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I do think genocide is happening in Ukraine.

Snyder mentions that it never feels like a genocide from the outside (where we are). He mentions his time in Kiev, and how he saw all this writing calling Ukrainians the devil. Ukrainians are constantly told that they don't/ shouldn’t exist. Their children are being kidnapped and 4 million Ukrainians have been deported according to Russian boasts. Russia has made it clear that their intentions are to get rid of the Ukrainian people/ identity, and the effects on Ukraine speak even louder.

According to International Law, something is genocide when one of a multitude of criteria is met. Russia meets more than one of the criteria quoted by Snyder. Russia was definitely involved in the killing of a people. Russia was definitely were involved in causing bodily/ mental harm to Ukrainians. Russia definitely deliberately destroyed Ukrainian way of life. There are so many more pieces of criteria met.

The quote from the Russian State Television is referred to twice (once at the beginning and once in the middle) because it so clearly shows Russia’s genocidal intent. They want to obliterate all Ukrainians. Russia wants all of its people to hate Ukrainians. They want to drown Ukrainian children in the raging river. Snyder said that this evidence of intent is so overwhelming that it makes people more lenient about their definitions of genocide.

The 2nd classification (Apologetic) Snyder refers to provides some interesting insight as to why genocide is happening in Ukraine. He says that if you deny a crime, you are affirming it and are implying that you want it to happen again. With an example being how neo-nazis deny the holocaust. He connects this to Russia because they said that the taking down of Ukrainian monuments was just nature. They don’t acknowledge the evils of the past, because they intend to cause them again.

The metaphysical classification is an interesting piece of evidence. The idea is that there is always metaphysical reasoning/justification from those who commit genocide. With Hitler, it was that the jews create mental illness. With the Russians, they believe Ukrainians don’t know who they are because they are mentally ill Russians. Further than that, many Russians believe Ukrainians are possessed by the devil. A Russian soldier said that one can try to exorcize the devil out of Ukrainians but the next step would be to simply kill them. Putin said that Russia and Ukraine should be one because it is willed by God.

Everyone individually could at the very least educate themselves. They should understand that what is going on in Ukraine IS a genocide. They should understand the weight of the situation, and stay up to date with it. The world should be ready to accept refugees, and make it easy for them. The world should make it known that Ukraine exists and that its national identity exists and that their people exist and are human.

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Yes, I definitely believe what's happening in Ukrain is genocide and is being perpetrated by the Russians. The occurances in Ukraine 100% apply to the definition of genocide. Russians have the intention to essentially wipe out Ukrainians by assimilating them into Russia or killing those that refuse. There is plenty of evidence to claim that Russia is trying to exterminate Ukrainians. Snyder mentioned that a Russian offical proclaimed that they plan and want to kill Ukrainians. Along with this fact, hand fulls of fertile Ukrainian women are being deported and sent into Russia to have Russian children so that there cannot be any future Ukrainian generations to be born. Not only has Russia said and done these things but they are also threatening and trying to disable Ukraine's access to water and gas lines which will leave millions struggling this winter. There have also been countless targeted attacks on Ukraine. Missiles, bombs, soldiers, and even drones have been sent to destroy homes and buildings. There is more than enough evidence to argue Russia is commiting genocide against the Ukrainian people. Genocide is defined as the deliberate killing of a group of people becasue they are who they are. Russia is purposefully murdering Ukrainian citizens because of their ethnicity. What we as a country or other countries can do is aid Ukraine. Supply medicines, first aid, shelter, refuge in our own countries. It's difficult to directly support Ukraine in fighting off Russia without causing a world war. But seeing as America has one of the top militaries in the world, we should be doing more.

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Yes 100% it is genocide. The very fact that a soldier mentioned slaughtering them all for being Ukrainian makes it so.
- They are raping for trauma to stop the births of Ukrainians, and killing women who wont have russian babies. They are stealing children and deporting them into russian families and destroying culture.
-Shutting off supplies to the Ukraine was very hostile and was with malicious intent, keeping them isolated and vunerable.
-The russians are trying to replace the Ukraine with themselves and trying to get rid of them all because they are scared the ukrainians are replacing them.
- Putin is dehumanizing them, saying they don't even exist and are just mentally ill people that are being mislead by everyone else.
We should help supply the ukraine with all supplies lost from the russians, give aid and shelter to all refugees and make sure people are aware of whats going on, not just the war but all of it.

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I think what is happening no doubt can be classified as genocide perpetrated by the Russians. As Snyder emphasized many times, the problem with identifying this as genocide is not the lack but the abundance of evidence, which makes us raise the standard of “enough evidence”. In legal terms, the events in Ukraine apply to the definition of genocide, and Russians have not been reserved about their intentions to wipe out Ukrainians altogether. We have endless evidence of both action and intent, but we still feel distanced enough to stay in denial.

