Ukraine - Another Perspective

Kevin Allen of Ancient Faith Radio interviews Ukraine expert, U.S. diplomat, and Orthodox Christian James G. Jatras.

I have deep respect for Mr. Jatras, and quote him in my book, Facing Islam. I feel it is essential for us to slow down and make every effort to appreciate the Russian national interests at work behind Putin's decisions concerning Ukraine, Crimea and Russia's relationship to the EU and America. I intend to post more alternative viewpoints on the Crimea/Ukraine situation in the days ahead.

Russia is rising anew as the world's defender of Orthodox, Coptic and traditional Christianity, even as Western Europe and the United States dissolves into a miasma of apostasy, sodomy, gluttony and orgiastic indulgence in all the passions. That Russia is being smeared and targeted by America and the EU through blatantly false propaganda and treacherous alliances with dark forces, and that most Americans are happy to be fed the lies, speaks more to our hollowness, than to any fault on the Russian side.


Ukraine - Another Perspective

Ancient Faith Radio via Pravoslavie — March 27, 2014

As we continue to follow the news in Ukraine, Ancient Faith Radio is committed to bring you a balanced perspective on the events and implications for the Orthodox Church. Today, Kevin Allen is speaking with Ukrainian expert and Orthodox Christian Mr James Jatras. Mr Jatras is a former US diplomat, US Senate staffer, and a member of the American Institute of Ukraine.

Listen to the Interview

Transcript:

Mr. Kevin Allen: This is Kevin Allen for Ancient Faith Radio, and I’m speaking with Mr. James G. Jatras. Jim is an Orthodox Christian, a former U.S. diplomat and U.S. Senate staffer, and a member of the American Institute in Ukraine. Jim, thank you for joining me on Ancient Faith Radio.

Mr. James Jatras: Thank you.

Mr. Allen: Jim, I’d like to begin by reading a short quote from a political analyst from Voice of Russia Radio on the current situation in Ukraine reflecting, I believe, the Russian position—maybe that should be in parentheses—and different from that of the West. Then [I’ll] follow up with a question. He said:

I think it (Ukraine) is a classical coup d’état. We should understand that what is going on is completely illegal and illegitimate. The whole situation is completely beyond the framework of law, and this is the worst development that we have seen in Ukraine during the last 25 years.

Jim Jatras, is it your view reflecting that of many inside Russia as well as many who support Russia’s interests, that the protests we’ve been seeing in Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, are, in fact, a classic coup d’étatand not a lawful transfer of power, and how would you describe the current situation in Ukraine?

Mr. Jatras: Well, I don’t think you’d have to be looking at it from a Russian perspective or even call it a coup d’état, which maybe it is, and it’s not like, for example, the military stepped in and swept aside the government, but I think there’s some very serious questions about the legality of this apparently now-successful revolution or takeover of the government under any concept of legality. Remember, this was a legally elected government. President Yanukovych was a legally elected president of Ukraine. I suppose legally one could argue that he still is and that this order, whatever it might be in Kyiv at the moment, does not have a legal basis.

Crimea’s joining to Russia is a victory over 'vicious circle of historical absurdity' — Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov)

... while America sows absurdity at home and abroad.

This observation by Archimandrite Tikhon should prompt some reflection over the epochal shift we are living through, as America is stripped of any cover of righteousness, and is exposed as being on the wrong side of history for all to see.

A shockingly weakened and marginalized America desperately tries to oppress and head off a morally, spiritually and globally resurgent Russia.

The brazenly anti-Christian Obama administration promotes godlessness, homosexuality, and abortion both at home and around the globe.

The Obama administration exports strife and revolution abroad, backing the Muslim Brotherhood Islamic extremist group in Egypt, Al Qaeda in Libya, Islamists in Syria, etc. U.S. support to these groups is essential to their efforts to destabilize and topple longstanding governments which, while no bastions of civil liberties, guaranteed stability and a measure of equal rights for Christians and other minorities.

Details are now emerging of U.S support for the Ukrainian 'Pravy Sektor' opposition, an amalgam of fascist, neo-nazi and ultra-nationalist groups, hostile to and openly threatening Russia.

Russia defends indigenous Christians in the Middle East and elsewhere in the Muslim world, whereas America supports barbaric Islamic extremist groups who slaughter and persecute Christians, in effect waging a proxy war against traditional Christians.

A senior American statesman screams at a Syrian Christian delegation and treats them shamefully, while consorting with Muslim jihadis who eat the organs of their slain enemies. Senator John McCain is merely a tragic symptom of America's corrupt, anti-Christian orientation.

St Luke, Archbishop of
Crimea and Simferepol

The re-baptized and renewed Russian Federation welcomes and restores a traditional Russian province through an open referendum, and it is "not by chance that Crimea joined Russia on the day of finding relics of St. Luka (Voyno-Yasenetsky), the Crimean Archbishop, whose main goal was standing for truth, 'in spite of the pressure, sufferings'.”

In other words, we have faith that the Lord's providential hand is directing events. As we approach the midpoint of Great Lent, it is time to embrace the Church's call to repentance and turn to Christ, Who alone can save us.



Crimea’s joining to Russia is a victory over 'vicious circle of historical absurdity', Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) believes
Pravmir — March 20, 2014
(Translation edited for English idiom and syntax.)

Moscow, March 19, Interfax – Secretary of the Patriarchal Council on Culture Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) considers Crimea’s inclusion in Russia a restoration of historical justice.

“It is a victory over the vicious circle of historical [absurdity] in which our people were involved,” Father Tikhon said on air the special edition of the Sunday Evening program at Rossiya-1 TV.

The priest stressed that day “was in no way a victory over Ukraine.”

He believes it important that we managed to preserve the unity of [the] canonical Russian Church in the territory of [the] former USSR and “it would be tested for durability.”