Text of the Soviet directive “On Preventing the Mass Exodus of Peasants From Ukraine,”

'Crossection in Vinnitsya, 1939'. It shows the massacre made by Stalin when thousands of Ukrainian were killed during the Great Purge in 1937-1938. By William Kurelek (1927 -1977)

 

The following text is an English translation of a directive that lead to the deaths of over 3 million Ukrainians. In the 1930s Soviet agricultural policies combined with poor conditions for harvesting caused the collapse of agricultural production in many areas of the Soviet Union but especially in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Southern Russia. The population in the these areas went looking for food, often travelling vast distances on foot, some with their families others leaving them behind in the hope of sending food back. 

In the Russian Empire you required special papers to travel within the Empire, a sort of internal passport. This was kept by the Soviet Union, so what the starving were doing was illegal. It was also causing embarrassment and was a potential source of unrest. The document below is the official response from the Soviet authorities to this crisis. By refusing to let the starving leave they were condemned to die. This was remembered as the Holodomor, which comes from the Ukrainian for killing by starvation. Its been a mark on the legacy of Stalin and the Soviet Union for decades and is slowly being recognised internationally as a genocide.

 

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE CPSU (B)

COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS OF THE USSR

DIRECTIVE of January 22, 1933 No. 65/sh

IN CONNECTION WITH THE MASS EXIT OF PEASANTS OUTSIDE UKRAINE

January 22, 1933.

Rostov-Don, Kharkiv, Voronezh, Smolensk, Minsk, Stalingrad, Samara

N. 65/w

The Central Committee (b) and the Council of People's Commissars reported that a mass departure of peasants "for bread" to the Central Choir, the Volga, Moscow region, the Western region, Belarus began in Kuban and Ukraine. The Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR have no doubt that this departure of peasants, as well as the departure from Ukraine last year, was organized by the enemies of the Soviet power, Socialist-Revolutionaries and agents of Poland for the aim of campaigning "through peasants" in the northern regions of the USSR against collective farms and against the Soviet power in general. Last year, the party, Soviet and Chekist bodies of Ukraine missed this counter-revolutionary idea of the enemies of Soviet power. Last year there can be no repetition of last year's mistake.

The first one. The Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR prescribe the regional, regional executive committee and PP of the OGPU of the North Caucasus to prevent the mass departure of peasants from the North Caucasus to other regions and entry into the region from Ukraine.

Second. The Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of People's Commissars order the Central Committee of the CP(b)U, Balitsky and Redens to prevent the mass departure of peasants from Ukraine to other regions and entry to Ukraine from the North Caucasus.

Third. The Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of People's Commissars order the PP of the OGPU of the Moscow Region, the Central Emergency Committee, the Western Region, Belarus, the Lower Volga and the Middle Volga to arrest the "peasants" of Ukraine and the North Caucasus who have made their way to the north and after the counter-revolutionary elements are

Fourth. The Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of People's Commissars order the TO of the GPU Prokhorov to give an appropriate order under the TO system of the GPU.

Pre-Commarch of the USSR B. M. Molotov

Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) I. Stalin

(RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 11. D. 45. L. 109-109 ob.)

Directive of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR in connection with the mass departure of peasants outside Ukraine

January 23, 1933.

1.     ⁠Send the following directive to all regional committees and regional executive committees (see annex).

2.     ⁠To propose an authorized drug committee (i.e. Lavrishchev) and the South ZhOKTO GPU to immediately give instructions to all railway stations to stop selling tickets outside Ukraine to peasants who do not have a certificate of the RICs of departure or industrial and construction state organizations that they have been recruited for certain works outside Ukraine.

Secretary of the Central Committee of the CP(b)U M. Khataevich

Application Regional committees, regional executive committees

Mass trips of peasants to the Moscow and Western regions began from some regions of Ukraine following the example of last year. CCHO, Belarus 'for bread'. There are cases when the whole leaves almost all individuals and part of the collective farmers. There is no doubt that such mass trips are organized by the enemies of the Soviet power, Socialist-Revolutionaries and agents of Poland for the aim of campaigning 'through peasants' in the northern regions of the USSR against collective farms, against Soviet power. Last year, the party, Soviet and Chekist bodies of Ukraine missed this counter-revolutionary idea of the enemies of Soviet power. This year, this error should not be repeated.

