The intention of the Transnistrian authorities to provide comprehensive organizational assistance to the Swedish authorities in carrying out on the territory of the republic events dedicated to the 300 anniversary of stay in Bendery, the Swedish King Charles XII, who fled there after the victory of the Russian army over the Swedes near Poltava in 1709, or, by definition, the Ambassador of Sweden in Ingrid Tersman, Moldova, 300 anniversary of the "Swedish presence on Transnistrian land", commented the head of the department of national stories Institute of State and Law of the Transnistrian State University Nikolay Babilunga.I do not quite understand how cultural, sporting, humanitarian, and all other initiatives of peoples and governments can be inappropriate, even if some forms of statehood among them are problematic from the point of view of the world community ?! Literally the other day in Tiraspol a famous composer Yevgeny Doga gave a concert with our State Symphony Orchestra (being a native of Transnistria, the composer Yevgeny Doga, who has been living in Moscow for many years, during the Moldovan-Transdniestrian conflict, suggested that Russians go to Russia or bring them to criminal responsibility for separatism "- comment REGNUM). A few weeks ago, the American ambassador to Moldova brought performers from the United States to Transnistria who pleased our public with the sound of a real Stradivari violin. Before that, we had performers from France, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and other countries. Transnistrian footballers meet with athletes from Moldova and other countries, and some, as I heard, even play at international competitions under the Moldavian tricolor. What problems could there be? It seems to me that it’s fortunate that, despite all the hostility of politicians and the inconsistency, and sometimes just the incompatibility of various state systems, we have the wisdom to use the opportunity of cultural communication and exchange.
As for the events that are scheduled for the 300 summer anniversary of the stay of the Swedish king in Bendery fortress, they are completely natural and necessary. Karl XII spent in Bender exile 4 of the year, which were very important both in his life and in the history of Transnistria, the history of Sweden, Turkey, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and other countries. This is our common history, and no one will be worse off because we will know it better and study it more closely. After the defeat of Poltava, Peter the Great returned to captive Swedish officers their personal weapon, invited me to a feast, and then let go home. Karl in Bender continued to pursue an active policy, trying to put together a new anti-Russian coalition, in which he had no success. He was very dissatisfied with the Sultan, who did not take advantage of the opportunity to defeat the Russian army during the unsuccessful campaign for Pyotr Prut in Moldova. And after the brawl he had arranged with a brawl (Kalabalyk), the Turks simply forcibly expelled him back to Sweden, where he soon died under mysterious circumstances. To understand about this period as much as possible in the interests of each of the parties participating in this "cultural project". Neither I nor anyone else sees anything anti-Russian in it. Moreover, I hope that Russian museums, Russian researchers will take an active part in it. Our common history needs to be painstakingly studied, not spat upon and not anathematized by the old habit.
Of course, Karl arrived in Bender with Mazepa, and after his death he elevated to the hetmans his devoted follower Orlik, after whom a memorial sign was opened in Bendery fortress several years ago. But this is an important page in the history of Ukraine, which we also study, know and respect, regardless of how Mazepa and Orlik treated Russian statehood. But this is a completely different question. The Swedish king was not cursed by the Russian Orthodox Church and did not become a knight of the Order of Judas, invented by Peter especially for Mazepa. Moreover, in a certain sense, Karl himself fell victim to the intrigues of the restless Mazepa. And most importantly, the orange authorities never thought of representing the Swedish king as the national hero of Ukraine, a symbol of virtue and the first Ukrainian European integrator (October 9 2007 of the then "orange" President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree "On the celebration of the 300 anniversary of events related to Hetman of Ukraine Ivan Mazepa and the conclusion of the Ukrainian-Swedish alliance’s military-political statement. ”These events included, among other things, the installation of a monument to Charles XII in Poltava for the 300 anniversary of the Battle of Poltava The Swedish public organization Association of Friends of the Stockholm Military Museum tried to donate a bust of Karl to Poltava, but the city refused to accept it. However, on September 11 in the village of Degtyarevka, Chernihiv region of Ukraine, was established in the presence of representatives of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and other authorities. monument to hetman Mazepa and Karl XII. And on October 2008 1, Yushchenko and the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustav took part in the opening of the international exhibition "Ukraine - Sweden: at the crossroads of history", which consisted of Xia at the National Museum of History in Kiev. In his speech, Yushchenko emphasized that thanks to this exposition, the Ukrainian public for the first time will be able to get acquainted with "relics of a difficult period - the XVII-XVIII centuries - the time when Ukraine tried to gain its independence" - approx REGNUM). It makes no sense even to put the name of this prominent political figure in Sweden with the names of such traitors and executioners like Mazepa, Bandera, Shukhevych and other national symbols of an implacable fight against the “Muscovites” for those crazy “orange revolutionaries” who in Kiev hang Santa Claus and Snow Maiden as , allegedly, the ideological weapon of Moscow.
Giving each character of the historical past the results of his actions, both for the benefit of the nations and to their detriment, we are not going to fight at all in hysterics, extolling someone's merits to the divine heaven, or, conversely, showering him with blasphemy, abuse and foul language. We have no desire to politicize history, giving it a boil of momentary political passions and struggles. This is not our method, as Shurik used to say in his famous film mate. To our own history, as well as to the history of neighboring peoples, we in Transdniestria treat with reverence, interest, and respect. And such a bright figure of our historical past, as Karl XII, of course, is no exception.