The Russian Bridge Letter

RUSSIAN BRIDGE – SOLIDARITY WITH RUSSIA in the hour of the Ukrainian tragedy (descendants of the White emigration appeal to the leaders of Europe)

This document was linked to within the MFA missive recording Lavrov’s words on the occasion of its author, Dmitry Shakhovsky, 90th birthday party that was held in Moscow on March 12, 2024. I was unaware of this document, and I’m sure most readers never heard of it either. Here’s the published photo from that event,

Here’re Lavrov’s few words on that occasion:

Dear Dmitry Mikhailovich,

Dear friends,

Vladimir Moskvin has already said a lot. One can endlessly talk and admire this man, his loyalty to the Motherland and his entire family, most of whom are here with him today.

Vladimir Moskvin quoted the words written by Dmitry Shakhovsky in 2014, when everything was just beginning. But it all started much earlier. Our President Vladimir Putin spoke about this long before the bloody coup d'état in Ukraine. But when it happened, all the elites (primarily in the West) and those who were preparing this putsch immediately began to point the finger at Russia, threw a tantrum, and accused us of all our sins and violations of international law.

The voice of D.M. Shakhovsky in the document he wrote, inviting all the descendants of the Russian emigration as co-authors, was one of the first in the West to say that history should be taught and never betrayed. And if you forget your roots, they will do the same thing to you.

Yes, as they have just said, there are less than a thousand signatures. But each of them is worth a huge number of votes, bearing in mind that behind each of them are generations of our compatriots, the tsarist empire, nobles who were respected by the people and who were true patriots.

Mr Mikhailovich, it was with great pleasure that I fulfilled President Putin's honourable instruction and presented you with the Order of Friendship. The only thing I would like to disagree with in Vladimir Moskvin's opening remarks is that he said that you are a friend of Russia. The Mother's son cannot be her friend, he is her son.

***

Dmitry Shakhovskoy: Thank you for putting the steering wheel in your hands.

Sergey Lavrov: No, the steering wheel is in other hands. We are helping the helmsman together with you in different directions, from different places, from different positions, but above all to Russia, so that it steers where our people want, where history calls us.

And now the letter, which is linked to in the above text, beginning with a short preamble:

The Declaration "Solidarity with Russia" was
drafted by Kn. Dmitry M. and Tamara G. Shakhovskiy,
with the participation of the initiative group "Russian Bridge"*.
Since it was written on November 26, 2014, it has already received the support of more than 100 prominent descendants of white emigrants belonging to many organizations from different countries and continents. Others, with or without ties to Russia, also wished to accede to the Declaration.
The list of signatures is updated with new names every day and remains open at the solidairesdelarussie@gmail.com's e-mail address. It will be updated on this site with each new signature. [The link provided is dead.]

