Edward Lucas on Painful and vital: the upcoming reforms Ex-chair of the State Property Fund the new cold war in Ukraine's energy sector on oligarchs and the new government

№ 6 (72) april 2014

www.ukrainianweek.com Featuring selected content from The Economist for free distribution B OOKST ORES KYIV 3, vul. Lysenka tel: (044) 235-88-54; 5,vul. Spaska tel: (044) 351-13-38, 33/2, Povitroflotskiy Prospekt tel: (044) 275-67-42 LVIV 7, Prospekt Svobody tel: (032) 235-73-68 VINNYTSIA 89, Soborna tel: (0432) 52-9341 TERNOPIL 7-9, vul. Valova tel: (0352) 25-4459 KHARKIV 3, vul. Sumska tel: (057) 731-5949 IVANO-FRANKIVSK 31, vul. Nezalezhnosti tel: (0342) 72-2502 VOLODYMYR-VOLYNSKIY 6, vul. Kovelska tel: (03342) 2-1957 www.book-ye.com.ua

ONLINE BOOKSHOP WWW.BOOK-YE.COM.UA/SHOP |contents BRIEFING NEIGHBOURS Who’s the Realist Here? Philippe How Far Can the West de Lara on the divide in Ukraine, Go? So far, the rest extremists on Maidan and Ukraine of the world has as the orbit of Russia’s natural managed to isolate geopolitical interests Russia over its actions in Crimea. 4 Whether such FOCUS isolation in the Russian Aggression: long-term will force Genesis, goals, Putin to change his counteraction and legal policies remains to be consequences seen 6 22 Edward Lucas: “The new All For One: NATO must banish the suspicion that it would not Cold War has been about always defend its eastern flank the use of Russian money to divide the weak of the 24 West and also the use of SECURITY the energy weapon” A Ukrainian Foreign Legion: Does Ukraine 10 need mercenaries in its Dear Price army So that others would fear and not sneer for Cheap Putin is aware that his authority in the country re s merely on an illusion that he has re ored Russia’s “might” in the international arena. Russians view him precisely as a power president, and his support 26 Popularity: By levels revolve on maintaining this image 100 Aggression Tuzla Aggression Aggression plunging Russia again Island again again What kind of country would Chechnya confli Georgia Ukraine you like Russia to be now? (%) CULTURE & ARTS into a full-scale 80 62 60 48 confrontation Supporters 47 Russia’s Tango With the Devil: Leonidas Donskis

of Putin’s a ions 36 with the West to 40 on Russian musicians, actors and artists who 5 boost his own Critics of Putin’s 3 signed a letter to support Putin’s aggression in 20 a ions November 2005 March 2014

Superpower feared and respeed popularity ratings 0 by other countries Ukraine 3 3 3 9 9 8 8 0 Country with a high andard of living even 013 013 013 013 013 014 014 014 00 00 00 00 00 00 if not one of the world’s superpowers

Vladimir Putin .2 3.2 2.2 11.2

12.2 Hard to say 11.2 12.199 10.2 01.2 12.2 0 0 09.2 08.2 10.2 09.199 07 01.2 may be preparing 09.2 29 his country for Ukrainian art curator Pavlo another sobering shock from the Gudimov on consolidation of defeat in a conflict with the entire world artists in the revolution, the choice of tolerance over aggression and 12 wisdom in pursuit of cultural ECONOMICS evolution Ex-Head of Ukraine’s B OOKST ORES State Property Fund 30 Oleksandr Bondar on KYIV handling oligarchs Yulia 3, vul. Lysenka tel: (044) 235-88-54; 5,vul. Spaska tel: (044) 351-13-38, that lay the golden Lytvynets, Chief Custodian of eggs in the wrong 33/2, Povitroflotskiy Prospekt tel: (044) 275-67-42 Ukraine’s National Art Museum, on place the post-revolutionary perception LVIV of museum art collections and 7, Prospekt Svobody tel: (032) 235-73-68 15 horizontal relationships between VINNYTSIA museums and individuals 89, Soborna tel: (0432) 52-9341 Mykhailo Honchar, Chair of the Strategy XXI Centre for Global Studies, talks about Ukraine’s painful energy sector 32 TERNOPIL as a maturity test for its government and Russia’s reluctance 7-9, vul. Valova tel: (0352) 25-4459 to allow competitive players on the post-Soviet market KHARKIV 3, vul. Sumska tel: (057) 731-5949 18 IVANO-FRANKIVSK 31, vul. Nezalezhnosti tel: (0342) 72-2502 VOLODYMYR-VOLYNSKIY E-mail [email protected] 6, vul. Kovelska tel: (03342) 2-1957 Tel. (044) 351-13-87 www.book-ye.com.ua www.ukrainianweek.com The Ukrainian Week № 6 (72) April 2013 Editors address 37 Mashynobudivna str., Kyiv, 03067, Ukraine Founder ECEM Media GmbH Print Novy Druk LLC, 1 Mahnitohorska str., Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine Publisher ECEM Media GmbH Ordering number 14-1034 Sent to print on 28 March 2014 ONLINE BOOKSHOP Address Austria, Am Gestade,1, 1010 Vienna Print run 15 000. Free distribution WWW.BOOK-YE.COM.UA/SHOP State registration certificate КВ № 19823-9623ПР 19.03.2013 Chief Editor Alla Lazareva Our partner Editors Anna Korbut, Natalia Romaneс, Shaun Williams № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|3 briefing| trends &talk Petro Porosh- US intelligence warns Obama of a Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi arrives in Donetsk enko announces higher likelihood of further Russian with 150 students from Lvivto cheer for the intent to run for incursion to Eastern andS outhern Donestk hockey team, and 150 students from presidency Ukraine, pressing to Transnistria and Donetsk come to Lviv for a city tour, under the East seeking land grabs in the Baltics and West Together initiative Who’s the Realist Here?

its accomplishments are worth WWII. I have written about this of respect. Europeans realize and I will write more about this. this. A switch to the change of Plus, we have geography. Constitution over a few days of Isn’t Ukraine within the orbit of the heroic uprising is an unprec- the Russian influence, whether edented move in modern history it wants this or not? Doesn’t – and an encouraging one. By Russia have fair reasons to treat contrast, justifying Russia in all an independent Western-ori- this seems impossible. Its ag- ented country on its threshold gression with “green men” in as an unbearable threat to itself Crimea and “Russian-speakers” (Donetsk is on the same longi- who lifted the Russian flag on tude as Moscow)? Isn’t it per- the oblast administration in fectly natural for every big coun- Kharkiv, only to return home to try to protect its area of security Moscow later, is excessively and influence in this multipolar brutal and grotesque. Europe- and globalized world? Didn’t the ans are outraged and stand with West betray Russia by promis- Ukraine, supporting sanctions ing to stop spreading eastward against Russia, worrying that after Germany reunited with they may be too weak, and won- NATO in 1990? Аuthor: dering what could be more ef- Talk like this irritates Ukrai- Philippe de Lara fective. nians – and they are right to feel Still, this democratic revolu- that. It also rightly irritates n November 3, 2013, tion in which we, the French, those who realize that Ukraine’s and, sadly more so after can see ourselves, raises some freedom today is the soul of Eu- February 18-20, 2014, questions. Geography and his- rope. But I think that we should O the voice of the Ukrai- tory cast doubts about the legiti- separate blatant lies that can nian revolution is heard better only meet disdain and sophisms in the world. The people of that require patient and thor- Maidan have inspired all demo- Russia lost Ukraine in 1991. ough answers because they tend crats while the temporary gov- Then, it kept losing Ukraine to confuse honest people. ernment established as a result These sophisms have been of the revolution is doing well as every next day, answered a thousand times, yet I am writing this: it stays under acting as a ruinous they have to be answered two control in the face of the Rus- thousand times, and ten thou- sian invasion and other develop- corrupt force sand times if needed. In my ments that risk destabilizing opinion, the Ukrainian cause Odesa and Eastern Ukraine. It macy and feasibility of this dem- has three vulnerable aspects has taken active steps, articu- ocratic revolution. which we have to keep explain- lated its choice in favour of part- I will not tackle history even ing over and over again. ing with the sovietized economy if it is the essence of the prob- 1. Ukraine’s division into and corruption, is preparing the lem. Ukrainians are a nation east and west. The widespread election, has signed the political whose history was banned, a na- opinion is that Eastern Ukraine part of the Association Agree- tion struggling in the prison of is pro-Russian because it still ment with the EU, has brought Soviet lies. This lies has already bears the Soviet trace, while numerous OSCE observers to lost much of its power (few deny civil society has emerged in Ukraine and has not pro- the Holodomor today). Yet, it Western Ukraine only. The nounced the dangerous NATO still tarnishes the minds of widespread opinion is that the word. Mistrust of many Ukraini- many Europeans. Their igno- divide is of religious nature ans for this temporary govern- rance makes many of them still (sometimes, the French media ment after 23 years of betrayed believe in one or another aspect write that all Ukrainians in independence is justified. Still, of Russia’s official version of Western Ukraine are Catholics 4|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Crimean Tatars offer priests ofU krainian Orthodox In his address to Ukrainians spread Church, Kyiv Patriarchate, to hold sermons in mosques by Russian news agency ITAR if they face threats in their churches. Greek Catholic TASS, Viktor Yanukovych calls on priests have faced threats, some have been kidnapped. a referendum on the status of The priests evacuate families to mainland Ukraine every region in Ukraine

while the rest of the country is betrayed etc. Yet, no panic Orthodox). needed here: the explanation is Ukraine (Georges Nivat bril- that it wasn’t the US or the EU liantly described it as the “old that stole Poland and other FSU young country” in his piece for countries, as well as the Baltic Le Monde), just like other mod- States, and are now trying to ern nations, has some internal whisk away Ukraine. It is Russia diversity. This is exactly because that has lost them and it is the it is a nation, not an ethnic only one to blame for this. For group, and not a divided coun- them, Russia has always been try by all means. Meanwhile, about bad memories. It knew Russia manipulates these diver- this but never offered them any- sities because it knows: it will thing other than conservation of find no supporter of Ukraine’s sovietism, albeit with different annexation to Russia in Kyiv, tools. We are told to stop being while Crimea has 40% and idealistic intellectuals and switch Kharkiv has 16%. This is always to reality based on geopolitics a minority, yet it is always suffi- rather than democracy, peoples’ cient to justify “a little brotherly rights to self-determination, in- help”. ternational law and the like. It takes a lot of time to ex- Nonsense! Realistic geopolitics plain people that a Russian- proves that Russia lost Ukraine speaker is not necessarily a Rus- – on its own – and not only on sian. paper in 1991. It kept losing 2. The “right extremists” on Ukraine every next day, acting as the Maidan and in the tempo- a ruinous corrupt force. USSR rary government. When West- 2.0 is only USSR, a dead model ern Europeans speak of the that cannot attract anyone. “right extremists”, the first After all, no domination can thing that comes to mind is rely on force entirely. In order Greek neo-Nazis, Hungarian na- to last, even the most violent tionalist party Jobbik, or the colonization (Mongolian yoke in French National Front (ultra- Kyiv Rus and European coloni- pro-Putin by the way) and the zation of Africa) must give Freedom Party of Austria – something to the peoples it en- these are not as radical, but still slaves, such as roads, schools, a xenophobic, blatantly racist and capital that attracts local elites secretly anti-Semitic. Ukrainian who send their children to its “right extremists” are a com- schools, and brilliant culture. pletely different movement. Russia, and then the USSR, They make a nationalist party – could be that for Ukraine in more nationalist than liberal, times when it thrived. Now, it is just like parties in all national nothing but a faded star. That is liberation movements. For vari- the essence of the Maidan: we ous reasons, this party has no do not want to live like Soviets much electoral weight and will did. That is the geopolitical fact hardly affect the May 25 presi- that the smart should keep in dential election. This party is an mind. This is not about NATO effective bogeyman. or the EU. This is about free- 3. The zone of “natural” in- dom, dignity and truth. fluence. At first sight, this seems Nothing suggests that there to be the strongest argument could be an alternative scenario backed by geographic common to build mutually beneficial in- sense and the convincing phrase tegration of Ukraine and Russia. that Ukraine is geographically Hopefully, the Ukrainian revo- and economically integrated into lution will outline this scenario. the Russian World, so Russia has Unrealistic? Perhaps it is, but is every reason to feel disparaged, there another way? Focus|Russia & Ukraine Russian Aggression: Genesis, goals, counteraction and legal consequences ussia’s military aggression tures at all levels and acted with im- Ukraine would not have happened Ukraine itself against Ukraine began on 27 punity and without hindrance. if both countries had been NATO must spearhead February 2014 with the As it committed premeditated members or at least had NATO efforts to forceful takeover of the aggression against Ukraine, Rus- membership action plans. How- counteract R Crimean Supreme Council building sia’s leadership was perfectly aware ever, German Chancellor Angela Russian followed by the occupation of the of the pitiful condition of Ukraine’s Merkel, French President François aggression. Only then can peninsula by Russian regular army armed forces and other components Mitterand and Prime Minister of other countries units and irregular formations. On of national security. However, ag- Ireland Geir Haarde stood in the be expected 16 March 2014, under conditions gression against Ukraine was also a way. To block Ukraine’s and Geor- to help. of military occupation, an illegiti- consequence of the total helpless- gia’s NATO membership aspira- Disregard for mate pseudo-referendum on join- ness of Western democracies in tions, Russia mobilized the entire the motivation ing the Russian Federation was counteracting Russia’s expansionist arsenal of its diplomatic corps and behind Russia’s held in Crimea. On 17 March, policy, which was most vividly re- special services and prevailed. As he policy and Crimea’s Supreme Council, previ- vealed during its attack on Georgia. spoke at an extended meeting of the a failure to ously disbanded by a resolution of Russia’s impunity for its criminal Federal Security Service on 29 Jan- understand Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, pro- actions in August 2008 led to an- uary 2009 in Moscow, the then Russia’s geopolitical claimed Crimea’s independence. other crime – aggression against President Dmitry Medvedev stated: goals are the On 18 March, its self-appointed Ukraine in March 2014. The Rus- “An unstable social and political sit- fundamental leaders signed a treaty with Rus- sian invasions of Georgia and uation persists in a number of reasons why sian President Vladimir Putin mak- the Ukrainian ing Crimea part of the Russian government is Federation. In other words, an ille- so irresponsible gal and hasty transaction took in security place in order to lend an air of le- issues and gitimacy to Russia’s forceful an- the West so helpless in nexation of a part of Ukraine. counteracting Russia’s Genesis expansion The immediate factors that caused Russia’s military aggression and Crimea’s annexation were the weak- Author: ness of Ukraine’s national security Volodymyr sector and the West’s excessively Vasylenko tolerant attitude toward Russia’s re- vanchist, neo-imperialist policy in the post-Soviet territory. The criminal and prolonged un- derfinancing of Ukraine’s Armed Forces under presidents Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko led to the ruination of the entire na- tional security sector under Viktor Yanukovych. The actions of his team, which not only robbed the country but also deprived it of its defence capacity, should be viewed as high treason. The army and navy, external intelligence and counterin- telligence, Security Service, Na- tional Security and Defence Council allunderwent degradation not with- out the help of Russia’s special ser- vices and agents of influence who widely infiltrated government struc-

