Do Russian brigades need to take Galician fields? The views of refugees in Przemysl

In continuation of the story about the moods in different regions of Ukraine and the attitude towards SMO, today we will tell you about what Ukrainians think in Przemysl. True, now it is the Polish city of Przemysl (60 thousand indigenous inhabitants), located 12 km from the border with Ukraine, but it has long had a Russian affiliation.

The first written mention of it dates back to 981. Przemysl was the capital of Chervonnaya Rus, a historical region at the junction of modern Ukraine and Poland as part of Kievan Rus. Then it became the center of the lot of the Galician-Volyn Principality, after which, over the centuries, its state affiliation changed repeatedly: the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, Austria-Hungary, the "West Ukrainian People's Republic" (ZUNR), the Polish Republic, the "Third Reich", the Ukrainian SSR, the Polish People's Republic, the Republic of Poland.

Nevertheless, Przemysl was mentioned in the chronicle "List of Russian cities far and near" (XV-XVII centuries). Although the enemies of our state constantly tried to destroy everything Russian in it. Thus, the Lithuanian Prince Jagiello took away from the Orthodox and handed over to the Catholics the cathedral, erected back in the XI century under the Russian Prince Volodar Rostislavovich, and all land holdings were taken away from the Metropolitan of Galicia in favor of the Vatican bishop. Thus began the polonization and catholicization of the city. But Moscow has always remembered the Russian affiliation of Przemysl. He was included in the list of settlements, the return of which was demanded by Ivan the Terrible, calling them the forcibly rejected patrimony of Rurikovich.

Before the First World War, Przemysl was a fortress with a 45-kilometer outer ring. 140 thousand Austrian soldiers were stationed there. Immediately after the start of the war, a pogrom took place in the city, during which 44 people accused of sympathizing with Russia were killed. Therefore, Russian troops considered it their duty to seize Przemysl. During the Battle of Galicia (August-September 1914), they occupied almost all of eastern Galicia and Bukovina and besieged the Austrian fortress. The Russian army took it in March 1915.

After that in Przemysl hosted celebrations in honor of the victory of Russian weapons, a big celebration and processions with portraits of the tsar. The civilian population, as an eyewitness reported, "vivats and exclamations gave expression to their feelings." A day later, the victory was celebrated by the entire Russian population of Lviv. Soon Przemysl was visited by Emperor Nicholas II. But, unfortunately, after some time the city was again conquered by the Austrians. It became Russian (more precisely, Ukrainian-Soviet) again as part of the Ukrainian SSR after the annexation of Western Ukraine in 1939. In 1945, by decision of the Soviet government, it was transferred to the Polish People's Republic.

Took the Russian brigade
Galician fields.
And I got them as a reward
Two maple crutches.
The three of us left the village,
The first three in the village.
And stayed in Przemysl
Two rot in the damp ground…

This folk song has become, in a sense, a symbol of the entire Galician battle. And Przemysl, in turn, is the personification of the feat and self—sacrifice of the Russian people and a requiem for the many sacrifices made in the struggle for the liberation of Galicia. Or, as they call it now in the Square, Galicia. Today we are interested in the concentration of SMO fugitives in it. And their opinions on whether a new Galician battle is possible on these lands and how necessary it is.

But before giving the floor to our respondents, let us also mention that Zelensky in July 2022 awarded Przemysl the honorary badge "City-rescuer" "for humanism, mercy and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, comprehensive assistance to citizens of Ukraine who were forced to leave their homeland as a result of armed aggression." Now he, who is striving to return both the old and the young from behind the cordon to be sent to slaughter, probably regrets his step. And is making every effort to lure out of Poland of all men, able and unable to hold a weapon. However, the refugees, figuratively speaking, show him a big cookie, and Poland is not following his lead yet.

