Austria: Marxist-Leninist youth front was formed

In March 2022 the new youth organisation of the Party of Labour Austria will start its activities. It bears the name "Youth Front of the Party of Labour" (in short: Youth Front; German: Jugendfront) and functions as a Marxist-Leninist organisation of working and learning youth and young people in Austria. 

 

The first step is the founding campaign "Youth in a common front - get organised!". Youth and young people are to be addressed, politicised and organised with the campaign. It will conclude with the founding congress, which is expected to take place in autumn 2022. 

Ukraine: Communist Youth Union members beaten badly, remain detained in Kiev

Mikhail and Aleksander Kononovich, both members of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine are still alive, according to updated information given by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).

More specifically, a recent post by the WFDY reads: 

"Finally, after 6 days without any news, we have received an update on the situation of comrades Kononovich. 

-They are arrested in a pre-trial detention centre in Kiev. 

Russian communist lawmakers condemn Ukraine war

 Oleg Smolin, Mikhail Matveyev, Vyacheslav Markhaev

Three Communist Party members of the Russian Duma, Oleg Smolin, Mikhail Matveyev and Vyacheslav Markhaev have expressed their condemnation for the military attack against Ukraine. 

 

Despite the official position of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) which views positively the government's war campaign, the three lawmakers joined the anti-war movement in Russia by publicly denouncing the launching of a full-scale war by President Vladimir Putin. 

The stance of the communists towards the imperialist war in Ukraine

By Nikos Mottas.

The inter-imperialist confrontation between the Euro-Atlantic powers (USA, NATO, EU) and Russia in Ukraine inevitably brings to the fore serious ideological-political disagreements and chronic contradictions that exist in the international communist movement.

The Russian invasion and the war in Ukraine emphatically highlights the misconception that exists in part of the communist movement concerning the issue of imperialism. A number of self-proclaimed “communist” forces are either unable, or deliberately avoid, to conceive imperialism through Leninist criteria. Instead, they disconnect economy from politics, overlook the fact that the competition between the monopolies is the basis for the sharpening of international conflicts and focus unilaterally on the aggressive foreign policy of specific states and alliances (e.g. USA, NATO, EU). 

KKE in EU Parliament: Urgent question about the arrest of Kononovich brothers in Ukraine

With a question submitted to the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, the European Parliament Group of the  Communist Party of Greece (KKE) denounces the arrest of the two members of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine, Mikhail and Aleksander Kononovich (read here) and demands from the EU Commission to express its position on the issue of anti-communist persecutions in the country. 

More specifically the urgent question submitted by the KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis reads:

Women's Day 2022: Statement by the World Federation of Trade Unions

In a statement about the Working Women's Day, the Secretariat of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) stresses out:

8 March 1857 – 8 March 2022: 165 years later

165 years ago, when the women workers in the New York textile mills, on March 8, 1857, went on strike and demonstrated for “ten-hour work, bright and sanitary workrooms, wages equal to those of male textile workers and tailors”, they certainly did not imagine that in 2022 all these demands would still be demanded.

War and the dirty role of social democracy

From left to right: Olaf Scholz, Alexis Tsipras, Pedro Sanchez.

The following article is based on a piece published in the weekend edition (5-6 March, 2022) of "Rizospastis", the daily newspaper of the CC of KKE, under the title "Social democracy's dirty job in times of war":

“If you had picked up the phone to call the party leaders, I might have told you my opinion, but not now after the fact, like the other political leaders. I would tell you that it would be better to send humanitarian aid, it would be better to send non-lethal equipment, like Spain and Italy did”. 

Alert: Ukrainian authorities arrested Communist Youth leader and his brother

In an urgent statement posted in social media accounts the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) points out:

"The First Secretary of our Ukrainian member organisation, the Leninist Communist Youth Union of Ukraine, Mikhail Kononovich, and his brother, Aleksander Kononovich, have been arrested by the Ukrainian neo-fascist regime during the last hours. 

