Ukraine War Day #72: The Ukrainians Took Grandma

Dear Readers:

I have some sad news for pro-Russians: The Ukrainian Nationalists have kidnapped the beloved “babushka” (grandma) who became the symbol of the anti-Ukrainian resistance.

Recall that this woman (she actually has a name! it’s Anna Ivanovna Ivanova) became a symbol to the Russian people after a simple incident, in which she went out to meet Ukrainian soldiers approaching her home in one of the Kharkov suburbs. Being old and partly blind, she mistook them for Russians, and went out to greet them carrying a replica of the Soviet Victory Banner. “Russian soldiers, how have I have waited for you! How I have prayed for you!” she exclaimed. The young Ukrainian soldiers mocked her and trampled on her banner, but at least they didn’t harm her. She allegedly scolded them: “This is the flag for which my ancestors died.”

Artists from Vladikavkaz painted this mural in the town of Mozdok, Northern Ossetia

After that incident was recorded on the internet, Anna became a symbol of hope and endurance for the Russian people. What with the war, and Victory Day (May 9) fast approaching, Russian patriotic emotions are at a fever pitch. And this one small woman seemed to be at the heart of it all. The embodiment of Mother Russia herself. The image of her feat has been depicted on paintings, murals and even sculptures, all over Russia. Artists all over the country vied with one another to best capture the moment. It was expected that something on this theme would be presented during the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

Against this background, there were occasionally expressed some concerns about Anna’s safety. After all, she still lives in Ukrainian-controlled territory. Russian troops are approaching Kharkov and expected to take it eventually, but that might take time. Some bloggers have questioned whether Russian Special Ops might send a team to rescue her. According to other bloggers (possibly just rumors), the Russians did indeed send a team to her house, promising to evacuate her; but she refused to leave, saying she had too many cats to take care of. [Which means, she is a cat person!] If this is true, then it shows, sadly again, the lack of planning on the Russian side: Special ops guys should have showed up with 20 animal cages. In addition to cats, Anna also has a husband, but people don’t talk about him very much.

Then They Took Her

I have this piece by reporter Rafael Fakhrutdinov, explaining what happened next, his main source is a Telegram channel called Makarenko Donetsk: So, the Ukrainian army shelled Anna’s house, and then, as is their wont, blamed Russia for the shelling. Anna was not killed, possibly received light injuries. She was evacuated to a hospital in Kharkov. Where the Ukrainians proceeded to work her over as they would a hostage, attempting to get her to say some anti-Russian stuff. But this is the best they could get out of her: “I wish I weren’t so famous. I wish there had not been a war. I simply thought it was a good idea to greet the Russians when they came. I meant to ask them to stop bombarding these places, and to solve all these issues in a peaceful manner.” Apparently there is a video of her saying these things [I don’t know where to find it online], and the reporter adds that her words are greeted with mocking laughter by the Ukrainian soldiers who are present [in her hospital room??]

The really sad thing is that the Ukrainian Nationalists are so out of touch with reality, so drunken with their own illusions of power; that they believe they have cancelled out a major Russian propaganda victory. It’s like those serial killers that you see on TV: They are so narcissistic that they believe people will admire their “work” when they gut a corpse, instead of recoiling in horror, which is what normal people do at such spectacles. How many people are going to admire the Ukrainian soldiers for putting the screws to a scared and possibly injured old lady who doesn’t agree with their political views? Only people who are likely sociopaths themselves, I would reckon. People with normal emotions and human feelings are bound to feel shocked and appalled. Well, I reckon this is a litmus test, of sorts.

P.S. – they also took popular Ukrainian blogger Shariy, I’ll try to get to that tomorrow.