Left Opposition (Ukraine)
The Left Opposition was a Pro-Russian coalition of socio-political organizations and parties in Ukraine established in June 2015.
On March 19, 2022, the activities of the political group were suspended, and later banned, by the National Security and Defense Council during martial law.
Leadership
The association was headed by 5 co-chairs:- Petro Symonenko – First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine
- Nataliya Vitrenko – Chairwoman of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine
- Valery Soldatenko – former director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory
- Rudolf Povarnitsyn – world record holder in athletics
- Heorhiy Kryuchkov – member of the Communist Party of Ukraine
Members
The association includes 5 political parties, 13 public organizations and 6 individuals.Parties:
- Communist Party of Ukraine
- Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine
- "Kievan Rus'" Party
- Workers' Party of Ukraine
- Slavic Party of Ukraine
- New Power Party
- Anti-Fascist Committee of Ukraine
- All-Ukrainian Union of Workers
- All-Ukrainian Union of Soviet Officers
- All-Ukrainian Women's Organization "The Gift of Life"
- Eurasian People's Union
- Association "For the Union of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia"
- Association "Intelligentsia of Ukraine - for socialism"
- Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine
- Labor Conference of Ukraine
- Slavic Committee of Ukraine
- Cathedral of Orthodox Women of Ukraine
- Communist Student Council
- Union of Orthodox Brotherhoods of Ukraine
It was also announced that the vicegerent of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavel, close to the Communist Party of Ukraine, could join the movement. The Socialist Party of Ukraine and the All-Ukrainian Public Movement "Ukrainian Choice" of Viktor Medvedchuk refused to participate in the association.
Ideology
Political theses of the organization:- The events of February 2014 are a "coup d'état" that led Ukraine to the loss of economic and political independence;
- The domestic and foreign policy of Ukraine is “determined by the United States of America, international financial oligarchies”;
- Ukraine is “united by a common history, culture, spirituality, civilizational values” with Russia and Belarus, but not with the USA and EU countries;
- The territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine were preserved only in the conditions of the unity of "our countries and fraternal peoples";
- Organization denounces laws condemning communist ideology;
- The organization condemns the course towards the integration of Ukraine with Europe.
- Joining the Customs Union with Russia;
- Russian as a second state language;
- "Restoration of good neighborly, equal and mutually beneficial relations" with the Russian Federation and Belarus.