Brekhunenko20180619Khanna.html

Viktor Brekhunenko replies to Ro Khanna's letter attacking Ukraine

Brekhunenko20180619Khanna.pdf -- [3-pages, 2,473 KB]
Khanna20180423HolocaustIndustryLetter.pdf -- [8-pages, 665 KB]
SSD19411125OUN.pdf -- [1-page, 154 KB]
from
http://chtyvo.org.ua/authors/Kosyk/Ukraina_v_Druhii_svitovii_viini_u_dokumentakh_Zbirnyk_nimetskykh_arkhivnykh_materialiv_Tom_1_1941/

Will Zuzak analysis:
For the last year or so, there has been a concerted attack by the Russian propaganda machine and the Holocaust Industry to delegitimize Ukraine's independence.

A recent example, prompted Professor Viktor Brekhunenko, PhD. to respond to the derogatory letter sponsored by Congressman Ro Khanna and signed by 56 Members of Congress of the United States. (See the first 2 pdf files listed above.) He particularly takes issue with the demonization of OUN and UPA as "Nazi collaborators". He lists the following points:

(1) A Nazi order from November 25, 1941, demanding the arrest, interrogation and then peremptory execution of Stepan Bandera's followers. The crime was defying Hitler and declaring an independent Ukrainian state. (See the 3rd pdf file above.)

(2) Why would Ukraine today "glorify Nazi collaborators" when Hitler's entire purpose for WWII in Europe was to conquer, occupy and colonize Ukraine?
- On 30Jun1943, Heinrich Himmler commanded: "The word 'Ukrainian' is forbidden, now and for all time".
- On 14Jul1943, he expressly forbade any mention of "Ukrainian nationhood".
- In Nazi concentration camps Ukrainians were identified only as "Russians" or "Poles".

(3) Why would Ukraine today "glorify Nazi collaborators" if Ukraine suffered more human "losses" than any other nation in Europe?
- 5 million civilians, 2 million from Red Army, 2 million deported for slave labor in Germany.
- In 1945, Edgar Snow wrote that "No single European country suffered deeper wounds to its cities, its industry, its farmlands and its humanity" than Ukraine.

(4) It was Moscow, you will remember (or perhaps not) that was not only Hitler's premier collaborator, but partner, in triggering WWII?
- Most Ukrainians, especially those who fought in the ranks of OUN and UPA, did not choose between two tyrants and two totalitarian systems. America and the Western Democracies did.
- Ukrainians rejected both tyrants, fought both and were slaughtered by both.

(5) As soon as Operation Barbarossa [22Jun1941 invasion] was launched, rather than supporting the drive against the Soviets, the OUN, looking into the teeth of Germany's vaunted Sixth Army, declared Ukraine's sovereignty.

(6) The Gestapo rounded up the leading figures of the OUN along with Stepan Bandera and committed them to Sachsenhausen and other death camps.
- Stepan Bandera issued orders to his followers not to fall for the calls of the Gestapo to turn in Jews.
- Roman Shukhevych issued orders to shelter Jews. His wife sheltered Iryna Riechenburg 1942-1943, while he arranged transit documents for her as Iryna Ryzhko.

(7) Ukraine has implemented laws that will keep primary records of the past accessible to the public, Ukrainian and foreign. We here in the academic community are puzzled by the dearth of interest from the West, in the primary source materials provided by law and opened to students, scholars and media.
- Of the 88 visitors in 2016 and 91 visitors in 2017 to these KGB Archives, most were domestic students and scholars, and very few were from the West.

The reader is encouraged to read Mr. Khanna's original letter in the 2nd pdf file and Professor Brekhunenko's response in the 1st pdf file.