Union of Communists of Ukraine
Political party in Ukraine
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The Union of Communists of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Союз комуністів України, romanized: Soiuz komunistiv Ukrainy, Russian: Союз коммунистов Украины, romanized: Soyuz kommunistov Ukrainy, abbreviated SKU or UCU) is a Ukrainian anti-revisionist[1] Marxist–Leninist Communist party.
Union of Communists of Ukraine Союз комуністів України | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | SKU or UCU |
| Founded | 19 December 1992 |
| Banned | 2015 |
| Newspaper | Marksizm i sovremennost |
| Ideology | Communism Marxism–Leninism[1] Anti-revisionism |
| Political position | Far-left |
| European affiliation | INITIATIVE (2013–2023) ECA (2023–)[2] |
| International affiliation | IMCWP |
| Colours | Red |
| Verkhovna Rada | 0 / 450 |
| Website | |
| ucu-rg | |
In May 2015, a set of new Ukrainian decommunization laws came into effect, banning the Union of Communists of Ukraine from participating in electoral politics.[3]
History
The founding conference of the Union of Communists was held in December 1992, and it was registered with Ukrainian authorities in March 1993.[4][5] At the time of organization on 12 March 1993 it claimed to have 2,000 members in 13 oblasts.[4][5] Yurii Solomati was registered as the leader of the organization.[5] The main stronghold of the party has been Luhansk.[5] Initially many party members were also affiliated to the Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU), although the KPU soon began purge dissident elements.[5][6] Whilst the influence of the Union of Communists waned, it acted as a competitor of KPU in south-eastern Ukraine at an early stage.[6]
At the 23rd congress of the Union of Communist Parties – Communist Party of the Soviet Union held in March 1993, the Union of Communists is included as an associative member.[7] Considering itself as the legitimate heir of the CPSU, the Union of Communists demanded return of CPSU property seized by the Ukrainian state.[6] The organization called for the reconstruction of the Soviet Union.[6]
The Union of Communists began publishing the theoretical journal Marksizm i sovremennost' (Марксизм и современность, 'Marxism and Modernity') from Kyiv in 1995.[8] Politically it is close to the Russian Communist Workers Party, with many people (including Yabrova) holding dual memberships.[6]
As of the early 2000s, the group was led by Tamila Yabrova.[6]
In 2013, the party took part in the founding of the Initiative of Communist and Workers' Parties.[9]
In May 2015, laws that ban communist symbols came into effect in Ukraine.[3] Despite that, the Union of Communists of Ukraine remained active.
In June 2022, the party released a statement outlining that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a confrontation between "the international capitalist alliance of countries, led by the USA and NATO, and the international capitalist alliance of countries, led by Russian state-monopolistic capital."[10]