How Serbs treat Russian women. "We are not fools.

A resident of Riga, Natalia Polytsya, who visited Serbia, was surprised by the attitude of the Serbs towards the Russians.
Despite the fact that Natalia herself speaks Russian, the attitude towards Russian speakers in Serbia really discouraged her.

It was hard for her to imagine that Russians were loved here, although Natalya had repeatedly heard about Serbs' sympathy for Russia.

Residents of Serbia sympathize not only with Russia, Russians, they are attracted by everything Russian.

Serbs easily recognize a Russian person among other foreigners, and many Serbs express gratitude for hearing Russian speech.
Natalia experienced Serbian hospitality firsthand. At the flea market, she was treated to coffee without taking money, saying that "we don't take money from brothers."

Elderly people note good manners of Russian youth. The Serbs themselves do not ask Russians for the "historical mistakes" of their ethnic homeland, as is customary in other countries.

Along with sympathy for Russia, the Serbs do not have "strong feelings" for the Americans. According to Natalia, a Serbian journalist told her:

"I know English very well. But why are we, brothers, going to switch to their language with you?"

A positive attitude towards Russians is noted not only among the older generation, who still have memories of the communist past.
The youth of Serbia also sympathize with Russia. In the evenings, according to Natalia, girls can start reading Nina Zarechnaya's monologues or Tatyana's letter to Onegin. Sometimes it accompanies the accordion and songs: "Katyusha" or "Moscow Nights".

Despite the fact that the younger generation does not know Russian, unlike their parents, they understand it perfectly.
Since 1945, the Russian language has been studied in Serbia, but at the moment there is propaganda against it from Europe. There is also no Russian music or newspapers in the media.

However, the love for Russian speech in Serbia does not fade. As one friend of the Serb Natalia said:

"If you want to know the world, learn English, if you want to know the soul, learn Russian."

Moreover, Serbs enjoy watching Russian cinema, such as films by Bondarchuk and Mikhalkov. One Serb, showing Natalia the way, started a conversation and shared his impressions of Russian cinema:

- Where are you from?
- I'm Russian.
- I understood this, I ask - where from?
- Oh, you know, I'm from Riga, it's the capital of Latvia, but Russians live there...
- Yes, you don’t need to explain to me, I remember the story well, - with this phrase he reprimands me. - And what are the fates here? Tourism?
- No, I work at a film festival ...
- "Oh, Russian films! That's right. Bring more. Otherwise, they don't show us anything except Hollywood, we're tired of this propaganda. We're not fools. We want to see the other side of life."

In general, Natalia's impressions of Serbia remained positive. Relations with Turkey and Montenegro have not developed in the country, and there is disdain for the West, but Russia is loved. Unlike Latvia, where Natalia is from. But Serbia's sympathy for Russia is undeniable, as Natalya was convinced of by visiting this country.

On the website of the LDP (a marginal pro-American party in Serbia that advocates "national repentance" and the recognition of Kosovo's independence. Ed.), I recently saw a comment that read: "Russians are boors!" Whereas on the B92 forum, one of the participants “relieved his soul” by writing: “... I know that the Russians have not helped us even once in the last 200 years, since the First Serbian uprising they have been stabbing us in the back.” On the Peshchanik website, you can find a text by Nikolai Samardzic, which says: “Serbia is the only country that has an enviable potential for development, it approaches Russia only because of poor political conditions and economic backwardness, the causes of which lie at the foundations of an authoritarian , anti-liberal politics".

It must be said right away: those who “spit” on Russia and Russians are a minority. A study of ethnic distancing, that is, the feeling of closeness or remoteness of a representative of a certain people in relation to other ethnic groups, conducted by the New Serbian Political Thought, shows that Russians are very popular among Serbs. For Serbs, Russians are the best marriage partners or neighbors; the best bosses at work. Serbs would like more Russians to live in Serbia. Moreover, some citizens of Serbia would also like to see Russians in government posts!

In short, probably nowhere outside the former Soviet Union are Russians ranked as high as in Serbia. Moreover, traditionally friendly relations have intensified with the strengthening of the position of the Russian Federation on the world stage and a resolute position on the Kosovo issue. But the fact is that some Serbs express a negative attitude towards the Russians, or at least dissatisfaction! Why is that? Is there any reason for this?

Selective memory

Some Serbs are convinced that Russia has never truly helped Serbia. So, it is forgotten that because of us, the Serbs, not ready for military action, Russia entered the First World War. Russian government knew well the state of her army, that industry and society were not ready for long-term military clashes. On the basis of the experience of the war with Japan, everyone knew what favorable opportunities the war provided for the activity of revolutionaries. But Nicholas II did not want to leave the Serbs in trouble. He did not allow others to do this during the "Albanian Calvary" (the retreat of the Serbian army in 1915-1916 through the territory of Albania, during which the Serbs were not only attacked by the Austro-Hungarians, but also attacked by Albanian militants. Ed.). Only thanks to the decisive position of Russia, as well as the threat that she would withdraw from the war, did the Western Allies evacuate the exhausted Serbian forces (meaning the evacuation to Greek island Corfu, where in 1917 a declaration was signed on the formation of the future Yugoslavia. Ed.).

Russia also helped us during our uprisings at the beginning of the 19th century. She also helped us during the wars of 1876-1878, and not only state institutions, but also the people themselves, that is, various public organizations and the people themselves.

Of course, official Russia has always put its own interests first. Just like in Serbia! Therefore, of course, Russia may not have always helped to the extent that we hoped for.

When it comes to other countries, the Serbs understand that it is permissible for each state to fight for its own interests. Meanwhile, we apparently do not allow this to the Russians. Moreover, sometimes we are jealous of them, and our historians remember it as a “criminal act” that for Russia in the late 1870s in the Balkans, its own interests always came first, then Bulgarian, only then Serbian. However, we dare to assume that the Bulgarian interests for the Russians were a priority primarily because Bulgaria had access to the sea, which in itself was very important (after the capture of Plevna and the victory over the Ottoman Empire, Russia sought to create a powerful Bulgarian state that included Macedonia, which was also claimed by Serbia. Ed.).

Little Brother Syndrome?