One compelling piece of evidence was the “ethnic cleansing” of Ukrainians through deportation. Around 10% of the population of Ukraine was deported, which is a very significant number. This truly puts into perspective the scale at which this genocide is taking place. The purpose of deporting Ukrainians is also partly to prevent births of Ukrainians, which is part of the definition of genocide, and is not something I took into account. Fertile Ukrainian women are scattered across Russia after being taken away, to lessen the continuation of Ukrainians as a group as much as possible. A particularly powerful piece of evidence for the intention of Russia is the quote from Russian state television, which is operated by the president. With this quote, and others like it, the president made it clear that the goal was to completely eradicate Ukrainians. The language that the president and Russian media uses dehumanizes Ukrainians and portrays them as an obstacle that should be broken down by sheer force. Another piece of evidence was the deliberate creation of bad conditions to destroy Ukraine, through cutting off access to water and electricity over the winter. The notion Russians have is that if targeted killing did not wipe out Ukrainians, then the cold, thirst, and starvation certainly would. This tactic slowly drains Ukraine of all of their resources, which we know is for the purpose of demolishing its structure and population. Lastly, the colonial language that Russia and Putin specifically uses displays their justification for the genocide they are committing. The concept Putin is pushing that Ukraine simply does not exist, and Russia and Ukraine were always united, allows erasure of Ukrainian history and culture, since they wouldn’t be viewed as significant if they did not exist. The war crimes directed against Ukrainians could be brushed off because after all, Ukrainians don’t actually exist, according to Putin. As to what we must do to support Ukraine, at an individual level we must acknowledge that what is happening is indeed genocide, instead of distancing ourselves from the truth. We must do our research into this crisis, and advocate for U.S. support of Ukraine. The abundance of misinformation in U.S. media must be countered, and more attention should be brought to the severity of the ongoing events in Ukraine. At a national level, the U.S. must take more steps to intervene. Snyder makes a good point that when we say there must not be genocide going on because we are the type of nation to intervene when that happens, we are actively being that type of nation. I do not know of many specific and strategic actions the government could take, but in general, the U.S. should make more efforts to supply basic necessities to Ukraine.

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What is happening in Ukraine is absolutely genocide. The Russian government knows exactly what they're doing and has even communicated some of its intentions.
-In the opening and closing of his speech Snyder quotes a Russian official who is exclaiming that they want to kill all Ukrainians.
-Snyder also discussed what it was like to be in Ukraine and living in an abandoned school building that was once occupied by Russian soldiers. This building was riddled with graffiti and portrayed the absolute hatred that some Russians have toward Ukrainian people.
-Snyder makes connections to the Holocaust by quoting Russian officials that have denied the existence of Ukrainian people. Claiming that they have been brainwashed into thinking Ukraine exists and that they are actually Russian and "always have been".
-Russia has always been very violent with Ukraine first taking the Crimean peninsula and ethnically cleansing the native people. The Russian government seems to be trying to do the same with Ukraine now.
Overall it is very clear that the Russian government has waged a genocidal war against Ukraine. As Russia is trying to shut off Ukraine's access to necessities this winter, such as water and oil, I think the rest of the world should work together to try and fulfill their needs that have been taken away by the Russian government. We should also stand with Ukraine and keep supporting them through this war. Although I do not agree with war, I do stand by self-defense and that is what Ukraine has been subject to bloody and violent self-defense. Therefore I think that countries should keep supplying Ukraine with the necessary means to fight Russia and take back their land and freedom. Countries that can support it should also take in refugees and help them whilst they are being displaced and provide a welcoming environment where they can reside until they can go home. Showing Ukraine that the world stands with them, helping to counteract the damage Russia has done & is trying to do, supplying them with means to keep fighting, and supporting refugees will help Ukraine without causing direct issues with Russia and creating a larger issue/war.

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Yes, there is no doubt that there is not only war happening in Ukraine, but also genocide. From language in the media and our lack of a humanitarian lens on the War in Ukraine, we have ignored this fact.

Measures to prevent births: Russian soldiers are raping Ukrainian women, from age 4 to age 80. Furthermore, Ukrainian children are being taken from their homes to be adopted by Russians. This is being used as a weapon of genocide to wipe out the traditions and cultures to children. These young people will grow up without their culture now, which means that while the future of the Ukrainian community falls upon them, they won’t be able to celebrate it. This is a parallel to how colonizers in America and the American government up to the 20th century would forcibly take Indigenous peoples from their homes and place them into white homes.

Systematic torture. During their control of Ukrainian areas, Russian soldiers systematically torture Ukrainians. Many Ukranians were taken in prison, and they were subject to electrocution, beatings, and mutilation. Here, Russian soldiers also would gang 🤬 Ukranian women.

Apologism. “By denying a specific crime, you affirm a specific crime.” The Russians took down monuments of the Holodomor, a politically instituted murder of Ukranian people by famine in the 1930s, where  . By taking down the monument, Russia sends the message that people do not need to know the crime they committed and that we should forget that it ever happened — to disregard the millions of people who died and to not acknowledge that this is history repeating itself.

Narcissism. You can always find an excuse to do something bad — and Putin is saying this through Russian propaganda and positioning himself as a savior of “de-satanizing” and “de-Nazifying” Ukraine. The Russians might view the War in Ukraine completely differently due to the information that they are getting that seems to place Putin in a positive light.

If there is any way we can connect with people in Ukraine and have them share their experiences with us and what they need us to do, I think that would be the first step to action.

On a larger scale, I believe that the US and NATO should be providing more support to Ukraine in terms of military affairs and diplomatic negotiations and to set a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Russian-oil-using countries need to switch to renewable energy so that they no longer need to rely on their oil. Countries currently friendly with Russia to any degree should cut off ties — even for economic and political matters — such as Turkey and China. The fact that the US and NATO have the resources to do so, but the war is pro-longed because they aren’t bringing enough help, is not a good reason.

