“Military tourists” are increasingly traveling to Ukraine – are such “excursions” ethical?

Tours mainly focus on Kyiv and its suburbs, where Russian soldiers carried out massacres of civilians, and cost between 150 and 250 euros.

“What are they looking for here?” – asks a local resident, emphasizing that for many military tourists, a trip to Ukraine becomes just another exotic adventure, and not a conscious act of sympathy and support.

The so-called “military tourists” travel to Ukraine to see with their own eyes the consequences of the Russian war of aggression. Tours to war zones such as Irpen or Kharkov, sometimes called “black tourism”raise ethical questions.

This is stated in an article in a Swiss publication Sarganserlander.

Ethical Issues: When Curiosity Becomes Exploitation

Tours to combat zones, for example, to Irpen or Kharkov, despite their educational value, are not without negative aspects. “I’m a little scared, this is my first time in a war zone,” says Alberto Blasco Ventasa 23-year-old Spaniard, is one such tourist. Ventas is not alone in his desire to see the consequences of war. However, it is important to ask the question: how moral is it to visit cities that are still experiencing the consequences of war, and whose residents face threats to their lives on a daily basis?

This niche of the tourism industry is called “black tourism”; tours similar to the one in Irpin are offered by about a dozen Ukrainian companies. Blasco Ventas is booked with XXXX. According to its own data, this year the agency has served about 30 clients, mainly from Europe and the USA.

As noted by the Swiss publication Sarganserlandersuch tours, although they have educational potential, rather resemble speculation on human tragedy, turning the suffering of local residents into an object of alien curiosity. “Can it be ethical that we turn real suffering into a tourist attraction?” – this issue is on the agenda.

Why this is a problem: the destruction and exploitation of pain

For locals who have suffered tragedies, foreign tourists who come to witness their suffering can feel insulting. “Why did you come here? Why do you need our grief? — asks Irpen local council member Mikhailina Skorik-Shkarovskaya. These words reflect the deep dissatisfaction and indignation that such tourist activity causes among people.

“I don’t think this is normal behavior. I wouldn't go through something like that.”says Ruslan Savchuk, a resident of Irpen who lives in constant danger. His words highlight how alien such “expeditions” are to the real context of the lives of people who face the consequences of war every day. This feels more like playful entertainment than support, especially if tourists see the destruction as something exotic.

Impact on the country's reputation

The reputation aspect is no less important. Even some travel agencies are reportedly using these trips to increase profits, raising even more questions about the morality of such entrepreneurial schemes. The cost of tours, ranging from 150 to 250 euros, allows you to make money on these dark topics, and part of the proceeds goes to the needs of the army. But it's not only money, but also memorysays one of the organizers of such tours, Dmitry Nikiforov. However, it is becoming clear that such efforts cannot completely hide the ethical emptiness that lies behind such initiatives.

Unnecessary dangers and disrespect for pain

Interestingly, in some cases, tourists, such as Nick Tan from the United States, risk their lives to get closer to the front lines.

In July he flew to Kharkov. The second largest city in Ukraine is located 20 kilometers from the front line and is constantly bombed.

“I just wanted to see this because I think our life in the West is too comfortable and easy.” – he declares. This statement only emphasizes the strangeness of the motivation of such tourists. Traveling to war zones, even if accompanied by guides, is a risk that could be avoided if people did not perceive war as a source of extreme sports.

Tan is a thrill-seeker. He was seen skydiving, boxing and going to raves.

“Jumping out of planes, partying all night and punching people in the face is not for me anymore. So what will be best? Go to the war zone”he says.

The task of local authorities, according to Marianna Oleskov, head of the National Agency for Tourism Development, is to solve the ethical problems of this phenomenon. The agency is already developing training courses for guides, which should teach them how to properly approach the organization of such tours.

Conclusion: prospects and risks of military tourism

While military tours may have educational value, it is important to remember that they demand respect for the suffering and pain of local residents. What may be simply an interesting and unusual journey for tourists, is a real tragedy for people who survived the destruction. And if such trips must take place, they must be as responsible and ethical as possible.

Ultimately, it is important to remember that military tourism in Ukraine should not only be safe, but also respectful, to avoid turning grief into a spectacle for someone else's pleasure.

Leave a comment in Telegram channel NAnews ↓ — Israel News