A Blue Devil is No Different From a Yellow One

I have been living under Communism for 91 years, and I know that Communism always means war—either actual or potential. Communism always means tyranny and bold-faced lies.

I was born in Kyiv on Lenin Street, Building #24, Apt. #16. I lived there for the first nine years of my life.  Today, in all of Ukraine, you will not find a single Lenin Street, or Lenin Square, or Lenin monument—not a single memorial dedicated to the founder of the first Communist state on earth. But in the country where I am a citizen, there are tens of thousands of such monuments, streets, and squares. Here lies the fundamental difference between Ukraine and the state which you call “Russia.” Where I am a citizen, Lenin remains our ALL.

I do not support President Putin, nor am I particularly against him. To me, he is just another leader in a long line of leaders of the never-ending Soviet regime. Back in kindergarten in the 1930s, I was taught that “Stalin is Lenin today.” 85 years later, I can say with complete confidence that “Putin is Lenin today.”

My good friend Vladimir Kara-Murza is in prison now. He is sentenced to 25 years, but there is no reason to blame the judges for their lack of justice. The Soviet legal system was created more than 100 years ago, and in all that time, the sentencing occurred not in the courtrooms but in the Kremlin. Nothing has changed. Under Nazi regimes and under the Communists (whether headed by Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, or Putin), there always were and always will be political prisoners.

And now, to the most important point. All Western media today constantly speak about “the Russia-Ukraine war” or “Russian aggression against Ukraine.” I am firmly convinced, I believe, and I witness that Russia ceased to exist in November of 1917. The necessity to strictly delineate Russia from the Soviet Union is the cornerstone of everything I have ever written and said. The war in Ukraine is being fought by Soviet, not Russian, arms. The crimes in Bucha were committed by Communists, not Russian soldiers and officers. Ukrainian cities are not being bombed by Russians, but by Communist lads.  

The Communist system has not changed in principle during the last 105 years. While temporary changes may occur in the economy, in the legal system, and in the methods of propaganda, in essence it remains the same. To quote Lenin, “A blue devil is no different from a yellow one.”

Fr. Georgi Edelstein was awarded VOC’s Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom during the 2023 Captive Nations Summit. The above acceptance speech was presented on his behalf by George Roller.

Photo: “2020 Moscow Victory Day Parade” via the Kremlin under CC BY 4.0.