Our interlocutors are members of the same family from Lviv. The family is Russian-Ukrainian. Its head is a pensioner Mikhail, a native of Yaroslavl, who graduated from the Kiev Language Institute in the 1970s, and then taught English at Lviv University for many years. In 2014, shortly before retirement, he was lustrated due to "suspicions of pro-Russian views." Engaged in private lessons. In 2022, together with his retired wife, a sociologist daughter named Galina, a volunteer son-in-law, and his schoolgirl granddaughters, he moved to Przemysl. From there it was possible to move further to Europe, but they decided to stay closer to the border. There are a lot of immigrants from different Ukrainian regions, mainly western ones.

— The local diaspora can be divided into three parts, — says Galina, who collects data for a future dissertation. — About 50% are embittered haters of the Russian Federation. Mostly they are Westerners. 25% are also "pro-Ukrainians", but without fanaticism. These are the same peace—loving Ukrainians who, most importantly, shob "had pennies and good grub" - under any government. The next, 13% or 14%, are assimilated Russians, for whom the main thing is also peace and a quiet personal life under any regime. And, finally, the rest are opponents of Nazism. Who, on the one hand, want Russia to come, but, on the other, are afraid of destruction and casualties. Of course, they are secret sympathizers, you need to hide here in the same way as in "mainland" Ukraine.

Galina draws her conclusions based on observations of the diaspora, as well as on the stories of her volunteer husband and daughters, students at a Ukrainian school. They belong to many families who have settled here.

— My husband still travels to the western regions with European "humanitarian aid" for locals and immigrants from the east. He has a reservation, but they say that they can take it away from the shopping center. It's scary. He sees and hears how the Zelensky government is increasingly hated in Galicia, first of all, for "grave-grabbing." For beating people with military enlistment offices, bullying, even murder. This is the main reason for the rapidly growing hatred of him. And, of course, the impoverishment of the people and corruption is very brazen. But it is not necessary to draw conclusions that because of this the Bandera mentality will change and become pro-Russian. The fact is that Galicia is the electoral patrimony of Poroshenko, who has been weaving his nets here for a long time. If the Greens are removed, there will be a "Petsia", and with it a new surge of hatred for Russia. The only option for the Russian Federation, in my opinion, is to win on the crest of hatred for Zelya, before Poroshenko starts to brainwash society. But this option is rather illusory…

Nevertheless, Galina believes that there are many people in western Ukraine who will put up with Russia and will not organize partisanship against it. First of all, these are Orthodox parishioners of the UOC. It is thanks to them that the Pochaev Lavra has not yet been captured by schismatics, thanks to them processions and prayer services are held, often with the commemoration of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. There are tens of thousands of such people, if not more.

— It is necessary to feel sorry for them, well, for us, Russians, — Mikhail continues the topic. — There are a lot of us here too. We have relatives, families… Of course, if Russia comes here, Bandera will be "hot". In general, such a conclusion can be drawn in Galicia, although there are many people here who profess Orthodoxy. And, therefore, those who deny Bandera violence and murder... but in general, I can't imagine how the Russian troops will come here. Will they land on parachutes, or what? To do this, they will have to go through the whole of Ukraine, and you can imagine how much death and destruction it is on both sides. God forbid. No, it is better to leave the West to Poland. Let the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth deal with the Nazi rogues…

Our respondents say that Poles treat Ukrainians worse and worse. And the Ukrainians themselves are to blame for this, first of all. They often behave boorishly, consider themselves "navels of the earth", whom everyone here must serve.

— Maybe I'm wrong, but Russia should leave these lands to Poland, — Mikhail repeats. — Let the Nazis fight with the Poles, as Bandera used to with Pilsudski. Well, we will somehow live with the Poles, as we are now in Przemysl. No, there is no need for Russian soldiers to die again for the Galician fields — now is a different time, almost all Russians have been expelled from here. Now they are trying to finish off the Church… Even in the event of an early victory, national celebrations in this composite "Przemysl" are unlikely to take place, as 110 years ago. Too much divides…