A-Infos (en) Russia, AIT: Military "anarchists" (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

We are publishing a translation of an article critical of 
pseudo-anarchists who call for support for participation in the war on 
the side of the Ukrainian state. It was published in the German 
anarchist anti-militarist newspaper Graswurzelrevolution. ---- Volunteer 
for war for the nation and democracy? The split among anarchists on the 
issue of war is growing. ---- A text circulating online since November 
clearly demonstrates how deep the gap has become between individuals, 
organizations, and media outlets that call themselves "anarchists." 
"Towards the Suppression of Eastern European Voices at Anarchist Events 
in the EU" reads the title of the complaint, written by the Solidarity 
Collectives and signed by numerous groups, collectives, and individuals. 
The list of signatures under the English-language version is longer and 
includes, among others, the Frankfurt FAU, the French CNTF, and such 
renowned authors as Peter Gelderloos and Philippe Kellermann.

The text complains that the anarchist milieu accuses those who 
voluntarily fight in the war with weapons in hand of "supporting the 
war." The following conclusions are drawn from this: "In recent years, 
numerous organizations and groups have emerged within the anarchist 
milieu that actively exclude the Solidarity Collectives, ABC-Belarus, 
and many other anarchist and anti-authoritarian organizations from 
public events or block their participation. Furthermore, numerous 
"statements" have been published condemning the work of these groups and 
their support for the Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion. 
This behavior is often based on a distortion of the positions held by 
activists from Eastern Europe on the war. Anarchists are accused of 
becoming militarists, supporting the war, or being insufficiently 
critical of the Ukrainian state."

The very surprise that anyone could impede support for Ukrainian 
nationalism against Russian nationalism is striking. Clearly, there has 
been no consensus in contemporary anarchism regarding what constitutes 
states and nations. The text not only euphemistically refers to 
"Ukrainian resistance against Russian invasion" (and what else is war? 
One state attacks, another counters with military force), but also 
glosses over the fact that as recently as August 2025, the "Solidarity 
Collectives" attempted to disrupt an event by the Kharkiv-based 
"Assembly" collective. In a statement issued in connection with this, 
the "Solidarity Collectives" and their supporters were convincingly 
characterized as what they are-"anarcho-militarists" ( 
https://communaut.org/de/von-winnyzja-bis-berlin ).

Aren't deserters and opponents of military service (from all warring 
parties) and all those who refuse to die or kill for either side in this 
war "Eastern European voices"? Or is the identity card only played when 
it comes to positions that fit into one's own worldview? Or is memory so 
short that no one can remember the rather unceremonious treatment of 
consistent opponents of the war in Saint-Imier? ( 
https://www.graswurzel.net/gwr/2023/09/ueber-militarisierung-ukrainesolidaritaet-und-luegengebaeude/ 
)

"We do not see any support for war or state militarism in any form in 
the work of the Solidarity Collectives and the ABC-Belarus," the text 
continues. "Furthermore, we categorically condemn any attempt to isolate 
anarchist collectives from Eastern Europe on the issue of resistance 
against the military expansion of the Russian regime."

On the one hand, this is untrue, and on the other, it contradicts what 
is subsequently asserted in the same breath. Anyone who was at the 
"Marches of the[Russian]Opposition" in Berlin in November 2024 ( 
https://knack.news/11396 ) and in December 2025 could have seen the 
"anarchist bloc" that demanded arms supplies to Ukraine 
(https://www.woz.ch/2447/russische-opposition/fuer-ein-ende-des-imperiums/!9X2WQR4WY911). 
It is clear that a military victory over Russia requires ever more 
weapons production, weapons supplies, and the use of weapons. And above 
all, ever more people are needed who will allow themselves to be 
senselessly destroyed in the struggle between various capitalist states. 
With anarchist, feminist, socialist, religious, liberal, conservative, 
or fascist justifications. It doesn't matter in the end, the main thing 
is that they are armed, trained and available for combat.

Anyone seeking a military victory over Putin shouldn't be interested in 
their comrades from right-wing volunteer units being killed in battle: 
it reduces their own firepower. For anyone on the Russian side who 
believes they are fighting "against fascism," it's equally unthinkable 
to even consider neutralizing "private military companies" or the Rusich 
group. Where national sovereignty is at stake, political camps instantly 
close ranks. War is a national matter, and citizens of the state must 
not place their special interests or party preferences above it. And you 
are participating in this.

Perhaps the "anarchists" who go to war as part of the Ukrainian army 
convince themselves that they are fighting and killing not for the 
state, but for the people. But that doesn't make things any better. "The 
people" is a coercive community. The Ukrainian people exist because the 
Ukrainian state exists, not the other way around. The same applies to 
Russians, Belarusians, and any other "people," however defined-by 
origin, language, culture, or citizenship.