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Yes, what is happening in Ukraine IS genocide perpetarted by the Russians (the Russians who support this). I’ve been following the Ukrainian vs Russian war since it has gone viral on social media and although I never thought of it a genocide then, there is no doubt that it is one. Similarly to many others, I thought a genocide was “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group” and in wars I never thought as farly as the thought that this could be a genocide. While I never supported any of Russia’s actions, I would’ve never classified what they were doing as a genocide until now because of Synder’s reasonings:

1. Intentional Killings: The number of Ukrainian citizens being killed by Russia's bombs, missiles, and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, hospitals, and schools are in the 100,000s. Cities are being destroyed as a result of the destruction of their energy and water resources. Thousands more people die every year as a result of executions, death pits, plane bombings, targeted killings of political activists, torture chambers, and even explosions of hospitals and schools. These killings are targeted and in an attempt to destroy Ukraine and kill its people.

2. Dehumanizing: Putin also consistently uses language that is dehumanizing which is understood in his 9 classifications. Ukraine, according to Putin, does not exist and so those who identify as Ukrainian are not actually from there, they don't exist. Everyday, Ukrainians are persuaded they don't exist as a people and don't have any rights, and millions of them continue to be deported. The goal of the Russian war strategy is to demolish the elite and he has the intention to assassinate and gather elite Ukrainians so he can eliminate them. He is trying to actively wipe out the entire population to ensure that Ukraine does not exist.

3. Deportation: Infiltration camps are established where fertile women and children are sent into Russia to have Russian babies. By abducting children and fertile women who had to undergo fertility screening and scattering them around Russia, Russia is attempting to completely eliminate the Ukrainian population and nationality in order to preserve the Russian ethnicity alone. According to Snyder, 4 million Ukrainians, or 10% of the nation's total population, have either been deported or forced to Russia overall.

4. Metaphysical Language: Russians claim that Ukrainians are mentally ill Russians who can only be treated violently. They think Russia and Ukraine are one nation because of a long-ago baptism or the notion that since Russia is a sacred land, Ukraine must be hell. This is used as another justification for the killings because they believe Ukrainians are under the influence of Satan. Russia's efforts to ”cure the world" as the perpetrators cannot be considered as being in the wrong because they believe it's a good thing. They think they have more than enough justification to put Ukrainians to death because they are under the influence of Satan. Putin believes that being Jewish is a "disease" and that the Russian-controlled media portrays Ukrainians as "satan worshipers” and he believes Ukrainian people have been "desatanized" by this war.

As students, we can continue to educate ourselves and spread awareness about this genocide to others. The U.S. and the rest of the world should also continue to be making a greater effort to donate supplies and donate to organizations who are sending resources to Ukrainian families and it shouldn’t only be done when it is trending. It is so important to be informed on world news and be open minded about these kinds of things. While it is hard to pay attention to things such as these, especially since it doesn't directly many of affect us, it is still extremely important to make an effect to continue to support Ukraine.

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Joey Mitchell - Responding to Timothy Snyder and the Genocide in Ukraine 

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Joey Mitchell - Responding to Timothy Snyder and the Genocide in Ukraine 

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(1) Is this a genocide?
I do believe that what is happening right now in Ukraine is a genocide that has been and is actively being perpetrated by the Russian Federation - with an overarching goal to ultimately exterminate the notion of all things "Ukrainian," and form a totality in which all Ukrainians are bounded to  assimilate into Russian society, forcibly identifying them ethnic-Russians. However the genocide is not solely limited to the Ukrainian people, for it also included many indigenous groups within Russia. An exemplification of this would be the indigenous Tatar people of Crimea, an area of Ukraine that Russia annexed in 2014. Synder makes note that these indigenous groups are being disproportionately drafted to fight and die in Ukraine, which lead me to a larger understanding of gravity of this situation.

(2) Most Compelling Evidence

1. Targeted Killing of Ukrainians by Russia - The direct killing of members of the group. This was the first and most overall point for genocide that Synder gave us insight on, and the one that I understood the most straightforwardly. It is broad but encompasses and is applicable to the entirety of the war. Some examples would be the bombings, missiles, drones, and other attacks. Another, the executions/death pits have been uncovered within previously Russian occupied annexed territory - The deliberate, and blatant murder of Ukrainians. These, the direct killings of members of the group, Synder cites in the first category of proving genocide, have all occurred on a very large scale.

2. Russian Filtration Camps to End Ukrainian Births and Deportation of Children - Another compelling piece of evidence for me were the Russian filtration camps - which conducted the screening of fertile women and children and then having them deported deep into Russia. By separating these women and children from Ukraine, their homeland, and forcibly having them bear Russian children prevents any kind of continuation for a  future Ukrainian people and generation. This forces assimilation upon the mothers, and strips their children from having any kind of Ukrainian identity. With the Russian goal being to exterminate the traces of anything Ukrainian and incorporate it into the totality of something Russian, this serves as extremely compelling evidence for a genocide taking place.

3. The Intention of Dehumanization - One of Synder's nine classifications, and one of the most compelling I found, was the dehumanizing intention of genocide. First of all the overarching Russian notion is that the Ukraine does not exist, and that those who are Ukrainians are actually Russians - that the Ukrainians don't exist, they don't know who they are, they do not belong there, or anywhere - that their ideas are coming from the outside. Synder spoke to how the Russians were to take out the leaders and elites of Ukraine and the people would encompass themselves into Russia, and if/when that didn't/never will happen, it was because of outside nations feeding into Ukraine and giving aid. When Russia invaded and western nations started pouring recourses into Ukraine Putin used this to perpetuate the false notion - all in correspondence with genocidal intentions.