6|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Russia & Ukraine|Focus neighbouring countries; attempts at a powerful spiritual, cultural and will render the very idea of reviving NATO expansion have continued, materialdonor and, at the same Russian (apparently Eurasian) em- including in the form of the so- time, an engine for the transforma- pire impracticable. called accelerated accession for tion of the Muscovite tsardom into 2. Eradicate all things Ukrai- Georgia and Ukraine. Naturally, all an empire. After annexing Ukrai- nian inside and outside of Russia, of this required the precise and syn- nian lands, Muscovy extended its because such an empire will be im- chronized operation of all special borders to the frontiers of Eastern possible to create and operate as power structures and law enforce- Europe and later proclaimed itself long as Ukrainians maintain their ment agencies, as well as a very high an empire and adopted the name of national identity. level of coordination of their activi- an ancient Ukrainian state, Rus’, 3. Perpetuate guided chaos and ties. I have to say that the Federal claiming the entire history of provoke separatist movements to Security Service has, in general, suc- Ukraine-Rus’ prior to the Mongol weaken Ukraine’s government in- cessfully fulfilled its tasks.” and Tatar invasion as its own. stitutions, splitting the country and Disregard for the motivation The revival of an independent undermining its statehood. behind Russia’s policy on Ukraine Ukraine has inevitably led to the The implementation of these and, thus, a failure to adequately restoration of its national memory tasks is carried out by Russian dip- assess Russia’s geopolitical goals and its own national history, thus lomats and special services using and the resulting strategy regard- excising a huge chunk ofRussia’s Soviet-era methods. These include ing Ukraine are fundamental rea- history, ruining the myth of its subversive activities by undercover sons for the Ukrainian govern- 1,000 years of statehood and de- agents and agents of influence, mis- ment’s failure to guarantee na- bunking Russia’s claim that it has information and blackmail, threats tional security and the West’s been a part of European civilization and pressure, bribery and the in- inability to counteract Russia’s since time immemorial. Russian volvement of criminal elements in expansion. imperial chauvinists understand special operations. Ukraine played a special role in that without Ukraine (its territory, An important factor that affects the history of Russia, so its indepen- resources and human potential), the content, methods and imple- dent existence is a challenge to the any of Russia’sattempts at restoring mentation of Russia’s policy on Russian imperial consciousness and its imperial status are pointless. As Ukraine is the personality of Vladi- a psychological trauma to modern- a result, the Russian political elite mir Putin, a former KGB officer who day Russian imperial chauvinists. and the majority of citizens believe wants to be a lifelong “national For a while in the past, Ukraine was that: – Ukraine is a part of Russia The anti-Ukrainian and should not exist separately from Russia; ideologies deeply ingrained – Ukraine is to blame for the in the Russian mentality disintegration of the Soviet empire and the ensuing hardships in Rus- and Russia’s revanchist sia; aspirations define its policy – Russians and Ukrainians are one people and their unification on Ukraine with the within one state should end in the ultimate strategic goal formation of one powerful super- ethnos and the creation of the “Rus- being the total destruction sian World” with one church, one of Ukraine language and one culture; – Ukraine’s independent state- leader” and exhibits a paranoid ha- hood is a geopolitical anomaly and tred for and contempt of Ukrainians is a strategic threat to Russia; and Ukraine. – Without Ukraine, Russia is With his election as Russian not geopolitically complete and can- president in 2000, Russia’s policy not reclaim its status as a global su- on Ukraine became crueller and perpower. more insidious, larger in scale and The anti-Ukrainian ideologies- more systematic. In addition to deeply ingrained in the Russian preventing Ukraine’s European mentality and Russia’s revanchist and NATO integration, Russia has aspirations define its policy on kept expanding humanitarian ag- Ukraine with the ultimate strategic gression through its agents and the goal being the total destruction of fifth column in the informational, Ukraine as a geopolitical and na- linguistic, cultural, historical and tional entity and a subject of inter- religious spheres. In this way, Rus- national law. Behind the façade of sia is trying to destroy the identity civilized relations, Russia is carry- of Ukrainians, which is a formative ing out a special operation against element of the Ukrainian nation Ukraine with three key tasks: state, and secure the “final solution 1. Counteract Ukraine’s integra- to the Ukrainian question” in the tion with the West, because its context of its traditional imperial