The Central Committee of the CP(b)U and the Council of People's Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR offer:

1.     ⁠Immediately take decisive measures in each district to prevent the mass departure of individual collective farmers, based on the Balitsky directive sent through the GPU.

2.     ⁠Check the work of all kinds of recruiters of the slave force for export outside Ukraine, take it under strict control with the suspension from this work and the removal of all suspicious counter-revolutionary elements.

3.     ⁠To launch extensive explanatory work among collective farmers and individuals against unauthorized departures leaving the economy and warn them that if they go to other areas, they will be arrested there.

4.     ⁠Take measures to stop the sale of tickets outside Ukraine to peasants who do not have certificates of the RICs of the right to leave or industrial and construction state organizations that they have been recruited for certain work outside Ukraine. Relevant instructions are given through the IPNKPS and the transport GPU.

5.     ⁠Report no later than 6 p.m. on January 24 briefly the actual situation with the mass departure of peasants in your area.

Secretary of the Central Committee of the CP(b)U Khataevich

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR B. Chubar

 

 

Центральный Комитет ВКП(б)Совет Народных Комиссаров СССР
Директива от 22 января 1933 года № 65/ш
в связи с массовым выездом крестьян за пределы Украины

22 января 1933 г.

Ростов-Дон, Харьков, Воронеж, Смоленск,
Минск, Сталинград, Самара

N. 65/ш

До ЦКВКП(б) и СНК дошли сведения, что на Кубани и Украине начался массовый выезд крестьян «за хлебом» в ЦЧО, на Волгу, Московскую обл., Западную обл., Белоруссию. ЦК ВКП и Совнарком СССР не сомневаются, что этот выезд крестьян, как и выезд из Украины в прошлом году, организован врагами Советской власти, эсерами и агентами Польши с целью агитации «через крестьян» в северных районах СССР против колхозов и вообще против Советской власти. В прошлом году партийные, советские и чекистские органы Украины прозевали эту контрреволюционную затею врагов Советской власти. В этом году не может быть допущено повторение прошлогодней ошибки.

Первое. ЦК ВКП и Совнарком СССР предписывают крайкому, крайисполкому и ПП ОГПУ Северного Кавказа не допускать массовый выезд крестьян из Северного Кавказа в другие края и въезд в пределы края из Украины.

Второе. ЦК ВКП и Совнарком предписывают ЦК КП(б)У, Балицкому и Реденсу не допускать массовый выезд крестьян из Украины в другие края и въезд на Украину из Северного Кавказа.

Третье. ЦК ВКП и Совнарком предписывают ПП ОГПУ Московской обл., ЦЧО, Западной обл., Белоруссии, Нижней Волги и Средней Волги арестовывать пробравшихся на север «крестьян» Украины и Северного Кавказа и после того, как будут отобраны контрреволюционные элементы, водворять остальных в места их жительства.

Четвертое. ЦК ВКП и Совнарком предписывают ТО ГПУ Прохорову дать соответствующее распоряжение по системе ТО ГПУ.

	Предсовнарком СССР
	В. М. Молотов

	Секретарь ЦК ВКП(б)
	И. Сталин

(РГАСПИ. Ф. 558.Оп. 11. Д. 45. Л. 109-109об.)

Директива ЦК ВКП(б) и СНК СССР в связи с массовым выездом крестьян за пределы Украины

23 января 1933 г.

1. Послать всем обкомам и облисполкомам следующую директиву (см. приложение).

2. Предложить уполнаркомпути (т. Лаврищеву) и ЮЖОКТО ГПУ немедленно дать указания всем железнодорожным станциям о прекращении продажи билетов за пределы Украины крестьянам, не имеющим удостоверения РИКов о праве выезда или промышленных и строительных государственных организаций о том, что они завербованы на те или другие работы за пределами Украины.

