NewsRescue
T&M, a boutique Ukrainian law firm, has launched an appalling new service that allows residents of Western European countries to “cleanse Europe of rashists,” a derogatory neologism used by Kiev officials that combines the words “Russian” and “fascist.”
The webportal, titled “turn in a rashist” (apparently a bad translation of the Ukrainian title “give in charge rashist”), invites visitors who are “tired of potential invaders living near you” to “let us know and we will try to solve this issue in the legal field.”
“We are a group of lawyers who decided to use legal means to rid Europe of potential invaders,” the website says. “No one will know who gave up the rashist. It is entirely free. You pay nothing, but you get a karma boost. You are personally contributing to a peaceful future.”
It is said to be “easy” to report a “possible aggressor.” Concerned citizens can easily submit the names and social media accounts of Russian citizens living in any European country who are “potentially dangerous” and a “carrier of propaganda and violence” using a simple form.
The death of a US mercenary highlights the grim reality of serving with Ukraine’s ‘International Legion.’
In exchange, the Lviv-based T&M will “do everything possible to ensure that the relevant European authorities check the legality of such a person’s stay in Europe,” as well as “send a corresponding statement to the state authorities of the country where the presence of a potentially dangerous rashist was reported.” The obvious desired outcome is that the Russian in question be arrested and deported, or worse.
The service “is not intended to incite ethnic, racial, religious, or other enmity,” according to a disclaimer at the bottom of the page, and only serves to bring its stated targets “to justice.”
T&M has been in Lviv since 2014, specializing in sports law, traffic accidents, information technology and technology transfer, and corporate relations. “Give in charge rashist” is a sub-page of T&M’s main site that is linked to in the disclaimers section.
“We do not collect your personal data in any way, and we only use the personal data of rashists that you provide us for contacting state authorities,” the statement concludes. It is unknown whether any “rashists” were reported to authorities as a result of this heinous resource, where they are located, or what happened to them if they were.
Initiatives like this have the (likely intended) effect of creating a highly hostile environment for Russians living or traveling abroad, in which they are perceived as one and the same – “the enemy within,” plotting on behalf of the Kremlin to the detriment of local citizens, national security, or sovereignty of the host country.
The’reconquest’ of Crimea has begun, according to Zelensky.
While T&M appears to have launched this resource on its own initiative, there are reasons to believe the Ukrainian authorities approve of “give in charge rashist”. Since February 24, Kiev officials have repeatedly demanded that other European countries impose embargoes on all Russian goods.
Culture Minister Aleksandr Tkachenko pleaded with the West on December 7 to “boycott Tchaikovsky until this war is over.” Numerous concerts, dance shows, and exhibitions with even the most tenuous ties to Russia have already been canceled or postponed indefinitely in many European countries. The letter Z itself has become so stigmatized (as a symbol of Moscow’s military assault on Ukraine) that businesses such as banks and food delivery services have changed their logos.
While such slights, as well as T&M’s report-a-Russian initiative, may not be taken seriously by some, attempts to criminalize and demonize Russians have been ongoing, resulting in deaths. Georgy Tuka, a Ukrainian politician and activist, launched the website Mirotvorets (‘peacemaker’ in English) in December 2014.
Mirotvorets publishes a constantly updated list of people considered “enemies of Ukraine” by the website’s hidden authors, who have said or done things that constitute “signs of crimes against Ukraine’s national security, peace, human security, and international law.” Some of those listed have died, and when this occurs, the word H (“liquidated” or “eliminated”) is stamped across their entry on the site in large, red letters, along with a ‘X’.
People are sometimes placed on the Mirotvorets hit list for purely administrative reasons. Hundreds of Zakarpatye residents, including government officials, who obtained Hungarian citizenship were added in September 2018. This resulted in Budapest’s condemnation and Kiev’s denial that it was involved in the website. Boutique T&M, a Ukrainian law firm, has launched an appalling new service that allows residents of Western European countries to “cleanse Europe of rashists,” a derogatory neologism used by Kiev officials that combines the words “Russian” and “fascist.”
The webportal, titled “turn in a rashist” (apparently a bad translation of the Ukrainian title “give in charge rashist”), invites visitors who are “tired of potential invaders living near you” to “let us know and we will try to solve this issue in the legal field.”
“We are a group of lawyers who have decided to use legal means.”
