On February 16, 2025, Turkish musicians from Grup Yorum came to Minsk, the capital of the Republic of Belarus, to present a documentary about the anti-imperialist struggle in Donbass. This documentary was made by the members of Grup Yorum during their trip to Donbass.
People not only from Minsk, but also from other cities of the Republic of Belarus came to the screening. Of course, the guests of the screening were people who support the fight against imperialism and know a lot about the fascist coup in Ukraine in 2014: how people resisted this coup, how long, brutally and unsuccessfully the fascist regime tried to suppress the resistance of people in Donbass. But even on these rather informed people, Grup Yorum’s documentary “Eight Days in Donbass” made a huge impression.
The point is that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, imperialism spread a monstrous propaganda throughout the former Soviet Union that the Soviet Union was the most terrorist state in the world, and that people will live well only when the Soviet Union and communist ideas are no longer even a memory. Of course, not all people believe in anti-Soviet propaganda, but it makes a depressing impression on everyone, and everyone begins to feel that they are alone in their love for the Soviet past.
In addition, the vast majority of songs, movies, and books that can be heard, seen, and read are about the problems of rich people and how they solve their problems through deceit and violence. Art has stopped talking about what most people really care about. All this creates a general depressing background of life, and many people begin to feel life is dull and meaningless.
The arrival of Grup Yorum in Minsk can be compared to the spring sun, which promises the coming of spring, revitalization of life, gives hope for the victory of good over evil. Even the February day, on which they visited Minsk, was sunny.
Secondly, the documentary itself about the trip of Grup Yorum to Donbass made a huge impression by the respectful attitude of Turkish musicians to the Soviet symbols and Soviet achievements. Every viewer of the documentary felt that they are not alone in their love for the Soviet Union, because even in Turkey there are people who admire the Soviet Union.
Thirdly, the documentary about Donbass itself was made by the musicians honestly and sincerely, which is impossible for those movies that are widely circulated in the media, including the Internet.
The artists of the band made the documentary knowing that people in the imperialist countries are lied to about the events happening around Ukraine and Donbass. And Grup Yorum wanted to tell all the people deceived by imperialist propaganda that the current military actions on the territory of the former USSR are not a war between Russia and Ukraine, but an attempt of the peoples of the former USSR to resist imperialism, to resist the expansion and intervention of NATO.
The Belarusian audience liked the truth about the events in Donbass, and the shots with the restored monument to Lenin in Mariupol, with Soviet symbols on the streets of Lugansk and on the uniforms of the people’s militia allowed to convey through the documentary the revolutionary spirit of the fighters against imperialism in Donbass.
The symbols speak for themselves: on the side of the Ukrainian fascist regime there are militants with Nazi and fascist symbols, and the Donbass people’s militia with Soviet and socialist symbols.
All the viewers of the documentary admired the courage of the musicians of Grup Yorum, who sing beautiful songs for the people and support the oppressed, despite the cruel repression in their country.
The audience was grateful to the musicians, happy to see them come to Minsk. Leaving the event, everyone thought about how good it would be if socialism would win in the former Soviet Union, in Turkey and all over the world, wished the Turkish musicians every success in their struggle.
Sena Erkoç, Umut Gültekin and Bervan Gel from Grup Yorum were also happy to be in Belarus. They said they experienced very positive emotions during their very short stay in Minsk. People’s respect and enthusiasm, their reaction to the documentary, their questions and wishes pleasantly surprised the musicians.
The documentary screening was organized by the Belarusian Anti-Imperialist Collective together with the Anti-Imperialist Front.