	Секретарь ЦК КП(б)У
	М. Хатаевич

Приложение

Обкомам, облисполкомам

Из некоторых районов Украины начались по примеру прошлого года массовые выезды крестьян в Московскую, Западную обл. ЦЧО, Белоруссию 'за хлебом'. Имеют место случаи, когда цела покидаются почти всеми единоличниками и частью колхозников. Нет никаких сомнений, что подобные массовые выезды организуются врагами Советской власти, эсерами и агентами Польши с целью агитации 'через крестьян' в северных районах СССР против колхозов, против Советской власти. В прошлом году партийные, советские и чекистские органы Украины прозевали эту контрреволюционную затею врагов Советской власти. В этом году повторения этой ошибки не должно быть допущено.

ЦК КП(б)У и СНК УССР предлагают:

1. Немедленно принять в каждом районе решительные меры к недопущению массового выезда единоличников колхозников, исходя из разосланной по линии ГПУ директивы Балицкого.

2. Проверить работу всякого рода вербовщиков рабсилы на вывоз за пределы Украины, взять ее под строгий контроль с отстранением от этой работы и изъятием всех подозрительных контрреволюционных элементов.

3. Развернуть широкую разъяснительную работу среди колхозников и единоличников проти самовольных выездов с оставлением хозяйства и предостеречь их, что в случае выезда в другие районы, они будут там арестовываться.

4. Примите меры к прекращению продажи билетов за пределы Украины крестьянам, не имеющим удостоверений РИКов о праве выезда или промышленных и строительных государственных организаций о том, что они завербованы на те или иные работы за пределы Украины.

Соответствующие указания даны по линии ИпНКПС и транспортного ГПУ.

5. Сообщите не позже 6 час. вечера 24 января коротко фактическое положение с массовым выездом крестьян по вашей области.

	Секретарь ЦК КП(б)У
	Хатаевич

	Председатель СНК УССР
	В. Чубарь

Ukraine War Stories

 

 Ukraine has a large IT sector including game development. Many companies and teams have been disrupted and even destroyed by the Russian Federation's invasion in February 2022. It shouldn't be surprising that some of these game devs in Ukraine would turn to their skills and make something dealing with those events. Conflict creates an explosion in every other art form, protest music, graffiti, photography, novels and memoirs, and past conflicts do get depicted in video game form. Though its still rare for one to be made about an ongoing conflict in the early days of the fighting.

Ukraine War Stories (UWS) was released on Steam on the 18th of October by Starni Games. I was not familiar with them until last Winter, looking them up they seem to operate exclusively on the Steam platform and have previously released a series of games called Strategic Mind. Before tackling the game its best to address in the Elephant in the room. This game was made as propaganda to encourage sympathy for the people of Ukraine. Its released for free and has many language options, propaganda is a term that is loaded with negative associations, but it doesn't automatically mean its dishonest. The game is open about its intentions and point and view, and while the events and characters are fictional they all have basis in fact. On the game's start screen their is a page dedicated to showing the sources for all the events it depicts.

 Its open in its intentions, its transparent and shows the evidence it uses to inform narrative decisions. I don't have a problem with this. Ukrainians have a right to express themselves and deal with traumatic events in anyway they choose and the team working on this game have taken steps to ensure that the game is educational and stays close to accurate depictions of events. It at no point tries to present a "Russian" view of the conflict, but it doesn't have to. If a Russian game dev team wished to make such a game and they showed the same level of fact checking and transparency I wouldn't begrudge its existence.

UWS is a visual novel type of game with a simple resource and morale system, where the player progresses through three narrative scenarios set in three different parts of Ukraine, Hostomel, Bucha and Mariupol. These names should be enough to alert the player that they will be experiencing some horrific scenes, but just in case that isn't clear the game documents sexual violence, torture, psychological torture, and crimes against humanity and war. Its not a pleasant experience. I have completed all three scenarios at the time of writing this, there are multiple endings depending on choices and the management of resources but I don't want to play again, it left me feeling very raw and vulnerable.