photo: reuters photo: membership in NATO and the EU ambitions. № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|7 Focus|Russia & Ukraine Controlled by the Kremlin, the Yanukovych Administration ex- tended the stay of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, abandoned the course for European and NATO in- tegration and acted as an accom- plice to Russia’s humanitarian ag- gression against Ukraine aimed at shattering Ukraine’s statehood by demolishing its national identity. Goals The fiasco of Yanukovych’s regime and his removal from power sug- gested that the new Ukrainian gov- ernment would busy itself with re- newing the course towardEuropean and NATO integration, counteract- ing Russian humanitarian expan- sion, restoring law and order, strengthening democratic govern- ment institutions and preserving the unity of the country. Sensing that he was losing his unian photo: grip over Ukraine, Putin resorted to On 16 March, ing it all alone against Russia and the eastern oblasts with the help military aggression and split Crimea pro-Russian setting the stage for interference of political provocateurs brought off from Ukraine. This was revenge activists in with Ukraine’s internal affairs. across the border from Russia. Donetsk against the Ukrainians for the stormed The Lavrov plan is a programme In his speech in the Kremlin Maidan and, at the same time, a the regional aimed at Ukraine’s international on 18 March 2014, Putin said that large-scale special operation de- Prosecutor’s isolation, fragmentation and divi- there are “large territories of signed to subdue Ukraine once and Office and the sion. It will Russify the nation, de- southern Russia” in the composi- for all. building of the stroy Ukrainian identity and annihi- tion of Ukraine. Russia may soon Russia’s aggression in Crimea Security Service late its statehood. The fact that the try to annex these as well. critically precipitated a conflict in Kremlin wants to have the Ukrai- It cannot be ruled out that Ukrainian-Russian relations and nian presidential election post- Russia may at one point give the has a farther-reaching goal than poned probably means that it has go-ahead to its agents in other simply stripping Ukraine of one of yet to find a puppet who will replace European countries where there its territories. This is confirmed by Yanukovych and execute its mali- are Russians or Russian-speaking the plan offered by Russian diplo- cious plans. Hopefully, it will be re- “compatriots” in order to create mats as a way of settling the con- jected by both the Ukrainian gov- chaos and make unjustifiable de- flict. The plan is disastrous for ernment and Western democracies. mands under the guise of protect- Ukraine’s statehood and unity, but It should be understood that ing their rights. the Russians also want to involve the forceful separation of Crimea Western countries to legitimize it. Counteraction On 5 March 2014, Russian Foreign The West cannot achieve In this situation, the Ukrainian gov- Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov set ernment must act resolutely to neu- forth the plan’smain elements in a security for itself by tralize and punish those guilty of conversation with US Secretary of appeasing the aggressor threatening Ukraine’s territorial in- State John Kerry: Ukraine forfeits tegrity and fomenting separatism. the Association Agreement with the and satisfying its Acting President of Ukraine Olek- EU and abandons its NATO aspira- illegitimate whims at the sandr Turchynov should publicly tions; the presidential election is announce an order allowing moved from 25 May 2014 to a later cost of Ukraine’s legitimate Ukraine’s Armed Forces to use for- date; a new Constitution is drafted; interests ceif Russia tries to expand its ag- Ukraine becomes a federation and gression beyond the Crimean pen- grants Russian the status of a sec- from Ukraine will not satisfy Rus- insula. ond state language. sia’s appetite and will only incite As a country that has suffered An extended and somewhat the Kremlin’s dictator to go ahead a military attack, Ukraine has the modified version of the Lavrov plan A new Russian with further expansionist actions right to individual and collective empire should be was presented in a statement by averted, for it would to destabilize and fragment self-defence under Article 51 of Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry be an aggressive Ukraine and to threaten other the United Nations Charter. totalitarian entity about the Ukraine Support Group hostile to European countries. This is evidenced by Thismeans that individual and published on 17 December 2013. In- civilizational values the high concentration of Russian collective sanctions of military, stead of offering to settle the con- and fundamental troops along Ukraine’s eastern political, diplomatic and eco- human rights and flict, it essentially exacerbates it by freedoms border, as well as by the separat- nomic nature can and must be denying Ukraine a place in the ist rallies that the Russian special used against Russia as the aggres- Euro-Atlantic security system, leav- services are trying to organize in sor country. 8|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Russia & Ukraine|Focus Ukraine itself must spearhead In order to strengthen and re- legitimate referendum and the an- the efforts to counteract Russia’s form some elements of the national nexation acts are legally null and aggression. Only then can other security sector to meet presentde- void. In practice, this means that countries and other international mands, Ukraine must arrange for the Ukrainian state has every right organizations be expected to help. consultative, technical and finan- to demand restoration of its terri- Unfortunately, the new Ukrainian cial aid to be provided by the states torial sovereignty over Crimea and government has been hesitant and which are the guarantors of its se- Faced with military to take measures in the future to aggression, Ukraine lacked political will, while Russia curity under the Budapest memo- must fundamentally realize this demand. has acted insidiously. As a result, randum, as well as by NATO and revise the postulates Under United Nations General and priorities of its Ukraine has not been able to the EU. National Security Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXXIX) quickly neutralize puppet leaders Western states must, if they Strategy and Military “Definition of Aggression” of 14 De- of the Crimean separatists and nip care about their own security, stand Doctrine. These cember 1974 and Article 5 of the In- documents must Russian aggression in the bud. beside Ukraine and counteract the clearly state that ternational Criminal Court, the act Turchynov’s public statement on invader. Russia’s aggression vio- Russia is a real, of Russia’s military aggression rather than Russia’s aggression and his an- lates the global legal order, compro- potential, enemy of against Ukraine is a grave interna- nouncement of mobilization came mises global security and under- Ukraine tional crime. This crime does not nearly three days after 27 Febru- mines existing nuclear non-prolifer- have a statute of limitations and en- ary 2014, when Russian military ation agreements, thus threatening tails international responsibility of without insignia seized the every member of the international all persons in the top political and Crimean parliament building community, particularly Western Russia’s aggression military echelons involved in pre- which illegitimately voted to sepa- democracies. violates the global paring, planning, initiating and con- legal order, ratethe peninsula from Ukraine. The security of the West cannot compromises global tinuing aggression against Ukraine. The Shevchenkivsky District Court be achieved by appeasing the ag- security and As a state that has suffered from of Kyiv granted the appeal of the gressor and satisfying its illegiti- undermines existing aggression, Ukraine has the right to nuclear non- Chief Investigation Directorate of mate whims at the cost of Ukraine’s proliferation demand that Russia stop its aggres- Ukraine’s Security Service to de- legitimate interests. To guarantee agreements, thus sion, withdrawitsoccupying forces threatening every tain illegitimate Crimean Prime its own security and protect its own member of the from Ukrainian territory and reim- Minister Sergey Aksionov and vital interests, the West should pre- international burse damages. It can also demand Speaker of Crimea’s Supreme vent a new Russian empire from community, that Russian President Putin, De- particularly Western Council Volodymyr Konstantynov. springing up in the post-Soviet democracies fence Minister Sergey Shoygu, For- The decision was passed on 5 space. Because it would, by defini- eign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov March 2014, when these individu- tion, be an aggressive totalitarian and others are brought to justice as als were already protected by Rus- entity hostile to European civiliza- war criminals. The Kremlin-con- sian occupation forces. If the sepa- tional values, principles of democ- trolled Crimean leaders who orga- ratist leaders had been detained in racy and respect for fundamental nized the illegitimate referendum to a timely manner, the Security Ser- human rights and freedoms. legalize the annexation should be vice had been more active and the A powerful containment factor viewed as accomplices to Russia’s Armed Forces had been rapidly here should be more comprehen- crime. deployed to Crimea early on, Putin sive and severe political, diplomatic Meeting Today, this framing of the ques- would not have dared to continue and economic sanctions against between US tion appears unrealistic. However, it the aggression. Russia, something the US and its al- President should be borne in mind that Hit- From the time Ukraine restored lies have already started imposing. Barack Obama ler’s henchmen who once commit- its independence, it has striven to Ukraine’s full-fledged member- and Ukrainian ted acts of aggression against Euro- develop good neighbourly relations ship in the European Union and Prime Minister pean states with impunity eventu- with Russia and has viewed it as a NATO would be a radical means of Arseniy ally found themselves in the dock. strategic partner rather than a po- stifling Russia’s expansionist policy Yatseniuk in the Hitler avoided this fate by commit- tential enemy. Russia’s military ag- and guaranteeing security for both White House on ting suicide. Putin, then, has a 12 March gression, which is just an element of the West and Ukraine. Signing the choice. a much largerspecial operation Association Agreement with the EU against Ukraine, is the moment of and its diligent fulfilment by truth. Faced with military aggres- Ukraine will put the necessary pre- sion, Ukraine must fundamentally conditions in place for the revise the postulates and priorities country’smembership in the EU of its National Security Strategy and and its access tothe NATO member- Military Doctrine. These documents ship Action Plan in the foreseeable must clearly state that Russia is a future. real, rather than potential, enemy of Ukraine which, under the cover of Legal consequences slogans about developing friendship The annexation of Crimea does not with a “brotherly people”, is pre- take away Ukraine’s legal title to paredto declare war on the Ukrai- the Crimean peninsula, which is, nian nation. Consequently, the legally, part of its territory. More- Ukrainian government must act de- over, both Ukraine and the inter- cisively to systematically restore the national community have stated entire national security sector and thatthe Crimean referendum was secure its appropriate and constant illegitimate and refused to recog- financing. nize its results. The results of an il- № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|9 Focus|Russia & Ukraine The Old New Cold War Edward Lucas: “The new Cold War has been about the use of Russian money to divide the weak of the West and also the use of the energy weapon” eneral Philip Breedlove fi- Author: One of his books is entitled Decep- clear that he believes in Russia as a nally said the following: Bohdan tion: Spies, Lies and How Russia civilizational power with all sorts of “Now it is very clear that Tsioupine, Dupes the West. Another book is specific characteristics, deeper val- GRussia is acting much more London entitled The New Cold War: Putin’s ues and with a sort of historical des- like an adversary than a partner”. It Russia and the Threat to the West. tiny behind it. That old Tsarist era is very likely that for NATO's Su- In an interview with The Ukrai- of a triad of autocracy, orthodoxy preme Allied Commander Europe, nian Week, Edward Lucas speaks and nationalism, which has come what he voiced was already obvious, about the Ukrainian crisis as a back. I think there was a bit of an but, as has happened before in his- whole and about the new Cold War. ideological vacuum in Russia in the tory, even a “small” war puts every- 90s, but Mr. Putin is quite busy fill- thing it its place. After the brazen U.W: When did the new Cold War ing it. seizure of part of Ukraine by its begin? Eastern neighbour, American-Pol- – I think the new Cold War re- U.W: So what we have now is a ish journalist Anne Applebaum ally started several years ago and it serious threat to European and feels that: “many are beginning to was a mistake on the behalf of the possibly world security. Where is understand that the narrative is West to think that Russia had the place of the old structures, such wrong: Russia is not a flawed West- changed completely in 1991. Unfor- as NATO, the EU and others under ern power. Russia is an anti-West- tunately, we saw the return of the these conditions? Do they have the ern power”. For more than 20 years, kind of Chekist deep state, even in same role to play? many people were deluded, particu- the Yeltsin years, with the growth of – I think that NATO is back in larly in Europe, by the new Russia’s the Korzhakov (Aleksandr Korzha- business, big time. The organisa- easily understood greed for money. kov, ex-KGB officer, head of the tions that are struggling to find a Although they were cautious of the Presidential Security Service for Bo- role are the OSCE, which is now representatives of Russian capi- ris Yeltsin in 1993-1996 – Ed.) fac- deadlocked and has in fact been talism in the world and oli- tion in the Kremlin and Mr. Prima- deadlocked for many years. It’s just garchs, they were ready to of- kov (Yevgeny Primakov, Prime Min- that we haven’t really noticed. The fer them their hand. ister of Russia in 1998-1999, Council of Europe and the Euro- British journalist and Se- diplomat – Ed.) being Head of the pean Security architecture, which nior Editor for The Econo- Foreign Intelligence Service. This dates from the Paris Charter from mist, Edward Lucas, was one intensified when Mr. Putin and his 1990, about inviolability of borders of the first who, back in the KGB friends from St. Petersburg and respect for common human 1990s, was already warning took over in Moscow, and it’s been rights values and so on, that’s gone. the international community getting worse ever since. I think the And I don’t think Europe’s really that post-Soviet incumbents in difference of the old Cold War is that woken up to this. We are still pre- Moscow were abusing the the old Cold War was about a very tending that the old game will work. trust of the West. sharp military confrontation and a For the new game to work, which is very sharp ideological confronta- back to NATO and territorial de- tion and without much use of fence, we need to spend a lot more money. And the new Cold War on defence and we need to restore has been about the use of Rus- our relations with America. And sian money in the West to di- that’s going to need a lot of new vide the weak of the West thinking and new efforts in Europe. and also the use of the en- ergy weapon. As we watch U.W: Would you agree that there is the situation develop in a problem with NATO. That Ukraine, the new Cold essentially this is an organisation War and the old Cold War that only guarantees security to its are looking more and members and in this case we have more similar. a problem with Ukraine, which is not a member. Is there something U.W: Is there any that should be changed in the ideology behind the statutory documents of the current confrontation organisation? Or is the only way between Moscow for countries like Ukraine, for and the West? example, to join NATO to – Oh, very much guarantee their security? so. Just read Mr. Pu- – No, it’s not the only way. I tin’s speeches. It’s think the problem with NATO is 10|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Russia & Ukraine|Focus that it’s a bit like a close family and for Ukraine and even from Russia of Russia, and the Southern Euro- you can’t just join like that. You are we hear demands that Ukraine pean countries such as Slovenia, requiring other countries to risk should be completely neutral and Croatia, Greece, Italy and Spain be- their lives for you and this is some- not part of any military or even ing very much against any sort of thing that happens only after quite political blocs. In addition, the real sanctions. So the real divide is careful consideration. It’s not like Kremlin wants Ukraine to be North-South, not “old”-“new”. just joining a golf club and joining divided into some kind of NATO requires a long period of re- federation or confederation. Is this U.W: For many Ukrainians there is forms and military development to something that sounds acceptable a dilemma, in how Ukraine ensure interoperability from a mili- to you? Is this something that responded to events in Crimea. On tary point of view. It’s not just a po- would increase Ukraine’s security the one hand Ukraine was litical alliance. So even if we want it or security in Eastern Europe? commanded to show restraint and to, I don’t think that Ukraine can – No. I think this is an ex- not respond with fire toR ussian join NATO for several years. And tremely bad idea It both misunder- action inC rimea, but on the other, I’m not sure that the NATO mem- stands Finland’s position during the there is the feeling that if a country bers would want to extend the Arti- Cold War and it would be com- does not defend itself, how can it cle 5 guarantee to Ukraine until we pletely wrong for Ukraine. We are expect to be defended by the have a clearer idea of what the over the days when other countries The New Cold War. outside world?. Ukrainian government is going to make decisions about people’s fu- Putin’s Russia and – I think it is very difficult. But the Threat to the be and how Ukraine is going to be tures and Ukraine’s future security West you are paying the price for the Ya- run. So I think I would put that on is for Ukrainians to decide. If I was nukovych government and actually one side. NATO’s job is to defend its the Ukrainian government, I would for the governments that preceded own members and create a kind of a say that we are going to have a five- it. Clearly the contingency planning real red line in Europe, that what- year moratorium on any discussion was extremely weak. And you start ever Putin does in Ukraine, which is of membership in the EU or NATO, from a position where all the op- terrible and will cause him a lot of because we need to get on with sta- tions are very bad. This is true not problems, is not the same as attack- bilisation and reform. And if at the only in Crimea, but in many other ing a NATO country or is completely end of these five years the Ukrai- things. So I think one can certainly off-limits. So to that extent, it’s a nian people choose to open discus- fault the Ukrainians for not having kind of security fence in Europe. sions on either NATO or the EU, concentrated their forces. If they that’s for them, but it will come as a had had a good intelligence analysis U.W: But Ukraine is on the other result of the political process. As side of this fence. Does that mean membership of both organisations Russia’s ideology – it’s that it is completely unprotected? is totally impossible within a five- – I didn’t say that. I think we year framework, you don’t lose any- that old Tsarist era of a need to do different things with thing by saying that you’ll have a triad of autocracy, Ukraine. This is where the EU moratorium on it. But that has to comes in to try and help with the fi- come from Ukraine, rather than orthodoxy and nancial and economic stabilisation from outside. I think that on the of Ukraine and giving any help it whole, being a neighbour of Russia nationalism, which has can with the new constitutional set- is an extremely uncomfortable busi- come back tlement and so on. But from the se- ness, even in Finland now, which is curity point of view, there’s room historically against military alli- of what was going on, it might have for intelligence-sharing. I would ances. The people there are increas- been a good idea to concentrate all personally be in favour of selling ingly worried about Russia and I the Ukrainian forces in Crimea in weapons to Ukraine, or giving think there is quite a good chance one place, rather than having them weapons to Ukraine. I would be in that Finland and Sweden will be scattered all over the place in differ- favour of having joint military exer- joining NATO quite soon. ent, completely indefensible loca- cises with Ukraine and I think that tions. That would have been a much the most important thing we can do U.W: Countries like France were more difficult target for the Rus- for Ukraine is to impose much more sometimes irritated by what was sians. I don’t know the military ge- serious sanctions on Russia. But we perceived to be “unjustified ography of Crimea very well, but I will save Ukraine not by having a phobias againstR ussia” in suspect that there would be at least military confrontation on Ukrainian countries like Poland, Estonia or one or two places that would have territory, but by raising the cost to Latvia. Would you now say that the been more defensible. Ukraine Putin. I think we should be trying to “old” and “new” Europe should also have stockpiled some bring down the Putin regime com- understand each other better food, water, communications and pletely. This is a good opportunity when it comes to the danger of so on, to make themselves a bit Putin’s Russia? Deception: Spies, more able to resist this sort of Rus- to try and destroy this whole over- Lies and How Russia lap between crime, business and the – I think the “old” Europe and Dupes the West sian pressure. KGB in Russia. We should be aim- “new” Europe is quite out of date. But I think this is the same di- ing to split the regime, turn Putin’s This divide is not between “old” and lemma the Baltic States faced in supporters against him and give “new”, it’s really between North and 1940; resistance is hopeless and if him some really serious problems. South. So you have the North Euro- you don’t resist, people will say you pean countries; Sweden and Esto- consented. It’s a tactic that Russia is U.W: Zbigniew Brzezinski is quoted nia also the Netherlands, Denmark well-able to use and which we have as proposing “Finland’s scenario” and Britain, taking a very bleak view suffered from in the past. № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|11 Focus|Russia & Ukraine Dear Price for Cheap Popularity By plunging Russia into a full-scale confrontation with the West to boost his own popularity ratings Vladimir Putin may be preparing his country for another sobering shock from the defeat in a conflict with the entire world

he latest opinion polls in Author: now Ukrainians. Meanwhile, he bouring post-Soviet countries: Russia show rapidly in- Oleksandr has never been associated with the Tuzla Island incident with creasingly support for Kramar any positive developments in the Ukraine, the disruption of NATO TVladimir Putin’s actions socioeconomic sphere, improv- action plans for Ukraine and and his improving chances of ing moral and psychological cli- Georgia in spring 2008, Russia’s winning a hypothetical presiden- mate or easing interethnic rela- aggression against Georgia in tial election against the backdrop tions in Russia’s multinational August 2008, the trade blockade of Russia’s aggression in the federation. Nor has he chalked of Ukraine in August 2013, the Crimea. According to the Ob- up any special international suc- derailing of the Association shchestvennoye mnenie (Public cesses (see Putin’s major Agreement with the EU for Opinion) Foundation, 53% of achievements in the eyes of Ukraine in 2013 and, finally, in- Russians, up by five percentage Russians). vasion of the Crimea. Putin’s points in just a week’s time be- In order to win and maintain popularity ratings slumped be- tween late February and early support among the Russians who tween these crisis points (see So March, support him for presi- have nostalgia for imperial that others would fear and dent. might, Putin has shown his will- not sneer). This fact again draws atten- ingness to start bloody wars and In March 2014, the propor- tion to a characteristic regularity constantly seek “external ene- tion of the respondents who view in Putin’s Russia in the past 15 mies” since he rose to power. contemporary Russia as a “su- years. Over many years, popula- Poll data collected by Levada perpower” has reached the high- tion surveys have shown that the Centre since the late 1990s re- est value in the history of such majority of Russian citizens view veals that, starting from the surveys: 48% want to see Russia Putin precisely as a power impe- Chechen campaign in 1999- as a “superpower respected and rialist capable of “rubbing them 2000, Putin’s support levels feared”; two-thirds believe their out in the outhouse”, meaning have always skyrocketed in con- country is already playing a deci- the Chechens, Georgians and flict situations with the neigh- sive (11% ) or quite important (56% ) part in solving interna- tional problems. So that others would fear and not sneer It is in this context that the Putin is aware that his authority in the country re s merely on an illusion that he has re ored Russia’s reasoning behind Putin’s actions “might” in the international arena. Russians view him precisely as a power president, and his support in the Crimea should be inter- levels revolve on maintaining this image preted. From a purely practical viewpoint, the annexation of the Aggression Tuzla Aggression Aggression 100 again Island again again peninsula (or even keeping it in a What kind of country would Chechnya confli Georgia Ukraine condition similar to that of you like Russia to be now? (%) 80 Transnistria) does not give Rus- 62 sia any significant advantages. On the contrary, it creates colos- 60 48 Supporters 47 sal problems, threatening finan-

of Putin’s a ions 36 cial and economic losses for the 40 country and the elites close to 5 the Kremlin, fuelling anti-Rus- Critics of Putin’s 3 20 a ions sian sentiments across the world, November 2005 March 2014 including in the European capi- Superpower feared and respeed tals which were loyal to Moscow 0 by other countries 3 3 3 9 9 8 8 0 until recently, and precipitating Country with a high andard of living even 013 013 013 013 013 014 014 014 00 00 00 00 00 00 if not one of the world’s superpowers the confrontation with the USA. .2 3.2 2.2 11.2

