Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
Today marks 1,000 days since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine. This tragic milestone serves not only as a reminder of the immense human cost of imperialist ambitions but also as a stark question for the world: Do we stand with freedom, democracy, and sovereignty, or do we accept that authoritarian regimes can expand their power through violence?
Thousands of Ukrainians have already fallen victim to this aggression, over six million refugees have been scattered across the globe, and Ukraine’s population has decreased by a quarter. Yet this moment also highlights the extraordinary resilience of the Ukrainian people, who continue to resist a threat reminiscent of the darkest chapters of 20th-century history.
A Revival of Stalinist Tactics
The invasion of Ukraine is not an isolated incident but part of Putin’s broader imperial ambitions. To understand his motivations, we must look back at history—at the dreams of domination pursued by leaders like Stalin, Peter the Great, and Catherine the Great. Catherine the Great and Stalin expanded their empires through violence, fear, and the suppression of freedoms—the very same tactics Putin employs today.
The parallels between Putin’s strategies and Stalin’s brutal legacy are striking. From the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that divided Central and Eastern Europe, to the mass deportations and executions in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, Stalin left a trail of devastation under the guise of “protection.” Today, Putin uses similar rhetoric to justify his actions in Ukraine.
The Warning Signs Were There, But We Looked Away
Putin’s imperialist expansion began long before the invasion of Ukraine. Since 2008, around 20% of Georgia’s territory, including South Ossetia and Abkhazia, has been under Russian control. Additionally, the breakaway region of Transnistria in Moldova remains occupied by Russia. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, setting the stage for the current war in Ukraine. Yet the world turned a blind eye. Western nations could have heeded the warnings but chose to ignore them.
Why This Matters to Us
Countries like Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have long sounded the alarm against Russian imperialism. They remember the price of appeasement and silence in the face of aggression.
In Poland, between 1940 and 1941, roughly one million people were deported to Siberian labor camps. In 1940, nearly 22,000 Polish prisoners of war, officers, and police were executed in the infamous Katyn massacre. That same year, Stalin annexed Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, deporting 600,000 people from these nations to remote regions of the Soviet Union, including Siberia and Central Asia, between 1941 and 1953. Proportionally, this was equivalent to deporting half the population of the Netherlands.
These traumatic experiences have left Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland acutely aware of the dangers of Russian imperialism. As Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis put it: “The only way to stop Putin’s imperialist ambitions is to ensure the aggressor loses.” History has shown that a ceasefire without accountability only emboldens the aggressor.
Say No to Imperialism, Now and Forever
After 1,000 days, the choice is clear: either we strengthen the aggressor’s power, or we uphold the democratic values that unite the world. Ukraine’s fight is not just about sovereignty; it is about resisting a violent ideology that undermines freedom and human rights. Putin’s disdain for these fundamental values poses a direct challenge to all of us. Supporting Ukraine is not merely an act of solidarity—it is a rejection of imperialism and a commitment to a fairer, safer future. Let us honor Ukraine’s resilience and ensure that history does not repeat itself.
Image: taken in Vilnius, Lithuania ©communications-unlimited,nl
Author: Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska is an award-winning international journalist, TV correspondent, author, editor-in-chief of an international journalism center, the Central and Eastern Europe Center, board member, and sworn translator. She was born in Warsaw, Poland, and also has Armenian heritage and roots in Lviv, Ukraine.
