What appears to be a simple and straightforward story about a South African man’s escape with his four dogs from the war in Ukraine becomes mired in political controversies when the narrator, Kobus Olivier, reflects upon the war and its origins. The story then becomes a bizarre mix of dedication to his dogs and naive, ill-informed opinions about the political circumstances of the war against Ukraine, which he claims he fell in love with at first sight, calling Ukrainians “my people”. This situation is made worse by the pro-Russian opinions thrust upon the narrative in the introduction (penned by an anonymous author). We also learn that Gerrit Olivier, former South African ambassador to Russia and staunch Putin supporter, is none other than the narrator’s uncle.
For example, the narrator is angry with the "people in command"—one presumes the Ukrainian and Russian presidents—because they could have just sat down and discussed things, sorted things out, as if it were a broil about a football landing in someone else’s yard. In the same vein, the Ukrainians, before the war started, are described as ignorant, with their "heads buried in the sand", while he was the only person who really knew that war was immanent, in his opinion, because he had access to international media. The Ukrainian president, Zelenski, is described as ignorant and in denial, so when the war does break out, Kobus is furious with him because he “refused to listen and prepare for the invasion”.
It is also a tale of privilege. The author acknowledges that he is in a better position than ordinary Ukrainians because he has money to pay for a private car to drive him and his dogs to the border, and he speaks English, which helps him get through bureaucratic troubles when he arrives in neighbouring countries. This, as well as letters from the South African ambassador to Ukraine, who had fled early into the war, on the embassy’s letterhead, helped get him through border crossings. Acknowledging these privileges does not prevent him, though, from cashing in on his experience in terms of interviews with international media and contracts for television documentaries, not to mention book sales. One can’t help thinking of the millions of Ukrainians who have suffered unimaginable hardship, and continue to do so, but whose stories do not receive this kind of attention, and are not acknowledged in this story.
More thought should have gone into the political aspects, including the unfortunate introduction, which does not mention the long history of Ukraine’s struggle for survival, but portrays the events leading up to the war as Ukraine’s wrongdoing.
This comes at a time when South Africa finds itself increasingly under the spotlight because of its support for Russia. It is now even planning to change its laws so as to grant indemnity to Putin and circumvent the ICC’s warrant for his arrest, should he attend the Brics Summit.
One is glad the dogs are brought to safety, and while this makes for a remarkable story in its own right, the lack of taking a clear political stand makes this South African author’s proclaimed love for Kyiv and Ukraine ring more than just a little bit hollow.