4. Metaphysical/Desatanization - "Ukrainians are possessed by Satan, that's why they don’t know they're Russians, we can try to exercise them, but if we fail then we have no choice but to kill them." This was a statement given by a Russian soldier who Synder mention many times throughout. It was very compelling how Synder put into perspective how Putin believes Russia and Ukraine are "bounded together by God's will." In reference to an ancient Baptism of a slave trading Scandinavian warlord. “The task of the Russian army in Ukraine is desatanization" --> echoed by the leader of Chechnya who followed up by saying all Ukrainian cities must be destroyed.

(3) What do you think we should do - we, individually, and we the United States?
I think one of the best things that we can do is to raise awareness for the Ukrainian people. "Once you see a genocide you are no longer a bystander. You are either with the victim or with the perpetrator." - "By ignoring labelling this as genocide we are making it ever more a genocide."
We can not stay silent about this imperative issue. Regardless of what we do now, we must uplift the voices of Ukraine. Let them be heard far and wide. Donate. Raise money. Speak out. Recognize the genocide. Anything will help.

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The simple fact of this situation is that Russia is currently committing genocide against the Ukrainian people.

Before this assignment, I did not know much about the war in Ukraine, I still don’t. I was especially unaware of the fact that people were considering it genocide. Sydney thoroughly convinced me that this is a genocidal war. His most compelling pieces of evidence that persuaded me were:

People think that this doesn’t feel like genocide because 1) we are overwhelmed with evidence, 2) they don’t like the idea of actively being a bystander, and 3) we are valuing our outside opinion over the opinions of the oppressed living in this situation.

Him detailing a former school where an entire village was held captive by Russian soldiers and the conditions they were kept in (it was extremely inhumane and many died)

4 million (10% of) Ukrainians have been deported, 10s of thousands of Ukrainian children have been deported and scattered throughout Russia, and hundreds of thousands have been killed (these are all signs of ethnic cleansing)

There are filtration camps where suspected political people and men of a certain age are executed

The Russians first declared that this would be a three-day war because their plan was to simply kill the top society of Ukraine. This would supposedly make the common people return to their senses and remember themselves as Russian. After doing so, the Russian government simply needed to say that there are more identity-insecure people in Ukraine than originally thought to justify the ongoing genocide of the people.

As citizens and nations of the world, it is our job to intervene in this genocide. Nations need to send Ukraine resources to fight Russian forces as well as necessities of life. If Russia continues to toy with Ukraine’s basic necessities, like water and electricity, nations have to be willing to supplement these things. Governments can further pressure Russia to stop this war by cutting off trade. Countries can also provide water and basic heat sources. As individuals, we can help by first recognizing that what is happening is genocide and spreading the information. We can all do something small to help. It doesn't matter if that's fundraising/donating, spreading information, or lifting Ukrainian voices in their time of need, anything helps. If there is an agreed consensus that leads to public outcry, more pressure will be pushed onto Russia. This would hopefully have some effect on the country.

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I do think that the events in Ukraine being perpetrated is genocide by the Russian Government and its supporters. He distinctly clarifies that genocide is not when every person has died but rather an target on members of a group, and that encapsulates what has been happening to the Ukrainians. One of the evidences that really stuck out to me was how Ukrainian woman and children were being taken and forced into Russia to assimilate and produce “russian” children. I’m starting to notice that a recurring pattern in genocide is forced cultural assimilation in regards to children, or minimizing the amount of children produced in the group being targetted. I also found it really astounding how blatant their intent is through the broadcasted Russian television that is managed by the government and the constant dehumanization of the Ukrainians that Synder mentioned to fuel their own narcissism. Not to mention the constant violence and death that has been produced as a result of this war, killing many Ukrainians. The mass graves and execution sites mentioned also was really shocking to learn. It’s important for people to individually take the time to educate themselves and take the time to continue discussing these current events because despite the fact that the war has been ongoing, the topic is starting to drift away and so less people recognize it. As for U.S. and the rest of the world need to continue putting pressure on Russia and making it more difficult for them to continue the war whether that is cutting off resources.

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Bennett Resner

I personally think that the first question is quite a simple one. Yes, genocide is being perpetuated by the Russians. In fact, it is being perpetuated by any and all bystanders, especially those with the resources to help Ukraine. This is because the events are direct actions of Russian soldiers, and indirectly through the actions of other countries, and these events are causing the death of group of people.

One extremely telling piece of evidence is the dehumanization of Ukranians by Russians. A common and useful tactic when commiting a genocide is to make your soldiors believe your opponent is inhuman, thus rationalizing barbaric behavior. This action is not necessary when a nation is not attempting a genocide. Another method of genocide is not through direct murder, but forced infertility. For example, a modern genocide on the Native Americans took place through the use of forced infertilities on your women. Similarly, Russian soldiers are forcing Ukrainian women into Russia, in order to deplete Ukraine's population. Another strategy is exceptionalism. If Russia can enforce that Ukraine is not a nation, and merely one of their provinces, they can rationalize doing what they please to its citizens. And finally, and perhaps most damning, the intentional attacks on Ukrainian civilian lives. Bombings of hospitals and schools, executions of war prisonerse, and torture even to civilians  show a complete disrespect to the people of Ukraine. These attributes are examples of genocides, and they are exhibited in mass by Russian forces.