12.2 Hard to say 11.2 12.199 10.2 01.2 This is not to mention next-to- 12.2 0 0 09.2 08.2 10.2 09.199 01.2 07 09.2 zero chances of any pro-Russian 12|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Russia & Ukraine|Focus Parallel reality ter Alexei Kudrin has said that Not only do Russians live in a parallel reality created by the propaganda spewed by the Kremlin-controlled the sanctions against Russia over federal mass media, they are also largely clueless about the fa the situation with Ukraine may affect Russia’s economy more se- Moly Not too obje ive Which of the following views on the events in Ukraine mo obje ive closely matches riously than the Russian govern- Power in Ukraine has been ment expects. yours? (%) seized by radical nationalis 37 47 Putin’s aggressive policy In your Ukraine does not have united authorities 36 seems to have an equally impor- opinion, how tant goal of justifying a rapid in- obje ive is the coverage Those who have come to power in Ukraine include radical nationalis, but in general 9 crease in defence spending with of the events in Ukraine 25 these are people who express the interes and the Crimea by of all population groups the hope of boosting the econ- the federal Russian omy, because the potential for mass media? In your opinion, who has caused the escalation of the situation energy-driven growth is essen- (%) Obje ive in the Crimea? (%) tially exhausted. Defence spend- in general 16 4 8 Radical Ukrainian 67 ing is growing by leaps and Completely nationali organizations bounds. In November 2013, Pu- Hard to say unobje ive Crimean Tatar 9 nationalis tin dramatically announced: In your opinion, who “The overall amount of alloca- is the legitimate authority Mafia ru ures 16 tions for defence contracts by the in Ukraine now? (%) Yanukovych’s supporters 5 state has exceeded 1.3 trillion 62 roubles in 2013. This is one and 15 Russia’s leadership 2 a half times more – not some per 11 11 cent but one and a half times Others/Hard to say No-one Viktor Present Hard 22 more – than in the previous Yanukovych government to say year.” The total federal military in Kyiv Source: Population surveys by Levada-Centre expenses (2.1 trillion roubles in 2013) are already comparable to projects rising to power in Russians’ attention from the what Russia spends on education Ukraine, which seems to be what problems in their own country. or medicine at all levels. You Putin is fighting for. With the an- This has been clearly demon- cannot increase defence spend- nexation of the Crimea by Rus- strated by recent population sur- ing so fast without a real picture sia, Ukraine’s electoral field has veys. Levada-Centre has found of a “big war”. lost regions in which up to 80- that the share of Russians who 90% of voters favoured pro-Rus- are watching the events in The price of Putin’s sian forces. Ukraine very or fairly closely has rating-boosting games grown from 25% in December However, Russia is paying a Lightningrod.ua 2013 to 60% in March 2014, steep price for the Putin Admin- Even with the Russian mass me- while the number of those who istration’s bull-in-a-china-shop dia being completely controlled do not keep track or have not policy pursued for the sake of by the government, it is much heard of the developments has shoring up popular support –the harder to deceive Russians about fallen from 35 to 8% over the country is losing allies, instead the situation inside the Russian same period. surrounding itself with a widen- Federation, particularly with re- The war will be used as an ex- ing circle of enemies. This once gard to corruption, slumping so- cuse to explain the steep devalu- again confirms a well-known cioeconomic growth and the ation of the rouble, the falloff in truth: Russia can never have al- plummeting standard of living, lies along its borders, only vas- than to lie about what happens sals or enemies. In the present abroad – people tend to follow Justification of a steep crisis, even Russia’s partners in stereotypical notions. This is increase in military the Customs Union and the Col- what Putin’s propaganda ex- lective Security Treaty Organiza- ploits as it totally dominates the expenses is an important tion are not acting like allies, for federal TV channels, which purpose of Putin’s each of these countries under- shape the attitudes of most Rus- stands thatit may be the next tar- sians. Its extensive influence be- aggressive policy get after Ukraine. Belarus may came vividly obvious when Rus- be annexed, while Kazakhstan sians sharply changed their atti- the standard of living (Russians has a risk of losing, at the least, tude to Ukrainians in 2010. A depend on imported consumer its northern and north-eastern Levada-Centre survey showed goods to a much greater extent regions, which are dominated by that after media coverage of the than Ukrainians do) and the Russian-speaking descendants of developments in Ukraine was worsening economic crisis. For settlers from the European part modified, the proportion of sym- example, GDP growth rates fell of Russia. Putin’s invasion was pathetic respondents grew from from 4.3-4.5% in 2010-11 to 1.3% supported by the semi-over- 29% in 2009 to 52% in 2010, in 2013 and may hover around thrown Assad regime, which while the share of negatively- zero in 2014, even without fac- controls only a small part of its minded Russians dropped from toring in the possible negative own country, and North Korea, 62 to 36% . Russia’s aggression consequences of Western sanc- humiliating and symbolic as it is. in Ukraine is indeed diverting tions. Russia’s ex-Finance Minis- They were joined by the puppet № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|13 Focus|Russia & Ukraine Putin’s major achievements in the eyes of Russians

In your opinion, what are Putin’s major achievements during his rule, and what has he handled the wor ? (%) 37

35 Improving relationships among various 34 33 ethnic groups in Russia 32

Strengthening Russia’s international anding 28 28 27 27 Improving Russia’s relations with 25 24 the We 23 23

Creating acceptable economic and political 20 20 conditions for the growth of private businesses 19 19 18 18 18 18 17 16 Reforming and increasing the efficiency 14 of the Armed Forces 13

10 Solving the problem with Chechnya 9

7 Harnessing the oligarchs, limiting their 6 influence and fighting again corruption 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Fight again crime 2 1

Source: Population surveys by Levada-Centre 01.2004 01.2005 01.2006 01.2007 01.2008 01.2009 01.2010 regimes in Russia-occupied ter- Western investors or direct ag- creasingly given to understand ritories – Abkhazia, South Osse- gression against Ukraine. that they are not “ruling out any tia and Transnistria. However, in the present situ- scenarios”. For example, Senior The West is highly likely to ation this scenario may lead to Advisor to the US President Dan ratchet up its sanctions. In this truly catastrophic consequences Pfeiffer has said that supporting case, Russia may be forced to co- for Russia, including US and the new Ukrainian government operate with the rest of the world NATO military intervention. Ac- “by all possible means” is a pri- along the lines of “oil and gas in cording to some sources, US and ority for the Obama Administra- exchange for food”, as was the NATO leaders are trying hard to tion. case with the Saddam Hussein avoid making direct public If Western pressure on Rus- regime at one point. According threats in order not to “humiliate sia is consolidated and eventu- to the Russian Federal State Sta- Russia”. However, they have in- ally reaches maximum intensity, tistics Service, energy resources this may well deliver a powerful accounted for 70.6% (US Denying the right to exi blow against Putin and possibly $371.8bn) of Russia’s exports in even lead to a putsch in the Rus- Echoing Putin’s propaganda, mo Russians subscribe to Putin’s 2013. Losing even a third of sian government. This brings to these revenues may give Russia’s declared belief that “Russians and Ukrainians are one people”. mind the Crimean War of 1853- economy and its federal budget a This is a way to form ideological foundations for annexing 56. Back then, the Russian Em- severe shock. Nearly 60% of Rus- Ukraine pire, the “gendarme of Europe”, sia’s foreign trade is with the EU, In your opinion, are Russians One people looked to score a victory over the US, other G7 countries (Canada and Ukrainians one people or two Two different peoples Ottoman Empire, an apparently and Japan) which have con- different peoples? (%) Hard to say much weaker enemy, but it demned Russia’s actions in the turned into a shameful defeat 2 7 6 Crimea and Turkey. 17 when Russia was faced with a By feeding its population dubi- united front of Europe’s leading November December 43 March ous “circuses” via controlled mass 2005 2013 38 2014 56 powers. This fiasco led to serious media outlets in an artificially cre- 50 internal reform in Russia, some- ated information vacuum, the 81 thing it also badly lacks today. Russian government may be doing This time around, though, just enough to make people ignore What should be the format of Russia-Ukraine relations? (%) the war may continue without increasing problems with “bread” the use of military force. More- 59 provision, but this policy is unsus- over, the well-known cyclic na- They have to unite 51 tainable in the long term. This is into one ate 50 ture of Russian history may especially true if what Russia is thwart Putin’s plans. In Russia, They have to be friendly faced with is not a brief “express ates with open borders cruel autocrats alternated with reaction” (something the Kremlin and without visas 29 28 relatively liberal reformers: Sta- is hoping for) but truly prolonged, or cu oms checks lin, then Khrushchev and Brezh- 19 systemic opposition by the wealth- Closed borders, 16 16 nev; then, briefly, Andropov and visas and cu oms 12 iest powers. Naturally, sanctions checks Chernenko; and again liberal may provoke the Kremlin into January 2009 January 2014 March 2014 Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Now, Pu- more aggression, such as an at- tin has been ruling the country tempt to confiscate the assets of Source: Population surveys by Levada-Centre on 7-10 March 2014 for 15 years. 14|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Oligarchs|Economics Oleksandr Bondar: “The lack of discussion about ways to reduce the power of oligarchs is a grave mistake” Ex-Head of Ukraine’s State Property Fund Oleksandr Bondar on handling oligarchs that lay the golden eggs in the wrong place

