Anti-authoritarians in Ukraine: A little about our platoon

via Enough14

Ukraine. A contribution by the anti-authoritarian platoon in Ukraine.

Originally published by Telegra.ph. Translated by Riot Turtle with the support of translation toolsWe apologize for possible minor mistakes.

Hi! We have compiled answers to some of the most common questions asked to the people in our platoon: are we anarchists and what do we do – it’s all here. We’d like to share it with those who follow our activities and support us.

Are you anarchists?

A large part of the people in the platoon, about 50%, identify themselves as anarchists. These are people with different backgrounds: some came from revolutionary groups, others from cultural-educational and social projects. But it is not correct to call the whole platoon anarchist. It would be more correct to say that we all have anti-authoritarian views, we all fight against Russian imperialism together, and we all value direct democracy. That’s why we’ve introduced the system of elected committees borrowed from the Kurdish insurgents, and we hold meetings in our units where everyone can voice criticism, including about the activities of commanders. We also held democratic elections for the media committee.

Who is part of the platoon and why are you at war?

Initially the platoon consisted of anti-authoritarian beliefs, anarchists, a few socialists, anti-fascists, and soccer hooligans. Gradually our squad was replenished. In the area where we are now, we have been joined by local people, you could say without any clear political orientation. They simply share our desire to fight against the Russian aggression and at the same time fit in well with the group. We also have a number of specialists we have brought in, from whom we gain combat experience.

There are no racists or homophobes among us, and there are several women in the platoon, who support the feminist agenda in practice.

We were all driven to war by a desire to resist Russian imperialist aggression. We are here to defeat the invaders and to defend the Ukrainian people, their freedom and independence.

What are you doing right now?

At the moment we have a training phase, and we are also on regular guard duties. Earlier, we went on operational missions within the region, such as catching saboteurs and paratroopers, guarding critical points, setting up roadblocks, assisting units of the Ukrainian armed forces with reconnaissance using quadcopters (drones) and transporting refugees and other civilians out of harm’s way.

Is it possible to join the platoon?

Right now we are not calling for new people to join us, because at the moment our region is calm. But we are looking for combat formations in other regions in the near future, so soon we will probably have a possibility for new people to join us.

Can we call you “Resistance Committee”?

Resistance Committee” is a Telegram channel that only relates to a small part of our unit, despite the first posts that identified it with the entire platoon. Nevertheless, the media committee of our unit has recently had access to this channel, so we can spread the word about us there.

How can we support you?

In the near future, because of some bureaucratic problems, we may have problems with food and fuel supplies. Then we will need additional funds.

We also need a night vision unit for the platoon and some people need bulletproof vests.

To raise money, our comrades are running a “Good night imperial pride” campaign. You can get in touch with them on social media:

Telegram: https://t.me/gnimpepialpride

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gnimperialpride

Email: gnimperialpride_info@riseup.net

There are 15 Comments

Friends, don't fight for "your country": Don't for your bourgeois state and the actor puppet who heads it. Get the fuck out of there now and live to fight the global class war that is coming.

The word "country" doesn't appear in this text.

This thing where "anarchists" are telling people what kind of relationship they should have to their land, culture, and home... really sucks.

yeah, and there's no country of the "Ukrainian People", Gosh, you really disproved him...
and if you think, other people shouldnt propose, criticize and tell what they would do, then you maybe should think first about armies and troops, or people saying others to send them money. But anyway: would be absurd to not question each other, because then we would never progress at all...

"yeah, and there's no country of the "Ukrainian People"..."

I am talking about the people that live on the land being invaded. I will call them whatever you like. Seriously, let me know, and I'll swap the language out. My people will still stand.

"would be absurd to not question each other"

I am all for questioning. A question ends in an exclamation point, expresses curiosity, and prompts further exploration. That is not what these condemnations of anarchists in Ukraine are doing. Instead, these condemnations are leaping to dogmatic judgements about what decisions people make when bombs are falling on their neighborhood.

Here is a question I might ask an anarchist in Ukraine: "Hey anarchist, what's the deal with fighting alongside and/or under the leadership of the Ukraine state? While that doesn't seem very anarchist to me, I am curious about the nuances of your situation and this decision you have made, as I imagine you know much more about it than I do."

The very idea of anarchists telling people what to think is obscene.

This is an admirable statement about what a bunch of Ukrainian anarchists and anti-authoritarians are doing. Seeking a way "to resist Russian imperialist aggression" they have formed a voluntary group of anarchists and others, using organizational methods of direct democracy. Apparently they work with government forces but are self-organized. For some wooden-headed anarchist to tell them not to fight against the Russian invasion is a travesty of dogmatic anarchist "principles."

