Andriy Khlyvnyuk reminded Russian opposition of their dubious standards
18 November 2024 16:28
Ukrainian singer and soldier Andriy Khlyvnyuk has refused to accept the Magnitsky International Prize, hinting that he was doing so because of Yulia Navalnaya, who also received the award. This is stated in a post by Andriy Khlyvnyuk on Facebook, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
This award is given for contribution to the struggle for human rights. Khlyvniuk thanked all the founders and jury of the award for noticing and recognizing his contribution to the struggle for freedom of speech and fundamental human rights in London, which is not significant compared to other people and foundations, as part of the struggle for the independence of the Ukrainian state.
And then he explained why he was refusing the award, emphasizing that he could not accept the award together with the laureates who expressed doubts about providing Ukraine with Western weapons.
“As a father of two children living under rocket attacks and a private in the Ukrainian Defense Forces (Kherson Patrol Police UAV Strike Unit), I cannot accept this award together with other laureates who are ‘not sure’ about the need to provide my country with Western weapons that are vital to repel Russian aggression,” Khlyvnyuk wrote.
In this way, he alluded to Yulia Navalnaya, who also received the Magnitsky Prize in the Courage Under Fire nomination “for her strength, determination and perseverance in the face of incredible circumstances.”
What Yulia Navalnaya said
In a conversation with Die Zeit, Navalnaya, answering the question of how she assesses the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, said that “this situation has two sides.” Such attacks, in her opinion, will further unite the Russian people and strengthen Putin’s power.
Asked whether she believes that supplying weapons to Ukraine is the right decision, Navalnaya replied: “It’s hard to say.” “Bombs hit Russians too,” she said.
In addition, Navalnaya insisted that this is exclusively “Putin’s war.” When asked about the fact that it is ordinary Russian soldiers who brutally attack Ukrainians every day, she replied: “Of course, people are fighting. But this is his war.”
Given these responses, CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter suggested that Navalny “has no sympathy” for the Ukrainian victims of Russia’s aggressive war. According to Kiesewetter, Navalnaya is “not a trustworthy partner for responsible policy within the framework of international law,” but rather “a lawyer for Russia’s imperial claims.”
What is the Sergei Magnitsky Prize?
The Magnitsky Prize was established in 2015, on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the death of Russian lawyer and auditor of Hermitage Capital, Sergei Magnitsky. He was arrested in Russia on charges of tax evasion and died in a Russian detention center, according to the Russian authorities, of heart failure. However, human rights activists say that the cause of his death was lack of medical care and torture.
The award was created as a way to recognize journalists, politicians and human rights activists. The prize is awarded in nine categories. Among the winners were Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov.