Interviewed n the wave of patriotism goals may actually be too high. The influence, and hence property, but by Yuriy spurred by external ag- recent events – from direct ap- they are not as bold and prominent Radchenko gression, fewer and fewer pointments of oligarchs to high of- as they used to be. In this sense, Opeople risk criticizing the fices in the executive government even foreign governments show a tactics and, even less so, the strat- to the reorganization of the Minis- better understanding of the under- egy pursued by the Ukrainian gov- try of Revenues and Duties into the lying causes of Ukraine’s problems ernment. Any voiced doubts may Tax Administration and the Cus- as can be seen from the arrest of be easily interpreted, in the best- toms Office and to the flat refusal Dmytro Firtash in Austria on 12 case scenario, as a lack of patrio- to cancel the absolutely disastrous March on a US warrant. tism. pension reform – clearly point to This makes it all the more in- Few people realize that the the direction in which the current teresting to meet with a specialist price of returning to the non-criti- government is heading. who stands by his professional cal, totalitarian ways of thinking So far, Ukraine has the same principles regardless of the politi- and total support of anything even coterie of oligarchs with certain di- cal situation – ex-Head of for the sake of the most patriotic vision of authority and spheres of Ukraine’s State Property Fund Oleksandr Bondar. He urges Ukrai- nian parliament to immediately consider two draft laws, On Re- turning Capital and On Eliminat- ing Private Monopolies. U.W.: Could you please explain why you want to carry out re- privatization, even though large capital (companies like Microsoft, General Motors, Shell and others) is known to be the foundation of national economy? There is a saying, “what’s good for General Motors is good for America”. By the same token, “what is good for Kolomoiskiy, Firtash and Akhmetov” should be good for Ukraine, shouldn’t it? Is it worthwhile to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? No-one is suggesting killing the goose. It should only be forced to lay its golden eggs in its own roost rather than that of a neighbour! There is a serious difference be- tween oligarchy and large business. The examples you have mentioned illustrate the latter but not the for- mer. Big business does not have di- rect leverage with the authorities. It does not own mass media outlets through which to indirectly influ- ence the government or society. Its photo send autoprom photo resources are not so diverse. In № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|15 economics|Oligarchs other words, these are not the Oligarchs wielding power is the is a part of national defence. It can trusts and cartels we see in most frightening thing there is. Ev- and should be coupled with mili- Ukraine. Big business keepsits idently, this is a temporary mea- tary defence. I don’t know how the money in the country of operation sure aimed at rallying society in the economy is going to survive with- or in its legal branches rather than face of external aggression. But I’m out such measures. What we see is hides them away in Cyprus or off- not sure it will work. I personally a great, perhaps even fatal, threat! shore areas. Finally, today big busi- know both Serhiy Taruta and Ihor ness does not support criminal re- Kolomoiskiy and don’t think they U.W.: Could it be that your gimes like that of Viktor Yanu- are indeed able to rally the regions proposals are too radical, vovych. where they are now working or are considering that you suggest What I am trying to do through compromise figures for these terri- confiscating 50% of capital and the proposed draft laws is precisely tories. It doesn’t take much time to nationalizing companies in case of turning oligarchy into big business. put “your own men” in key offices refusal to voluntarily re-register In other words, I want to bring oli- in the regions. The question is them in Ukraine? garchs back to patriotism and mar- whether there is a way to take them When we held discussions ket economy. I am not a person of out of there… about this topic within the Svoboda socialist persuasions; I believe in Mind you, after these appoint- (Freedom) party, some said it was cultural, socially-oriented capital- ments neither parliament nor ex- too liberal. Now, when these same ism. I worked in the State Property perts have discussed either bring- questions are being debated within Fund for 12 years and held the top ing capital back to Ukraine or end- the present coalition, Freedom is office there for five years. I have ing the total monopolization of our being accused of radicalism. been dealing with privatization for markets by private companies. No- The figures are not set in stone. the past 20 years. Therefore, I can- one is offering any alternatives, Rather, we are talking about a gen- not be opposed to big business even though this issue was raised eral principle! There is a procedure which has taken shape in the coun- at the Maidan many times. There- for reviewing a draft law in com- try with my involvement. No-one is fore, there is a real danger that the mittees; there is the first and sec- laying claims to someone else’s “old-new” oligarchs will entrench ond reading. Make your own pro- capital. The task is to bring it back themselves in their offices with posals and improve the bill! Let to Ukraine. time and the evil economic system them pay a “tithe” as Vitaliy If you are Ukrainian business- will operate as it has done until Klitschko suggested. Or let them men and link your future with now. keep 100% of their money on their Ukraine, keep your money here, It is believed that now is the companies’ accounts. Any consen- rather than abroad – this is the time to defend Motherland rather sus decision will do, but the prob- foundation of a healthy economy. than recover capital hidden off- lem itself must be urgently re- However, our oligarchs live outside shore. However, economic security solved. the country, buy real estate there, The loans the Ukrainian gov- send their children to study abroad, Info on the draft laws ernment is taking out now will so to them Ukraine is only a source On Returning Capital Located and Registered in theR epublic have to be paid back, just like the of income. But there are examples of Cyprus, Offshore Zones andO ther Jurisdictions Exempt huge loans the country obtained worth emulating! Mittal Steel did from Double Taxation or Those That Have Preferential Taxa- under Yanukovych. The USA is giv- tion Terms not create an offshore structure but 1. Within three months from the passing of the law, physical ing us as much as a billion dollars; founded a subsidiary in Ukraine. and legal persons registered in Cyprus and other jurisdictions we have received 600 million from The same is true of Sibirsky Alu- with preferential taxation terms voluntarily (this is emphasized Europe; the IMF promises US minium and countless Western in the text) transfer their ownership rights to production facili- $15bn under very strict conditions. companies. So what keeps our own ties, movable and immovable property in Ukraine and the Meanwhile, according to the Fi- businessmen from working in a money on their accounts to economic entities in the territory of nance Ministry, the financial gap civilized fashion? Ukraine. (In other words, they transfer their assets to Ukrainian for 2014-15 is some US $35bn. Add There is also another aspect – jurisdiction). During such transactions, half of the money goes to this the urgent need to restore a there are no other monopolies on to the State Budget and the other half can be spent exclusively full-fledged army, upgrade produc- the Western markets except natural to develop the economic entity involved. tion facilities, etc. At the same 2. If voluntary re-registration is not carried out within three monopolies. In contrast, Ukraine’s months’ time, such persons are removed from the Unified time, companies that are, in fact, economy is fully monopolized by pri- State Register and ownership rights to their companies are Ukrainian [but are registered vate companies, which means that a transferred to the state. abroad] have accumulated over US law on returning capital should be $100bn on their accounts! Doesn’t enforced jointly with another one, on On Eliminating Private Monopolies it make sense to put this financial fragmenting private monopolies. Ev- If the market share* of a private monopoly exceeds 25% of the power to use? Moreover, this will erything will then be transparent. Is national and/or regional marketof goods (works or services), serve the interests of the compa- this a fight against oligarchs? Yes, it is. the monopolist must reduce it to 25% or lower by voluntarily nies’ owners as well. I propose having influential wealthy disposing of its property through transfer or sale (thus losingits The situation is special in that businessmen instead of oligarchs. monopolistic position). If the owner refuses to “demonopo- if you reject an agreement-based lize” his business, his assets become state property and the But this is absolutely not a “fight state reimburses the value of the property paid at the time of solution to the problem of offshore against the rich”. privatization. assets, “arbitrary” alternatives will *Note: The text uses the term “share in the property”, which is begin to emerge and take shape U.W.: In this light, what should we taken from the current anti-monopoly legislation. This is con- with time. These will range from make of the government’s troversial, because the share of the monopoly’s property may total re-privatization to national- decision to appoint businessmen not be closely linked to the size of a goods market and even ization or even something worse. It regional governors? less so to that of a market of works and services. is no longer possible to stop the 16|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Oligarchs|economics transformation of Ukraine into the process of bringing capital tried and tested methods of prov- civil society, the fundamental over- from abroad the state budget will ing association between busi- haul of the principles and norms be receiving money that will be nesses are used here. People in for doing business inthe country used to enhance the standard of Ukraine’s Anti-Monopoly Com- and social development itself. Ex- living of the population through mittee and the Tax Administration ternal sanctions may also come as a social programmes and govern- know very well who owns which shock to oligarchs, as it was in case ment-run development pro- company. Incidentally, there is an of Pavlo Lazarenko and is now hap- grammes. This money can also be equally good method of proving pening to Firtash. Why take the utilized to stimulate small busi- collusion involving unrelated situation to the extreme when nesses. business structures. A vivid case in there is an opportunity to solve the point is the cancellation of the problem in the form of a social U.W.: Oligarchs have diverse competition to buy the Odesa agreement with your own people, assets scattered across dozens of Portside Plant the bids offered by legalize your capital and, most im- companies most of which are “competitors” were not signifi- portant, preserve your core assets? registered abroad and are outside cantly different from each other. Indeed, what it takes is simply re- Ukraine’s jurisdiction.H ow are registering offshore businesses in you going find these assets from U.W.: The review of your draft Ukraine. All income will then stay the purely technical point of view? laws by the Verkhovna Rada inside the country. This will solve Is there any guarantee that some Expert Directory says that any tactical and strategic economic of the companies will not be sold nationalization is carried out only problems of the Ukrainian state to associated business structures? in conditions of a dire social need and, after all, help the businessmen That is the essence of the pro- or force majeure circumstances. themselves. posal. If we use coercion, it is in- What can be more force ma- To register and keep your deed almost unfeasible, and the jeure than the present situation: money in the country where you task will then be somewhat like the the country is essentially in the have a business is simply the cul- decades-long search for the “trea- state of war, and the economy is tural norm. Mind you, a number of sures of the Reich”. That is why we teetering on the brink of default? EU countries have no billionaires, are suggesting a voluntary mecha- In conditions like these, Western but at the same time – and actually countries resorted to much more owing to this fact – their popula- If you reject an agreement- serious measures in their time. In tion is much better-off than the based solution to the Georgia, the oligarchs were simply Ukrainian people are. The secret is arrested, and no-one said a word. simple: progressive taxes and strict problem of offshore Moreover, my draft laws put spe- enforcement of anti-monopoly leg- cial emphasis on the norm about islation. assets, “arbitrary” reimbursing money (the nominal alternatives will begin to price at the moment of privatiza- U.W.: How transparent can tion) to former owners even during privatization by oligarchic groups emerge and take shape with nationalization. Therefore, there is be in Ukraine? time, ranging from total no contradiction with the norms of I have recently avoided touch- the Constitution or international ing on this topic for two reasons. re-privatization to legislation. First, whether privatization is le- nationalization gitimate or unlawful is always sub- U.W.: Many people doubt whether jective. Second, a large-scale revi- nism: the scheme is interesting to it is advisable to privatize sion of its results is an interna- oligarchs, because it lets them keep infrastructure sectors, because tional scandal. Moreover, in the their companies. Under any other private management is not more current conditions in Ukraine this scenario, they will lose either their efficient that state management. will inevitably lead to corruption plants, or, as we can see, their will. This is a question related to and transfer of property between The longer we drag our feet with the political and economic foun- oligarchic groups, especially now this decision, the bigger the poten- dations of the country. The idea that oligarchs have direct executive tial losses are. that private management is much authority. Trying to change any- There are virtually no other vi- more efficientthan state manage- thing that happened in the past is a able options. If the system is “fro- ment is, no doubt, a myth – both sure way to invite more problems zen” again and “their” oligarchs are operate in the same conditions in addition to those we now have replaced with “ours”, we will expe- and commit abuses by exploiting on our hands. rience an explosion, instability, de- the same loopholes. However, in In this sense, the proposed fault, depreciation of assets and the the condition we are in, neither draft laws have a much milder ef- danger of total nationalization. this question, nor the question of fect: without violating the basic “Associated structure” is a further privatization in general is principles of capitalist economy term taken from anti-monopoly not on the agenda. To determine they afford an opportunity to min- legislation, from the laws on priva- which management is more effi- imize the negative aspects of “big tization. Such structures are cient in each specific case, we privatization”. They will also level tracked down using registration must first create competition, the playing field by expanding the codes – this was the reason for in- eliminate monopolies and put circle of owners who will buy com- troducing the business registra- money to work inside the coun- panies put up for sale to break up tion system in the first place. try. In Ukraine, rather than monopolies. At the same time, in There are no technical problems; abroad! № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|17 Economics|Energy Mykhailo Honchar: “Ukraine is paying a huge price because its politicians do not know the basics of economics and security”

