On the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Students everywhere must condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We must support the workers and the people of Russia who are protesting the war of aggression being waged by their own ruling class. Those who hesitate to do this, perhaps including some honest activists afraid to give recourse to the US bourgeoisie, only reveal their detachment from a basic reality of our era: the inter-imperialist struggle.

The world has known many Russias: the immovable stronghold of reaction in Europe, the beacon for the workers and the oppressed of all lands, the corruption and falsification of this great hope, and the defeated imperialist superpower encircled in stages by its triumphant and gloating rivals led by the US.

Today, Russian imperialism is the invader of Ukraine. It fights to transform the inter-imperialist order that was conditioned on its weakness. The price of securing its new position is the blood of the people of Ukraine. Days before attacking Ukraine, Putin in a televised speech also attacked Russia: the heroic Russia of 1917, the land that upheld the right of nations to self-determination. He blamed this Russia for “alienating” its “historical territories”, justifying his coming invasion. Like every imperialist, he instrumentalizes what is useful to him: the glory of the past, the defense of minorities, anti-fascism, etc.

Students in the US have a particular responsibility: to expose our own imperialist bourgeoisie, its role in the situation, and its complete hypocrisy in the world. The events of the week have been a new occasion for the US bourgeoisie together with its NATO and other allies to declare that they alone represent “freedom and democracy”. In Ukraine, this “freedom and democracy” has meant support to fascists who have grown in strength and legitimacy since Maidan. If we look at Palestine, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, and everywhere else the US and its allies have used military force to assert their global dominance, one could say that they have taught Putin well.

Young people of all countries must uphold the banner of internationalism. We must oppose the chauvinist perspective of the bourgeoisie, who wish to keep us divided along national lines. We must recognize that it is only the workers of all countries who have a common interest in ending war and the system that produces wars. To our fellow students, we put forward the call: let’s rebuild the anti-war movement based on this understanding.

For an end to all imperialist wars of aggression!