New examples of increasing inhumanity toward even the most humanitarian actions of defendants by Russia’s law enforcement and judicial system continue to set new records. One of the latest examples is the case of programmer Alexander Levchishin from the Irkutsk region. A cassation court in Moscow upheld his sentence of 14 years in a maximum-security penal colony and a fine of 50,000 rubles on charges of treason.

What makes this case particularly striking is that Alexander Levchishin spent many years working in the healthcare system, was an honorary blood donor, and repeatedly donated bone marrow — a difficult and potentially risky procedure for the donor. According to the investigation, one of the grounds for the charges was a donation of about 1,400 rubles toward an ambulance for Ukrainians. Investigators also alleged that he copied electronic medical records of military personnel with the intention of transferring them to the Ukrainian side. At the same time, no actual transfer of such data was proven.

Everything about this case is disturbing: a man who spent years helping save lives was sentenced to 14 years in prison. For many observers, this appears not only as punishment for alleged actions but also as a symbol that humanity toward those whom the state considers its enemies has become suspicious.

Judges and officials who, according to critics, deprived an entire generation of humanitarian values continue to teach new generations that the slogan “peace to the world” is somehow misguided. They try to convince people that war is in Russians’ blood and that Russians won every war, while forgetting to mention the price that was paid and the assistance that made those victories possible.

The Russian authorities have a remarkably short memory. Whenever Russia faced famine, devastation, and the threat of mass death, Western countries repeatedly came to its aid. During the famine of 1921–1923, the American Relief Administration helped feed millions of people every day and saved countless lives. During World War II, the Soviet Union received Lend-Lease assistance equivalent to approximately 200 billion dollars in today’s value. After the war, only a small fraction of that aid was requested in repayment, and the final settlements were completed only in 2006, more than sixty years after the war ended. The total amount repaid amounted to approximately 0.36% of the modern equivalent value of the assistance received.

Yet how did the Russian authorities respond? As soon as the country recovered from famine, devastation, or war, the West was once again declared an enemy.

It is important to distinguish between Russia, the Russian people, and the political system. Many critics argue that the issue is not “Russia as a whole” but a political tradition that emerged after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. In their view, Communist leaders and later parts of the Soviet nomenklatura and security services created a state model in which the interests of ruling elites outweigh human rights, dignity, and even basic humanity.

From this perspective, many of today’s leaders of Russia’s security services and state institutions, who emerged from the KGB system, are seen not as heirs of historical Russia but as heirs of Soviet political culture. Therefore, critics argue that responsibility lies not with Russians as a whole but with the continuity of a particular political system whose interests of power have traditionally been placed above the interests of ordinary people.

This pattern appeared after the famine of the 1920s, after World War II, and again after the 1990s, when Western countries, international financial institutions, and humanitarian organizations provided Russia with loans, food aid, and support for economic reforms. As soon as each crisis passed, a new search for external enemies began.

Fortunately, not all Russians share this outlook. Many are willing to give part of themselves through blood donations, bone marrow donations, and financial assistance to people in need. Yet such people often become enemies of the system because humanity and gratitude are enemies of a system built on confrontation and the image of an enemy.

Such a system, according to its critics, seeks new conflicts whenever it overcomes a crisis in order to demonstrate its greatness. When real achievements are lacking, people are offered an illusion of greatness through hostility, division, and narratives of superiority.

Fortunately, not everyone accepts this message. There will always be people willing to sacrifice part of themselves for others and to serve humane rather than inhumane purposes. They remind us that humanity has no nationality, and compassion should never be treated as a crime.

Source : la chaîne Telegram « Politzek Info »
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