To weigh in, the West is in a very tricky situation. Worst case scenario, nuclear warfare ensues, however no nation wants that. So I think the US should make it abundantly clear that Russia would be completely annihilated if they ever dropped a nuke. However, there also needs to be a way out for Putin. For example, if someone grounds their child for a month, that child may act out as they have nothing left to lose. So, Russia needs to be able to back themselves out of the corner they created. However on an individual level the most one can do is spread awareness or donate to charities.

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1) Yes, Russia is committing a genocide against Ukraine right now. They are killing Ukrainians by the masses, and targeting them solely because they are Ukrainian.

2) The first story Snyder told, regarding the people that were forced to live in a school basement, made me really reflect on the situation in Ukraine. Of course everything he said before that had impact: the mass killings, deportation of over four million Ukrainians, public slander through graffiti, etc. But to tie in what he said earlier about how people are so desperate to not recognize genocide and ignore it, I feel like that's how the media treated the entire situation after the first week or month, by not covering it. So when Snyder essentially starts off with this unsettling story, it really just sinks in that there's a genocide currently happening right now, over in Ukraine. The fact that Russia is deliberately targeting food and water supplies is also awful; essentially putting the entire nation and its peoples on a time limit to surrender to Russia before famine overtakes them, and reinforcing the weight of this being genocide. Even though we as people understand genocide as the killing of everyone, the legal definition is simply crimes against a certain people (including murder, torture, and the forced abduction of children to eradicate culture, amongst other crimes), and what Russia has committed most certainly fits this description. It's appalling that the Russian media, which essentially means the Russian government, is actively promoting the mass murder of Ukrainians as a positive, and that we, the general public, is unaware of this. A final piece of evidence that really stuck out to me was the use of ignorance and intention. When he brought up how the Russian government was destroying monuments that represented the past Ukrainian famine, and also compared the situation to Neo-Nazis, it made me think of the entire war in a different light. By denying a tragedy's occurrence, it sends a message to the victims that you are essentially validating a crime and want it to take place again, which is exactly what Russia is doing to Ukraine. I never thought about it like this before, but Snyder explains it hauntingly well. There is no doubt in my mind that this tragedy is an intentional genocide against all of Ukraine.

3) The best thing that the US can do is provide more media coverage on the incident. As Snyder said, when people are confronted with genocide, the automatic thing they want to do is look away. If we had the coverage that the situation demands and deserves, then the issue would be so pressing that no one could even think about looking away. And as people gain awareness and are forced to accept the grim reality they've tried to ignore, then they would likely try to intervene and help in whatever way they can. If we, as students, were to appeal to larger publications and local TV stations, then we could make a large change in the American media, like how second graders were able to change the logo of Mass Pike. The Russian government needs to be condemned for the crimes they've committed, and everyone else, from citizens to nations, needs to hold them accountable.

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I think what is happening in Ukraine is considered genocide because Ukrainians are being targeted and killed solely because they are from Ukraine. Using this literal definition of genocide you see that what is happening at the hands of the Russians is genocide, at the expense of Ukraine and the other people living in Ukraine.

Snyder's use of the definition of genocide many times throughout his discussion coincides with what is happening between Russia and Ukraine. He also uses true stories, which broke the emotions of his listeners, to describe what is happening in Ukraine currently. These stories paint a horrible picture of what the people in Ukraine are going through at the hands of Russia. Many people wouldn't jump to categorize the war happening right now people when they think of genocides they picture the holocaust or other, more concentrated events. If you broaden the idea of genocide you see how the war fits in; one side came rushing in with a full military while the other was cornered and not adequately armed.

I think we can help by raising awareness. Many people have moved on forgetting the war is still going on since it isn't on every media platform anymore. Reminding people there is still a devastating war, and that people are still dying, will force people to talk about it. Sometimes talking about something will force people to become concorded again. As a country and the world as a whole, we have to help, it shouldn't be political if people's lives are at stake. We should be sending aid, like medical supplies and food, to people who are still there. Also, we should be helping people who are trying to leave find asylum, at least something that is temporary. Lastly, on a world scale, we should be trying to negotiate with Russia. This is a more intense discussion but I think their involvement in the destruction of Ukraine has opened a worldwide talk about how much power Russia has and how we could take some of that away.

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Cultural Genocide in Ukraine and Snyder's talk (Felipe) 

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Cultural Genocide in Ukraine and Snyder's talk (Felipe) 

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What Russia is doing to Ukraine, is genocide or at least a form of it as well as unacceptable and unethical.

What Russian soldiers have been doing to Ukrainians, is nothing more than illegal as well as genocide or at least cultural genocide. This is most supported by how about 15 minutes into the talk, Snyder mentioned that Russians were bringing Ukrainian women into Russia so that they wouldn't have Ukrainian children, but instead Russian children, which is directly taking them out of their culture forcefully and bringing them into another (10 percent of Ukrainians have been deported, which is about 4 million Ukrainian citizens, reported by Russia themselves). This also correlates to the quote from the Russian soldier, where when he says they will eliminate 1 million, 5 million of them, what they really mean is that the more people that associate with being Ukrainian, the more of them they will eliminate, in order to get rid of Ukraine as a nation and bring it under Russia rule (37 minutes). This goes under Snyder's criteria number 5, which is Escalatory. They thought they could win the war by eliminating all of the Ukrainians in power, but since there are more than expected, they think that they are just going to have to eliminate more. I was shocked when I first heard this, because first of all, the audacity of them to say that they would go to the extent to eliminate more and more Ukrainians, and seemingly wouldn't stop, and secondly, that we have not evolved much from nearly 80 years ago, where this can be put in comparison in the mindsets of the Nazis. "They should not exist at all", part of the same quote the Russian state television, can be seen as nothing other than heavy racism, however, the more we hear about this, the more we get more used to things like these, and then we seem to not notice this as much, which should be brought to light more than it is currently because this seems to be happening with this exact situation. (Minute 21)

