SOLIDARITY FOR KONONOVICH BROTHERS ACROSS EUROPE

PROTESTS IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS, THE KONONOVICH BROTHERS, ARE TAKING PLACE ACROSS EUROPE

Coordinated protests are taking place across Europe in support of the political prisoners, the Kononovich brothers, who are being threatened with reprisals by the Ukrainian fascist regime. Demonstrations have been held in Frankfurt am Main, Madrid, London, Prague, Paris and Marseille, with further protests expected in other major European cities.

On 18 March, a rally in defence of Mikhail and Alexander Kononovich was held in Frankfurt am Main in front of the Consulate General of Ukraine. The Kononovich brothers, themselves political prisoners, addressed the rally via video link. The demonstration was organised by the Communist Organisation (Kommunistische Organisation). In their address, they described their current situation and, speaking directly to consulate staff, stated that they would be held accountable under the law as accomplices to the crime and would not be able to hide in Europe.

On 19 March, the Madrid Platform against NATO and Bases called an emergency rally in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to Zelensky’s visit to Spain. The event aimed to express outrage at the Spanish government’s continued funding of the neo-Nazi Ukrainian regime. Participants held placards in defence of the Kononovich brothers and chanted: “Zelensky is a fascist and a terrorist!”

On 20 March, the Anti-Imperialist Front and the Popular Front, together with the organisation International Ukrainian Antifascist Solidarity, held an emergency protest outside the Ukrainian Embassy in London, demanding an end to all state repression against Mikhail and Alexander Kononovich and calling for guarantees of their safety.

Also on 20 March, Czech communists joined the international wave of solidarity with the Kononovich brothers. They delivered a letter from the Czech peace movement to the Ukrainian Embassy in Prague, protesting against the persecution of the brothers and demanding an immediate end to state-led harassment of individuals for their anti-fascist and communist views in Ukraine.

In Marseille, a rally was organised, with Organisation Communiste de France (OCF), Jeunes Communistes (JC), Union pour la Reconstruction Communiste (URC), and Anti-Imperialist Front France responding to the call for solidarity with the Kononovich brothers. Speeches were delivered expressing solidarity, while also addressing the Russophobia faced by communist organisations in France and the ways in which imperialist propaganda is exploiting the war between Ukraine and Russia to advance its own agenda. Activists reminded attendees that the Kononovich brothers have faced fascist repression by the Ukrainian state for four years, and that their situation is now more critical than ever, with their safety directly under threat.

In Paris, two separate actions took place. Firstly, the URC participated in a demonstration for political prisoners worldwide, where they spoke out and distributed leaflets in support of the Kononovich brothers as a symbol of repression against popular resistance globally. Secondly, the URC took part in a street meeting in northern Paris against war and imperialism, where activists set up an information stand to raise awareness about the case of the Kononovich brothers.

Gathering in Front of Ukrainian Embassy in Athens/Greece for Antifascist Brothers Kononovich took place on 23 March. According the urgent international call made by Anti-Imperialist Front and Initiative for 9th May for communist brothers Kononovich people of different organisations joined the call.

On the rally it was announced that Kiev regime, which backed by EU-US-NATO imperialism, must stop the repression and the threats for the life of brothers Kononovich; and that common anti-imperialist and anti-fascist struggle will be continued.

In addition to these demonstrations, a collective email was sent to the official authorities of Ukraine, calling for the immediate and full protection of Mikhail and Alexander Kononovich, as well as for measures to prevent any attempts at intimidation, coercion or repression.

The situation concerning the Kononovich brothers escalated a month ago when Alexander Kononovich was allegedly abducted by officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in front of a courthouse, immediately before a court session, in an attempt to send him to the front line. He was rescued later that same day. Following this, SBU officers reportedly met with the brothers and offered them a deal: guarantees of personal and financial security in exchange for participation in elections. They were told that refusal would result in the removal of their GPS monitoring bracelets without trial and their subsequent disappearance—that is, their murder.

The Kononovich brothers, recognising that participation in such elections would serve to legitimise what they describe as a fascist, neo-colonial regime in Ukraine, rejected the offer. Subsequently, on 16 March, their GPS bracelets were removed without a court order, exposing them to the risk of unpunished reprisals by the state and neo-Nazi groups.

Dozens of organisations and activists across Europe and around the world have mobilised in defence of the lives of the Kononovich brothers.