Govorukhin said it and the Party of Regions finally heard him

No election campaign in Russia has missed the Ukrainian issue. On February 4, an anti-Orange pro-Putin rally was held parallel to the opposition’s one “For Fair Elections!” on Poklonnaya Mountain in Moscow. Putin’s United Russia party proposed the other Duma factions to adopt a statement against the Orange scenario. The Kremlin statesmen apparently have vivid memories of Russia’s foreign political fiasco in 2004. Needless to say, similar moods have been cultivated within Russian society, with the aid of government-controlled media, and those “upstairs” are certainly using this asset.

In his latest article “Democracy as the Quality of State” presidential candidate Vladimir Putin stresses the need to democratize Russia’s political system. In other words, he acts the Orange way. Where and when those in power in Russia are sincere?

Stanislav Govorukhin, Putin’s campaign chief of staff, went even further. Kommersant-Ukraina writes that in his campaign brochure “101 Questions for Stanislav Govorukhin, head of Vladimir Putin’s Headquarters,” Govorukhin wrote: “The West isn’t going to admit Ukraine to the European Union. I have no final answer to the question ‘What choice will Yanukovych make?’, but I know for sure that, contrary to all illusions harbored by the current administration, the refusal of Russia’s proposal will become the beginning of the end of Yanukovych and the Party of Regions.”

The Day asked the Party of Regions members for comment.

Volodymyr OLIINYK, member of the Party of Regions faction at the Verkhovna Rada: “I respect Stanislav Govorukhin, but in this particular case he isn’t in a position to predict the beginning or the end, for this is the prerogative of our Lord. Ukraine is trying to live using its brains and relying on its interests. Our [Russian] brothers ought to be reminded that this is an interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs, and that no result can be achieved acting that way. What has to be discussed is mutually advantageous cooperation. But what cooperation can there be, considering that the gas issue has Ukraine by the throat? They don’t want to hear our objective and tangible arguments. Ukraine has embarked on its own road; it does not reject Russia’s partnership and we’re discussing a very important CIS free trade area (agreement). Ukraine proceeds from the principle of predominant national interests. However, none of the ranking Ukrainian officials (and being chief of campaign staff is a high position) has ever said anything about us giving instructions or warning Russian politicians or the Russian people (about or against anything). It is their sovereign right to live the way they choose, to make decisions they regard as necessary ones — and make them at their own discretion, and assume responsibility. It’s high time Russians discarded their great power chauvinism.”

Govorukhin also mentions the Crimean issue, almost a la Zhirinovsky (another RF presidential candidate): “The transfer of the Crimea [to Ukraine] in 1954 and its current status as part of Ukraine is a graphic example of historical injustice in regard to Russia and the Russian people. It is impossible in principle to get back the Crimea peacefully, even less so by using military force… every effort should be made to keep Ukraine within the same economic, religious, cultural, and historical space with Russia.” Graphic proof of Moscow’s attitude to Kyiv, isn’t it?

“From the standpoint of Kyivan Rus’, Novgorod is anything but a Russian city,” counters Volodymyr Oliinyk, “but I’d hate any revising of history at this stage, because this road leads to nowhere. The world is a scene of pitched battles these days. We Slavs can stick closer together as Eastern Orthodox adherents, compared to the French or Germans, but this doesn’t mean that anyone can look down his nose at Ukraine. Every time I hear the emcee announce that the Kuban Cossack People’s Choir’s next number will be “Russian folk song Rozpriahaite khloptsi konei [the Ukrainian title translates as “Unhitch the Horses, Boys!” – Ed.], I just laugh out loud. It is an old Ukrainian folk song. Well, this song is also part of Russia, so we must preserve all this, but never by way of dictatorship.”

The fact remains that Russia most often resorts to dictatorship. The main thing is that there is a president of Ukraine, regardless of his pluses and minuses.

PUTIN CAN’T PUT UP WITH INDEPENDENT UKRAINE

Semen NOVOPRUDSKY, executive secretary, Moskovskiye novosti:

“Govorukhin cuts a comic figure in Putin’s presidential campaign. In fact, there is a United Russia man tasked with following his every step, making sure he doesn’t talk too much. The thing is that Stanislav Govorukhin will voice everything those ‘upstairs’ in Russia have in their minds. This man knows no diplomatic subtleties. More often than not, he uses simple words to express his understanding of Russia’s [domestic and foreign] policies. Moscow is really chagrined that Ukraine doesn’t allow it to have full control over the gas transportation system. Moscow sincerely believed Yanukovych to be its protege [with all strings attached] and that Ukraine would have no economic interests of its own. Naturally, the business interests of the key figures in the Party of Regions and those of their political opponents are such that Ukraine’s GTS will never be surrendered to Russia.

