Dear Editor:
Several points in the advertisement placed by the Suburban Council of Ukrainian Voters (September 20) require clarification. Despite President Petro Poroshenko’s rhetorical flourish about “blankets,” in fact, during the years of the Obama-Biden administration, Ukraine received $5.7 billion in aid that included training for Ukrainian special-ops and other forces, the provision of essential tracking equipment, valuable intelligence and security support, non-lethal weapons and a small number of lethal weapons. Among the aid was $3 billion in loan guarantees to help sustain Ukraine’s economy.
The reverse tactic was applied against Russia: strong sanctions were imposed, in conjunction with America’s European allies, that severely strained Russia’s economy. Sanctions, not Javelins, most worried Vladimir Putin, sanctions that he tried repeatedly to have reversed during the Trump administration.
Javelins are not the only weapons of war. And the SCUV’s clumsy attempt to blame the U.S. for the war in Ukraine instead of the aggressor, Russia, is shameful.
The ad depicts a church damaged by the heroic Ukrainian “Cyborgs” in the 2014 battle for Donetsk Airport. The image is that of a Russian Orthodox church that first appeared on the Russian propaganda website News Front condemning Ukrainians. News Front was banned by Facebook earlier this year for its connections to Russian intelligence.
Publications cannot be responsible for the content of advertisements. And, while volunteer organizations usually do not have experienced editors who know how to check the accuracy of a source, this inexperience does not absolve them of making egregious errors, such as the one made by SCUV.
Irene Jarosewich
Passaic, N.J.
The letter-writer is communications coordinator for the Steering Committee of Ukrainian Americans for Biden.