Feb 21

Feb 21 Four Years In (Part I)

Demonstrations, Donald Trump, Performances, Protest, Public Declarations, Signs and Posters, The Age of Trump

This week marks the fourth anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russia had previously taken a bite out of Ukrainian sovereign territory in February 2014, when ousted former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych assisted Russia and Russia-backed separatists in annexing Crimea and related territory, which represented just under 20% of Ukraine’s total territory. Putin, however, decided he wanted Ukraine in its entirety as part of his effort to reconstitute the Soviet Union he knew as a child—he must have been a miserable child.

As Russian forces advanced on Ukraine in February 2022, the world assumed that Putin’s forces would overtake the entire country within three or four days. Everyone loves an underdog, so the world focused its attention on Ukraine, hoping that the Ukrainians could somehow achieve the impossible. Was Ukraine the “little engine” that could?

During the last four years, the Ukrainians under the heroic leadership of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have demonstrated amazing resilience and determination. The little engine has inflicted more than 1.2 million casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) on Putin’s forces, but it has paid a high price, sustaining over 800,000 casualties, including somewhere between 55,000 and 150,000 people killed. In fighting for their freedom, the Ukrainians have unmasked Putin’s Russia. It is nothing but a Potemkin village, with a bare-bones economy and a citizenry that Putin must suppress to retain power.

Since the 2022 campaign began, Russia has captured territory in the Donbas (the portion of eastern Ukraine that borders Russia), with the captured territory representing just 1.5% of Ukraine’s pre-war territory. The Ukrainians have stood their ground, with the Russians only advancing 70 meters a day during the Pokrovsk offensive. Since January 2026, Ukraine has recaptured 155 square miles of territory that had fallen into Russian hands.

As I read the current situation, Russia and Ukraine have battled to a stalemate. Given that reality, Putin has modified his strategy, shifting his attention to Ukraine’s civilian population. With Ukraine facing its coldest winter in over a decade, Putin has launched attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, thrusting Ukrainians in Kiev and other parts of the country into winter’s darkness with little heat. In one overnight attack, Russia launched over 400 drones and fired over 40 missiles in an effort to cripple Ukraine’s electrical grid. Now, some Ukrainians only have power for two to three hours a day. Many schools are closed.

Donald J. Trump and his amateur negotiators—Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (Trump’s Irish Setter of a son-in-law)—have engaged in protracted negotiations with Putin to bring the hostilities to an end. Putin is not bargaining in good faith, but rather using the negotiations as a delaying tactic.

Trump now serves as Putin’s useful idiot (“polezniye duraki”). Knowing exactly how to manipulate Trump, Putin has dangled 12 to 14 trillion dollars in business deals in front of him. Trump, in conducting American foreign policy, is more interested in commercial opportunities and what is in it for him and his family than defending democracy around the globe.

Best exemplifying Trump’s deal mentality is Gentry Beach, a Texas investor who the New York Times reports has ties to Trump’s family. Gentry signed a deal with several Russian companies to develop Alaskan natural gas. Imagine: Russia attacks a democratic ally of the U.S. that wants to become part of the Western alliance, but a Trump family friend is inviting Russia into U.S. territory to exploit U.S. natural resources.

Long hoping to build a hotel in Moscow, Trump is looking, in the words of Stephen Colbert, “to wet his beak.” In his 1987 get-rich-quick tome, Art of the Deal, Trump acknowledged that he wants to build, “a large luxury hotel across the street from the Kremlin in partnership with the Soviet government.” Money explains why Trump, who fashions himself a peacemaker, has continually vacillated between Russia and Ukraine. But at the end of the day, everyone knows Trump supports Russia. If he didn’t, why did he cut off the U.S. military support that the Biden Administration had been supplying to Ukraine? Sure, Ukraine can still obtain U.S. weapons, but not through U.S. grants. Instead, Ukraine must buy the weapons from the Europeans.

Against this sorry state of affairs, Ukrainians throughout the United States headed to Washington, D.C. for today’s 2:00 PM rally at the Lincoln Memorial. At 1:30 PM, I left Heins Point, the site of what is becoming Trump’s new luxury golf course, walking about a mile to the Lincoln Memorial.