I think that behind all this is the "little spoiled brother syndrome." Fate has not spoiled us, but we spoil ourselves. We are the people of the big I, and hence the strong pride. Therefore, when in relation to someone we feel closeness, we immediately expect that the object of adoration will see in us the "essence of his life." Thus, few Serbs and historians will remember that it did not occur to the Serbian authorities to take the side of Russia in the Crimean War (and in fact they hoped for us in Russia).

The “extenuating circumstance” is that the public was in favor of Serbia entering the war against Turkey, Great Britain and France! The Serbian people did the same in 1941, when they raised an uprising against the German occupiers. The motive of the majority was to help attacked Russia (even if it was red) and, side by side with the brotherly people, defeat the Nazis.

The new "episode" of the film about "fraternal (deceived) hopes" was "filmed" in the 90s. Russia survived two incomparable betrayals: the Bolsheviks and Yeltsin. Tens of millions of Russians remained outside the borders of Russia and were left to their unfortunate fate. And was it then realistic to expect support from such a government in Moscow? Especially effective and sincere! Was it reasonable to think that B. Yeltsin and A. Kozyrev care about Serbian national interests. Does it make sense then to be angry with Russia because of the attitude of its authorities towards us throughout the 90s?

Austrophiles vs Russophiles

Less than a year later, after Serbia received autonomy in 1830, as part of our youth, with the support of state funds, began to study in the West. From there, many of them returned as carriers of the ideology of the superiority of the West.

Among representatives of the relatively small urban upper stratum (officials, lawyers, merchants, professors), the belief was growing that a significant rapprochement with Russia could negatively affect the course of liberalization and democratization of Serbia. But the paradox was that such an attitude was often fueled by pro-Austrian political circles, and the Habsburg monarchy was not a country with an ideal political system! The Austrophiles instilled fear in our pro-Western philistines that intense ties with Russia would only hinder a better life. However, when pro-Russian politicians took over Serbia, there was much more freedom in it than when it was led by Austrophils who liked to imagine themselves as Westerners. Gained momentum, became more large-scale Europeanization of the country.

Consequences of the Cold War

The real polarization of the West and Russia was brought by the October Revolution. In the USSR, there was not only no political freedom or freedom of civil associations, but even limited sports or economic freedom! All decisions were made by the party. Unfortunately, when a system was imposed on Russia that largely refuted its identity, for the Serbs, Russia continued to remain a huge Eurasian country. Not out of evil conviction, but out of habit and guided by love! Dmitry Letich pointed out this mistake and wrote about the need to talk about the “Soviet”, and not about Russia. But this did not reach the ears of most Serbs.

Parts of the Soviet Army entered Serbia in 1944. This indirectly contributed to the strengthening of the Tito regime. The Serbs who remained loyal to Draža Mikhailovich and the king were indignant at the Russians and the British. (Draže Mihailović - Chief of Staff of the High Command of the Yugoslav Army, whose commander-in-chief was King Peter. From 1941 to 1943, the British supported the Yugoslav Army, which was popularly called the "Chetniks", and later sided with the partisan detachments of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. The goal of the partisans was struggle for power, or, as they said, the revolution, so they attacked the Yugoslav army, while avoiding clashes with the Germans.The British violated international law and interfered in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, taking the side of Tito.It is important to note that they supported partisans also because most of them were Croats. Thus, the following designations of the military were used - “Croatian partisans” and “Serbian Chetniks.” The movement of Draže Mihailović was monarchist, patriotic, Great Serbian. Ed.).

While some suffered because they did not love Stalin, others doted on him. The year 1948 came, and after the resolution of the Information Bureau, mass arrests and the activation of all propaganda potentials directed against the Soviet Union followed.

When Tito saw that the "family quarrel" with Stalin had gone too far, he began to orient himself towards the West. Along with this, he began the process of liberalization in other areas. It became easier to get a passport, when in fact everyone did not have the opportunity to travel where they want. The authorities refused to collectivize the land. Cooperation with the United States contributed to rapid economic development until the mid-60s, and a further increase in living standards. On the basis of gratuitous assistance and loans, we quickly began to live much better than our eastern neighbors. And, based on many reasons, we began to divide the world into the Western, abundant, and the Soviet (Russian), which seemed to us a "valley of suffering."

The communist system collapsed. Russia went through another "hellish circle", but in the end, like a hero of ancient myths, she escaped from the underworld. Now it is a "real" capitalist country, developing at a rapid economic pace. And it opens up exceptional prospects. Although, the formed belief is difficult to transform. Part of the Serbs seem to be convinced that cooperation with Russia will bring a poor way of life, according to the old Soviet model! This irrational use of the past is the fruit of years of socialist propaganda, of intimidating the people with a far worse form of socialism.

From past to present

Some Serbs believe that building ties with Russia is moving us away from the West. For most, a better life is associated with the West. Again, some believe that it is not serious to rely on the Russians: they are afraid that at a critical moment Russia will leave us with nothing.

We have seen how it was in the past, and as for the present, the aforementioned fears are also unfounded. The world is no longer divided into blocs by the Cold War, so it is ridiculous to perceive Russia as the lair of some anti-Western alliance. Otherwise, this country is in many respects a bigger West than Serbia. Then, Russia has no goals to bind us too much to itself. On our territory, unfortunately, there are no certain global strategic interests of Russia. There are economic ones, and of course Russia wants its companies to be well positioned in Serbia before our country joins the EU. When the privatization process took place in the countries of the former Soviet bloc, Russia had many problems and missed out on capital investments to develop its subsidiaries there. But, albeit in some areas of industry, Russia now wants to soften the barriers that the EU puts on the way to its “business” in Serbia. From this we will only profit! This will only be better for us!

In connection with the "deception" of the Serbs by the Russians, even though we have already talked about this enough, there is something to add. Russia is not ruled by "Slavophiles" or "Orthodox zealots". The Russian ruling elite seeks to establish patriotism, revive religious traditions, but in the foreground - the economic development of the country. And this is not only in the interests of the people, but also the owners of capital. "Oligarchs" no longer rule Russia, but there are industrial giants - their interests are taken into account in the formation of state policy.

Along with this, Russia cares, first of all, about its state interests, rather than about the interests of the Russian people. There is no doubt that we are talking about protecting the rights of the Russian population in other republics, but (unfortunately) not much is being done for this. Especially when good relations with local authorities are established. For example, let's say that the status of the Russian community in Kazakhstan leaves much to be desired, but for Moscow, good relations with this great Central Asian power are more important than concern for the situation of compatriots. Only when the government in some state begins to be unfriendly to the Russian Federation, then the issue of the Russian minority becomes significant.

