignored, that are more or less or not at all directly related to this conflict. We should not adopt the media one-sidedness of blindly focusing on Ukraine: in the Central African Republic, for example, four French soldiers from MINUSCA troops who were obviously organising a coup were captured. However, at the end of last week they had to be released: “Under the agreement that governs relations between the UN peacekeeping mission and the government, “we cannot hear them before a judge and, faced with this obstacle, the prosecution decided to proceed without further action,” prosecutor Didier Tambo.“xi In northern Syria, according to reports confirmed by both sides, there have been military clashes between Yankee PKK-YPG-SDF mercenaries and Assad’s troops in the service of Russian imperialism, and Yankee soldiers themselves are said to have been directly involved.xii
iOur translation.
iiOur translation.
iiiOur translation.
ivNBCNews, „To avoid accidental clash near Ukraine, U.S. weighs hotline with Russian military“, 26 February 2022
vThe Spectator, “Full text: Putin’s declaration of war on Ukraine”, 24 February 2022
viGlobal Times, „Yuan increasingly preferred amid dedollarization of China-Russia trade“, 25 February 2022
viiGlobal Times, „Xi, Putin hold talks at crucial moment of Ukraine crisis, stress peaceful approach“, 26 February 2022
viiiGlobal Times, „Xi, Putin hold talks at crucial moment of Ukraine crisis, stress peaceful approach“, 26 February 2022
ixEuropean Commission, “Statement by President von der Leyen on further measures to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, 27 February 2022
xPolicy statement by Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and Member of the German Bundestag, 27 February 2022 in Berlin
xiSource: AFP
xiiThe Defense Post, „4 Dead in Rare Syria-Kurdish Clash: Monitor“, 2 March 2022