he energy sector was always Interviewed by though it had to be done earlier. stage, because its most time-con- the sore spot that Russia hit Lyubomyr But this step did not bring any sig- suming subprojects, such as the every time Ukraine went “too Shavalyuk nificant results anyway. The reason replacement of the pipeline infra- Tfar” in exercising its indepen- is that the Ukrainian government structure and gas compressing dence. And the Kremlin was al- – regardless of who was the presi- units, were to take seven years. ways able to bring the “unruly” dent and prime minister – largely Ukrainians into line again. This is imitated action rather than acted. U.W.: Why has Ukraine chosen to how it was, but now things have Take, for example, the very imitate activity rather than make changed: Ukrainians are no longer practical project to modernize real changes? afraid of pain and have a chance to Ukraine’s gas transportation sys- In the conditions of the eco- fundamentally reform the energy tem (GTS). The Brussels declara- nomic and political system that sector in the interests of society. tion to this effect was signed (inci- was in Ukraine until very recently The Ukrainian Week talks to dentally, when Yulia Tymoshenko – I hope it will now be transformed Mykhailo Honchar, one of the few was the prime minister) on 23 – the leadership of the country had professional Ukrainian experts March 2009 in what was Europe’s other priorities. An oligarchic who view this sector from the almost immediate reaction to the economy must have a shadow sec- standpoint of Ukrainian society 2009 gas crisis. Nothing has been tor to replicate itself. It needs large and national security rather than done since then to implement it. If public contracts to extract the li- personal gain. Ukraine had tackled this project on’s share of their budgets and right away and the EBRD and the non-transparently redistribute U.W.: In connection with the European Investment Bank (EIB) money within a coterie of players. recent revolutionary events in had provided financing, we would European projects financed by the Ukraine, the European Union has now be speaking about its final European Commission, the EBRD announced it has a serious intention of helping Ukraine overcome energy-related problems. Can the EU offer anything new? In my opinion, nothing new will be offered. There is no need for that, because the agenda for Ukraine-EU energy cooperation was set nearly nine years ago and is still valid today. It was first formu- lated in a strategic document, the Yushchenko-Blair memorandum of 1 December 2005, and estab- lished forms of cooperation in the energy sector. Cooperation was launched nine years ago, but today there is little to show for it. Less than a third of the plan has been realized. At the least, the to-do list is longer than the list of what has been done. There is essentially just one question that has been re- solved: secure operation of Ukrai- nian nuclear power-generating units, which was a sensitive issue in Ukraine-EU relations. On the issue of oil and gas and the respective markets, there has been minimum progress and even that largely on paper. For example, Ukraine acceded to the treaty of the European Economic Commu- nity (EEC) as late as in 2011, even 18|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Energy|Economics and the EIB are transparent. You two businesses. Europeans are in- this year. Its capacity can expand cannot steal anything there, be- terested in using the potential of to 7.5bn cu m from the current cause all expenses are clearly spec- Ukraine’s GTS for transportation, 5bn, and more. This is sufficient ified. That is why these initiatives including reverse flows, and for for Polish consumption so they will are a priori unattractive to the key storing gas in summer to consume look for clients to pay off the proj- Ukrainian players, and not only in it in winter. The German RWE, for ect cost. Ukraine can join in and the energy sector. instance, became a pioneer in re- buy the fuel from this terminal. For verse gas flows to Ukraine. On the this, it needs a short pipeline in ad- U.W.: So it appears that if Ukraine We have under 8bn day when Gazprom CEO Alexey cu m of gas in dition to the ones we already have. now launches similar transparent Miller cancelled discounts for underground storage projects, they will be a litmus test Ukraine in compliance with Putin’s facilities, so we will U.W.: Who has had more face problems in the for the maturity of Ukraine’s instructions starting from Q2'14, next heating season influence onU kraine’s failure at political system? RWE FEO said his company was energy security, Ukrainian Absolutely. Ukraine is paying a prepared to resume reverse gas oligarchs or Russia? huge price because its politicians flows to Ukraine. So, we already Business puts a premium on do not know the basics of econom- see the benefits of a liberalized Eu- profits, but not at any cost! In nor- ics and security. Let me give you ropean market, something Russia mal economies, national interests just two examples. First, one of the has always resisted. This market is and priorities, as well as security cornerstones of doing business is oriented at consumers rather than issues, draw the lines that cannot diversification. It applies not only the interests of suppliers – monop- be crossed even in pursuit of big to energy resources but to the en- oly suppliers like Gazprom. profits. In the past years in tire economy in general. Your busi- I see European rules as a chal- Ukraine, business operated under ness must be diversified if you lenge for the Russian business. want to keep it afloat when one Therefore, the latest developments sector fails. Second, the minister of in Ukraine fuelled by the Kremlin The Ukrainian government defence recently announced that reflect its reluctance to allow rules – regardless of who was Ukraine is not ready to contain that are different from the ones set Russia militarily, because we have up by Moscow into the post-Soviet the president and prime never expected a threat from there. territories. Transparency, account- minister – largely imitated But the government and the mili- ability, competition and consumer tary cannot ever think like that. orientation are not what Russia action rather than acted They must be prepared for any- needs. With all that, it will have to thing, including a threat from the run its business just like others do, a totally corrupt government, and least likely direction. There are no and that means inevitable defeat these lines were either moved or permanent friends, just perma- for it. The Kremlin’s systemic game completely removed using certain nently changing interests. is aimed at undermining Eastern channels. Thus, in the 23rd year of inde- Partnership, EEC and the EU over- Russia did not only exploit it – pendence, we are finally beginning all. It has succeeded in fragment- it cultivated this approach. Russia to sense what price we are going to ing Europe’s single voice in negoti- also has an oligarchic economy, pay if we remain ignorant of the ations on fuel supplies by exploit- European projects and the only difference between fundamentals. All of these things ing bilateral relations with the financed by the Ukrainian and Russian nouveaux are in the textbooks read by all leading players, such as Germany, European riches is that the Russians, just like Commission, the masters of public administration, France and Italy, to quickly kill the EBRD and the EIB are the Russian government, have a people with degrees and those who initiative. transparent. That is certain geopolitical vision of “Great why these initiatives graduated from the academies run are a priori Russia” and “gathering of the Rus- by the General Staff. However, in U.W.: Does it make sense for unattractive to the sian lands”. Meanwhile, to our oli- Ukraine to build an LNG terminal? key Ukrainian their practical activity, they were players, and not only garchs Ukraine is just a territory in guided by blind faith in luck, so The prospect of building our in the energy sector which money can be made, so they now entire society has to pay a own terminal in Ukraine is quite easily betrayed national interests price. It has allowed people like murky. We only have access to the in exchange for profits. And Russia that to come to power, distribute Black Sea, and that raises the issue stimulated this attitude through social resources and pursue this of Bosporus. Turkey is now abus- schemes like RosUkrEnergo in the kind of policy. ing its exclusive right to maintain gas sector and earlier through Eu- security in the Bosporus and that ral TransGas. It enabled certain U.W.: The EU is ready to help will be a tough issue to solve. How- businessmen to do highly profit- Ukraine upgrade GTS and invest ever, it is risky to build the termi- able business but always with into its underground gas storage nal before the solution is found. strings attached, namely political facilities. In which of the two does Plus, it is obvious now that the tasks. By pressing this button over the EU see its bigger interest? LNG terminal project lobbied by and over again, the Russians GTS and facilities make an in- the Yanukovych regime was only forced the Ukrainian government tegral complex technologically so needed for massive corruption. into disadvantageous decisions they are always discussed as one. Even Russia did not use it as a that were contrary to Ukraine’s in- The EU, however, has a different trump in its bargaining game over terests but in line with Russia’s approach to running the business: gas price. geopolitical vision. The Kharkiv gas transportation is one thing, There are other options, too. Treaties and the mysterious Mos- storage is another thing, i.e. differ- Poland is launching its LNG termi- cow accords in December 2013 are photo: unian photo: ent companies should run these nal in Świnoujście at the end of two cases in point. Few people re- № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|19 Economics|Energy

member that the scheme involving that Ukraine is syphoning off gas and the Europeans can see that. RosUkrEnergo emerged after Leo- from the pipeline. What will hap- They understand that Russia will do nid Kuchma removed a clause pen in reality, however, will be a everything to show Ukraine as the about Ukraine’s aspirations to join pressure drop-off in the pipeline guilty party and persuade the Euro- NATO from the country’s military which will cause the system to use pean Commission to change its pol- doctrine. Kuchma’s edit came out more power gas to sustain the flow. icy on the South Stream. Things two weeks before his meeting with Moscow will then try to redirect as that have been brought up again in- Putin in Yalta in July 2004. much gas as possible via the Nord clude the third and fourth strands of So here is a conjunction of Stream. It has the capacity of 55bn the Nord Stream, the Yamal-Eu- business, corruption, big politics cu m per year, but less than 20bn rope-2 gas pipeline bypassing for Russia and the “pragmatic” pol- cu m is being pumped. Moreover, Ukraine and so on. Russia will try to icy of the Ukrainian government. push through all of this, but I be- Now we can say what it has led to. lieve that they have a case of overkill Ukraine is a non-aligned state To Russia, gas is not here. The other day, the European which no-one wants to defend. And just commodities. Commissioner for Energy clearly we have been incapable of creating said that negotiations over the our own armed forces and building It is political OPAL pipeline and South Stream a security and defence system. We leverage have been postponed indefinitely. have lacked an understanding that Russia believed that by provoking a non-aligned status demands even under the EU’s Third Energy Pack- crisis in Ukraine it would urge the more expenses on defence, because age, 50% of the maximum capacity EU to make quick decisions. In late every other country must be viewed must be reserved for access by January, the European Commission as a potential enemy. The following other suppliers. Russia will press was essentially ready to pass them mantras have been repeated to us: the European Commission to make but took a pause to see what was re- we are strategic partners with Rus- an exception for the OPAL pipe- ally going on. This is a case when sia; the Russians are a brotherly line, which is an extension of the European bureaucracy has bene- nation; there can be no aggression Russia enabled Nord Stream and runs north of fited both the EU and Ukraine. and so on. Nevertheless, the Tuzla certain businessmen Germany. Russia will demand that incident was the first wake-up call. to do highly it be operated at full capacity in or- U.W.: The CustomsU nions is profitable business but always with der to save Europe from the “unre- imposing sanctions on petroleum U.W.: Russia has recently said that strings attached, liable and unpredictable” Ukraine. product deliveries toU kraine. namely political it may stop delivering gas to tasks. By pressing Russia is prepared to pull off this Moreover, due to the schemes run Ukraine. What is the likelihood of this button over and manoeuvre but doubts its effi- by Serhiy Kurchenko and Viktor this happening, considering that over again, the ciency. First, few countries now be- Yanukovych’s Family, the official Russians forced the Russia has contract obligations Ukrainian lieve the Russians. Second, the imports of petroleum products to before European countries which government into timing is off: it’s not January but a Ukraine fell nearly 80% in 2013. Is disadvantageous it must honour? decisions that were warm March outside. Third, Eu- there a risk of petrol shortages in Russia can do it. Moreover, I contrary to Ukraine’s rope has surplus gas in its storage Ukraine? interests but in line believe they have made technical with Russia’s facilities. Experts estimate that I view this as one of the levers preparations to reduce or discon- geopolitical visions these reserves will last 40 days, so of pressure on Ukraine. In addition tinue deliveries to Ukraine without there will be no catastrophic con- to military pressure, Ukraine is affecting gas transit volumes to sequences. now facing a wave of economic Europe. But this is precisely where Therefore, the EU is calm about pressure: higher gas prices and the trap is. The next step, as we al- this threat, but the problem will now disruption of oil deliveries. ready know, will be an allegation persist for the next heating season The Russians understand that we 20|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Energy|Economics largely consume imported ready- problematic if the Russian Black sure. There is also an option of ob- to-use petroleum products, be- Sea Fleet blocks Ukrainian ports or taining nuclear weapons illegally, cause our own refineries are stand- if there is intervention into but this requires a highly func- ing still thanks to their Russian Ukraine’s southern oblasts (Kher- tional government apparatus. As of owners who have rendered them son, Mykolaiv and Odesa) and ac- today, Ukraine is not prepared to unprofitable. The bulk of petro- cess to the sea is blocked. In this handle nuclear weapons. leum products, up to 40%, are be- case, we will only have the Western As far as nuclear fuel is con- ing imported from Belarus, which direction from which to receive pe- cerned, there has been an under- is a member of the Customs Union troleum products. We should be standing – ever since the discus- and is making these products from thinking about this now. Russia believed that sions in the 1990s – that this proj- Russian oil. That is the reason why by provoking a crisis ect is much needed. However, my Russia is putting pressure on Be- U.W.: How quickly can Ukraine in Ukraine it would assessment has been unchanged: urge the EU to make larus to obtain the desired effect. build a plant to produce nuclear quick decisions. In we cannot and have no right to do However, there was no catastrophe fuel? In the light of recent events, late January, the it jointly with Russia. In nuclear European last year when the Mozyr Oil Refin- is it feasible to resume uranium Commission was power generation, we have strate- ery, the biggest supplier of petro- enrichment in order to restore ready to pass them gic dependence in on Russia, so nuclear status forU kraine? but took a pause to leum products to Ukraine, was see what was really why increase it? It would mean re- shut down for a month-long over- As far as nuclear status is con- going on. This is a turning to where we started… A haul. If this is any indication, noth- cerned, it takes time and a lot of case when European Russian company was chosen as bureaucracy has ing bad will happen in the future. money. Moreover, many interna- benefited both the Ukraine’s partner. What else is In 2013, Belarus imports were re- tional legal issues arise. We have European Union and there to say? Will this company be placed with Lithuanian imports. If acceded to the Non-Proliferation Ukraine implementing this project now? the channel from Lithuania is Treaty as a non-nuclear state. Nat- And if it will, in what condition will blocked, Ukraine can bring im- urally, the behaviour of the states this plant be, and what will it be ports through Poland. In other that have guaranteed our security producing? There is no doubt in words, we can neutralize this de facto unties our hands but they anyone’s mind that they want to threat. There may be temporary remain tied de jure. It is a question burn the money and shift the debt price hikes, but nothing more. of big money and a lot of time. onto Ukraine. We can now see that Ukraine has also imported petro- That is why I view such talk not as projects of this kind cannot be leum products by sea from a Ro- an incentive to real action but as a purely business projects – other manian refinery owned by Russian means of creating a kind of politi- aspects also need to be taken into Lukoil. The situation may become cal-psychological counter-pres- consideration. Neighbours|Europe How Far Will the West Take It? The West regards Crimea as a lost cause. The key aim now is to prevent any further Russian incursions into Ukraine

