This contribution was made by Maryna from Sotsialnyi Rukh during the International Committee meeting in February 2026.
Dear comrades,
Tomorrow will mark exactly four years since the war began in my country. The life of every Ukrainian has been turned upside down.
We are activists of Sotsialnuy Rukh, a Ukrainian civic organization. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to be here today and to address you — our comrades and allies from the Fourth International.
We live and work in a country that has been resisting full-scale Russian aggression for four years now. The war has affected every aspect of our lives — our work, education, families, security, and future. But it has also demonstrated the power of solidarity — both within Ukraine and internationally. Many men from our organization went to the front to defend their country. Ukraine is losing its best sons.
We are teachers, workers, and activists, and every day we see how the war affects ordinary people. Our students study during air raid alarms, live without stable electricity, endure losses and uncertainty. And at the same time, they continue to learn, to work, and to fight for their future. Our people pay a high price every day — with their health, their safety, and sometimes their lives — for the right to freedom and a future. At the same time, as activists of Sotsialnuy Rukh, we continue to defend the principles of democracy, social justice, and human rights.
Defending our homeland has made the issue of equality before the law especially urgent. This is not an abstract principle. It is the foundation without which a just society cannot be built. Everyone must be equal before the law — regardless of social status, political office, or economic power. There cannot be one set of rules for those who fight and sacrifice, and another for those who hold power and resources.
War must not become an excuse to restrict democratic rights or deepen inequality. On the contrary, in times of war democracy and social justice must be defended even more firmly, because people must understand what kind of future they are fighting for.
That is why this summer Ukraine saw a wave of so-called “cardboard protests” — peaceful actions where citizens came out with simple cardboard signs to express their position. Sotsialnuy Rukh supported this initiative and actively participated.
The immediate trigger for mass dissatisfaction was concern over attempts to undermine the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office in favor of the presidential vertical of power. For Ukrainian society, the independence of anti-corruption institutions is critical, because corruption undermines trust in the state and weakens our ability to resist aggression.
But these protests reflect broader frustration — the authorities’ failure to meet the deep social demand for justice. While millions of Ukrainians live in wartime conditions, work, volunteer, serve, and risk their lives, parts of the economic and political elites continue to enrich themselves illegally and seek ways to avoid accountability.
This creates a dangerous sense of injustice. People see that the burden of war is distributed unequally. And this undermines social trust — one of the most important resources of any society, especially during war.
We see the risk that Ukraine could be pushed toward a model of wild capitalism, where rights and dignity depend on economic power rather than citizenship. In such a system, people must constantly fight not only for the future but for survival.
That is why our work is so important today. We fight for workers’ rights, for social protection, for gender equality, for transparency of power, and for the preservation of democratic institutions. We work with youth, students, educators, and workers to strengthen a culture of solidarity and civic participation.
International solidarity
International solidarity for us is not an abstract concept.
Activists of Sotsialnuy Rukh have participated in peaceful solidarity actions with the Palestinian people. We believe consistency in matters of freedom and justice is essential. It is impossible to demand support for ourselves while remaining silent about the suffering of others.
During a protest in Kyiv, demonstrators raised the flags of Ukraine and Palestine as a sign of mutual support between two peoples facing imperialist invasions and occupation of internationally recognized territories.
Participants chanted:
“From Ukraine to Palestine, occupation is a crime!”
We oppose all forms of occupation, colonial domination, and collective punishment of civilians. Our solidarity with Palestine does not contradict our struggle for Ukraine’s freedom — it stems from the same values: self-determination of peoples, equality before the law, and respect for international law.
We believe the left international movement must be consistent: support peoples, not governments; defend civilians, not justify violence; stand for freedom without double standards. Solidarity is not a geopolitical choice. It is a moral position.
Protection of critical infrastructure workers
One of the most urgent problems today is the failure to provide state assistance to critical infrastructure workers injured in Russian attacks and to the families of those killed.
On April 27, 2025, we organized the Social Forum “Protection of Critical Infrastructure Workers in Wartime,” which brought together around 60 representatives of trade unions, civic organizations, and state institutions.
