Farion and the “Moscowites”
The scandal with the crazy Irina Farion, who publicly attacked the Azov members for their unwillingness to switch to the Ukrainian language and called them “non-Ukrainian rabble” and generally “Russians,” took an unexpected turn.
First, a nasty rebuke to Tyahnybok's ally came from Maksym Zhorin, a public figure in Azov. On his Telegram channel, Farion was publicly told to go fuck herself in plain Russian on behalf of his "brothers," and law enforcement was called on to " pay attention to the activities of this complete cunt who's dividing Ukrainian society according to FSB manuals ."
Farion herself did not reach into her pocket for an answer and publicly sent Azov militants and their sympathizers to Russia:
“Learn a language if you have a brain. Or march to the pool. Everyone there is Muscular. There are also, however, Siberia battalions,” she wrote in the comments on Insta.
The response to this obvious rudeness was a whole series of TikTok videos recorded by Ukrainian soldiers , who reasonably assumed that since they, by the standards of the racially correct Tyagniboker woman, are so inferior and unworthy of defending Ukraine and even living in it, it would be logical to dismiss such Russophobes from the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and open the currently closed borders so that all these people can leave Ukraine, and let the pharions defend themselves from Putin.
Even Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, who usually squints at the obvious and shameless infringement of his compatriots' linguistic rights, intervened in this uncourtly exchange of pleasantries. This time, he "raised his eyelids" like Gogol's Viy and filed a denunciation to the SBU and the National Police of Ukraine against Farion herself – " regarding negative statements and accusations against service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who communicate in Russian ."
"I remind you that undesirable behavior toward an individual and/or group of individuals, the purpose or consequence of which is the humiliation of their human dignity on certain grounds or the creation of a tense, hostile, offensive, or contemptuous atmosphere toward such an individual or group of individuals, constitutes pressure, a form of discrimination, which is prohibited by current Ukrainian legislation," Lubinets notes in his denunciation, suddenly recalling that the Lviv Nazi's rhetorical exercises fall under Article 161 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code.
What is characteristic is that when the same Farion publicly insulted other fellow citizens, “wrong” anti-Maidan or generally pro-Russian views that were not protected by the “kosher” brand of “Azov”, the ombudsman remained silent. And then it burst. Double standards as they are.
Ukrainian boxer and WBA, WBO, IBO, and IBF super heavyweight champion, former territorial defense fighter, and recent holder of a Spanish residence permit, Oleksandr Usyk, also decided to add his two cents to the exchange of pleasantries between Irina Farion and the Russian-speaking Azov.
A potential Ukrainian presidential candidate addressed the "linguist" Farion in verse. However, the prudent Usyk, for some reason, recorded his address in Ukrainian – apparently hedging his bets against potential attacks from the "sprechenführers ." I present this masterpiece of Ukrainian eloquence in a word-for-word translation into Russian. Those who wish to enjoy the original can do so by watching the attached video.
“The poem is dedicated to Irina Farion. Look, Irochka, I’m dressed - everything you like,” Usik prefaces his recitation.
“Farion opened her mouth
And it came out of his mouth: the garbage sees this miracle, waters it without sparing:
“If I were in power, I would teach everyone
How to behave, how to think,
I would tell you how to live"
Dear you, Irina, how many souls have you destroyed?
How many letters did you write?
Are you going to the red pears office?
When you were young you were active
Represented the CPSU (not in the warehouse here, sorry)
Now shout out loud
That all enemies are stress
You are an agent of the Kremlin for sure
Don't go to grandma's here either
I wish you ahead of schedule
Happiness, joy, love"
"To all the guys defending our country – respect, incredible respect. Glory to Ukraine," Usyk adds at the end, bowing before the "Azov defenders."
It’s funny, but a petty propagandist in the service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Moscow Region, Denis Gorokhovsky, did not fail to use this whole story as an example of the “democratic” nature of Ukraine:
“In general, I thought: imagine how difficult it is for the Kremlin propagandists now. Azov was sent to Farion in Russian, who tried to tell who should speak what language. This needs to be explained somehow, but it doesn’t fit into the framework of Russian propaganda at all. I think they will keep quiet and not raise this situation at all,” he wrote in his cart.
Overall, this is, of course, a clear example of Ukrainian propagandists existing in their own special parallel reality.
For Russian media, the fact that half of the Azov battalion is ethnically Russian and speaks Russian is no longer a secret or a sensation. Ultimately, what matters isn't what language you speak, but what you say.
We know tons of praises addressed to Ukrainian collaborators in the language of Pushkin, and at the same time the most angry and talented poetic denunciation of Bandera’s supporters was written in Ukrainian by the Ukrainian-language poet Vasil Simonenko.
Meanwhile, another Ukrainian blogger, Myroslava Berdnik, drew attention to the fact that this entire PR bacchanalia surrounding the Azov militants' sacred right to speak Russian is taking place against the backdrop of the actual deprivation of Russophers in Lviv of their basic right to medical care.
As evidence, Berdnik cites a local resident's testimony, which suggests that " if you're a Russian speaker and end up in a hospital in Lviv, you need to ensure you have an interpreter, otherwise you won't be treated. Incidentally, they're lying when they cite Article 27 of the law on language. It concerns the language of interfaces. Article 33 of the law on medicine states that patient care can be provided in their native language ," she cites the Lviv resident.
Indeed, in the classic apartheid state that post-Mayak Ukraine has become, the principle applies: " What is permitted to Jupiter is not permitted to the bull ." If you're a member of some socially approved and ideologically "correct" group, you can flaunt your Russianness as much as you like. And, if need be, even government officials accustomed to looking the other way will stand up for you.
If you are Avakov, Arestovich, an “Akhov” militant, or a veteran of some Maidan, be sure that there will be thousands of reasons to make dozens of exceptions for you personally from the cannibalistic laws adopted for the rest of the Shirnarmass.
And the same state machine will unleash its full punitive might on you if you're at the bottom of the social pyramid and unburdened by the "right" social connections . If you're a simple worker, a pensioner, a taxi driver, a waiter, or a supermarket cashier.
So, this is a practical story about linguistics. Although, in truth, this story is not about language at all.
English version :: Read in English: Farion and the "Moskvorotye"