“I hadn’t expected Russia to pressure Yanukovych so actively, for there is the example of Russia’s treatment of Lukashenka. A film was once played by Russia’s channels, to the effect that Lukashenka was an enemy of the people. But then Putin realized what was happening in the Arab world and immediately made peace with Lukashenka, expressed his full approval of the man’s draconian measures against the opposition in the aftermath of the presidential election, and gave him a gas supply discount. He also talked him into ordering Beltransgaz’s controlling interest handed over to Gazprom.

“I expect such political statements, even if less sharp-worded, even after Putin wins the election campaign. Moscow’s attitude to Yanukovych will depend on the status of the opposition, and on the European Union’s stance in regard to the Ukrainian administration. There is no ruling out the possibility of Yanukovych once again becoming a welcome guest in Moscow, for as long as Putin will fear Yanukovych losing the presidential race in Ukraine and being replaced by a person who will make his support of the European values absolutely clear, who will try to turn Ukraine in the direction of the European Union. Depending on the situation, Moscow will alternate between being friends with Yanukovych and weakening his position.

“Putin cannot put up with an independent Ukrainian state. There is nothing one can do about this attitude. In this sense, Putin is absolutely inadequate as a politician; he can’t understand that Ukraine has its own economic interests to pursue, and that these interests may now and then contradict those of Russia.”

RUSSIAN ELECTORATE’S INTERESTS ARE AFFECTED, NOT THOSE OF UKRAINE

Oleksandr SUSHKO, director, Center for Peace, Conversion and Foreign Policy of Ukraine: 

“This internal-use-only document relies on a number of standard stereotypes meant to mobilize electoral support of the right kind of candidate. This propaganda material is prepared with an eye to the foreign political program proposed by the presidential candidate, Vladimir Putin, including the construction of the Eurasian Union, and efforts are being made to explain it the voter in the street.

“I believe that this affects the interests of the Russian electorate, rather than those of Ukraine. Russia’s political community is obviously engaged in a large-scale debate concerning domestic and foreign political priorities. I further believe that the Ukrainian political leadership would benefit from using such data leak and once again learn about [Moscow’s] backstage attitude, although this document actually addresses the canvasser.

“Should anyone demand official explanations from the Russian administration, they would easily distance themselves from it, considering that this [campaign brochure] doesn’t reflect the government’s official stand; it is a statement made by Putin’s campaign chief of staff. Govorukhin has always acted bluntly – forget about diplomatic protocol – so he simply had to come up with allegations that would help the candidate win the campaign – or so he believes.”

UKRAINE MUST LOOK FOR A WAY TO KEEP AFLOAT

Mykhailo POHREBYNSKY, director, Kyiv Center for Political and Conflict Studies:

“Putin’s campaign chief of staff isn’t a politician; he isn’t a public figure, either, considering that he is the current administration’s spin doctor. His assessments are absolutely personal. Govorukhin cuts an impressive figure in Russian society, period. And so one shouldn’t take his statements very seriously. On the other hand, I can understand Govorukhin; I’m familiar with his creative heritage and his attitude to certain social phenomena. He is convinced that Ukraine must be interested in integrating with Russia. He believes that, should Yanukovych and his team embark on a different road, this would be bad for all of them. In fact, Govorukhin isn’t far from the truth. As an expert on Russia-Ukraine relations, I believe that this period is extremely complicated. Ukraine must look for a way to keep afloat, to honor social commitments. Ukraine will never receive 100 percent aid from Europe and the United States. Willy-nilly it will receive such aid from Russia – and Russia never gives anything without getting something in return. It will demand concessions from Ukraine until this country finds itself in a disastrous situation. Some concessions will have to be made. In regard to the Crimea, Govorukhin, being a filmmaker, unaware of the subtleties of Russia-Ukraine relations, including the Crimean issue, made his statement using proper words. I wouldn’t even mention his lack of professional knowledge. So he says this is [historical] injustice, so what? He has a right to say so, considering that most Crimean residents are Russian-speaking Russians. Govorukhin’s opinion is shared by most people in Russia, so his statement is something well to be expected from one trying to help his election race leader.”