55th Anniversary of the Invasion

Today was the 55th anniversary of the Soviet led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. 

The invasion ended the reforms of the Prague Spring and ushered in the era known as "normalisation" which was the strict alignment of Soviet policy that didn't end until the Velvet Revolution in 1989.

In 2019, the Czech Senate declared 21 August as a Significant Day that's officially known as "The Day of Memory of the Victims of the 1968 Invasion and Subsequent Occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact Troops."

Different Time Same Occupation

There were memorials across Czechland today and there are clear parallels between the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

1. The aggressor fabricated internal threats to justify invading an independent country.

• In 1968, it was framed not as an invasion but as "fraternal assistance" to protect communism from alleged Western interference and counter-revolution.
• Today, Russia's narrative is that it's not a war but a "special military operation" to "protect Russian speakers" from alleged Nazism and NATO control.

2. Both the Soviet Union and Russia deny the sovereignty of smaller countries. 

• The Soviets asserted that communist countries had "limited sovereignty" that later became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine.
• Vladimir Putin claims that Ukraine is a historical part of Russia so therefore doesn't believe it is a real state.

3. Use of propaganda.

• In 1968, the Soviet media claimed that the military was invited.  They suppressed independent media and forced agreements signed under duress.
• Today, the Russian media, which is under state control, claims that they were asked to come help by Russian-speaking Ukrainians.  There are heavy disinformation campaigns and staged referenda in occupied territories like when Russian annexed Crimea.  

Many people here in Czechland see Ukraine living out 1968.  A common phrase I hear is My už toile jednou zažili which means "We've lived through this once already."  The difference I see though is that Ukraine is fighting back where as Czechoslovakia never had the chance to.

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine.