Today has been 2 years since our three comrades, Cooper Andrews, Finbar Cafferkey and Dimitri Petrov, are missing in Action after participating in a battle near Bakhmut on the infamous “road of life”.

On this day, comrades and friends worldwide are holding events and commemorations. Of course, we are as well gathering to talk about them and remember why they were fighting and what we can learn from their experience.

Finbar was one of the comrades who brought us closer understanding of the Rojava struggle, and he was sharing his experience here with us. Of course, every struggle has its own cultural and geographical particularities and translation is made by people acting together to bring paths closer. 

Dima, with his experience in russia for the last decades, helped a lot in bringing movements together in Ukraine, russia, Europe and until Syria. We are still discovering in what ways his influence has shaped our struggle here, and we will respect his memory and work in the present and future.

Cooper came here with a will particular to him and his experience of black autonomy in the US. His friends from the Rhizome House in Cleveland are building a workshop to remind generations of new activists of his path. The links he created by coming here between movements are something we continue to develop. In the situation today with Trump and the fascisation of the society there today, Cooper’s mark is undeniable in developing the internationalist struggles of the present. 

All of them were highly respected and active friends and comrades, our role is to continue their work and share the memory of their lives and yes, their joy in the struggles where they participated. The relations created by each of them here are alive and we will cherish this in the continuity of the fight for freedom, autonomy, mutual aid and creating the conditions where each participant of the struggle can take the piece of power that ultimately will become our common strength to destroy what destroys us. 

You can read about Cooper’s motivations in his own words here and consult a eulogy from his comrades here or from us here. You can learn about Finbar’s lifelong activism here and from us here, and read an interview with him here. Dmitry Petrov, who also went by the noms de guerre Ilya Leshy and Fil Kuznetsov. For background, you should start by reading the statements from his comrades in the Anarcho-Communist Combat Organisation, the Resistance Committee, and Solidarity Collectives, as well as Dmitry’s statement from beyond the grave, all of which are available here.

Today we continue supporting the relatives of our comrades and friends and talk together in events to remember their loved ones in different ways. 

Together we are strong, and we will never forget the comrades with whom we shared paths, nor forgive what made them disappear from our everyday life. All struggles are personal and therefore political.

Şehîd namirin! Beir Bua! Love and struggle! Героям слава!