Meanwhile, Russia will support what is in the interests of the Serbs and is consistent with international law; of course, except if our government behaves as if it doesn't care about Serbian interests. Russia will support the Dayton status of the Republika Srpska, the integrity of the Republika Srpska, the rights of Serbs in Croatia, the rights of refugees from Kosovo. It is in Russia's interests to establish special cooperation with Serbia. We are talking about protecting the rights of the Russian population in other republics, but (unfortunately) not much is being done for this. what m “kaya avi First, we are ready for this (most of the population, and declaratively, politicians), and it is beneficial for Russia to have a close partner in this region. Secondly, there is indeed a feeling of friendship and closeness between our peoples. This should not be overestimated, but it will still contribute to better political relations. And along with this, everything is the same with states as with people - when a prejudice is created in “society” that someone is close to someone, then his power and sincerity are evaluated in accordance with actions in relation to a loved one (state ). It means that the influence of the Russian Federation is facilitated by the fact that the “global public” learns that it is helping Serbia!

Serbophobia in the form of Russophobia

All this, in general terms, is known to those of our political and media circles that propagate anti-Russian sentiments. They do this because they are infected with Titoism - and hence the anti-Serb attitude, not anti-Russian!

They are afraid of something that might become reality. Although Russia does not follow some special "Slavic and Orthodox path", it defends the principles of the so-called sovereign democracy. In other words, the Russian Federation should be governed by its own political and economic elite. The so-called Euro-Atlantic concept opposes this. If a certain world power is not formed, a hierarchical model of existing states and an asymmetric atrophy of sovereignties is created. Within the "Euro-Atlantic family of peoples," the political and economic elites agree on joint lines of action, with particular influence from the American center of power. Of course, as in every family, there are disagreements in power. Although there are usually solutions to existing problems.

Meanwhile, as long as there is territory for the independent activity of the EU and its members, the US has much more room for maneuver. America is a family member living by special rules - she has a strong influence on other family members, but no one has the right to interfere in "her affairs"!

Serbia cannot be the same player on the global level as Russia; cannot even be "sovereign" inside, like this powerful country. Although, Serbia may try to become independent and abandon blind obedience and the role of a peripheral member of the "Euro-Atlantic family". This does not mean that we will renounce European integration, but it will be our desire to show that we want to become part of the "North Atlantic Pact", that we do not want to be the mouthpiece of someone else's political course, that we do not want to believe in the so-called Euro-Atlantic ideology! But in order to achieve all this, part of the political and media structures are conducting a process of "Euro-Atlantic" indoctrination - the ruin of our traditions in order to "build" a new identity. This is what anti-Russian rhetoric serves - the Serbs must be turned away from the "bad" example and close ties with Russia should be stopped. In this context, it is necessary to consider the attitude of our Euro-Atlanticists towards the Cyrillic alphabet - everything that makes us different from the West must be eliminated; especially when it comes to symbolic adhesion with Russia.

In conclusion, one more important thing needs to be said. The anti-Russian campaign of our political and media Euro-Atlantists should have served as a boomerang. They hope that their negative attitude towards Russia and the Russians, even if it is not accepted by the people, will outrage the Russian authorities and the media. That this will affect the relationship between Russia and Serbia. As a consequence of this, the taxpayers and financiers of our Euro-Atlanticists would get rid of Russian interference in Balkan affairs, which is unpleasant for them. Then they could finish what the Serbs thought up, and what Russia is preventing them from doing. Why should Russia help someone who doesn't even appreciate it? I hope that at least part of our Serbian elite will have this in mind.

Russophobes do not like Serbia either

Russophobia does not mean only fear towards Russians, it also means rejection of the Russian people, hatred towards them. There are very few Russophobes among Serbs; The question is, do they even exist? Those who are gnawed by Russophobia are, in fact, no longer Serbs; they lose their identity. Ethnic distance polls show that even LDP supporters are not, as a rule, anti-Russian. Although they speak out against the development of special ties between Serbia and Russia, they have no hatred towards the Russians.

Russophilia means love for Russians. And there is no doubt that many Serbs - Russophiles - feel strong sympathy for the Russians, and believe that the best contacts should be established with Russia. Meanwhile, among the Serbs in our time (and it was not always so) there are few Russomans. By Rusomania is meant an irrational love for Russia; and nationally oriented Serbs (whose ranks also include Russophiles) unequivocally put Serbian interests in the first place. Their sense of closeness to Russia does not conflict with Serbian national interests.

We and the Russians are really close peoples: in many ways we have the same origin, we have the same religion, and in the past of our state, we basically had good relations. More importantly, Serbs and Russians consider each other brotherly peoples. Based on this, they can develop mutually fruitful relationships and thus additionally “water” the “Tree of Friendship”. Then it will be a positively closed circle, which will make possible the strengthening of its constituent elements.

Although you should always keep in mind that the strongest adhesions between peoples are something deep, archetypal. Both political and economic interests change - but such ties remain! Systems and circumstances changed, but the Russian and Serbian people, sometimes in defiance of state policy, always felt mutual sympathy. And our friendship with the French, not based on any deep ties, passed as quickly as if it had never existed. Countries are guided by their own interests, but for a long time no power will be as friendly towards us as Russia!

Today, with pain in our hearts, many of us recall the events of a decade ago: on March 24, 1999, the barbaric American aggression against Serbia began. For more than two months, the Merciful Angel hovered over the territory of Yugoslavia, dropping bombs and rockets on cities and villages. Before my eyes are footage of a report from Belgrade on Good Friday: war, bombing, and the Serbs go to kiss the shroud. Then there was Easter, and again bombs flew from "Christian" America to Christian Serbia with the inscriptions " happy easter!».

In the autumn of 2001, between the master classes of the seminar on Byzantine art in Novy Sad, we walked around this university town and often heard such comments: “and these bridges, they were bombed by the Americans”, “children died there, but why was it necessary to kill children ?”…. From Novi Sad I went to Belgrade. As if in a dream, I was climbing from the station to the city center along a broken street, similar to shots from Soviet films about the Great Patriotic War, only everything was in reality. In the same 2001, at a conference on the Middle Ages in Budapest, I could not resist and asked the venerable American professor - “Well, how could you bomb Serbia with bombs with the wishes of “Happy Easter ?!” In response, he laughed, I think, from embarrassment: "that's amazing, I have not heard anything about it."

Or maybe, it's true, someone else has not heard that several thousand civilians were killed, more than 6,000 were injured during the 77 days of NATO aggression; about 60 churches and monasteries, 66 bridges, 16 train stations, 7 airfields were destroyed, several thousand household and residential facilities were destroyed and damaged (for an overview of the civilian consequences of NATO aggression and destruction on the territory of Yugoslavia from 03/24/1999 to 06/08/1999, see http:// www.kosovo.ws/archive/destrlist.htm). However, many will write about the statistics of NATO aggression in these days and weeks. And I would like to talk about something else, namely Serbia's love for Russia, a phenomenon that has no analogues in the history of interethnic relations.

If any of you have already been to Serbia, you will be inspired to talk about the fact that "we, Russians, are nowhere and no one likes us like that." "There are three hundred million of us and the Rus" - the Serbs smile and add,- “and without Rus, half a camion” (i.e., “and without Russians, half a truck”). I remember my first meeting with such an attitude towards us, Russians. In the autumn of 2001, I was to study several Greek manuscripts at the Belgrade National Library. On the day of my arrival in Belgrade, I left my things in the university dormitory and went to visit the family of a Serbian professor. She returned late, the keys to the room were locked at the concierge, who had gone home to spend the night. Outskirts of an unfamiliar city, darkness, cold, no friends (there are professors' phones, but don't call them at such a late hour!). Confused, I wandered down the street. "Hey, what are you thinking about?" I looked up. The girl looked at me smiling. I had to explain in a mixture of Russian, Serbian and English. “Now we can’t go home, because we have a meeting of the harp club, but we will try to finish early today, you are tired.” Long after midnight we got home, to a modest and warm dwelling on the other side of Belgrade. And after three whole days, Mila Kotlaya (by the way, the only girl in Serbia - a gusliar!) took me by the hand around the city - to the library, and to drink coffee ... and all because I was a guest from Russia.

So, Serbia and Russia. Three dialogues about love from radio programs recorded at different times in different places.

The first dialogue with the Slavist, chairman of the Serbian-Russian friendship, member of the Union of Writers of Russia Ilya Mikhailovich Chislov: “We have no greater friends than the Serbs” (Moscow, Russia)

- Ilya Mikhailovich, how can you explain such an incredible, undeserved love of the Serbs for Russia? There doesn't seem to be a logical explanation?

- If we talk about the love of Serbia and Serbs for Russia, then in no other Slavic Orthodox country we will meet such a warm, native, despite the distance, attitude. Actually, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus are a single whole, so we are not talking about parts of a single indivisible Russia. But if we take the fraternal Slavic peoples, then we have no greater friends and brothers than the Orthodox Serbs. And so it has been throughout Serbian history.

The connection between Serbia and Russia begins with St. Sava. The greatest saint of the fraternal Serbian land took monastic vows on Athos in the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon. Later, two South Slavic influences on Rus' were significant, then Russia's support for the Serbian brothers and their joint struggle on the battlefield. In all the wars that Russia waged, the Serbs were its allies. If we take recent history, then not as a contrast and not in order to reproach our other Orthodox brothers - the Bulgarians for something, but for the sake of information, we note that Bulgaria in two world wars found itself in a hostile camp (although, of course, against the Russians the Bulgarians would never have fought, so the Germans did not send them to the Eastern Front either in the First or in the Second World War). Orthodox Romanians fought against us; they were not a cruel enemy, but as a fact they fought. But the Serbs have always been with us, and even in the Russo-Japanese War: Japan was distant from the Serbian borders, but one of the then Serbian states, Montenegro, declared war on Japan. During the Second World War, the Serbs raised an uprising in Herzegovina, and then in other Serbian regions, barely learning about Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union, which they always considered Russia. In their naivete, they thought that the end of the German occupation would also come on the Balkan soil, because in 3-4 days Russian tanks would appear here. Note that when Hitler attacked Russia on June 22, 1941, all of Serbia rose to fight the invaders. This is the meaning of the Russian factor in the Serbian mind!

Christ in heaven, Russia on earth

The Serbs have always considered themselves a shield of Russia, including in this last war in 1999. Remember the inscriptions on Serbian houses during the bombing of Belgrade - "Russians, do not be afraid, Serbia is with you!" Here, of course, there was also an element of challenge, what in the Serbian tradition is called "prkos", of the same root with the Russian word "in defiance". The Serbs have always gone "against" the modern world of illusions. It is to them that the words of Christ refer: "Do not be afraid, little flock." Serbs have always been a small herd and defended the true faith, but at the same time, as one Serbian writer said: “We Serbs have always believed in two Gods - in Christ in heaven and Orthodox Russia on earth.”

This quivering, reverent attitude of Serbia towards Russia has existed at all times, even when the Russian authorities turned out to be, to put it mildly, not her best friends.

Even traitors!

— Often talk about betrayal. Perhaps this is true, although it is always necessary to distinguish between politicians and society, the state and the people. During the time of Stalin and Tito, political relations with Yugoslavia (which St. Nicholas (Velimirovich) called the greatest Serbian collective delusion) were very bad, but the Serbs always remembered Russia, even when we forgot about the Serbs, and for us there was only Yugoslavia and the Yugoslavs. And the Serbs even called the Soviet Union Russia. It was then, during the time of Tito, that tens of thousands of Serbs suffered for their loyalty to Russia. Tito called them Stalinists. Indeed, there was a certain percentage of communists among them. The majority were Orthodox Serbs, who never belonged to the Communist Party, and were not for Stalin, but for Russia. Tito, in order to compromise them, indiscriminately wrote everyone down as Stalinists. And they suffered on Goly Island (an analogue of our Gulag, a terrible concentration camp on one of the islands of the Adriatic Sea), where thousands of people died under the scorching sun from overwork and bullying of jailers. Then a campaign was launched in Yugoslavia to combat Greater Serbian hegemonism, and any Serb could become its victim. This was especially evident in Kosovo. Interestingly, for several centuries of the Turkish yoke, the Orthodox Serbian population was still not squeezed out of Kosovo, despite the Turkish and Arnaut terror, and made up the majority back in the 20th century. But over several decades of domination in Yugoslavia by the Titoite atheistic and anti-Slavic regime, the ratio has changed radically. It was then that the foundations of the current Kosovo tragedy were laid. Tito and Mosha Piyade managed to do what even the Turkish rapists could not do.

Russia - the footstool of the Lord's throne

And every time, everywhere and always, the Serbs remembered Russia. The eyes of the Kosovo Serbs were fixed on Russia, and we often did not see or understand this. I have to recall with shame such an episode from my student youth, when we visited Kosovo back in Soviet times. This was already after the death of Tito, but the system has not yet changed much. In Prizren, in the mosque, we saw a man who was trying to say something to the Russians, and he was scourged in every possible way by representatives of the local authorities. Only later, years later, I learned that this mosque was built from gigantic blocks of the destroyed monastery of the Holy Archangels, the great zaduzhby Dushan the Strong, king of the Serbs and Greeks. And this is exactly what the Serb wanted to say to the people from Russia, who at that time did not single out Serbs among other Yugoslavs. And they always remembered Russia, even when the Titoite regime, for one mention of Russia, could throw them in the dungeons or exile them to Naked Island. Here is such a reverent, reverent attitude, I repeat once again.

According to the Serbian writer: "Russia is the foot of the throne of the Lord", she was for them a living earthly embodiment of the heavenly ideal. This is the attitude of the Serbs towards Russia, especially since they have never been dependent on us, have never been part of a single socialist system, have not asked to be part of the Soviet Union. Although, on the other hand, in modern times, when Russia itself has experienced and is experiencing better times, and many, first of all, Eastern European countries (not peoples, but their governments), turned their backs on it, the Serbs were ready to join the allied states together with Russia and Belarus, if one arises. So nothing has changed in Serbia with the change of power. The current democratic Serbia, just like the Serbia of Milosevic, just like Serbia under the rule of the atheistic regime of Tito and Moshi Piyade, looks at its elder Orthodox sister Russia with the blue eyes of Nemanich.

Second dialogue with TV journalist Radmila Voinovich: “Russians shine like angels all over the world” (Novi Sad, Serbia)

For the first time, we met Radmila Voinovich in the Praskvica monastery in Montenegro. Once, on a hot day, my companions and I went into a cool Byzantine temple and asked a Serb woman who was there to tell us about it. She began her story, but quickly switched to the topic of Russia. We met again in Novi Sad, where Radmila leads an Orthodox section on TV Novi Sad, writes journalistic essays.

— You often write about heavenly Russia…

— Russians shine all over the world like angels. Now someone will say: well, what does she say at all? how does she see it, what we do not see? And this is exactly what I see in Russia. All Orthodox Serbs are spiritual citizens of Holy Russia. We all have a spiritual passport of Russia as a spiritual mission for the salvation of mankind. This is how we understand Russia. We call Russia “mother” because she is our spiritual mother (I say what the people think). Now liberal "values" are corrupting people. After all, we know that it is always easier for a person to go down to sin than to strive for the Lord, to ascend along the spiritual path to the Kingdom of Heaven. Russia gives heavenly values ​​to all nations, therefore it is valuable and important for us that Russian people, monks come to us.

Come, spiritually help our long-suffering and sinful people! There are many priests in Russia who educate the people for the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord gives different obediences in life, but not to forget about God is the most important obedience. Russia is a teacher for the whole world in this sense. People here see in Russia a desire for cleanliness, which is why they love it so much. We are an outpost of Russia, Russian patriots. This is how our ancestors taught us: if a person is Orthodox, serves God, is ready to give his life for Him, he is “Russian”.

Dialogue Three with Metropolitan Amphilochius of Montenegro and Primorsk: “One Church – One Soul” (Cetinje, Montenegro)

The testament (1830) of St. Peter of Tsetinsky says: “Cursed be the one who attempts to turn you away from the loyalty of pious and Christ-loving Russia, and any of you, Montenegrins, who goes against Russia of the same tribe and of the same faith to us.” This is the basis of our unity - common faith!

– You know, Vladyka, probably, every Russian person who comes to Serbia and Montenegro feels them, in a sense, a continuation of Russia, because he feels at home here…

- This is the spirit of the Church of God, which we breathe in Serbia, and in Montenegro, and in Russia. The closer we are to this spirit of the Church, the closer we are to each other. The Church awakens love and transforms us, becoming the main cause of good relationships. On the other hand, there are historical ties, genuine, deep, coming from Saints Cyril and Methodius - this special Slavic element that brings us together.

—Vladyka, as a seminarian in Belgrade, did you study with Russian emigrant professors, did you meet with priests and parishioners of the Russian Church of the Holy Trinity? What memories do you have of them?

— I remember with love my dear professors: my father Pavel, the deacon, although we sometimes argued, I felt that he loved me. When I had difficulties (I had already graduated from the faculty), I understood who to turn to for advice. I wrote him a letter. And he answered me right away. Straightaway! Understood my situation. Father Vikenty taught us the history of the Church. So he just lived it: he talked about the First Ecumenical Council, as if he himself was a participant in it! And in Switzerland, I again communicated with the Russians: I remember Father Peter Parfenov, a tsarist officer, Bishop Anthony (Bartoshevich) and his brother Leonty, they studied with us, in Serbia, and then were bishops of the Church Abroad. Vladyka Anthony, when he saw me, always joked, recalling the words of Metropolitan Joseph from Transcarpathia, said between the two wars: “We are fools Serbs, and you are crazy Russians.” Then in Rome I met Alexander Solzhenitsyn, he was then expelled from the country, and presented him with a cross from Athos with the words: "Athos cross to Alexander the Crusader." Then he told me that this cross had a special power. Our spiritual father Archimandrite Justin (Popovich) confessed to Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), then to Father Vitaly Tarasyev in the Russian Church of the Holy Trinity. Father Vitaly was the most beloved priest in Belgrade among both Russians and Serbs.

— Vladyka, in your opinion, what are the sources of such strong love between Serbia and Russia?

— One Church, one soul. And suffering only helps us, the Slavs, to get closer, to understand each other. The Church of God, like a furnace, scorching with the fire of God, regenerates and heals souls. And God grant that the pan-Orthodox spirit expands and strengthens.

Photos by A.M. Lidov, L. Gacheva, A. Nikiforova.