hough deeply alarmed by Cold War that could cut Russia off Author: and especially anti-American Russia’s seizure of Crimea from normal relations with the Michael propaganda that it will be hard to and determined to keep up West for many years. Binyon reverse without further loss of Tthe pressure on Moscow Western politicians are still face. with sanctions, asset freezes and trying to keep open the door for Western policy, therefore, is possible expulsion from the G8 negotiations. They believe that now focused on two strategies. group of nations, the West regards even the limited sanctions so far The first is to lay out the scale of Crimea as a lost cause, with little agreed will cause real concern in further sanctions that could be im- chance of reversing the results of Moscow, especially if the Kremlin posed and make clear to key deci- the peninsula’s referendum. The sees that Russia’s economy will sion-makers in the Kremlin and key Western aim now is to prevent suffer, investment in Russia will those around Putin the damage any further Russian incursions fall and Europe is to begin long- these could do to Russia’s already into Ukraine and to make it clear term moves to reduce dependence stuttering economy. The second is that fresh military action in sup- on Russian gas. As John Kerry, the to contain Russia’s ability to cause port of pro-Russian demonstra- US Secretary of State, and others trouble elsewhere, either in the tors in eastern Ukraine would trig- have warned Sergei Lavrov, the Middle East or in damaging West- ger a much more serious crisis. Russian foreign minister, any fur- ern economic interests. This, Western politicians say, ther provocations or intervention To do this, the West needs to could even lead to an East-West in Ukraine would bring about a show unity and solidarity. This is military confrontation as serious much more forceful Western re- not easy. The US has been as anything seen since the height sponse. tougher in its response to Mos- of the Cold War. The aim is to persuade Mos- cow, partly because it has little Western statesmen are well cow quietly to begin talks – di- economic interest in Russia, and aware that President Putin has rect, or through intermediaries – partly because a weakened calculated that the response to his with the Ukrainian government, Obama presidency needs to re- lightning occupation of Crimea to defuse tensions in eastern would be hesitant and half- Ukraine and to play a construc- hearted. They know Moscow was tive role in keeping Ukraine counting on divisions between together (minus NATO allies, the self-interest of Crimea). There are European countries with eco- still hopes that Rus- nomic and energy links to Russia sia might eventually and public alarm at any further es- join a contact group calation. These, he believed, would or join the West in limit the West’s response. And so proposing a looser far they have. But Western leaders federal structure for are determined that Putin should Ukraine with out- nevertheless pay a price for his ac- side economic tions and should be deterred from support. further aggression by a clear sig- The difficulty, nal of Western anger. however, is dealing That signal was sent immedi- with Putin. He has made the ately after the vote on Sunday. Eu- reimposition of Russian influ- ropean leaders went further than ence in Ukraine a key aim of his expected in agreeing a package of policy. He is determined to measures that will hurt those clos- avenge the humiliation Moscow est to Putin and those responsible suffered in the removal of Yanu- for Russian actions in Crimea. The kovych. And his deep suspicion West knows this is unlikely to of all Western motives force a Russian withdrawal. But it has taken on a life of its is determined to keep up the pres- own, reinforced by a sure, even if this leads to a new stream of anti-Western 22|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Europe|Neighbours but taunts by his domestic ene- cians, who appear to have mis- more of symbolic than of strategic mies that he is already a lame- managed the economy and importance, as Western countries duck leader unable to project undermined democracy almost have few institutional links with American power. Europe, by con- from the start. And thirdly, get- the Russian military. But it does trast, is divided into two groups: ting involved in a regional war isolate Russian commanders from the Baltic states and those former greatly increases the danger that the latest Western strategic think- communist countries which have this could become an all-out East- ing, and will increase uncertainty been deeply alarmed by Russia’s West confrontation. in Russia over NATO’s tactics and actions and fear that Moscow A unilateral attempt by Russia intentions. may stir up trouble among their to change the borders of Europe Britain is also to suspend GBP own Russian ethnic minorities; has nevertheless already caused 80mn in proposed arms sales to and the larger Western countries considerable alarm and set a dan- Russia – a tiny fraction of Russian such as Germany, Britain and gerous precedent – even though military spending, but including France which have so far been re- the West has supported the unilat- specialist equipment that was luctant to sacrifice their own im- eral declaration of independence needed to modernise the Russian portant economic links to Russia from Serbia by Kosovo. Western armed forces. – in Germany’s case over energy countries might offer Ukraine mil- In 2008 there was little NATO supplies, in Britain over Russian itary advice and even some weap- cooperation with Russia, but after financial involvement in London ons. But there is no appetite at the the Russian intervention in Georgia, and in France over the proposed moment to offer Ukraine formal western nations halted all existing defence sales. membership of NATO. Not only military-to-military links. These The West has nevertheless so would that further infuriate Mos- were quietly reinstated a year later. far stuck together in its response cow; it would also probably exac- Those who argue that Britain over Crimea. The bigger question erbate the east-west divisions has a duty to intervene on is whether it will stick together in within Ukraine. There was little confronting Russia much more support in Britain to offer NATO forcefully should Moscow attempt membership to Georgia, either be- Suspension of military to intervene in eastern Ukraine. fore or after the Russian interven- co-operation with Russia Would an attack on Ukraine tion in 2008. trigger a NATO military re- The Crimean crisis and how is more of symbolic than sponse? The answer is probably the West should respond have of strategic importance. no. First, Ukraine is not a NATO been headline news in Britain for member, and therefore Article 5 two weeks. But neither the Gov- But it isolates it from the – stipulating a joint response to ernment nor the opposition has latest Western strategic an attack on any one of its mem- suggested a military response to bers – does not apply. Secondly, Moscow. At the same time, British thinking, and will increase despite public disdain for Putin politicians are urging the new uncertainty over NATO’s and his dictatorial style of gov- Ukrainian Government to take ernment, there is little warm en- more steps to calm the internal di- intentions thusiasm for Ukrainian politi- visions, remove far-right elements from the new government, rein- Ukraine’s side because it is one of state Russian as an official re- the signatories of the Budapest gional language and resist provo- Agreement are probably too opti- cations by pro-Moscow activists in mistic. Britain was also one of the Donetsk, Kharkhiv and other three guarantor powers that eastern cities. signed the agreement on the in- This is seen as the best tegrity of Cyprus after its inde- way of preserving the in- pendence. But Britain did noth- tegrity of Ukraine (apart ing to respond militarily to the from Crimea) – and also of Turkish military intervention in preventing its economic col- 1974, and has instead for the past lapse. The West is probably 40 years urged both sides to ne- now ready to offer consid- gotiate directly with each other. erable financial sup- This raises the bigger question port – though not of how international law can be the full USD 35bn upheld if international treaties are which Ukraine says it not observed. In the end, such is- now needs to avoid economic sues can only be resolved in the disaster. United Nations. And Russia has a Britain and the United States powerful voice and a powerful have announced that they are sus- veto. So far, the rest of the world pending military co-operation has managed to isolate Russia with Russia, and France said it over its actions in Crimea. was also considering such a move. Whether such isolation in the This is part of the NATO decision long-term will force Putin to to review all aspects of the alli- change his policies remains to be ance’s relations with Russia. It is seen. № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|23 neighbours|NATO Hot foot from the cold war In fact the opposite is true. The greatest provocation to Mr. Putin is to fail to stand up to him, and All For One the least costly time to resist him is now. Emboldened, Mr. Putin The alliance must banish the suspicion that it could test NATO’s resolve by changing the facts on the ground would not always defend its eastern flank (grabbing a slice of Russian- speaking Latvia, say, or creating a N 1997, when the world was a corridor through Lithuania to Ka- Finland gentler place, NATO and Rus- NATO members liningrad) and daring the alliance sia came to a far-reaching se- to risk nuclear war. More likely he Icurity agreement. As part of Sweden 500 km would try destabilisation—the this, the Kremlin accepted the E onia sabotage of Baltic railways; the idea that several countries from killing of Russians by agents pro- the former Warsaw Pact would Latvia vocateurs; strikes, protests and Russia become full members of the alli- Lithuania anonymous economy-wide cyber- Kaliningrad ance; in return, NATO agreed not (to Russia) attacks. That would make life in- to mass lots of troops, equipment Belarus tolerable for the Balts, without and nuclear missiles on Russia’s Germany Poland necessarily eliciting a response border. Now Russia’s president, from the West. Vladimir Putin, has annexed Czech Rep. Ukraine Either way, if the Balts begin Crimea and is threatening eastern Slovakia to disintegrate, it would leave the Ukraine. This is particularly scary Au ria Moldova Crimea West with a much less palatable Hungary Annexed for the three Baltic states which by Russia choice than it has today: NATO became members of NATO in Romania would have to walk away from its 2004: Estonia and Latvia both main premise, that aggression have Russian-speaking minorities against one is aggression on all, or of the sort Mr. Putin “protected” other NATO members sending at it would have to respond—and to in Crimea, while Lithuania stands least a few troops, missiles and restore deterrence, NATO’s re- between mother Russia and its aircraft to the Baltics (or to neigh- sponse would have to be commen- Kaliningrad exclave. All three bouring Poland), and making clear surately greater. That in turn have been a target for Russian that bigger forces will follow if would pose the immediate threat mischief, from cyberattacks to there is any continued aggression of escalation. mock invasions. from Mr. Putin. Better to take steps today, so The Balts worry that the West Why go that far? Plenty of peo- that Mr. Putin understands he has will not protect them (see article). ple in the West would prefer to nothing to gain from stirring up It is not hard to see why. Mr. Putin trouble. Barack Obama, visiting the has an inkling that NATO’s newer The greatest provocation alliance’s headquarters this week, members are second-class citi- made a start, by reaffirming the zens. There is some truth to this. to Mr. Putin is to fail to principle of mutual protection and For a long time before Russia’s an- stand up to him, saying that some American troops nexation of Crimea, the alliance’s would be shifted eastwards. More western powers pooh-poohed and the least costly time is needed. More exercises should warnings from east of the Oder to resist him is now take place in Eastern Europe. The that Russia still posed a threat. region’s air and cyber defences NATO refrained from drawing up “wait and see”. The Balts have the need boosting. NATO’s next head, contingency plans against a Rus- promise of protection, they point to be appointed in September, sian attack on its former vassals or out, so there is only danger in pro- should be someone who under- from holding exercises to demon- voking Mr. Putin. Wishful thinkers stands Russia—Jens Stoltenberg, a strate that it knew how to defend say that having made his point in former Norwegian prime minister, the east. Even today, when it does Crimea, he will probably stop while or Radek Sikorski, Poland’s foreign have plans and exercises, only 136 he is still ahead. Instead of ratchet- minister. The alliance should work of the 66,217 American troops in ing up tension, the West should with Sweden and Finland and leave Europe are based in the central provide “off-ramps” that steer Rus- the door open to their member- and eastern parts. Until now, Rus- sia towards détente. Other hard- ship. And all members should hon- sian aggression towards the Bal- nosed foreign-policy “realists” ar- our their pledge to spend 2% of tics has been met with words from gue that Russia has legitimate in- GDP on defence. the West, and little else. terests in its near-abroad. It is With its difficult mission in Af- Instead, the West should madness, they say, to pick a fight ghanistan drawing to a close, forcefully reassert NATO’s willing- © 2014 The when Russia and the West have NATO had been looking for a pur- ness to defend itself and make it Economist other business to be getting on pose. Mr. Putin has given it one. If clear that all members of the alli- Newspaper with—Syria’s civil war, Iran’s nu- the leaders of NATO countries can ance share its complete protec- Limited. All clear programme and China’s show they understand that, then tion. In particular, that means rights reserved growing power. all of Europe will be safer. 24|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014

Security|Army

A UKRAINIAN FOREIGN LEGION Does Ukraine need mercenaries in its army

SOLDIERS OF Authors: Bohdan Butkevych, only “soldiers of fortune”, thirst- take Russian citizenship from the FORTUNE. The Stanislav Fedorchuk ing for money, but also ideological moment they start serving. One of French Foreign fighters who oppose Russian ex- the main reasons why Moscow de- Legion was always a place he use of foreigners as mer- pansionism. The main obstacles to cided to recruit people from the where people cenaries in wars is a long- this are a lack of funds and Ukrai- CIS was because of the unsatisfac- from the whole time military tactic. In this nian legislation, according to tory status of recruitment in Rus- world went Tday and age, when virtually which, foreigners do not have the sia. Great Britain has a tradition of to in order to all armies in the world are profes- right to serve in Ukraine’s Armed engaging ethnic groups, such as earn money sional, two basic mechanisms for Forces. Sikhs in India and Gurkhas in Ne- and clear their the formation of military detach- pal, in its military service. reputations ments made up of foreigners exist. STARTING LIFE WITH A CLEAN The French Foreign Legion, the One is the patriotic-mercenary SLATE most famous formation existing le- based on the Israeli experience, Many countries, such as the USA gally to this day, is made up of clas- the other one is classic mercenary and Belgium, permit foreigners to sic mercenaries. Its combat history from France. Ukraine, a geopoliti- serve in their armed forces in ex- began in 1831, when French King cal outpost of the battle against change for a pretty good salary Louis Philippe I decided to establish Putin’s imperialism, has every and certain privileges in the fu- this detachment to engage in an effi- chance to engage quite a few mer- ture. Even Russia has offered citi- cient war for colonies at a time when cenaries from the Baltic States, zens from CIS States the opportu- his own army was inadequate to ful- Central Europe, Transcaucasia nity to serve in the ranks of its fil the task. This also allowed the and others for this battle, not to Armed Forces since 1 January then government to get rid of much mention from the numerous 2004. However, serving in the of the undesirable elements of soci- Ukrainian diaspora. These are not Russian Army requires them to ety, which joined the Foreign Legion 26|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Army|Security the world. More than 600,000 sol- South Africa. Since the Israeli De- diers have served in the legion over fense Army did not have its own air its entire existence. Of them, 36,000 force, it applied for help to volun- died in combat. Previously, the ma- teers from all countries of the world, jority of legionnaires came from which became the basis of its future Western Europe, particularly Swit- military aviation and won a con- zerland, Spain and Germany, but vincing victory in the sky over hos- since the early 1990s, the majority of tile planes. It turned out that the pi- legionnaires have come from East- lots-volunteers included quite a few ern Europe and the Balkan Penin- World War II veterans, who had sula, specifically Ukraine, Croatia previously fought on the side of the and Serbia. Only men aged be- anti-Hitler coalition. tween 17 and 40 are accepted for Israel is currently running the duty. The first contract is signed Mahal (translated as “volunteers for a period of five years, after from outside the Land of Israel” – which the legionnaire has the right Ed.) programme for volunteers, to apply for French citizenship. who want to undergo service in the Valid grounds for gaining citizen- Israeli Defense Forces. It operates ship include combat injury, the under the control of the army’s mo- rank of sergeant and at least three bilisation agency and the Jewish years of service. The average salary Agency. Both men and women aged is about EUR 1,500 per month, 18-25 are eligible to undergo mili- which is doubled or tripled in case tary service in the IDF. of participation in combat. Candidates face a range of re- The Foreign Legion only has the strictions. First and foremost, they right to execute military tasks out- must have documents confirming side France. The geography of its op- their Jewish origins, such as par- erations covers literally every conti- ents’ marriage certificates or a refer- nent, with participation in all of ence letter from the community France’s wars in the 19th and 20th where the volunteer resides perma- centuries. In recent times, the Le- nently. Based on the decision of the gion participates ever more often in Medical Commission, the volunteer peacekeeping missions, particularly is directed to a military unit. No engaged in policing operations. Le- gionnaires fought in the Persian IN CASE OF RUSSIAN

