The starvation of millions in Ukraine in the 1930s under the leadership of Soviet leader Stalin is regarded by Ukrainians as an act of genocide.
The French parliament has recognized the starvation of millions of people in Ukraine in the 1930s under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin as “genocide”, a move welcomed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In a resolution passed by 168 votes to two, lawmakers called on the French government to do the same, as the current Russian invasion of Ukraine brings back memories of the atrocities committed by Stalin against Ukraine in the 1930s.
The text adopted in Paris on Tuesday recognized “the genocidal character of the forced and planned famine by the Soviet authorities against the Ukrainian population in 1932 and 1933”.
The ‘Holodomor’ of 1932-1933 – the Ukrainian word for ‘death by starvation’ – is regarded by Kiev as a deliberate act of genocide by the Stalin regime with the intention of exterminating the peasantry. Stalin’s campaign of forced “collectivization” confiscated grain and other foodstuffs and left millions to starve.
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he appreciated the “historic decision”, in a tweet thanking French MPs. Kiev has urged the international community to label the famine in Ukraine a “genocide”.
“Today we have a decision from the French parliament recognizing the Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people. I am grateful for this principled and fair step, for spreading the historical truth to another European country,” Zelenskyy later said.
🇫🇷 Parliament’s recognition of the Holodomor of 1932-33 as a genocide of 🇺🇦 humans is important and significant. Grateful for 🇫🇷’s strong contribution to exposing the past and present crimes of totalitarian Russia, establishing truth, justice and thus accountability. Thank you France 🇺🇦🤝🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/nNNYr1leHD
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 28, 2023
Moscow rejects Kiev’s account of that period, placing the famine in Ukraine in the broader context of famines that devastated regions of Central Asia and Russia.
The ongoing war in Russia, attacks on Ukrainian grain storage facilities and the blockade of Ukrainian exports to the Black Sea have led to allegations that Moscow is once again using food as a weapon of war.