He had criticized the Russian war in Ukraine. Now the university teacher Roman Melnichenko is fighting for his career in Russia. He expects to leave the country or be imprisoned.
Roman Melnichenko has packed two suitcases as a precaution: he will take one with him if he is forced to leave Russia. The other one in case he goes to jail. Melnichenko lost his job as a law lecturer at Volgograd University in April after criticizing his country’s military offensive in Ukraine. Now he has to be ready for all future scenarios, says the 49-year-old.
Melnichenko taught law for 25 years, and since 2016 he has been employed at Volgograd State University. Now the father of a daughter is threatened with a lawsuit himself: the authorities in Russia accuse Melnichenko of spreading “false” information about the conflict in Ukraine. Melnichenko is challenging his dismissal as a university lecturer in court.
Official reason for dismissal: “indecent behavior”
The pressure on teachers and university staff in Russia has been increasing for years. Even before the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine on February 24, numerous teachers and lecturers were fired for “immoral behavior” after they had spoken critically about the Kremlin or the growing conservatism in Russia. Since the beginning of the military offensive in the neighboring country, the pressure has increased significantly.
Melnichenko is not surprised. “The intellectual elite has the power to deprive the ruling elite of the foundations of their power,” he says. That is the reason why the authorities acted so harshly against universities.
Melnichenko was also officially dismissed for “immoral behavior”. He had previously shared posts on the online networks condemning the Russian military operation in Ukraine. One of the posts was about the death of a little girl in a hospital in Mariupol.
Melnichenko has close ties to Ukraine
In April, Melnichenko was temporarily arrested by the police on campus for spreading “false information”. At the police station, in a symbolic act, he asked for a Ukrainian interpreter. He was denied this, although he has the right to do so under Russian law, he reports.
Melnichenko himself has close ties to Ukraine; his parents live in Nikopol in southern Ukraine, near the front line. “I’ve been in shock for three months,” says the legal scholar with tears in his eyes. “These are my parents.”
It’s not the first time that Melnichenko has feared for his job because of his attitude. Universities didn’t extend his contracts twice, he says. One was about his criticism of a case of corruption, the other about Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which he wanted to discuss with his students. However, the dismissal for “immoral behavior” could mean the end of his career. Should he fail in his challenge to the dismissal in court, Melnichenko would no longer be able to work as a teacher in Russia.
Melnichenko in Russia under the surveillance of the secret services
However, he cannot imagine life without the apprenticeship, says the 49-year-old. “I need the university, the students, the lecturers,” he says. “This is the place where everyone can grow and help each other grow.”
Since he was thrown out, the secret services have been watching him, says Melnichenko. The media in Volgograd launched a smear campaign against him. But he doesn’t want to be intimidated. Melnichenko continues to publish videos on his YouTube channel, which has more than 67,000 subscribers. Together with Alexander Efimov, a member of the liberal Yabloko party, he is also trying to locate Ukrainian soldiers being held in Russia. Together, the two want to start an initiative to locate Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
For the future it is important to defend prisoners of war on both sides, says Melnichenko. “Prisoners of war can either divide our two nations, Ukrainians and Russians, or they can help them find each other.”
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