Dude, Wayne... No one's holding u back to go fight and possibly die for these national-ethnic dogmas. But sure, I know, it's much easier to instead fight online against them dogmatic anarchists who just stick to their antiauthoritarian ideas instead of trading them for some statist bullshit. The struggle is real!

I'll send a message to Zealensky just to report on your great work for Ukraaaine and maybe he'll give you a lil piece of land later, who knows?

you know, Wayne, your comment is just plain stupid. at the risk of sounding like a broken record... NOBODY commenting here, including me, the most wooden-headed of the bunch apparently, since i know and maintain anarchist principles -- not "principles" with the 110% authoritarian ironic quotation marks (see Adorno, who declares that their use as a marker of being a smug asshole know-it-all) -- is telling anyone in Ukraine not to fight. you're strawmanning, comrade, and it's fucking obnoxious. i, for one, have been saying constantly that people in Ukraine who decide not to flee can and should engage in a bunch of different styles of resistance. they can even fight alongside the Ukrainian military forces if they want to. my objection all along has been to you and all the other pro-war pro-nationalists who declare that this is the ONLY way to resist the Russian invasion and that doing so is compatible with anarchist principles. this strategy, while perhaps successful in militarist terms, is not compatible with the anarchist principles of anti-militarism and internationalism. what's consistently irritating about your pronouncements of what all anarchists should do, is that you frame them as coterminous with your aberrant reading of anarchist philosophy.

i'll say it again: that some Ukrainian anarchist fighters are fighting isn't the problem; that they have decided to collaborate with and subordinate themselves to the Ukrainian government forces isn't the problem. they know it's a tricky situation and have decided to pursue it despite the contradictions (to which you are apparently either blind or indifferent, or both). but what they don't do is dare to call what they're doing anarchist, because they know it's not. unlike you. so go ahead and extend your solidarity to these folks if that amuses you, and go ahead and encourage your friends to do it too. but you don't get to campaign for these defenders of national independence in the name of anarchist principles and not get denounced by actual anarchists who articulate and stand by our actual anarchist principles of anti-militarism and internationalism.

If it's popular territorial defense and not national defense for the ruling state then why aren't they independent of the national military infrastructure? It's the question our comrades in Ukraine keep sidestepping. If it 's because it's just not possible to have a class-autonomous movement, then in my opinion at this point in time it's not worth their lives to support an inter-class national struggle that is wholly dependent on siding with foreign neoliberal geopolitical actors (NATO/EU). I'm not telling them what to do, that's just my advice as another anarchist in this world that hopes to see them alive and thrive as fellow revolutionaries. It's their choice if they want to die for a cause that is alien to the internationalist idea of anarchism, I only ask that they don't present it as the concurrent anarchist response to these events, and that my critique is not censored by an overzealous gatekeeper.

I never wrote that any particular form of resistance used by Ukrainian anarchists was "the ONLY way to resist the Russian invasion." This claim is invented out of thin air.

To be clear, I am uninterested in maintaining "anarchist principles." People who judge everything by abstract "principles" are in danger (like many pacifists) of having "clean hands and dirty souls." One anon reject an approach even though "this strategy, while perhaps successful " is not compatible with his or her personal concept of anarchism (one not shared by many anarchists through history though).

I refer to two goals: to drive out the Russian invasion; to spread revolutionary anarchist ideas. Whatever is most effective in achieving these ends in the morally and politically right thing to do. Apparently many Ukrainian and Eastern European anarchists agree with me.

Declaring "I'm not telling them what to do," another anon tells the Ukrainian anarchists what to do--stop fighting the Russian invasion. It doesn't occur to either anon that a Ukrainian victory might lead to increased freedom and democracy (within capitalism and national limits) which could make openings for anarchism in Ukraine, Russia, and Eastern Europe!

I’m sickened by the fact that some anarchists - probably sitting in a safe place themselves - pointing their self righteous finger to Ukrainian anarchists fighting for their very existence. In the name of some theoretical mumbo jumbo.

100% solidarity to the fighters from a Norwegian anarchist!

No Pasaran!

that's right billy! it's sickening, just like all the history of anarchists in similar situations.

in a few years or less, guess what will emerge? stories of the "anarchist fighters" who made such compromises, incredibly difficult decisions, caught in the meat grinder and were betrayed and killed by their so-called comrades, who aren't fukin anarchists and became threatened or otherwise offended by the implications of combatants who don't like to bend the knee, regardless of which side they happen to be on.

taking bets now! you first wayne. how much cash you got on ya?

Yes, theoretical mumbo jumbo is always the obstacle keeping "anarchists" from collaborating with Neonazis and other Far Right nationalists, fighting and dying in defense of some completely foreign nation-state, as well as its underlying savage neolib capitalist interests. Bravo, dimwit, you found the cluuuue!

Anarchists are actually just the Avengers.

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