Why do Serbs love Russians? The reason for such a rare phenomenon in our days should be sought in the centuries-old history of Russian-Serbian relations, which at its various stages resembled a kind of pendulum. In the most difficult moments, the fraternal peoples, who have many common points of contact in matters of history, religion and culture, have always come to each other's aid.

Serbs have always considered Russia a country that will never leave them in difficult times. “Russia is inside each of us”, “Russians and Serbs are brothers forever”, “Together with the Russians there are three hundred million of us, and without them - half a truck”: these are just a small part of the aphorisms that most clearly demonstrate the attitude of the Serbian people towards the Russians.

From the history of the formation of Serbia

The first mention of the state of the Serbs dates back to the VI century. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the territory of the future Serbia went to Byzantium.

The year 879 was marked by the adoption of Orthodoxy. After 90 years, Serbia gained independence from Byzantium.

The end of the 12th century was the time of the creation on the Serbian lands of the feudal state of Nemanjichi, which was part of the vast Serbo-Greek kingdom, which disintegrated shortly after the death of Tsar Stefan Dusan, who headed it.

In June 1389, a tragic battle for the people of Serbia took place on the Kosovo field, during which a large Turkish army (three times the enemy’s forces) defeated the Serbian militia.

1459 - the time of the enslavement of Serbia and its annexation to the Ottoman Empire. The history of the Turkish yoke has 350 years.

The year 1816, marked by two Serbian uprisings, ended with the formation of an independent Principality of Serbia with Belgrade as its capital.

In 1878, Serbia achieves full independence as a result of the conclusion of the Berlin Peace Agreement, and after 4 years it acquires the status of a kingdom. The 19th-20th centuries are the reign of two dynasties (Obrenovic and Karageorgievich).

The Balkan wars of 1912-13 ended with the annexation of the lands of Kosovo and Macedonia.

World War I in 1914 claimed the lives of a third of the country's population. After its completion, Serbia became the center of the united kingdom of the three Balkan peoples: Croats, Serbs and Slovenes. For convenience, the state began to be called the "Kingdom of the CXC", and after 9 years it was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

The main stages of the Russian-Serbian brotherhood

Russian-Serbian relations have a long history. Here is just a small list of historical facts.

Countries on Guard for the Cultural and Religious Values ​​of Christianity

During the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, the rulers of Serbia provided patronage to the Russian monastery New Russik (Panteleimonov Monastery), located on Mount Athos.

Serbian religious educators Pakhomiy Logofet and Grigory Tsamblak had a great influence on the development of the genre of Russian chronicles, edited the most important liturgical books and administered church sacraments. This was of great importance for the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church, which embarked on the path of following the Byzantine canons.

The collapse of the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century marked the beginning of rivalry between the Ottoman and Russian empires, which declared themselves its successors. The Ottoman Empire claimed the territorial heritage of the fallen Byzantium, the Russian considered itself its cultural successor.

For two and a half centuries, Russia and Turkey defended their rights during numerous Russian-Turkish wars. During these wars, Russian troops defended the interests of the Orthodox peoples enslaved by the Turks: Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, Albanians, Armenians, Macedonians, Georgians, Moldovans. The political mission of Moscow was to protect the Christian world from the infidels and to protect the interests of the Orthodox holy church.

The Serbian clergy and representatives of the nobility are welcome guests at the court of the Moscow tsars (Ivan III, Vasily III, Ivan IV). The year 1556 can be considered the time of the foundation of the first diplomatic mission of the Serbs in Moscow, since it was in this year that Ivan the Terrible presented the pilgrims of the Hilandar Monastery with apartments for their courtyard in the very center of Moscow.

The monastic courtyard at the same time carried out the mission of the Serbian diplomatic mission in ancient Rus'. It was there that funds, books, church utensils were collected, intended for shipment to the Balkan Slavs.

The political course towards the patronage of the oppressed Balkan peoples remained unchanged in Rus', regardless of which representatives of the ruling dynasty were in power.

Boris Godunov was the initiator of the mass resettlement of Serbian refugees to Rus' (the process that had begun, however, was not completed due to the Time of Troubles).

Mikhail Romanov provided regular financial support to the Kosovo Patriarchate, and his son Alexei Mikhailovich hosted the Brankovich brothers, leaders of the Serbian diaspora stationed in Hungary, promising them financial assistance in founding the Christian principality of Illyria.

Fraternal peoples in the struggle for sovereignty and independence

The most faithful helpers of the Russians during the Russian-Turkish wars were precisely the southern Slavs: their partisan detachments actively participated in hostilities against the Turkish troops.

In 1815, during the second Serbian uprising, Serbia achieved independence, becoming an independent (even if vassalized) country. This happened largely due to Russian pressure on the power of the Ottoman Empire.

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78, with the support of Russian weapons, Serbia becomes an independent state.

The First World War clearly showed how important the interests of Serbia were to Russia. It is for her sake that Nicholas II begins hostilities, and a year later encourages the allied troops to prevent the final defeat of the Serbian army, which was forced to cross the Albanian border during the retreat.

England and France did this only under the threat of breaking the alliance with the Entente and concluding a separate peace between Russia and Germany.

During World War II, the Serb uprising that broke out in the fascist rear forced the German command to transfer part of the troops to suppress it, which helped to weaken the onslaught on Moscow. Half a million destroyed fascist soldiers are accounted for by Serbian soldiers.

In the fall of 1944, the soldiers of the Red Army and the Serbian rebels together liberated the north-east of Yugoslavia and its capital. After the war, the communist party came to power in Yugoslavia, which immediately set a course for rapprochement with the Soviet Union.

The Russians provided support to the Serbs during the 1992-95 civil war that broke out in Bosnia.

Historical facts clearly show the closest fraternal bond between peoples.

Relations between states today

In modern Serbia, one might say, there is a cult of Russians (although some people like to speculate about why Russians smile so little). Russian tourists find the most cordial welcome here, and any Russian person in Serbia arouses genuine interest. During the conversation, the Serbs bombard the Russians with a mass of questions about the way of life in Russia, invite them to their homes and consider it their duty to treat them as their dearest guests.

Having made friends with a Serb, a Russian person finds a reliable friend for the rest of his life. Serbian-Russian friendship societies are organized in every large settlement of modern Serbia. The Russian language is studied in Serbia, and the books of Russian writers are being actively translated into Serbian.

