I hate a lot of rhetoric of "uhhh where were you during" and then list every modern conflict that we know of. "Where were you when in Afghanistan… in Iran… in Iraq"
I was, might you be surprised, not even in my mother's womb. Or I was not old enough to have grasped the meaning of war (though in 2008 Russia made sure I knew exactly what war was). I sure hope that my nonexistence is enough of an explanation for my lack of protesting at these atrocities. But i am here now, im protesting the injustice that i see today.
I also want to say something that is hard pill to swallow. Yes, people care more about things that are happening close to them (you care more about your country and i care more about mine, its natural). Yes, people care more about events that are continuation of their history. Yes, europe cares more about the war that is happening on its soil. Yes, europe cares more about war in Ukraine because it is very much reminiscent of when it had to fight off communism. Yes, eastern europe cares more about Russian aggression as they have been subject of that aggression countless times. Yes, they are more afraid that Russia will not stop (as once it did not) and it will invade other eastern european countries (as once it did).
None of you know our history, none of you bother to look up what Russia did in our countries, none of you care how it took everything from us. If you knew this, you wouldn't be surprised why we are so anxious. We are afraid. And if you cared enough to read about any of "post-soviet" countries, you would know why we are terrified.
You, of all people, should know the consequences of imperialism yet you act like Russia's imperialism is okay. So imperialism is okay now as long as its one "white" nation terrorizing other "white" nations? Is your morality really that shallow? Unable to see past black and white?
I can ask you same questions that you ask. Where were you during balkan wars? Where were you during Kosovo? Where were you during ethnic cleansing of ethnic kosovars and serbians? (If you really cared about nato's wrongdoings you would know all about this but you don't know because again, its not important to you). Where were you during Chechen wars? Where were you during Karabakh? (I don't mean the recent one, but even then…) Where were you during Abkhazia war? Where were you when Russia invaded Georgia in 2008? Where were you when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014? Where were you when Russia kept killing our people? Where were you when people were dying here? Where was the same outrage that you demand from us?
Finally, people are noticing the immense danger that Russia is to us, to eastern europeans, to Caucasian people (Caucasus is the region for those who want to jump here and say something stupid).
You demand my simpathy when i have never seen yours. You demand that i care about your problems when you refuse to even learn about mine.
Russia to eastern europe and Caucasus region is the same as Britain or France to Africa and Middle East. If you are not willing to acknowledge that, dont expect me to have any sympathy for you.
The sad part here is that i actually do care about all the conflicts that these people are talking about, i know the history of colonialism in Africa, I know their wars and conflicts, I know about middle east just as much as about my own region. I know all your struggles, their origin, causes, consequences. (I know why you would hate western powers). Yet you would not even know one thing about my country, my struggles.
Years will pass and then the next generation will ask you the same questions that you are asking us now: "where were you when all these atrocities were happening? Which side did you choose?" I hope you make the choice that will not shame you in front of your kids.