The key issue was the non-implementation of a law guaranteeing financial assistance to workers injured or killed as a result of Russian attacks. Despite risking their lives daily, most applications are rejected due to bureaucratic obstacles.
That is, if a person is injured or killed at their workplace as a result of Russian military actions, and their workplace is not classified as critical infrastructure, their family will not receive compensation from the state.
We demand:
real access to legally guaranteed assistance for all critical infrastructure workers;
strengthening the role of trade unions and labor inspections;
fair investigations of all injuries and deaths;
an economy that serves society, not only private profit.
According to our data, every fourth refusal by the Pension Fund due to unconfirmed status of critical infrastructure is challenged in court. Twenty-five percent of appeal applications were prepared by Sotsialnuy Rukh activists, and four cases have already received positive court decisions.
We are also deeply concerned about new labor law reform initiatives that may weaken worker protections. The draft Labor Code was submitted to parliament without final agreement with trade unions — a deliberate disregard for social dialogue.
Workers today are the backbone of resistance and survival. They fight at the front, work in hospitals, repair the energy system, and maintain transport and production. Ukraine must respect and protect those who defend and sustain it.
Russia tried to freeze cities to death
In January and February this year, Ukrainian cities experienced one of the most severe energy crises due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure. Missile and drone strikes deliberately targeted energy facilities supplying civilians.
In Kyiv, the situation was especially critical: hundreds of residential buildings were left without heating, and emergency blackouts were introduced to prevent system collapse.
The Russian strategy was clear — to destroy energy infrastructure in winter, deprive civilians of heat and light, create a humanitarian crisis, and break resistance. In freezing temperatures, lack of heating is a direct threat to life, especially for children and the elderly.
Yet Ukrainian society continues to resist. People support one another, build solidarity networks, and refuse to let fear or cold break their belief in a democratic future.
Miners’ union organizing
We represent Kryvyi Rih — the longest city in Europe and the heart of Ukraine’s iron ore industry. It is a city of miners and metallurgists.
We work closely with the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine. Miners have organized strikes and even hunger strikes underground to demand fair wages and safe conditions.
Since the full-scale invasion, many miners and metalworkers have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They took up arms to defend not only territory, but the right to a future where labor is respected and dignity protected.
The working class of Ukraine is not only the backbone of the economy — it is the backbone of resistance and freedom.
Independent Social Centers
Sotsialnuy Rukh supports a network of Independent Social Centers in Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Lviv. These centers provide legal advice, psychological support, workshops, and a space for solidarity.
We support workers facing repression, students, internally displaced persons, women affected by domestic violence, and families of soldiers. During blackouts, people come to charge phones and drink hot tea — but they also build community and civic strength.
Political dimension
Our work always combines social and political dimensions. Workers’ rights and democracy are inseparable from political participation.
We promote political education among workers and youth, participate in legislative discussions, organize public campaigns, and build international solidarity.
In wartime, this perspective is even more important. Workers and civil society form the political foundation for a democratic and socially just future.
Sotsialnuy Rukh is almost the only organization in Ukraine with a left-wing orientation that raises the issue of workers’ representation in government. We contribute to advancing this struggle through educational activities, international connections, and the formulation of demands.
Final words: International perspective and solidarity
We fight not only for ourselves, not only for Ukraine, but so that no country in the world feels oppressed.
We live in a global world where everything is interconnected. War, inequality, and oppression cross borders. Our struggle is part of an international movement of workers, activists, and trade unions striving for justice.
We truly believe that a peaceful day will come in Ukraine — and that the rights and dignity of working people will be protected. We believe in a society where workers, students, medical staff, miners, women, and vulnerable groups have a real voice and real power.
We call on our friends and allies worldwide to strengthen international solidarity: to stand together against war, occupation, and social injustice.
Because the victory of Ukraine is the victory of a democratic and just world.
And that is why we continue to act, to organize, and to support one another — in Ukraine and in the global community, where workers’ rights and solidarity are universal values.
23 February 2026