As individuals, we cannot do much about this other than raise awareness about what is happening. I believe the biggest issue that is present with the protest of things like these, is that not many people know much about this situation. If more people knew about it and the horrible stuff going on in Ukraine, the more passionate they get, and the more willing they would be to help with this situation. The more awareness spread, the more people protest, which means the more pressure the government has to do something about this.

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1)

Yes, I do think the war in Ukraine is gencoide. I think most people don’t associate Ukraine with genocide in the first place because the media has not contextualized the war as genocide. Moreover, not many organizations are  educating people on the beliefs of the perpetrators in the war and have focused instead on Russia revisionism but not the ideological beliefs that support this aggression. 1) Undeniably, tens of thousands of people have died. Hundreds of thousands of people have had to flee the region. That is mass murder. One thing that the lecture mentions that is really important is that legal definitions of genocide allow society to escape human obligations. We often ignore things because they do or don’t meet the definitional threshold of genocide, but as long as people die we should be doing something. The lecture effectively establishes that there has been intent to otherize Ukrainians, which is a key facet of genocide and mass systematic murder.

2)

One piece of evidence that is very directly related to genocide is Snyder’s mention of russian leaders saying they will kill as many Ukrainiaans as they need to- even in the millions- because as long as Ukrainians exist, they are a form of cultural resistance to Russia. This shows a mass engrained ideology to wipe out the Ukrainians. Another piece of evidence that is convincing is proving the otherization of the Ukrainians. One Synder illustrates this is by showing the narcissism of Putin, who defines Russia and the Russian people in terms of other people. I.e. While Russia is internally pure, other countries are not. This, like every other genocide, is a prerequisite for massive violence because when humans dehumanize other humans, they justify evils of the worst magnitude.Similarly, replacement theory is a very popular way people paint themselves as being under threat. Putin and other Russians worry that they will be overwhelmed by other Ukrainians or ethnicities, and justify violence to “protect themselves. This is a classic way to distance away from the humanity of individuals and justify violence. These pieces of evidence paint the best picture in my mind of justified systematic violence. Another piece of evidence that is similar to this is Russian exceptionalism: while similar to narcissism, the subtle nuance is that Russia or Putin is so good and elevated, that rules do not apply to them. Of course breaking international law is bad, but if Putin is able to convince that Russia is able to do this and is some sort of archaic power vying for global power, he is able to justify violence.

3)
Quite frankly, there is a severe disconnect between war and genocide right now. The US, social media, and global organizations should identify this connection because most people do not realize or understand that it is genocide. Actively speaking, it is a difficult choice to make. Sending NATO troops or US troops could embolden Russia like we have never seen and risk the use of nuclear weapons. But only sending arm supplies seems feeble for America to think it is helping. I don’t know if I have an answer militarily. I think the best way to create peace or solve the issue is to focus on Putin’s and Russia’s domestic problems. Putin’s elite are constantly strained by unilateral tariffs, but the US and other countries should compel more change to happen. I do believe that the average Russian does not support the war, and if they do now, have been conditioned to by the Russian government. If any revolt or internal problem arises in Russia that threatens Putin’s power, it's our best bet at seeing internal reform. Albeit, Putin may act chaotically: past decreases in popularity have led to expansion not pacifism. However, losing his grasp on the elites would surely do something that has not happened yet.

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Yes, I do believe that the war between Ukraine and Russia is a genocide committed by Russia against the Ukrainian people.

During this talk, Snyder explains the definition of genocide many times, defining the legal term but also sharing the ways a historian would define genocide (nine qualifications). With each definition, he provides ample evidence to prove that the events in Ukraine clearly match the criteria provided. Additionally, he uses the Holocaust and Nazi Germany’s ideologies and actions to compare a widely recognized genocide to this one, which many refuse to acknowledge for what it is.