 

They have been accused of being Russian and Belarusian spies. They will be possibly murdered in the following hours.

Cuba to host the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties in 2022

Havana, Cuba's capital city, will be the hosting place of the 22nd International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) on October 27-29, 2022. 

According to 902 portal, the decision was taken in yesterday's session of the Working Group of IMCWP in Lisbon, under the participation of 25 Communist and Workers Parties, 

Statement by the Cuban Government on Ukraine war

In a statement issued on February 26th, two days after the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the Revolutionary Government of Cuba stressed out the following:

"The U.S. determination to continue NATO’s progressive expansion toward the Russian Federation’s borders has brought about a scenario with implications of unpredictable scope, which could have been avoided. 

European Communist Initiative on Ukraine war

In a statement on the recent Russian invasion in Ukraine, the Secretariat of the Initiative of Communist and Workers Parties stresses out the following:

"Three decades after the dissolution of the USSR and the imperialist war in Yugoslavia, a new war broke out on European territory. The unacceptable Russian military intervention and invasion of Ukraine has been prepared all the previous years through the USA, NATO, and EU intervention, their support for the reactionary government of Kyiv, the paramilitary mechanisms andfascist groups in Ukraine as well as the plan for the economic, political, and military encirclement of Russia.

KKE condemns blocking of "Russia Today" and "Sputnik" transmission in Greece

In a statement issued today the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) condemns the ban on the transmission of “Russia Today” and “Sputnik” news networks in Greece, calling it an “unacceptable and dangerous action”. The KKE also points out that the sanctions on RT and Sputnik is part of an effort to enforce the propaganda and fake news directed by the Euro-Atlantic side.
 
More analytically the KKE statement (here in Greek) reads: 

KKE leader Koutsoumbas blasts PM Mitsotakis on Greece's involvement in Ukraine war

The government of the right-wing ND party with the support of the other bourgeois parties of the social-democratic “left” SYRIZA and the also social-democratic KINAL/PASOK proceeds with the deeper involvement of Greece in the ongoing imperialist war in Ukraine, always on the side of the USA–NATO–EU. This was apparent in the discussion between the leaders of the political parties in the Plenary Session of the Parliament on 1 March 2022.

In his speech, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, GS of the CC of the KKE, stressed, among other things, the following:

South African Communist Party condemns racism and discrimination against Africans in Ukraine

In a statement, the South African Communist Party (SACP) condemns the disrespectful attitudes unleashed recently against African people by state actors and others in Ukraine. 

 

The statement also slams NATO aggressive expansion eastwards and calls all parties involved to work towards a peaceful resolution in the situation.  

 

More specifically, the statement of the SACP reads: 

KKE MEPs reject EU Parliament's resolution on Ukraine

The MEPs of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) voted against the European Parliament's resolution “On the Russian aggression against Ukraine” because it moves in the - dangerous for the people- direction of escalation of the EU-NATO-US conflict with capitalist Russia. 

 

The resolution promotes the directions of increasing the aggression of the EU and its monopoly groups it represents in the imperialist war that is taking place on Ukrainian territory. It calls for a new round of EU sanctions against Russia, including blocking her from the ports of EU member-states. 

Dimitris Koutsoumbas: No to imperialist war! Greece’s involvement must stop immediately!

On 27/2/22, the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) organized an event in the city of Lamia in honour of the 80 years of the Greek People’s Liberation Army (ELAS), which was the military wing of the National Liberation Front (EAM). Both EAM and ELAS were founded following a decision of the KKE and fought against the fascist triple foreign occupation (German, Italian, and Bulgarian) of Greece during the imperialist Second World War.

The event took place in Lamia, the native city of Aris Velouchiotis, leader of ELAS and cadre of the KKE.

Communists of Sweden and Finland: "We do not choose between imperialists; we choose socialism!"

