Participation of the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Canada in Deniing the Holodomor in Ukraine (1983–1984)
Authors: SIROMSKA Hanna , SIROMSKYI Ruslan 
Published: November 2024

The article examines the participation of the embassy of the Soviet Union in Canada in denying the Holodomor of 1932–1933 in Ukraine. It was established that the information campaign of the Ukrainian community, in particular the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (UCC) and the World Congress of Free Ukrainians (WCFU), which was designed to draw attention to the causes and consequences of the famine-genocide, caused an extremely negative reaction from Moscow. The Embassy of the Soviet Union in Ottawa was actively involved in the campaign to deny the artificial famine in Ukraine, trying to mix the accents in the coverage of the problem. The Soviets did not plan to engage in open discussions with their opponents, but instead: 1) promoted the achievements of the collective farm system through publications under the control of the “News” Press Agency; 2) used the trips of delegations controlled by the special services of the organization “Ukraine” to form a “correct vision” of the events of the past; 3) in every way they showed the “true goals of anti-Soviet actions” in publications published abroad. The method of denial included falsification of historical events, emphasis on the success of collectivization of agriculture, interpretation of any talk about famine as “anti-Soviet slander”, etc. Through its embassy, Moscow tried to convince Canadian politics of the need to take measures to stop “anti-Soviet provocative activities”. A special press release dated April 28, 1983, sent by the Soviet embassy to Canadian politicians, universities and the mass media, was decisive in explaining the events of 1932–1933 in Ukraine. His key message was the assertion that there was no famine, and Ukraine in 1932–1933 was experiencing only certain difficulties caused by the drought and the “resistance of the Kurkuls”. The support of the actions of the Ukrainian community on the part of influential Canadian politicians caused the appearance of several notes of protest from the embassy of the Soviet Union condemning the practices of commemorating the victims of the Holodomor (installation of monuments in Edmonton and Winnipeg, creation of the documentary film “Harvest of Despair”, holding of thousands of memorial events, etc.). Over time, from defensive tactics (denial, shift of emphasis), the Soviets switched to “active measures” designed to discredit researchers and witnesses of the Holodomor, as well as public figures who publicized Stalin’s crimes (for example, labeling them “fascists”, “accomplices fascists” etc.). Therefore, with the efforts of the Committee for State Security (KGB) and with the support of the Soviet Embassy, a special operation codenamed “Pharisees” was launched. Its measures were aimed at “throwing/promoting” abroad materials designed to refute information about the artificial nature of the 1932–1933 famine and undermine the credibility of researchers and witnesses of the Holodomor. However, despite all efforts to divert Canadian politicians from supporting Ukrainians and to change the narrative about the Holodomor across the ocean, the Soviets failed. Keywords: Holodomor, Canada, Embassy of the Soviet Union in Ottawa, objection, note of protest, Committee for State Security, Ukrainian Canadian Committee, Brian Mulroney, discredit.