Ukraine: Russian Invasion & War
My personal viewpoint as a radio amateur
In August 2019, my wife ON3EBR and I embarked on a city trip to Kyiv, where we explored the city’s many remarkable sights and enjoyed a truly memorable experience.
While standing at Maidan Square, we took a moment to reflect on the hardships the Ukrainian capital endured just a few years prior, during the time when its people firmly turned their hopes and aspirations toward the West.
Back in 2014, in a blatant violation of international law, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea—an act that left lasting scars on the nation.
Yet, despite this painful history, we found Kyiv to be a vibrant, welcoming city. Its openness and the warm hospitality we received left a lasting impression on us.
With shock and dismay, the world witnessed yet another unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. From the very beginning, Putin’s forces committed horrific war crimes against the Ukrainian people. The atrocities in Bucha stand as a haunting reminder of these crimes and must never be forgotten by any civilized human being.
The criminal regime in Moscow must be unequivocally condemned and isolated by the international community. The strongest possible sanctions should be imposed, and those responsible must ultimately face justice before a war crimes tribunal.
Tragically, the war has also claimed the lives of several fellow HAM radio operators in Ukraine—lives lost to senseless aggression.
Russian radio amateurs, of all people, should not be in the dark. Through their passion for shortwave communication, they have access to a breadth of information beyond the reach of the average citizen in a remote village. And yet, it raises the question: why do so many educated, urban Russians—despite the Internet and available global media—remain unwilling or unable to see through the falsehoods and propaganda fed to them by Putin’s criminal regime?
An old agadium states that politics and HAM radio should remain strictly separate. The IARU continues to defend this position today.
I agree with the general stance—but there’s also a deeper moral dimension that must be acknowledged.
Disturbingly, it appears that some Russian radio amateurs and their clubs openly endorse, or at least tolerate, the crimes committed by their government. A quick web search reveals numerous examples that suggest more than just passive complicity.
Take the example shown on the right. Examine the screenshot closely. Do you see the logo of the Russian IARU member association prominently displayed at the top of the page?
This raises serious questions. Is the IARU truly committed to keeping amateur radio free from political influence? Or does that principle conveniently fade when it comes to their member organization in the Russian Federation?
Furthermore, the well-known Russian Districts Award (RDA) program continues to list the illegally annexed territories of Crimea as part of the Russian Federation. This is not just a political statement; it is an endorsement of internationally condemned aggression.
So I ask: how can any peace-loving amateur radio operator in good conscience continue to pursue awards that implicitly validate these actions?
The situation described above has deeply disturbed me. As a result, since February 2022, I have chosen to limit my contacts with Russian radio amateurs to the absolute minimum.
With the exception of the occasional and largely unavoidable computer-to-computer QSO in digital FT8 mode—due to the way the software operates—I have decided not to log any Russian stations until further notice. This includes forgoing participation in international contests where working Russian stations is necessary to achieve a competitive score. It’s a personal sacrifice I’m willing to make in the name of conscience and moral integrity.
Naturally, I also ended my membership in Russian radio clubs, such as the Russian Robinson Club and others, as a matter of principle.
I fully support those IARU member societies that, under the current circumstances, have taken the decision to exclude Russian and Belarusian participants from their competitive events and contests. In my view, this is a necessary and justified response.
Recommended reading on the Russian horror based on a Ukrainian radio amateur's testimony
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