A Ukrainian manifesto calling for the total eradication of Russian culture in the country has collected over 60 signatures in two weeks, the organizers of the initiative have announced.

High-profile figures who support the ultranationalist text include Aleksandra Matviychuk, whose human rights group was a co-recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. MP Vladimir Vyatrovich, former director of the influential Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, is also among the signatories.

The text was first revealed on October 9 during a forum of ‘Kulturnastup’ (short for ‘cultural offensive’), an advocacy group that calls the armed conflict with Russia a war for Ukrainian national identity. Matviychuk and Vyatrovich both took part in the event.

“The cultural-informational space is the most important battlefield, and an aggressive cultural policy is needed for our victory,” the document states.

Russian language, literature, music, and cinema “have strong destructive impact on the entire world,”including Ukraine, it claims, and failure to oppose them “is dangerous and unacceptable.” The ultimate goal of the policy it requires from the government is “irreversible ouster of Russian culture from Ukraine.”

Kiev can push private businesses and society in general towards a “new reality,” in which Ukrainian books, films, music, and online content dominate at home and successfully compete with Russian counterparts in third nations, the group believes.

The government in Kiev has adopted a number of laws aimed at pushing Russian language and culture out of the public sphere, including school education and the media. These include mandatory quotas for Ukrainian-language content and direct bans on the use of other languages.

The Russian language has been historically spoken throughout the territory currently controlled by Kiev and was dominant in the eastern and southern parts. The society in independent Ukraine was closely integrated into wider Russian culture.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky was a popular comedian in both his home country and Russia, before being elected president in 2019 and making a sharp turn towards nationalism. His sketches and movies were produced in the Russian language. On the campaign trail, Zelensky criticized people who sought to impose the Ukrainian language on the entire country.

Moscow has accused Kiev of yielding to radical nationalists, who played a key role in the 2014 armed coup in Ukraine, by adopting the discriminatory laws. Respect for the rights of all minorities is a key Russian demand in the Ukraine conflict.

https://www.rt.com/russia/606251-ukrainian-ban-russian-culture/

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Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a meeting of leaders at the BRICS Summit in Kazan on Wednesday. In his speech, he focused on the growing role and prospects of the economic group, and warned about the risks to the global economy from Western sanctions and protectionist policies.

Putin also announced Russia’s initiatives within the BRICS framework, including the formation of a grain exchange and a new investment platform.

Here are the key takeaways from the president’s address.

Multipolar world order being formed

World trade and the global economy as a whole are undergoing significant changes, the Russian president told the extended-format BRICS meeting. The center of business activity is gradually shifting towards developing markets, he added. “A multipolar model is being formed, which is launching a new wave of growth, primarily due to the countries of the Global South and East – and, naturally, the BRICS countries.”

Leading role of BRICS

The BRICS economies have been demonstrating “sufficient stability” due to responsible macroeconomic and fiscal government policies, the Russian leader said, noting accelerated growth rates are expected in the medium term. Putin cited preliminary estimates that average BRICS country economic growth in 2024-2025 will be 3.8%, compared to global figure of 3.2-3.3%.

The BRICS countries’ share of global GDP in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) will amount to 36.7% by the end of 2024 and will continue to expand, Putin predicted. Meanwhile, the share of the Group of Seven (G7) leading Western economies is projected to account for slightly above 30%.

“The trend for the BRICS’ leading role in the global economy will only strengthen,” Putin said, citing population growth, capital accumulation, urbanization, and increased labor productivity, accompanied by technological innovations as key factors.

West’s unilateral sanctions and debt burden

The Russian president warned of a potential new global crisis, citing the growing debt burden in developed countries, unilateral sanctions, and protectionist policies as key threats. “These factors are fragmenting international trade and foreign investment, particularly in developing nations,” Putin said.

He also pointed to high commodity price volatility and rising inflation, which are eroding incomes and corporate profits in many countries. Putin’s remarks also highlighted concerns over escalating geopolitical tensions and their impact on global economic stability.

New BRICS investment platform as a powerful tool

The Russian leader said that to fully realize the potential of the BRICS countries’ growing economies, the member states should intensify cooperation in areas such as technology, education, resources, trade and logistics, finance, and insurance, as well as increasing the volume of capital investment many times over.

“In this regard, we propose creating a new BRICS investment platform, which would become a powerful tool for supporting our national economies and would also provide financial resources to the countries of the Global South and East,” Putin said.

BRICS-based grain exchange 

The Russian leader proposed a common BRICS grain exchange to protect trade between members from excessive price volatility. BRICS countries are “among the world’s largest producers of grain, vegetables, and oilseeds,” he noted. Such a bourse could be expanded to trade in other major commodities such as oil, gas and precious metals, Putin said.

The initiative is aimed at protecting national markets from negative external interference, speculation and attempts to cause artificial shortages of food products, according to Putin.

AI alliance of BRICS

Putin also proposed a BRICS AI alliance to regulate the technology and prevent its illegal deployment. “In Russia, the business community has adopted a code of ethics in this area, which our BRICS partners and other countries could join,” Putin noted.

Other proposals

The president also spoke about increasing transport connectivity between BRICS countries, saying this could provide additional opportunities for growth and diversification of mutual trade.

“Such promising projects as the formation of a permanent BRICS logistics platform, preparation of a review of transport routes, opening of an electronic communications platform for transport, and establishment of a reinsurance pool are being discussed,” Putin said.

The issues related to the transition of the global economy to low-emission development models are very important, according to the Russian president. The BRICS contact group on climate and sustainable development is closely involved in this work and will continue to counteract attempts by some countries to use the climate agenda to eliminate competitors from the market, he said. “We consider the initiatives on the BRICS partnership on carbon markets and the climate research platform to be promising,” Putin concluded.

https://www.rt.com/news/606245-brics-integration-putin-address/

SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOeCBtMJMP8

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bRT5B6aL8s

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.