Around 12 minutes into the talk, Synder speaks about the legal definition of genocide, listening off several crimes that would make an event a genocide. To summarize this list of criteria, to committ genocide would be to inflict mental or bodily harm onto a specific group or placing them in conditions that are intended to desecrate them. Restriction of reproduction and the forced transport of children also help to define a genocide. In between each definition, Snyder describes the absolute brutality that the Ukrainians had to face. How can this not be considered a genocide when the Russian government is actively killing thousands of Ukrainians while also supporting the systematic 🤬 of Ukrainian women and the deportation of countless Ukrainian children? The cruelty the people of Ukraine are being forced to handle shows an obvious intent to harm and even completely kill off the Ukrainian population. Additionally, during his explanation of the nine qualifications of genocide, Snyder speaks about narcissistic nature present in mass killings throughout history (32:15). In it, he speaks about how genocide is a way for a nation to define itself (if it chooses to go that far). The quote “we know who we are when we name the enemy” (34:20) said by Carl Schmitt (a Nazi party member) was particularly interesting to me because of how Russia is so fixated on the idea that Ukraine as a nation does not exist. Snyder brings up the idea that Russian leaders may be using this ideology to define the nation of Russia itself (the “politics of us and them”). In the 6th qualification, Snyder speaks about the metaphysical aspects of genocide (37:30). He uses lots of Nazi references in this section, specifically emphasizing the Nazi regime’s propaganda strategies which included making people believe Jews spread mental illness. This is rather reminiscent of Russia’s propaganda against Ukrainians, claiming that they did not know they were Russians because they were possessed by Satan. It was also hinted that if Ukrainians could not be “exorcized,” they would have to be killed. By spreading this false notion of Ukrainian satanism, the Russian government tries to justify its mass killing of Ukrainians (alarmingly similar to Nazi ideology). In the final qualification, Snyder speaks about how Putin tries to argue that Russians were exceptions to rules pertaining crimes such as genocide (48:15). In his September 30th speech, Putin repeatedly speaks about how the rules “do not apply to Russia” and brings forth the question of “who made the rules anyway” when speaking about how many consider his decisions to be genocidal. This belief that one’s nation is exempt from certain rules because of some aspect that makes them exceptional is extremely harmful as it gives that nation a way to justify committing horrific crimes against others. There is no exception to the rule when it comes to genocide. Mass killing cannot be forgiven simply because the perpetrator claims to have a bigger purpose.

As individuals, one of the most important things we can do is just admit that there is a genocide taking place right now. As Snyder said, many refuse to see the event for what it is because they refuse to believe that an event such as this one could actually be taking place. After witnessing so much evidence that shows that this war is a mass killing perpetrated by Russia, we become “jaded” (as Snyder would put it) and keep waiting for more and more evidence to roll in because we simply refuse to see the truth. As individuals, we must recognize this event for what it is and spread awareness about it so that the victims will not become unnoticed or forgotten. We must push our governments/nations to take direct action against Russia. Along with making a public statement that directly recognizes and disapproves of Russia’s actions, nations should also try and actively help Ukraine as best they can (military aid, rescue teams, etc.). All in all, the most important thing is to not become a bystander in the face of genocide.

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Do you think that what is happening in Ukraine IS genocide perpetrated by the Russians? (Amirah Redwing)

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Do you think that what is happening in Ukraine IS genocide perpetrated by the Russians? (Amirah Redwing)

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I do think what is happening in Ukraine is genocide, and I do believe that the Russians are perpetrating a genocide against not only Ukrainian people, but non-Russian indigenous groups within their country.

I think the biggest question for me was regarding the definition of “genocide”. Snyder explained that there is both a vernacular and legal definition to genocide and I think right off the bat, as someone interested in law (specifically international law), it made sense. Just because not every Ukrainian has died, does not mean that this isn’t a genocide, and I think the way Snyder goes about disputing the vernacular definition and referencing that not all Jewish people died during the holocaust, let listeners understand that the legal definition alone is the basis for prosecution. That made sense and helped me to come to my own conclusion early on.

I think Snyder’s most forward examples of evidence was not only his continual reference to statements, made by Russian important figures during the beginning, middle and end, but his continuous reference to the holocaust as a form of remembrance. He begins by talking about the ways in which we refuse to see; and how that in turn makes us bystanders. One of those ways was questioning the intent of Russia, as a means to justify the actions — and as a means to underplay the severity of these actions. Not only did he go back and connect our own judicial system, the way we persecute everyday crimes without knowing the intent, without telepathy, made it clear. Synder also simply said that there will never be, and there has never been a written document or spoken word of the intention, mattered. Someone perpetrating evil or someone disillusioned by their own theories, is not going to admit to their intention. We cannot use that question of intention as a means to allow said perpetration and as a means to refuse to persecute. He then goes on and evaluates intention. Synder mentions the colonial, the duhumanization, and the metaphysical, all of which helped me come to the conclusion that this is, in fact — a genocide.

As for what the US can do, as for what we should do (both as a collective, and as individuals) is something that has been widely discussed. It's interesting, because when we mention getting involved militarily, the concern becomes “what about us”. What could happen to us, what happens if we get involved with Russia, and they retaliate on us and other members of the UN? I think that as important as it is to note the amount of lives that could be lost in that scenario, I question: does our refusal to make a stand, despite the penalties and the consequences, make us a collective bystander. When we were discussing what it means to be a bystander or an upstander, and when we read the articles regarding people being bystanders or upstanders, it seemed that one who was an upstander, was an upstander without regard to the consequences upstanding could have on them. And I think whether we consider physical action or financial action, we should less prioritize the consequences to us and more the benefit to them. I’m not entirely sure that I have an answer, but I think we need to remember what it means to be a bystander versus an upstander.

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I do think this is genocide and should be classified as one.

(Before you read, when I mention Russians, I don’t mean the entire Russian population, only those supporting this genocide)

At around minute 6, Snyder explains how a town of people were forced to live in the basement of a school for about a month, and people died. This really put things into perspective for me because when you hear the word genocide, you understand it is a horrible thing, but it is not until you hear the stories of these victims when you realize the true impact. He also compares how much of Ukraine has been depopulated by comparing it to multiple states in America. This is at minute 14. This also puts things into perspective, and it has so much more of an impact, because you are viewing in terms of states, homes. Snyder also makes a really good point at minute 19, saying that we would prefer to think there is no genocide happening in this time period. That is why so many people refuse to believe it, because it seems impossible to fathom, considering the world prides itself on progressing so much. When listing his 9 criteria for intention, Snyder mentions that Russians deny the existence of Ukrainians, saying they are not attached to the land. This is a very similar view to Hitler’s. So although there is no concrete paperwork confirming the intent of the Russians is to depopulate the Ukrainians, the evidence is pretty stacked against them. The accidental essay post was also really baffling to me, it seemed the Russians had been not only planning the war, but planning to win. It is obvious they think of themselves as higher up. I feel the most convincing piece of evidence is the quote Snyder repeats throughout his lesson. It is his opening line, basically describing the contents of genocide. At first, you think it is a quote from a Nazi, but it is later revealed this is a quote from a Russian soldier.

