Kirill’s visit in the summer of 2009 was clearly part of a broader psychological and
political offensive. Some weeks after Kirill’s visit President Medvedev published
a video blog and an open letter to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on the Russian
presidential website. On this video Medvedev was overlooking the Black Sea where one
could see two frigates menacingly on the horizon. Medvedev was dressed in black. The Economist even spoke of an “ominous black.”[35] Being dressed intimidatingly in threatening black had become a part of the symbolism
used by the Kremlin when it addressed—directly or indirectly—the Ukrainian leadership,
as if to emphasize that between the two countries normal, civilized, diplomatic relations
no longer existed. Some observers, such as Brzezinski, made comparisons with the black
clothing of Mussolini.[36] Others made comparisons with the oprichniki, the secret police of Ivan the Terrible, who were also dressed in black. Medvedev’s
open letter was a reaction to the expulsion by Ukraine of two Russian diplomats, accused
of undermining activities. “We are more than just neighbors,” wrote Medvedev in his
open letter, “our ties are those of brothers.”[37] He went on, citing Gogol, that “there are no bonds more sacred than the bonds of
brotherhood.” After this declaration of brotherly love there followed a list of complaints
concerning Ukraine’s support for Georgian President Saakashvili and the “overt distortion
of complex and difficult episodes in our common history, the tragic events of the
great famine in the Soviet Union, and an interpretation of the Great Patriotic War
as some kind of confrontation between two totalitarian systems.”[38] Medvedev’s letter explicitly referred to Patriarch Kirill’s visit to Ukraine, which
was considered “an event of great significance.” “I had a meeting with the Patriarch
following the visit,” wrote Medvedev, “and he shared my impressions and said many
cordial words. We both are of the same opinion that the two fraternal peoples may
not be separated as they share [a] common historical and spiritual heritage.” Such
a message from the Kremlin master that the two “fraternal peoples” may not be separated was not reassuring for worried Ukrainians, who shortly before had read articles in
the Russian media, announcing Ukraine’s imminent “desovereignization.” Special attention
should also be paid here to the language of Medvedev’s message. The use of fraternal and paternal metaphors has a long tradition
in Russia. “We have a good idea of what Stalin has in mind,” wrote Richard Sennett,
“when he declares ‘I am your father.’ He is going to force other people to do his
bidding; he asserts his right to do so because he is the collective father. After
a while people will habitually obey; the habit of obedience is discipline.”[39] Using the “brother” metaphor Medvedev spoke as the older brother to the smaller,
younger brother, implicitly claiming authority over the other. As Sennett rightly
observed: “Metaphors are put to oppressive uses.”[40]
