Independence Day Ukraine: Is Ukraine really independent?

19.10.2021 | www.kla.tv/20251

We are grateful that we can offer our viewers the following media commentary, from our Ukrainian team members. An accurately observed report from the point of view of those directly involved - so not the media propaganda about Ukraine, but a report from the people of Ukraine, who are directly affected by the political agenda of Ukraine’s government. On 24.08.2021 Ukraine celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine gained its independence as a state. “Independence" is understood as independence from Russia. For the 30th anniversary, the celebrations were bigger than in previous years. Swiss radio and tele-vision SRF ran the headline, "Ukraine celebrates pompously - and sends a signal against Russia." The celebrations were accompanied by a large military parade, special forces marched, tanks rolled, fighter jets were in the sky and the Ukrainian navy sailed on the Dniepr River. President Selensky and many other notable speakers highlighted the achievements of recent years and all that had been done to strengthen the country in its economic and social development. However, what was not mentioned with a single word is the fact that Ukraine has never been as de-pendent as it is right now. Since the Maidan and the unconstitutional overthrow of the government in 2014 [see www.kla.tv/3056], the West - and the U.S. in particular - has massively increased its influence on Ukraine’s political elite. Contrary to the official narrative, one can hardly speak of an “independent” state anymore. Here are a few examples. 1. The first example dates back to the time before the overthrow of the government in 2014. What became widely known was a recording of a telephone conversation between Victoria Nuland, who was working for the U.S. State Department at the time, and the then U.S. Ambassador to Kiev Geoffrey Pyatt. This was published on YouTube on February 4, 2014. Nuland's remark "Fuck the EU" made headlines. But what is more remarkable is that the two U.S. diplomats had discussed the future formation of the Ukrainian government, who should hold which position. As the two had agreed, so it came to pass. 2. Under President Poroshenko, the U.S. bluntly interfered in the internal affairs of suppos-edly independent Ukraine. In 2015, then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden demanded that Poroshenko dismiss Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin because he was allegedly corrupt. The fact is, however, that Shokin wanted to investigate Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's son, at the time. This because of his dubious involvement in the affairs of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma Group. At a January 2018 meeting of the influential U.S. think tank Council on Foreign Relations, Joe Biden boasted about how he personally ensured that Shokin was fired. Otherwise, Biden said, Ukraine would not have received the IMF loan of over $1 billion. 3. President Volodymyr Selensky is also far from independent in his decisions. In his election campaign, he announced a tougher stance toward the West and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and promised that he would first and foremost strive for peace in eastern Ukraine. However, the last two years show an absolutely different picture: The civil war in eastern Ukraine continues unabated. Although Selenski initially seemed eager to resolve problems in this regard, he now seems resigned to a long-running conflict. This, however, does not serve the Ukrainian people or the Ukrainian economy at all, but rather the profit of West-ern military corporations that sell their technology to Ukraine. There is hardly anything left of the promised tough approach to the IMF. Ukraine lets the IMF dic-tate and impose its conditions almost without resistance. The most recent example is the passing of a law allowing the sale of the world's most fertile Ukrainian black soil [explanation: black soil is one of the world's most fertile soil types]. Although Selenski promised shortly before taking office that he would not pass such a law without a nationwide referendum, he unceremoniously threw his promise overboard and bowed to IMF dictates, even though, according to polls, two-thirds of the Ukrainian population opposes this law. At the insistence of the U.S. Embassy, the relevant laws have been amended in the last two years to the effect that all strategic corporations are now controlled by representatives of Western industry. These include, for example, the state energy company "Naftogaz", which is active in the oil and gas market, the state railroad company "Ukrzaliznitsya", the largest state bank "Oshchadbank", the state military company "Ukroboronprom", to which all state military enterprises belong, the largest private provider of financial and banking services "PrivatBank" and many others. None of these companies is allowed to make a single decision that has not been approved by their supervisory boards. The supervisory boards now consist almost exclusively of foreigners (US, British, Polish, Latvian, etc.) appointed from outside. They are not experts in the respective fields, but are there to control decisions and developments, which serves the interest of their Western sponsors, but not the Ukrainian people. Conclusion: Ukraine's independence has so far been understood only unilaterally. Because Ukraine is increasingly coming under the control of Western structures and institutions, both the civil war in the Donbass and the progressive impoverishment and de-industrialization of the country are not coming to an end. Three quarters of the population now believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction. Western media speak exclusively of a threat from Russia. Would they not rather do well to pillory the fact that Ukrainian independence is being threatened, if not annexed, by Western dictates and interference? There can be no talk of real independence here, unless Ukraine has also effectively detached itself from any dictates on the part of the West and its institutions such as the IMF!

from mvo.

Sources/Links: Independence Day Ukraine: Ukraine celebrates with pomp - and sets a sign against Russia: https://www.srf.ch/news/international/unabhaengigkeitstag-ukraine-die-ukraine-feiert-pompoes-und-setzt-ein-zeichen-gegen-russland
Controversy over monitored telephone conversation of Nuland: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Nuland#Kontroverse_%C3%BCber_abgeh%C3%B6rtes_Telefonat_Nulands
Ex-US Vice President Biden talks about sanctions, Merkel and Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB_auIGJG4g&t=10s
Since July 1, almost 2,000 purchase contracts for black earth land have been concluded in Ukraine: https://www.anti-spiegel.ru/2021/seit-1-juli-wurden-in-der-ukraine-fast-2-000-kaufvertraege-fuer-schwarzerde-flaechen-abgeschlossen/
https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-economy/3243809-majze-80-ukrainciv-vistupaut-za-referendum-pro-rinok-zemli.html
Strategic Ukrainian corporations controlled by representatives of Western industry: https://www.naftogaz.com/www/3/nakweben.nsf/0/C05E55FE9F457547C2257F9D003C672C?OpenDocument&Expand=5&
https://privatbank.ua/about/management/corp
https://www.uz.gov.ua/en/about/general_information/nagliadova_rada/
https://www.oschadbank.ua/ua/supervisory_board
Three-quarters of the population now believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction: https://suspilne.media/99388-tri-cetverti-ukrainciv-vvazaut-so-spravi-v-kraini-ruhautsa-v-nepravilnomu-napramku/