Distinct militant intolerance is seen in russia's actions in Ukraine. Such intolerance is specific for manifestations of anti-Semitism, when the whole nation is declared an enemy. In Ukraine, the russians have declared an entire political nation as enemies, of which Jews are also a part. President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine Boris Lozhkin stated this in his speech in Skopje (Republic of North Macedonia) at the OSCE conference dedicated to the fight against anti-Semitism.
“Having started the war, russia has declared the whole political nation its enemy. Russia has declared enemies all those who live in Ukraine and consider it their home. Including Jews,” he wrote on Facebook.
According to him, Jews defend Ukraine together with Ukrainians, and are exposed to fire from Russia. He also gave several examples: “In the first days of the current Ukrainian war for independence, a member of the local Hillel chapter Serafim Sabaranskiy was killed while defending my hometown Kharkiv.
Three days later, a Russian missile hit the home of 96-year-old Borys Romanchenko. A prisoner of four Nazi concentration camps was killed at home.
At the same time, in Mariupol, a survivor of the Holocaust Vanda Obiedkova was dying of cold and hunger in the basement of a house destroyed by the Russians.
The whole past year is full of such tragic stories, according to Lozhkin. “All of them are not only about anti-Semitism, but also about anti-Ukrainianism. These stories are about hatred and intolerance at their worst,” emphasized the JCU President.
In his opinion, the best way to counter such militant intolerance is to unite.
“Aggressors, terrorists and anti-Semites will be defeated, receiving an organized resistance. Such unity makes it possible to resist both anti-Ukrainianism and anti-Semitism. To fight against everything with the prefix “anti” in relation to universal human values,” Lozhkin concluded and added that the discussion on this issue will be continued in a few days at the Kyiv Jewish Forum.