As long as capitalism exists as a global system, there will be countries 
like Sudan and Syria, Ukraine and Armenia, Greece and Bolivia. We cannot 
approach the world everywhere as we do in rich countries. The way the 
European Union and NATO, Russia and China treat countries like Ukraine 
is clear: the local population, the land, and everything that grows on 
it or can be extracted from it must be at the service of increasing 
capital's wealth. It is unclear which capital-Russian or German, 
American or Chinese-will subsequently show interest in this or will 
believe that all this can be obtained more cheaply in another sovereign 
state. It is clear that countries with strong economies are increasingly 
interested in areas beyond their own borders for their own economic 
growth. The entire world of sovereign states must provide markets, 
production sites, and investment opportunities for their capital. This 
is where the interests of states converge. Capitalist growth is 
unthinkable without violence between states. Unless we reach theoretical 
agreement on this issue, joint practice is impossible and pointless. 
Anyone who is outraged by Putin's violence against Ukraine but fails to 
recognize that the dictates of austerity are also violence has 
understood nothing about capitalist domination. Anyone who believes that 
Russia's imperial aspirations must be stopped while simultaneously 
accepting the subordination of the world to the interests of 
democratically governed capitalist states as the norm is no better than 
someone who attributes something "anti-imperialist" to the imperialism 
of Russia or China. Those who are willing to "understand Putin" and 
those who advocate arms sales are two sides of the same coin. Drawing a 
dividing line between them is not dogmatism. Clearly, the goals pursued 
here are entirely different.

Organizations like the Belarusian ABC have taken a very clear position. 
Armed struggle for the "lesser evil" is perceived as providing 
experience, praised in every possible way, and turned into the main 
point of demarcation from those who "do nothing in practice." While the 
state rounds up young men seeking to evade military service, we should 
focus on the "heroism" of a small group of anarchists, not support 
deserters and draft dodgers on all sides of the conflict. They know full 
well that they alone are incapable of resisting an invading army.

At the same time, the Dresden ABC doesn't skimp on propaganda: "You can 
be Sahra Wagenknecht, who is against the war and for the Russian empire. 
You can be a Russian soldier who takes up arms against the war in 
Ukraine, commits genocide, and kills hundreds of innocent people because 
he believes that peace can only be achieved through the complete 
annihilation of the Ukrainian people. You can be a Western left-wing 
intellectual who is against the war because it's written in books, but 
in reality, for him, social revolution and war are just words devoid of 
any meaning" 
(https://abcdd.org/2023/10/24/keine-verwendung-fur-solche-leute-weder-in-den-schutzengraben-noch-im-kampf-fur-eine-andere-welt/) 
(However, in recent years, we have learned that these simple words can 
be interpreted differently, depending on what part of the world or 
political camp people come from).

But why is a nation-state suddenly better than an empire? How do you 
know that Russia seeks the "total annihilation of the Ukrainian people"? 
Fighting and killing at the behest of a Ukrainian state that must be 
reformed to adapt to the global market-what does that have to do with 
social revolution?

Yes, Alexander Kolchenko, who also signed this appeal, was in a Russian 
prison. No one can criticize him for opposing Putin's rule. But it's 
time we seriously discuss the fact that he sang the Ukrainian national 
anthem and shouted "Glory to Ukraine!" at his trial. "National 
anarchism" under the Ukrainian or any other national flag is nothing 
other than solidarity with people suffering because of Russian policies. 
If you believe that a nation state is a good response to discrimination, 
we should agree on what exactly "domination" means.

There's also no shortage of Eastern European voices in favor of 
continuing the war at any cost in the public sphere, including some 
"anarchist" ones. Maksym Butkevych, who became an anarchist officer in 
the Ukrainian army, travels across Europe campaigning for arms supplies 
(https://www.woz.ch/2506/maxim-butkewitsch/dann-macht-man-sich-mitschuldig/!66MN2JPV7AB2). 
Green Party politician Marina Weisband considers herself "an anarchist 
at heart," but for her, this means a concrete insistence on war to the 
bitter end ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpg0KUmgRo ).

Enough. Please don't tell us about "privileges" and "westsplaining" 
while deserters are being killed at the border in Ukraine 
(https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article252528332/Ukrainischer-Deserteur-15-Kilometer-vor-Grenze-erschossen.html 
. ).

Alexander Ametistov

Graswurzelrevolution. 2026. Nr. 506. Februar. S. 21.

https://aitrus.info/node/6362
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