In a joint statement on the developments in Ukraine, the Communist Parties of Sweden (SKP) and Finland (KTP) point out the following:

"We do not choose between imperialists; we choose socialism!

"The undersigned communist parties in Sweden and Finland state, in the face of mounting contradictions in the region in and around the Ukraine, that we refuse to choose between the rival imperialist powers.

KKE blasts Greece's military aid to Ukraine

Following a decision by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece will send to Ukraine two C-130 with military equipment thus advancing its involvement in the imperialist war. 

In a statement about Greek Government's decision to send military aid to Ukraine, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) points out:

“By sending military equipment to Ukraine in the framework of NATO's directions, the Government of ND upgrades the country's involvement in an imperialist war that is unfolding with unpredictable dimensions and great dangers for the people. 

Russian Communist Workers' Party on Ukraine war

In a statement titled “No to fascism! No to imperialist war”, the Russian Communist Workers' Party (RCWP) refers to Russia's invasion in Ukraine, stressing out that the actual aims of Vladimir Putin's government is to “strengthen the position of imperialist Russia in the world market competition”.

“Neither the Russian authorities nor the US and EU leaders pay much attention to the working people. We have no doubt that the real aims of the Russian state in this war are imperialistic”, the statement of the RCWP states. The Party acknowledges that “the source of the conflict is the inter-imperialist contradictions between the US, the EU and Russia”, adding that “the goal of the more powerful US imperialism is to weaken its Russian competitor and expand its infuence in the European market”. 

Joint statement by KKE and TKP for the 70 years since the accession of Greece and Turkey to NATO

Joint statement by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on the 70th anniversary of the accession of Greece and Turkey to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The statement reads:

"Seven decades ago, Greece and Turkey joined the imperialist organization NATO, established by the United States and its Western European allies.

PCTE: No to imperialist war! No a la guerra imperialista

Statement of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE): NO TO IMPERIALIST WAR!

The conflict between imperialist powers and blocs has entered a new stage with the start of direct military actions by the Russian Federation against military targets on Ukrainian territory. In these difficult times, when there is a serious risk of the outbreak of a widespread imperialist war, the Political Bureau of the PCTE sends the following reflections to workers and to the ensemble of our people:

"There is no good imperialist": Greek communists send a powerful message against the war in Ukraine

Thousands of workers, youth, people of every age participated in a large anti-imperialist, anti-war rally organized in Athens by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and its youth wing KNE on Friday afternoon.

Under the slogan "No to the imperialist war - Stop Greece's involvement", the protesters sent a powerful message against the war in Ukraine, denouncing the Russian invasion and the dangerous warmongering US-NATO-EU plans in the region. 

Mobilizations were staged in the Embassies of the Russian Federation and the United States in Athens. 

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): Statement on Ukraine war

In a statement about the developments in Ukraine, the Secretariat of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) points out:

In 1999, at the heart of Europe, NATO, the USA, the EU, and their allies bombed Yugoslavia. Today, in 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine in an unfair and destructive war.  Nevertheless, where are hidden all those who in 1991 were trying to persuade all the peoples that the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the overthrows in the countries of Eastern Europe were taking place in favor of international security and global peace?

UKRAINE WAR: Joint Statement of Communist and Workers’ Parties — No to the imperialist war!

No to the imperialist war in Ukraine!

An independent struggle is needed against monopolies and bourgeois classes, for the overthrow of capitalism, for the strengthening of the class struggle against imperialist war, for socialism!

1. The Communist and Workers’ Parties signing this Joint Statement are opposed to the imperialist conflict in Ukraine, which constitutes one of the consequences of the tragic situation for the peoples shaped after the overthrow of socialism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Both the bourgeois and the opportunist forces, which for years have fought against the USSR and recently celebrated the 30^th anniversary of its dissolution, silencing the fact that the restoration of capitalism meant the dismantling of historic workers’ and people’s achievements and brought the peoples of the USSR back to the era of class exploitation and imperialist wars, are completely exposed.