Oleg Kudrin: A Common Tragedy – Stages of Soviet Occupation of Latvia and Ukrainian Lands in 1939–1940

In an article published on LSM, historian Oleg Kudrin discusses the Soviet occupation of Latvia and Ukrainian lands in 1939–1940 as a shared tragedy. He notes that the occupation of Latvia, like that of the other Baltic states, was a tragedy stretched over time, but it concentrated on one day that remains in the state calendar and national memory. That day is June 17, 1940 – the beginning of the full-scale entry of the Red Army, which under Soviet rule was deceitfully interpreted as 'fraternal assistance' leading to the 'start of the socialist revolution.' The author stresses that this interpretation is false and calls for remembering the true events.