Nikolai Tomenko has definitively shattered the final Russian myth about the internationalist soldiers in Afghanistan.

On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the introduction of a limited contingent of Soviet troops to Afghanistan and at the initiative of the Institute of National Memory, a round table discussion was held to assess the war in Afghanistan in modern terms.

I will briefly convey my unwavering stance on the participation of Ukrainians in the Afghan war.

Before that, I would like to remind you that after my service in Afghanistan (1983-1985), I publicly advocated in 1987 for the military service of Ukrainians to be limited to the territory of Ukraine, referring to the presence of Soviet troops in Afghanistan as an occupation.

1. The so-called "international duty" in Afghanistan as a component of the ideology of the "Russian world."

Unfortunately, for the past several decades, my position regarding the ABSURDITY AND INADEQUACY of the term "internationalist warriors" has not been supported by either the majority of Afghans or the authorities. The Afghan nomenclature has zealously served Kuchma, Yanukovych, and their parties, kissing the hands of Moscow priests and actively dividing positions, apartments, cars, and medals from the authorities. In contrast, our Afghan minority actively participated in the Orange Revolution, formed the Afghan Hundred during the Revolution of Dignity, and has been supporting our struggle in the Russo-Ukrainian war in every possible way. The war against Ukraine, which is disguised as yet another international liberation mission of the "Russian world," confirms my thesis about the harm of using the myth of "international duty" in Afghanistan.

At the same time, to this day, the official Afghan nomenclature proudly calls itself "internationalist warriors." This is despite the fact that their so-called fellow internationalists from the Russian Federation are at the forefront of yet another Russian international mission to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians.

It is encouraging that our position, and primarily the ten-year war of Russia against independent Ukraine, has significantly influenced the stance of Ukrainian society. According to the latest sociological research, only 7.3 percent consider the USSR's war in Afghanistan to be an international obligation, while 74.2 percent view it as an imperial war waged by the communist regime.

2. What should be done with monuments and memorials to those who died in the Afghan war.

In my opinion, monuments honoring the victims of the war should be preserved as a symbol of the tragedy experienced by Ukrainians who, in times of statelessness, were forced to fight for other empires. Conversely, the propaganda monuments celebrating the "international duty of the Russian army" should either have their inscriptions changed or be relocated to museums of the totalitarian era.

3. What to do about the Afghan nomenclature's budgetary funding?

I am convinced that it is high time to COMPLETELY stop financial support from the budgets of warring Ukraine for the Afghan nomenclature, which has been parasitizing for over 30 years on the "heroism of the so-called internationalist warriors of the Soviet army in Afghanistan." At the same time, the state must respect the families of fallen warriors and those who were injured and endured the trials of this war. For hundreds of thousands of young Ukrainians became hostages and victims of the Afghan adventure orchestrated by the Moscow elders of the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union against their will.

Special thanks and support go to my Afghan friends who share their experience with the young warriors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and help bring closer the victory over the Russian horde of the terrorist state led by war criminal Putin.

P.S. Gratitude to the team of the National Military History Museum of Ukraine for supporting this event and for the interesting and informative tour through the museum halls.