The Russian characters unsurprisingly do not come across very well, they're all military and they're essentially brutal thugs. Unfortunately their behaviour tallies very closely with the sources and investigations into the conduct of the Russian military including in the towns and cities the game is set. I say unfortunately not because of the damage done to a nebulous concept of "honour" but because this means that while playing you are reminded that when a drunken Russian volunteer leer at a young woman, or a Kadyrovite (Chechen loyal to Chechen pro Russian leader Akhmat Kadyrov) beats a teenager for not answering a question he couldn't understand fast enough, these aren't like the zombies and mutants in a typical survival horror game, these scenes represent real events and real victims. If UWS had been made before the invasion I would've written it off as Ukrainian-ultra nationalist propaganda, but the links section and my own knowledge of the conduct of this war dispel that. 

To give just one example, in the Bucha episode of the game there is a collaborator who goes around talking to the Russian Armed Forces and was a supporter of the Russian World concept. He was based on a real person and his fate matches that of his real life counter part. If there had been no war and a game had this character I would scoff at how unbelievable it is that a person could walk through the rubble of his home town and praise and support an army that was seizing his neighbours, but it happened.

 There's an argument in games design that video games should always be enjoyable to play, UWS is an assault on that concept. I would not wish to make the acquaintance of anyone who would play this game for escapism or thrills. The characters while a little clunky at the beginning grow into human beings with complex thoughts and needs and no matter how good a player is at managing morale and resources they all go through a form of hell along with friends and loved ones. I suppose the question is why make this game? The developers of UWS use their Steam developer update system to keep their fans informed about conditions for civilians outside of the combat zone with their discussion of power cuts and having to source generators and heating for their building. The game is open about attracting support for Ukrainians, in addition to the page documenting their sources there is a `support UA` page that has links to many charities working to support refugees and other victims of the ongoing conflict. 

However, for me there is another reason why UWS deserves to be played, though I would recommend taking some precautions to prepare for it and keep in mind the extreme content it deals with. I'm fortunate enough not to know what its like to live under occupation, some of my family live in Northern Ireland during the Troubles so I have some knowledge of what that might look like, but in my own life I very rarely have to deal with the police and authorities never mind a conflict in my vicinity. This is unusual as many parts of the world are not so fortunate. In the UK and Europe we treat the people who face these horrific catastrophes very poorly. As societies we begrudgingly allow a minority of them safe harbour in our nations, donate through private and government agencies to organisations offering support closer to the battle lines, and use soft power to encourage the belligerent parties to eventually give peace a change through a drawn out process of de-escalation. 

Ukraine has been held up or criticised as an exception, and while its true that the level of direct support from the USA, UK and EU has been greater than other victims of aggression around the world I wouldn't say its been without drawbacks. In the UK while a home stay policy was implemented the government refuses to wave visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees a requirement that has delayed thousands from finding safety, and the EU is constantly struggling with certain member states (mainly Hungary) delaying or weakening its initiatives and support. And in general while sympathy remains high I've noticed that the tendency to view Ukrainians as somehow different from "normal people" remains as a source of distance.

But the ordinary people who suffer most from these crises are viewed as abstract numbers and burdens to be suffered. UWS offers an opportunity to close the distance a bit and see what an ordinary Grandfather, a teenage boy and a Doctor experience when nation states resort to naked force to achieve their ends. Since I have no direct experience to compare UWS too I can't say with certainty that it gets it 100% right, but it has left me thinking a lot more about people in Ukraine and other parts of the world a lot more than I do usually. Though I do know some Ukrainians from before the war so that has also helped me move beyond national categories and numbers on charts.