Opinion polls show that Russia is the country with the highest interest among Serbs, and the popularity of its President Putin is several times higher than that of local political leaders.

"You- Russians? Can I sit next to you?" It is difficult for a person who has lived in Latvia, a country bordering Russia, to imagine such a situation for more than 30 years. It is even more difficult to imagine that somewhere thousands of kilometers away from Russia, you are obviously treated well, because you are Russian.

“It’s good in Serbia, they love Russians there,” they told me before leaving. It seemed that “love” is when you are not shy and not afraid to say that you are Russian. In fact, the Serbian brotherly love for Russia met me on such a grand scale that sometimes what was happening was like a surreal movie.

The first half hour in Serbia (airport, border control, baggage, bus) puts you in contact with people and you think why are they so responsive, what do they want from you, what's the catch? Then you understand - no, they really are, simple e and open. By inertia, we continue to expect that if a person offers to help you carry the bag, then he encroaches on its contents. Becomes uneasy at the thought of how ossified we are.

brotherly love

Russians are recognized immediately and are really happy. We are on the bus, my colleague gives way to a woman. She says to another lady (in Serbian): “Look how well-educated young people we have!” She replies with pride: “These are not our youth, but Russian!”. At that moment, one of the passengers' phone rings. Ringtone - the voice of Levitan, "Moscow says." We are perplexed, but further - more.

On duty I had to be on television. Live call. With a strong accent, clearly making an effort, a male voice says in Russian: “Thank you for the opportunity to hear Russian speech.” And it looks like she's about to cry. This was his main message: he called the airwaves only to say "thank you."

We are starting to get used to the fact that we can safely say that you are Russian, and not be afraid that they will start asking you for the “historical mistakes” of your ethnic homeland. To the fact that you not only can, you must communicate with everyone in your own language.

“I speak English very well. But why are we, brothers, going to switch to their language with you? Can we understand each other anyway?” - says the Serbian journalist. He speaks Serbian, and indeed, everything is clear and so. Here, of course, love for Russian is combined with dislike for English.

"Are you Russians?" asks an antiques dealer at a flea market. - "Yes". “Can I invite you for coffee? I'll eat!"

There are three of us, we do not speak Serbian, he does not speak English (like many here, in principle), and he does not have a secret idea to sell us something. He just "wants to talk to the Russians." It is very touching, but in the end it imposes responsibility. When in one store to the question "how much from us?" They answered “we don’t take money from the brothers!”, it became uncomfortable.

Colleagues called to the small town of Prokuplje (southern Serbia, population 27 thousand people). We are coming. We are immediately taken to a restaurant. At the entrance, children in Serbian national costumes bring out a loaf and salt, as if it were a wedding celebration.

We humbly sit in a corner. People are starting to come. I hear: “And the Russians, where are the Russians?!”. A woman approaches: “Are you Russians? Can I sit next to you?" I tell that from Riga. Woman: Riga! I had a friend there, we met when we were pioneers. Do you have pioneers now? No? What a pity, what a pity."

Nostalgic for the pioneers, the lady cannot stand it and gets up too. And he begins: “Onegin, I was younger then, I think I was better.” Here I imagine how Tatyana meets Evgeny not 6, but 46 years later. I'm perplexed.

They start toasting. Each one sounds like a psalm. "Praise be to you for keeping your land, praise to you for remembering our common past." We drink. A Serb reads a gigantic excerpt from the prose of a local author. From what I can make out - "Mother Rus'".

Here comes the accordion. Charismatic Serbian men perform "Katyusha", "Moscow Evenings" and war songs, Soviet. At this moment, it seems to us that we are in a Kusturica film.

Serbia is young

I suppose that many people's love for Russia is connected with nostalgia for their communist youth. The new generation grew up in these families on the same ideals. Young people hardly speak Russian, but they understand it perfectly. Both language and culture.

Were visiting high school. During the break, a boy, 13 years old, was walking along the corridor, humming under his breath “Spring will not come for me” - as if nothing had happened. Well, I think maybe they sing Cossack songs at the music lesson.

I come to the cafe.

Russian? - asks the bartender, a young man, and immediately switches to a mixture of Russian and common Slavic.
- Yes.
- Saint Petersburg? Nizhny Novgorod? Volgograd?
- How do you know so many cities in Russia? And why not the obvious "Moscow"?
We have good geography at school. And you have "Baltica" written on your backpack.
- Backpack from Kaliningrad. And I'm from Riga.
- Oh, difficult story near Kaliningrad… By the way, why are people from Estonia so slow? Because of weather?

It seems that education is really good in Serbia. The bartender said that he had not yet had time to look last film Mikhalkov, but he liked Bondarchuk's Stalingrad. Although, of course, he did not see anything better than Andrei Rublev by Tarkovsky.

On another day and in another place, I ask where the nearest store is. The young man replies: let's go, I'll accompany you. Let's go. English conversation.

Where are you from?
- I'm Russian.
- I understood this, I ask - where from?
- Oh, you know, I'm from Riga, it's the capital of Latvia, but Russians live there...
- Yes, you don’t need to explain to me, I remember the story well, - with this phrase he reprimands me. - And what are the fates here? Tourism?
- No, I work at a film festival ...
- Oh, Russian films! This is right. Bring more. Otherwise, they don’t show us anything except Hollywood, we’re tired of this propaganda. We are not fools. We want to see the other side of life as well.

The young man looks no more than twenty years old, works as a waiter. So that there are no illusions about education, I will add: according to the data for 2013, higher education in Serbia only 10.59% of the population received it. Therefore, knowledge in geography, history, culture, knowledge of foreign languages ​​and good manners are the merit of the basic school.

“My son, he is 13 years old, he is a terrible Russophile,” a Serbian acquaintance tells us. At this moment, I catch myself thinking that I quite clearly expected to hear after the “blond-…” the usual “…-fob”.

I thought: how often have I heard the word "Russophile"? Isn't it the first time? I asked local journalists if there were Russophobes in Serbia. No, they say you certainly don't. There are simply fanatically loving Russia and Russians, and there are those who do not care.

I understand that this is the first time I have come across this phenomenon - “love for Russians”. And along with adaptation (because it's really unusual) comes the question: where does it come from, why, how and what did we do to deserve it?