SOLIDARITY WITH RUSSIA
in the hour of the Ukrainian tragedy

For almost a year now, the events in Ukraine have deeply worried each of us, the descendants of the White emigration, especially since, unlike the people around us, we, by virtue of our origin, have access to a variety of information. Knowledge of the near past, namely the past of pre-revolutionary Russia, provides us with the opportunity, and with it the duty, to expose the obvious historical falsifications that have led to the current drama in Ukraine.
In the face of escalating tensions, both in the Donbass and in international relations, the conclusion suggests itself: the aggressive hostility now unfolding against Russia is devoid of any rationality. The policy of double standards is off the charts. Russia is accused of all crimes, without evidence it is a priori declared guilty, while other countries are shown astonishing leniency, in particular with regard to the observance of human rights.
In no way do we refuse to defend the values on which we were brought up by our ancestors who were condemned to exile after the 1917 revolution. We do not renounce either the condemnation of the criminal acts of the Bolsheviks and their successors, or the restoration of the historical truth about that terrible time. But this does not mean that we can put up with the daily slander against modern Russia, its leadership and its president, who are subjected to sanctions and mixed with dirt contrary to basic common sense. This self-destructive, ridiculous idea for European countries gives serious thought to all those who see in it the West's desire to hinder Russia's development rather than resolve the crisis in Ukraine. Especially ridiculous is the systematic attack on everything that in one way or another is related to the "Russian world": after all, we are talking about historical, geographical, linguistic, cultural and spiritual realities, about a great civilization that has enriched the world and of which we are justifiably proud.
We are also outraged by the shameful silence by European officials and the media about the brutal bombing that the Ukrainian army, supported by military groups under Nazi symbols, is unleashing in Donbass on the civilian population and civilian infrastructure. Such silence is perceived by the Kiev authorities as giving them the full right to continue killing and destruction. For many months, children and the elderly are killed or seriously injured, and prisoners are tortured. And now the Kiev government has also imposed a complete blockade (on gas, electricity, railway communication, pensions, salaries, medicines, the activities of institutions, hospitals, etc.) in order to finally destroy the region, which is declared an integral part of its territory. And how can one not condemn the violence perpetrated by Kiev's supporters against the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine?! Priests are persecuted, forced to flee, and even killed; fifty churches were bombed, twenty of which were completely destroyed; Believers are persecuted. Where are the European values?
Despite the complete rejection of the Soviet Union, our fathers and grandfathers took the suffering that befell the Russian people in World War II hard. In turn, we will not remain indifferent and silent witnesses in the face of the systematic destruction of the population of Donbass, blatant Russophobia and hypocritical approaches that completely contradict the interests of our beloved Europe. We very much hope that the countries that once sheltered our families will once again embark on the path of prudence and impartiality.