I think individually (as students) we should speak up about this, and educate ourselves. I don’t really know if the signing of petitions will be helpful in this case, but I think we can write letters to those who can actually do something about it, specifically those with access to help the Ukrainians. I think the rest of the world should at least share support and resources to the Ukrainians (if they are able). I don’t really know if we would be able to send in soldiers to help fight the war, because that may put everyone in danger, but we definitely need to try harder.

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Regarding what is happening in Ukraine, I do believe it is genocide perpetrated by the Russians.

Throughout Snyder’s talk, he believed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is genocide, starting off with saying how he believes that there were 4 ways of objection towards his thesis and also avoiding the way genocide is perpetrated. One point was the “emotional” objection, “feeling” that it wasn’t like a genocide, with another point being that people would not be bystanders if a genocide was happening, yet people are ignoring what is happening and what could be classified as a genocide. This introduction alone doesn’t pertain to the genocide itself, but Snyder instead started off with counterarguments to his thesis.

Pertaining to Snyder’s provided evidence as for why it is a Ukrainian genocide, Snyder stated “The problem is not that we lack evidence of intention, I think if anything, the problem is we are overwhelmed by the evidence of intention” (20:40 - 20:44). Snyder argues that since there is so information about the political and personal intent about the country doing what they are doing, people will tend to “increase” the standard for what actions qualify as genocide. The idea that genocide is an extremely violent legal and moral crime is held to such a high standard that it is something that should only occur under extreme circumstances in history, such as the Holocaust. However, this brings us back to the main counterarguments that Snyder, once again, stated in the beginning of his thesis. He had stated that “...most genocides are forgotten, and the reason they were forgotten is because they were never noted in the first place. So if you don’t note that a genocide is happening in the first place, you’re asking a lot of future generations to remember it, to record it, to evaluate it, later on” (5:34 - 5:48). The reason why it is so hard to evaluate something such as Ukraine as a genocide, according to Snyder, is because many genocides in history were simply not recorded or denied. Many of these genocides were denied or not recorded simply because it can tarnish the reputation and perspective of that specific government and nation.

Within Snyder’s talk, he also talks about the 9 classifications of intent within a genocide. Synder would start off with the term “Colonial”, where he referred to Russia claiming that Ukraine was not a state or nation, which is an “absolutely predictable, normal way that European colonials referred to the social and political groups that they encountered”  (24:52 - 25:00). It displays the imperialistic method that Russia uses, as well as giving a country the power of deciding who exists and who doesn’t exist. Snyder would further back this up with the claims of Russia believing that Russia also controlled the Crimea peninsula, even though the Crimea Peninsula’s indigenous people had been there for over eight hundred years. This indigenous people would then be “ethnically cleansed”, killed in a genocide. The third category that Snyder mentions is dehumanizing. For this category, Snyder would use an analogy between Hitler and the Holocaust and Putin and the Ukrainian invasion. Snyder claims that “...they’re not really attached to the land, they are alienated from the soil. The people who call themselves Ukrainians, who mistakenly believe themselves to be Ukrainians, it’s a mistake. There’s no such thing as Ukrainians. These people have been seduced….or Germans, or Poles, or the European Union, or the Americans, or the Jews” (29:00 - 29:32). This section provided by Snyder shows the effects of the Russians’ attempts at dehumanizing the Ukrainians, that they are delusional and are influenced by an outside source. Snyder then compared this method of dehumanization to Hitler’s persecution of the Jews, where both declared those groups of people as an alien or foreign threat, that they have no place to belong to and must be expelled out.

The nine classifications:
Colonial, Apologist, Dehumanizing, Narcissistic, Escalatory, Metaphysical, Fascist, Replacement, Exceptionalist.

I don’t think there is much that we, as individuals, can do at all. Relating back to the counterarguments that Snyder made in the beginning of his thesis, there is an emotional barrier and even a legal barrier that prevents us from doing anything. It does not affect many of us personally, so there is not always a sense of sympathy or empathy, leading to bystanders. People can say they support Ukraine’s efforts, but then they don’t do anything about it. However, this doesn’t mean that people can’t do anything, as there are many people volunteering to distribute or donate essential supplies or medical supplies, as well as hosting a home for refugees. Concerning the United States and the rest of the world, many countries have already placed sanctions and major enterprises such as Adidas or VISA have stopped their operations in Russia. There are also many countries providing large amounts of money and humanitarian aid, such as the United States providing a bill of over 40 billion dollars “https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/05/20/upshot/ukraine-us-aid-size.html”. There are also some people who have joined the Ukrainian resistance or distributed essential goods. However, other than that, there is not much else the world can do. No one wants to have a direct conflict with Russia, as Russia contains a large arsenal of nuclear missiles, which would put any conflicting country in danger.