Voice of Ukraine

From: Ira Kapitonova Day 719

‭‭Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!
Psalm‬ ‭119:29‬ ‭

The Enemy never sleeps and will keep looking for any vulnerabilities there might be.

In September 2023, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary imposed their restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports, complaining about the unfair advantage Ukrainian farmers had been given after February 2022. In November 2023, Polish truckers blocked highways at checkpoints along the border to protest the Polish government’s failure to address their business losses to foreign competitors. I understand that this is a complex issue, and it’s one that Russia is definitely using to its advantage.

I won’t go into an emotional explanation of what this blockade, let the government officials figure out, but the event that took place a few days ago crossed all possible lines and triggered all levels of deep trauma. On Sunday, Polish protesters cut the chains on a few trucks and spilled Ukrainian grain on the road, denouncing unchecked Ukrainian food imports. This protest was organized by the owner of a transport company, which carries out transportation to Russia and Belarus, and a branch leader of a Polish far-right party with a radically anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and ties to Russia. Do you happen to see a connection? I understand that Polish farmers or truckers (or any other businesses or individuals) have the right to defend their interests. However, you must imagine what grain scattered on the ground means to a nation that went through Holodomor, to a nation that sawed this grain on recently demined fields and harvested it under constant shelling. This protest was meant to be cruel. It was meant to feel like a knife in your heart, and it was intended to cause hatred in the hearts of Ukrainians after such a backstabbing act. Once again, I’m not talking about protests in general, but some lines should never be crossed.

Russia will keep trying to destabilize every country in the world. That’s why it’s of critical importance for us to use critical thinking (pun intended). Whenever you see news that causes an emotional response, whenever you are presented with “the ultimate truth,” go that extra mile and verify the sources, get to the bottom of the problem, see how the offered solutions measure against your values, and then let your decision be actually yours. We are to be the light of the world, but we can be light only when we abide in truth, and that applies to all areas of our lives.