Paris, 26 November 2014

Kn. Dmitriy M. and Kg. Tamara G. Shakhovskie

---

List of signatures

Yurievsky, His Serene Highness Prince Georgy A. and
Yurievskaya, Her Serene Highness Princess Elikonida, (Switzerland)
Albertini Vera F., (France)
Andrew Olga A., b. Trubnikova, (France)
Arianov, Archadius A., (Belgium)
Avierino, Mikhail V., (France)
Baryatinsky, Prince Vladimir V. and
Baryatinskaya, Princess Yolande, (France)
Begliant, Marie-France, (England)
Belyavsky, Nikolai S. and
Belavskaya, Guilen (Belgium)
Bereznikov, Aleksey A. and
Bereznikova, Claude (France)
Bobrikov, Alexander P., (France)
Bobrinsky, Nikolay B., (Germany)
Boldyrev, Aleksandre (France)
de Boreysha, Irina P., (Switzerland)
Brune de Saint-Hippolyte, Sofia (France)
Butlerova, Vera N., (France)
Winand, Olga, b. Rosina, (England)
Vinogradov, Mikhail, (France)
Vorontsov Velyaminov, Mikhail V. and
Vorontsova Veljaminova, Chantal, (France)
Davydov, Konstantin K., (France)
Durdin Mak, Dmitriy P., (Belgium)
Drutskoy Kokolinsky, Prince Aleksandre A., (Belgium)
Genderon-Stuart, Anna C. Countess von der Palen, (England)
Hander-Stuart, Andrew., (England)
Genko, N. N. and
Genko, Maria I. b. Starocelskaya, (France)
Golubinova, Padin, (France)
Gorokhov, Gerard A., (France)
Grabar, Mikhail N., (France)
Grekov, Nikolay N., (France)
Guchkov, Ivan A., (Switzerland)
Grigoriev, Aleksey P., (France)
Ignatiev, Count Nikolai N., (France)
Zhivolup, Vladimir., (France)
Ivanova, Maria D. Countess Tatishcheva, (France)
Kameneva, Tatiana., (France)
Kapnist, Countess Veronika J. b. Lyset, (France)
Capnist, Count Serge A., (France)
Carmignani, Roger (France)
Knüpfère, Helena V. b. Jagiełło, (England)
Kozyrev, Vladimir., (Belgium)
Colla-Musin-Pushkin, Rostislav V., (France)
Colchak Aleksandre R. &
Kolchak, Jeanine (France)
Krylov, Ivan P., (Belgium)
Crevio, Philipp., (Belgium)
Kurdyukov, Ivan S., (France)
Lavrov, Oleg N., (France)
Lazarev, Ivan N., (France)
Louis-Kiselevskaya, Anna M., (France)
Luchaninov, Sergey., (USA)
Marchalk, Gergy., (France)
Matchera, Gergius A. and
Matcheré, Nadejda V., born Princess of Walcon, (France)
Matsnev, Andrey., (France)
Miller de la Cerda, Aleksandre N. and
Miller de la Cerda, Anna O., b. Countess Tolstaya, (France)
Miloradovich, Anna, (Canada)
Muratova, Xenia M., (France)
Mourouzi, Prince Konstantin P. and
Mourouzi, Princess Suzanne, (France)
Mouret, Maria A. Trubnikova, (France)
Naryshkin, Petr A., (Cape Town, South Africa)
de O de Sizhi Maria G. b. de Saint-Hippolite, (France)
von der Palin, Baroness Irina G., (Belgium)
von der Palin, Count Sergei C., (Switzerland)
Pascoe, Serge, (France)
Pervyshin, Rostislav N. and
Pervyshina, Ksenia B. born Masterer, (France)
Pernikov, Efim, (FrPlotto
, Alexander V. and
Plotto, Elena V. (France)
Posylkin, Dmitry, (Belgium)
Pridun, Johanna, (France)
Pridun, Stéphane, (France)
Pushkin, Alexander
and Pushkina, Maria-Magdalina, b. Durnovo, (Belgium)
Poulet, Marina R., b. Pervyshina, (France)
Rampelberg, Marianna D., b. Parfyonova, i
Rampelberg, René-Mary, (France)
Rebinder, Serafim A. and
Rebinder, Elena A. Pochitalova, (Switzerland)
Rebinder, Sergey A. and
Rebinder, Elena C. (France)
Renn, Daria A. b. Rozova, (France)
de Rennenkampf, Aleksandra P., b. Nefedova, (France)
von Rosenschild, Natalia.A., (France)
Russel, Elizaveta P. b. Stepanovich (France)
Ruchkovsky Aleksey G., and
Ruchkovskaya, Natalia A. b. Babkova, (France)
Cafyannikov, Pavel A., (Belgium)
Svechin, Ivan N., and
Svechina, Deniza, (France)
de Saint-Hippolite, Peter G., (France)
Steinbock Férmor, Count Andreuil I., (France)
Steinbok Férmore, Countess Xenia A. (Italy)
Sukkar, (Cacharov), Anton S., (France)
Sulatskaya, Ekaterina A., (France)
Terentyev, Aleksandre V. (France)
Tolstaya, Countess Colette M., ( France)
Tolstaya, Countess Marina M., (Belgium)
Tolstoy, Count Dmitriy C., (France)
Trotsky, Dr Sergey S., (Austria)
Tunguzova, Tatiana A., (France)
Usova, Tatiana K., (France)
fon Tsurikov, Ekaterina L. b. Countess Ignatyeva, (Germany)
Fedorov, Andrew N., (France)
Fedorova, Tatiana, (France)
de Fermor, Petr A., (France)
Filatova, Julia, (Belgium)
Finnson, Ksenia P., (France)
Finnson, Vera, (France)
Shakhovskoy, Prince Dmitry M. and
Shakhovskaya, Princess Tamara G. b. Tkhorzhevskaya (France)
Sheremetev, Count Peter P., (France)
Shidlovskaya, Irina A. b. Golovina, (France)
Shidlovskaya, Marina Y., (France)
Shirikova, Tatiana, (Switzerland)
Shorokhov, Andrew P., (Belgium)
Yanov, Nikolay M., (France)

A dramatic, important document telling us much about what’s within the Russian soul Putin often mentions. A few names above are familiar, while most admittedly aren’t. I note that none were located in Occupied Palestine. I very highly endorse this:

“history should be taught and never betrayed. And if you forget your roots, they will do the same thing to you.”

Who the “they” are is for us to speculate upon. It would be revealing to discover how the signatories feel about everything now that ten years have past and many more events have occurred. We know how the letter’s author feels; how many would agree?

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