In violation of international law on Thursday February 24, the Russian armed forces attacked an independent sovereign country of the Ukraine. In a pretext for the invasion, Vladimir Putin claimed NATO’s expansionism in Russia’s neighbouring country may impede on the security of Russia, when it is in fact about the Ukrainian people’s pivoting toward Western European democracies, and the EU in 2014. It is also about self- determination and territorial integrity; the two most fundamental principles of the UN and of international law that has been flagrantly violated. This is even though the UN Charter, Chapter 1, Article 2, clous 4, states: “members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
The root of the tension between Russia and Ukraine goes back to the collapse and disintegration of the Soviet Union, which resulted in Ukraine gaining its independence and sovereignty as a member state of the UN. In early 2014, mass protests in Kiev engulfed all of Ukraine, resulting in the ousting of pro-Moscow President Viktor Yankovic. However, a few years later, the people democratically elected Mr. Zelensky as their president with a majority vote of more than 70 percent. Mr. Putin, retaliated by attacking the Crimean Peninsula, while separatists from both provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk declared autonomous republics. All these events have served as a pretext for Vladimir Putin to order Russian armed forces to attack the Ukraine in order to subjugate it to Russia.
Furthermore, Putin’s support for authoritarian governments in the Middle East has encouraged war in Syria and the creation of paramilitaries in the region with rhetoric of anti-West agenda, devastating people’s human rights. Likewise, the Islamic Republic’s gravitational move toward “the East” is about aligning themselves with the anti-democratic authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China, both of whom have their Head of State “elected” for life.
Tyrants and dictators have used peoples’ passions and sentiments to justify their aggression and violent ways. When that fails, they resort to the manufacturing of facts, misinformation, and false narratives. Putin, Xi and Khamenei have been using these devious means to hold on to power. The free world, however, is standing up against these dark forces today and saying enough is enough.
Therefore, Iran Transition Council (ITC) firmly condemns the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. The ITC also condemns Khamenei for its ideology of move toward “the East” and denying the Iranian people opportunity to elect a democratic government to govern Iran.
History will remember those who have sided with freedom and liberty for their people, and also those who have sided with tyranny and bondage.
Iran Transition Council (ITC)
3 March 2022