 The point I'm trying to make is that war is awful, and the injuries it creates go further and run deeper than most realise. But war continues to happen and yet much art dealing with war as a subject quite often glorifies and glamourises it. Especially in video games, some of my favourite games have you single handedly take on the entire armed forces of Bad-Guyania, without qualms. So, as horrible as games like UWS are to experience I think it occupies an important position. Its closer to This War of Mine in its effects and intentions and while it feels wrong to say I'm glad This War of Mine and Ukraine War Stories exist, since they were inspired by real atrocities and trauma, I think if we're every going to seriously challenge the system that encourages and perpetuates militarism and conflict works like them will play an important part in convincing the population that its important we do.

A quick note:

Steam Russia does not allow Ukraine War Stories to be accessed despite a full Russian language version being available. This is a great shame as I've seen what Russian official media and much of its unofficial Telegram channel media says about the conflict. Ukraine War Stories could do a lot to puncture that veil and expose a Russian audience to more information.

Conquest of Synthehol - Star Trek on Anarchism

 

 I've been watching Star Trek again, Season 3 episode Allegiance surprised me. I remembered liking bits of it but I'd forgotten a good chunk of it. The plot is an mystery involving the abduction of captain Picard. He finds himself in a sort of holding cell with three other abductees, meanwhile an imposter is giving strange orders on the Enterprise. 

Two parts of the episode stood out to me as being unusual. One of them was a line of dialogue Picard throws at the culprits of the kidnappings, "Imprisonment is an injury no matter how you justify it". Seeing a common argument of prison abolition on a network TV show was quite the surprise. The second surprise was that this episode examines Anarchism. The purpose of the abductions was to conduct an experiment to observe attitudes towards authority. Picard and his fellow prisoners were chosen as representatives of differing attitudes towards the concept.

 The prisoner representing Anarchism is Esoqq a member of the Chalnoth species, his people reject authority. Usually when Anarchism gets a little exposure in the mass media its as a cautionary tale about the dangers of Anarchy. Anarchism is shown to be a chaotic dog eats dog world a primitive social darwinist playground. Allegiance is a bit different. We do get the standard lamentation over the loss of law and governance, but that view point doesn't come from Picard or Starfleet, it comes from another prisoner Kova Tholl a Mizarian. Both the Chalnoth and Mizarian peoples appear for the first time in this episode, they're depicted as the polar opposite in values and philosophy. While the Chalnoth respect fighting and reject authority the Mizarians value peace so much that they always collaborate with the established authority, including their occupiers.

"My given name is Esoqq, it means fighter."
"I bet half the names in the Chalnoth language mean fighter."
"Mizarians, your names all mean surrender!"

Esoqq and Kova Tholl

Picard is essentially occupying the role of middle ground between the two extremes. Which is fairly typical of episodes of Science fiction. Though what surprised me is that of the two Esoqq is treated more charitably. 

The Alpha Qaudrents Errico Malatesta

Esoqq in his own words concedes that he has enemies and has killed some of them, and he also wields a nasty looking knife and he growls his lines. But of the two he's the more proactive one, he works with Picard on their escape attempts and his rejection of authority isn't the typical "Fuck you! I won't do what you tell me, whatever you tell me" caricature. Its more like he's open to working with others if he thinks it makes sense. A distinction betwee working with rather than for. He doesn't obey Picard he remains suspicious of him but can be reasoned with. Meanwhile Kova Tholl advocates capitulation and defends the unseen captors and extremely reluctantly gets involved. Even Picard the view point character for the audience displays an attitude of incredulousness that borders on open contempt when Tholl explains the Mizarian philosophy. "None! in the past 300 years of Mizarian history you've been conquered six times".

As far as popular programming goes this episode, once you get past the needle teeth and jagged dagger is a more nuanced look at Anarchism than most media even media that is consciously exploring political themese would do. It isn't perfect, Esoqq comes from what appears to be an extreme individualistic and violent place, but they have managed to develop space travel and have at least some knowledge and connections to the rest of the galaxy. Trek has a spotty record when dealing with politics in more substantial ways then moral criticism, I would put Alliegiance with its commentary on imprisonment, ethics and authority in the better half of the mix.