MINSK, 23 June (BelTA) – The liberation from the regime will be an eye-opening experience for the people of Ukraine, Ukrainian political commentator Yuri Podolyaka said in an interview with the V Teme [On Point] online project on BelTA's YouTube channel, BelTA has learned.
“The mood of people liberated from the regime is particularly indicative in the south of Ukraine. Information technology plays a huge role: as soon as the Ukrainian TV box is turned off and the Russian one is turned on, moods change rapidly. A new generation of people does not know history, does not think critically, their knowledge is fragmentary, their worldview can be easily changed and their minds are receptive to all kinds of nonsense. They were nurtured in Ukraine, including by Western partners. And today we see that with the help of the Russian TV box these people, who have hated Russia fiercely for several months, instantly change their minds and begin to love Russia. Sometimes you are simply amazed at how it can be,” said Yuri Podolyaka.
He believes that as the liberation from the regime continues, the population of Ukraine will rapidly begin to see things clearly. “Especially in the south and east of Ukraine, where pro-Russian sentiments have traditionally been very strong. And the veil that obstructed people's vision due to relentless information pressure will drop. Moreover, taking into account the problems that Kiev has, I think that even in the central part of Ukraine the outcome will be unexpected for those who believe that the Ukrainians will fight against the Russians to the end. It will not end this year,” the expert noted.
Yuri Podolyaka added that winter would bring a lot of positive changes in the way Ukrainians think of Russia. “There are two ways here: to be loved more than a rival, or to get a rival to be hated more. The chosen strategy seeks to let the Ukrainians ‘enjoy' their regime to the full, so that when Russia comes, the resistance will be smaller,” he said.