“I don't know how to explain it, but I really like this feeling,” Zorica, a Russian language teacher at a school in Prokuple, assures me. - I love Russians very much and consider Russia my second Motherland.

First I love Serbia and my Serbian people, and then - Russia, the Russian people and everything Russian. It's probably at the genetic level. So much in common between our peoples! Links faith, appearance, history, culture, languages. But you never know what else! .. ".

Russian - “unprofitable”, but favorite language

Russian in Serbia has been studied as a second foreign language in all schools since 1945. Now the situation has changed a lot, Russian competes with French and German as a second foreign language and noticeably loses.

Interestingly, the study of the Russian language in Serbia is more typical for small towns. Thus, in the city of Nis (the third largest city in the country, the “southern capital”) there is not a single general education school where Russian is taught. And in the nearest small towns Prokuple and Aleksinac, half of the students choose Russian.

In the gymnasium of the city of Aleksinac (population 17 thousand), out of 380 students, 105 study Russian. Last year, a bilingual Russian-Serbian class was created with a mathematical bias: all subjects are taught in two languages. There is no such class anywhere in Serbia, a more “Russian” class can only be found in Belgrade at the Russian school at the Russian Embassy.

This year, thanks to the ISEC program, a Russian student is undergoing teaching practice at the gymnasium. Despite the fact that this is a small town, there are also residents of large Nis among the students of the gymnasium.

“The number of those wishing to learn Russian is declining, but in our city, thank God, this tradition has been preserved,” Zoritsa says. The school in Prokuple, where she works, has only 500 students, half of whom choose Russian as their second foreign language from the 5th grade.

“Why choose? Because parents once at school also studied Russian, and they have good memories of the Russian language, Russian culture, and they pass it on to their children, Zoritsa continues. - There is nothing without politics. In recent years, politics has strongly influenced parents' choice of a second foreign language for their children.

For many years there has been propaganda against the Russian language. Our policy is pro-European, we strive to enter this European Union, and we are constantly told: why do you need Russian, but with whom will you communicate in Russian?

The media almost never or very rarely broadcast Russian music or Russian films. Newspapers in Russian do not exist, as far as I know. And we miss the Russian language all the time! We want to be closer! But somehow it doesn’t work out: politics greatly interferes with this.”

In addition to politics, the Russian language in Serbia is objectively less profitable: it is much easier to find a job with German, French, Italian.

“Yes, some Russian money and Russian business appeared. So it’s moving for the better, but in very small steps,” Zoritsa shares. “The Russian authorities must also do something, conduct their propaganda in Russian, support the Russian language.”

Russian business in Serbia provides little support for the Russian language: for example, Gazprom has equipped a computer lab in the gymnasium in Aleksinac, where Russian classes are held, and RZD organizes an annual essay contest in Russian.

“I studied Russian at school, and the last time I spoke Russian was 20 years ago, can I chat with you?” asks Sinisha, the librarian.

In parting, he says to me: “If you want to know the world, learn English, if you want to know the soul, learn Russian.”

I don’t know if these are his personal thoughts or folk wisdom, but from the proverbs I was struck by another, which I heard from Zoritsa: “God is in heaven, and Russia on earth, we have such a proverb. When a child is born, he is turned towards the East, because the Sun rises there, Russia is there. But Russia is far away, somewhere far away. And we miss her all the time."

Zoritsa shared her impressions of other teachers: “French, English and Russian are taught at our school. And the teachers noticed that the classes that study the Russian language are much more diligent, more communicative and softer, they always obey, there is no aggression.

We think that this is the merit of the Russian language, warm and calm. Romance and Anglo-Saxon genes adversely affect our Slavic gene - ruin and destroy. This is the experience of teachers who work with children every day.”

"Manilovshchina"

“Don't flatter yourself,” a Russian acquaintance, who has been living in Belgrade for a long time, told me. - This "brotherly love" is sheer manilovism. They treat you warmly as long as nothing needs to be done.”

They say that love for Russia is characteristic primarily of patriotic Serbs, and they are in the majority. Do they love someone else in Serbia, some other countries, nationalities? No, according to the locals, only Serbia and Russia. Are there countries and nations that are treated without reverence? Oh yeah.

The Balkan history is not simple, and the echoes of past (and existing) conflicts are easily manifested even in everyday life. For example, Serbs (and they are famous coffee lovers) traditionally brew coffee in Turkish, which in Belgrade will be listed on the menu as “Turkish coffee”.

But the further south, the closer to Turkey, the more often “Turkish coffee” turns into “home-style coffee”. In the city of Nis (which was part of the Ottoman Empire), in one of the establishments, when asked to bring Turkish coffee, the waiter answered with a challenge that he would not bring me anything in Turkish, but he would cook coffee at home with pleasure.

Speaking about the Serbian language, one lady remarked to me: “Montenegro stole our language! They simply added two extra letters and declared the language Montenegrin. This is plagiarism." The impression was that there is no special love for the closest neighbors, with whom there are very close ties.

Separately, it is worth noting the mixed feelings towards the United States. "Mixed" - because I did not encounter either aggression or any direct insults towards America. But also with respect.

Memory of the recent war. © Photo by the author.

But I heard memories of the war. From young guys (“when my father fought” or “but mine didn’t fight”). From adults ("... and in the evening they began to bomb"). From the residents of the city, who showed traces of shrapnel and bullets in the walls: as part of each tour of the city, they talked about the losses. “These houses are called “natovki,” the driver of the new building showed us. - Everyone here was bombed in 1999, and then a new complex was built. There are good apartments in Natovki.

“Oh, but this is not love…”

In Russia, I am often asked the question: “Is it true that you don’t like Russians in Latvia?” Naturally, I laugh back. Well, what does it mean, like-not like. All normal people, all quite amicably live.

However, it would not have occurred to me, going into the store and speaking in Russian, to expect a storm of joy. On the contrary, it seems that everyone is trying not to pedal national and linguistic issues, to bypass them: these are turbulent and delicate topics.

After a visit to Serbia, ideas about “love” have changed. I don't know how and why one can love one nation, I'm embarrassed that someone is happy with me just because my native language is Russian. But I think that against the backdrop of Serbia, Russians are still not liked in Latvia. Creeps in: perhaps Russians are not liked in Russia either.

Russians are loved, it seems, only in Serbia.