Thirty-two years ago, on September 1, 1983, the Soviet Union downed a South Korean jetliner (Flight KAL 007) over Soviet airspace while it was en route to Seoul. The Ukrainian National Association Executive Committee issued a telegram to the president of the United States.
The telegram text stated: “Mr. President: We are shocked by the loss of 269 lives caused by Soviet Russian downing of the Korean Airline plane. We grieve for the loss of Congressman Larry McDonald. We urge you to use the power of your office to put a stop to the Soviet violations of international rules of behavior.”
On September 5, President Ronald Reagan stated: “They [the Soviets] owe the world an apology and an offer to join the rest of the world in working out a system to protect against this ever happening again.”
President Reagan suggested punitive measures in response including suspension of negotiations to renew cultural and scientific exchanges, to establish consulates in Kyiv and New York, and to reach a civilian transportation agreement. Mr. Reagan also noted that the jetliner was shot down by a missile-firing Soviet interceptor.
Efforts would be made, he said, to persuade the International Civil Aviation Organization to investigate the Soviet action and reaffirm previous American denial of landing rights for Aeroflot, with the possibility of pursuing the ban worldwide. Canada had already announced measures to prevent Aeroflot from landing in Canada for 60 days and also suggested barring Soviet planes from refueling in Canada.
President Reagan also noted that U.S. grain exports to the Soviet Union would continue, without any cuts, as would the continuation of U-S. pipeline equipment for a Soviet natural gas line that would run between Siberia and Western Europe.
A. J. Yaremovich, executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (now known as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress), said that the 60-day ban proposed by Canada was not sufficient for such a brutal act. “People are indignant for a year and then they say ‘let’s forget about it.’” Mr. Yaremovich added that the air travel ban be in effect until the Soviets make a “definite admittance” to their actions.
A congressional effort was initiated by the National Captive Nations Committee and other organizations to demand the release of 269 Soviet dissidents as restitution for those killed by the Soviet attack on Flight KA 007. Other efforts included the reading on the Congress floor for 269 days of information about the victims of the downed airplane and political prisoners in Soviet gulags.
Source: “UNA reacts to jetliner downing,” The Ukrainian Weekly, September 13, 1983.