I grew nervous as the marble monument to our 16th President came into view. Only a few yellow and blue flags were visible in the distance. Had four years of war made Ukrainian Americans complacent?

Arriving at the foot of the monument, I was greeted by one of the rally’s organizers. He too noted that four years of war had fostered complacency. The crowd size looked like it would be down from last year’s, which the organizer found troubling. Given my experience covering hundreds of demonstrations, I was not quite as negative. People arrive late, particularly when a march follows the rally.

I have since reviewed my photographs from last year’s rally commemorating the third anniversary of the Russian invasion. While this year’s crowd was not as large as last year’s, I didn’t see much of a difference. Those who attended were enthusiastic, particularly as they joined Solomia Gorokhivka in singing the American and Ukrainian national anthems with gusto. Most placed their right hands over their hearts while singing the anthems.

Throughout the two-hour program, Aleksandr Krapivkin served as the master of ceremonies, enthusiastically introducing each speaker, leading chants and singalongs, and maintaining the snappy pace. With his buoyant personality on display, Krapivin did an excellent job.

Following Gorokhivka’s performance, two groups of Ukrainian religious leaders offered their prayers. One group was affiliated with the Ukrainian National Shrine of the Holy Family, while the other group heralded from St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Cathedral.

With the formalities out of the way, the speeches began. Thankfully, the organizers limited each speaker’s time at the podium. Denys Sienik, Deputy Chief of Mission, of the Ukrainian Embassy and H.E. Jovita Neliupšienê were the first speakers, delivering speeches that cut no new ground.

Next up, Pastor Mark Burns, who is nothing short of meteoric in his delivery. Burns leapt from side to side while wildly gesticulating with both hands. If preaching doesn’t work out for him, he might consider Go-Go dancing. Yes, I kid, but Burns is a dynamic speaker, who delivered the day’s most quotable line, “Freedom has a name and it’s called Ukraine.” Simple, but to the point. Afterwards, I approached him, saying, that we need to find a way to bottle him, which drew a laugh.

Following Pastor Burns, Sophie Villy, a Ukrainian Georgian guitarist and composer, took to the stage. Villy is an extraordinary singer-songwriter, who comfortably stands on the shoulders of Joan Baez, Carole King, and Joni Mitchell. She performed two songs, Blackout and Obiymy, both knockouts. What a rich and sonorous voice.

When Villy finished what should have been a longer set, we heard three more speeches. Ukrainian war veteran, Andriy Smolenskyi was accompanied to the mic by his wife, Alina. Smolenskyi was present at last year’s event, where his battle injuries were very evident. Following what I assume was a year of treatment and rehabilitation, Smolenskyi’s physical condition has vastly improved, although some of his injuries are permanent. As a speaker, he had the credibility that comes with serving on the frontlines. People listened to what he had to say. Following Smoenskyi, Mark Levin from the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry, and Paul Grod, President of the World Ukrainian Congress, spoke.

The organizers went out of their way to avoid too many talking heads, following the first round of speeches, the Children’s Choir from the Taras Shevchenko School of Ukrainian Studies took the stage. No doubt the tween singers are talented, but let’s be honest: They were not in the same league as Chicago’s Ukrainian K-Pop singers and dancers. When the Ukrainians stage a victory celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, the Ukrainian K-Poppers should be given a slot on the big stage. They have done yeoman’s service over the last four years in sustaining Chicago’s Ukrainian community.

Following the children’s choral group, three elegantly dressed women took to the stage, performing as VODA Voice. Although not performing opera in the strictest sense of the word, the trio’s voices were operatic. Each did an excellent job interweaving her distinct voice into a rich mix.

As VODA Voice was finishing up, I headed toward the Washington Monument, getting into position for the march to the Soviet Ambassador’s residence. Within mere minutes, a parade of yellow and blue was marching adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pond. The group then turned onto 17th Street, marching northward until they turned right on H Street. When they reached Lafayette Square, they turned left onto 16th Street, marching until they reached the ambassador’s residence just several blocks north on L Street.

Looking at the imposing residence, I wondered whether anyone was home. Despite all the racket below, nobody could be seen looking out the windows. As for the racket. There was lots of singing, chanting, and shouting. I must say, the signage was not as inflammatory as last year’s.

I spent about 20 minutes circulating among the crowd. Then I called it a day.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]