photo: reuters photo: Gulf, were in Cambodia and Soma- lia, also conducted a mission in the AGGRESSION AGAINST A UKRAINIAN FOREIGN LEGION Balkans for 10 years (1993­–2003). UKRAINE, THERE ARE QUITE At present, they are executing their obligations to France in Guinea, Dji- A FEW FOREIGNERS WHO Does Ukraine need mercenaries in its army bouti and Cote d’Ivoire, as well as in WOULD BE WILLING TO Afghanistan. PROTECT OUR COUNTRY ISRAELI EXPERIENCE en masse in the hope of earning The structure and principles for separate formations are envisaged themselves pardons and prosperity. the recruitment of foreign volun- for foreigners, they serve together From the very start of the Le- teers to the Israel Defense Forces with the citizens of Israel. The ser- gion’s existence, anyone from any (IDF or Tzahal) are fundamentally vice lasts one to two years. After country could join, regardless of different. Volunteers have patri- this, the volunteer must work in a their past and with dedicated service, otic motivation as most of them Jewish community for one year, they could cleanse their image, earn are ethnic Jews. Service in the IDF taking part in social and humanitar- money and start their lives with a does not guarantee Israeli citizen- ian work. Non-citizens cannot serve clean slate. Enlistment rules pro- ship. Instead, it is a sort of mobili- as commanders, nor do they have vided for complete anonymity on the sation of Jewish diasporas from access to military secrets. part of recruiters and actually offered the whole world to support the The Mahal programme is not the opportunity to conceal their real State of Israel and improve its de- the only one that involves foreign persona. Little has changed since fense capabilities. volunteers in the ranks of the army then. Possibly only a person wanted Tzahal was first formed on the and logistics. Others require a can- by Interpol cannot join. The Legion’s eve of the Arab-Israeli War, which didate to first work in Jewish com- career officers are selected from the began in 1948. About 3,500 volun- munities and join the army after ranks of the regular French Army, teers from more than 40 countries that. Some programmes entail while volunteers come from literally participated in the military action of short-term boot camp training for all corners of the world. the regular Israeli Army. Most of volunteers. Legislatively, the Legion is part them came from the American con- Those who do not practice Juda- of the regular French Army. It is tinent, specifically the USA, Canada ism can participate in volunteer pro- made up of 11 regiments with 7,699 and Latin America, as well as from grammes focused on logistic main- legionnaires from 136 countries of Britain, France, Belgium, North and tenance of the Army. One of the best № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|27 Security|Army known is Sar-El, the Service for Is- rael, established in 1983. It was vol- unteers back then that came to work for the mobilized residents of the country’s farming regions. More than 80,000 volunteers from 30 countries of the world have partici- pated in Sar-El since its founding. PROSPECTS FOR UKRAINE Ukrainian legislation does not prosecute citizens who voluntarily serve in legal foreign military for- mations, but provides for criminal prosecution for illegal mercenary activity. The most famous case was in 1994 when Fizuli Verdiev from Azerbaijan was arrested for recruiting 156 people to fight in the Armenian-Azeri conflict. In case of Russian aggression against Ukraine, many experts feel that it would be expedient to estab- lish a Ukrainian foreign legion. Ac- cording to information in public sources, quite a few foreigners would extremely expensive. This money UNSO ter-intelligence, taking the candi- volunteer. Such initiatives have al- would be better spent on Ukraine’s MEMBERS IN date’s country of origin into account, ready come from the Karakalpaks (a own army. Ukrainians are very good CHECHNYA. his motivation to serve in the ranks Turkic community in Karakalpak- fighters, something that all interna- Ukraine’s of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and stan, an autonomous republic in Uz- tional training and competitions informal his level of military training. Under experience of bekistan – Ed.), Georgia and the have proved. Ukrainian pilots, ma- establishing a no circumstances should anarchy, Baltic States, not to mention the rines and paratroopers always score foreign legion competition with other Armed Ukrainian diaspora. Not to use this among the best in them.” that fought Forces units or illegal voluntary for- resource would be very short- Experts who, on the contrary, in the First mations be permitted. sighted. All volunteers should not are lobbying for the creation of a Chechen War “From the military point of view, necessarily be in the military, how- Ukrainian foreign legion, feel that in such a formation is more of a propa- ever giving people of good will the the current situation Ukraine could ganda move,” says Serhiy, a former opportunity to protect Ukraine in use a highly-professional albeit Ukrainian Army Colonel who wartime is definitely the right thing small special force units for specific worked as a military expert in many to do. According to information ob- operations. Units made up of people countries. “After all, Ukraine cannot tained by The Ukrainian Week, from Muslim countries could work afford such large units. Yet, we must some former and current officers of in Crimea, while volunteers from the now take every effort to show others the Ukrainian Armed Forces are al- Baltic States and Central Europe ready preparing a draft law to create could serve as strike force in Eastern THE CURRENT SITUATION a Ukrainian foreign legion. Ukraine. Ukrainians from the dias- IN UKRAINE MAY REQUIRE This would clearly require legis- pora could serve under general con- lative support, not to mention the ditions in the army, as in Israel. THE FORMATION OF SMALL YET determination of the rights and obli- As far as the structure is con- gations of volunteers without Ukrai- cerned, the Ukrainian foreign legion HIGHLY-PROFESSIONAL SPECIAL nian passports. The experience of could be made of two battalions FORCE UNITS the French Foreign Legion and its (500–600 soldiers), led exclusively history, first and foremost colonial by Ukrainian officers, while foreign- that we are Europe’s outpost in the wars using mercenary forces, seek- ers who have signed relevant mili- battle against Russian imperialism, ing a good salary and citizenship, is tary service contracts with Ukraine like the victory of Kyivan Rus over hardly the one Ukraine can use. The would serve as privates and ser- the new Horde, etc. Accordingly, the Israeli system whereby all Jews and geants. The legionnaires must be existence of a foreign legion as a supporters of Israel are mobilized is given a guaranteed social package component of the Ukrainian Armed more applicable for the current time and a competitive salary, although Forces is a good and necessary step. in Ukraine. the most important motivation In addition, such a mechanism al- Not all experts agree that should be the desire to participate in ways offers the opportunity to get Ukraine needs a foreign legion. the protection of Ukraine. The units assistance quickly and legally from “Clearly, money should, first and should be subject to the Ukrainian our foreign partners in NATO. foremost, be invested in Ukrainian Armed Forces and their respective Moreover, during peacetime, such soldiers,” Valentyn Badrak, Director commandment. Recruitment must formations can be used in peace- of the Research Centre for the Army, be conducted with a very diligent keeping missions abroad, which will Demilitarisation and Disarmament, background check by the Ukrainian increase Ukraine’s influence in the says. “Running a foreign legion is Security Service and military coun- international arena.” 28|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Opinion|Culture & Arts Russia’s Tango with the Devil

ot long ago, a group of prominent Russian culture This feeling was strengthened by his production of the personalities signed their letter of praise up to the far and away the greatest novel on revolutionary Rus- skies fully endorsing and blessing the occupation sia ever written – Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Nand annexation of Crimea by Russia. It dealt a Margarita. A plethora of talented Russian actors al- blow to many people who tried to convince themselves lowed the miracle happen, and the name of the miracle that a déjà vu trajectory undertaken by the revisionist was the liberating and absolving effect of a great work state and its revenge-seeking regime would be met with of literature translated into the language of cinematog- contempt or at least some reservations by the most noted raphy. It was widely assumed that Russia was on the Russian music, theater, film and arts celebrities. way of putting behind and rejecting its horrible past Among those who discredited their names, are dozens of (and even putting Putin aside). That was not to be, talented people whose merits and credentials in music alas. and arts are too obvious to be put into question. Yet the Researchers of Eastern European literature and culture fact that the conductor Valery Gergiev and the violist have noticed how greatly forms of modern anxiety and Yuri Bashmet have signed the disgraceful document tension differ in Western and Eastern Europe. In the hardly came as a shock. Both had long been and con- 20th century, Western Europeans and Americans most tinue to be the hundred percent court musicians – over- often experienced an anxiety of influence because of the paid, overrated, posh, easy to manipulate, and, in effect, way they were manipulated and their moral character devoid of any independent political views and liberties if was being deformed, whereas Eastern Europeans expe- they, God forbid, contradict those of the Master. rienced an anxiety of (physical) destruction. The Master The names of such noted actors as Oleg Tabakov and and Margarita purveys precisely such a form of Eastern Mikhail Boyarsky, stand-up comedians as Gennady European existential anxiety. Khazanov, or film directors as Karen Shakhnazarov led In the novel’s constructed reality no one doubts that peo- the entire generations of the admirers of Russian culture ple almost fatalistically fall into the categories of sinners to dismay and disenchant- and saints, cowards and Author: ment. The question float- braves; therefore, the main Leonidas ing in the air was as simple We thought naively that question is how much Donskis as that: What happened to obsession with power over chance nobility has in a Russia? We can under- the rest of the world was world in which the worst stand all ups and downs in th thing is not even candidly a country where a promise something from the 20 self-identifying evil (per- of political liberty and in- sonified in the novel by Sa- dividual freedom failed century. The emergence of tan, calling himself once again leaving all of us the fascist regime before Woland) but our own in a sad and silent agree- forms of life standing un- ment with those Russian our eyes brought us back der its influence, the most dissenters who spoke to history and reality dangerous of which are about the matrix of Rus- moral relativism, faithless- sian captivity and the ness, and the nihilistic re- country’s inability to em- jection of everything not brace the modern political and moral sensibilities. associated with power or the possibility to survive physi- Happily, the pride of Russian culture people was saved cally here and now. by the veterans of Russian culture, such magnificent We thought naively that this obsession with power and movie and theater actors and directors as Mark Zakha- its exercise over the rest of the world was something rov, Eldar Ryazanov, Liya Akhedzhakova, Oleg Basilash- uniquely belonging to the 20th century. The emergence vili, Valentin Gaft, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, and also by of the fascist regime before our eyes brought us back to such widely admired and beloved writers as Mikhail Zh- history and reality. Now we can only bid farewell to all vanetsky – they all refused to sign the letter. our postmodernist fantasies about post-material, post- The sinister paradox is that among those who signed the national, and post-historical world. Dream on… aforementioned infamous letter are two people of cine- It is a farce that Vladimir Bortko who chose the Ukrai- matography who are closely related to the immortal nian-born genius of Russian literature, Mikhail Bulga- works of Russian literature. The film director Vladimir kov, to express his longing for a decent and free Russia, Bortko made a cinematographic production of Mikhail should have ended up as a sycophant of the Kremlin – Bulgakov’s The Heart of a Dog choosing the work of lit- precisely like the actor Sergey Bezrukov who played the erature that seemingly left no doubt as to how the film role of Yeshua in The Master and Margarita; a farce director viewed the Soviet Union and its legacies – as that repeatedly turns into Russia’s tango with the Devil. the greatest political and moral catastrophe of Russia, or Ironically, hope comes from Woland, the Prince of as the greatest achievement in Russian history and poli- Darkness, played by Oleg Basilashvili – a wonderful and tics whose destruction was to become the greatest geo- fearless Russian actor who had the courage to condemn political catastrophe of the twentieth century, as Vladi- the 2008 Russian invasion in Georgia, and who refused mir Putin put it. We had long thought, and not without to sign the letter of consent to be non-persons and non- reason, that Bortko opted for the former assessment of citizens in Putin’s Russia. He chose his conscience, in- the evil empire, instead of the latter. stead of brutality and cynicism of his country. № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|29 Culture & Arts|Artists in times of revolutions Pavlo Gudimov: “A different vision is not a pretext to resort toR ussian- like hysteria and absurd politicization of culture” Renowned gallery-owner and musician talks about on ways to prevent people turning into titushkas, consolidation of artists and futility of fascist methods in culture

Interviewed by ideological front, as is the case in Bohdan Butkevych Russia, or conversely, continue to remind people of wonderful avlo Gudimov is well known things? in Ukraine. He is one of the – Right now, we see artists and founders of the original people involved in culture, on both POkean Elzy. Years after leav- sides of the border, energetically ex- ing the band, he played with the pressing their positions regarding original group on the Maidan in De- on-going events, as never before. cember. The video of the song called Very often, this leads to deep indig- Druh – Friend in English – per- nation, particularly when some let- formed by Okean Elzy as thousands ters supporting a specific politician, of Ukrainians turned on the lights moreover Putin, rather than the on their phones on one of the revo- people’s movement, are signed by lution’s cold nights has gone viral people such as Yuri Bashmet (well- on YouTube. Today, Pavlo is an known musician, whose family innovative gallery owner and comes from Lviv, who signed a art curator. His Ya Gallery has statement in support of the Russian been a symbol of independent President – Ed.). Others do the op- contemporary art over the ten posite, closing themselves off and years of its existence. In his inter- creating a cocoon around them- view for The Ukrainian Week, selves, because they don’t want to Pavlo looks at the role that culture see or hear anything, as if saying should play in the turbulent times that the environment prevents them Ukraine has been going through. from concentrating on their creativ- ity. Having said this, when you close U.W: How should artists react to yourself off, you are incapable of what is literally wartime today? creating anything. In general, artists photo: andriy l omakin photo: Should they be the warriors on an cannot but react to what is happen- ing around, because they cannot be in touch and not have a sense of their own country. After all, people involved in culture are, to a certain extent, regarded as litmus paper. Unfortunately, politicians remain the main stars of the mainstream, while artists have to the play a far more important role in the social life of the country. U.W: But in recent years, art has been squeezed out by a low- quality pop substitute, which was actively supported by the authorities of that time. Will the artistic environment be able to cope with such a mission now? – It’s true, that in the last four years, culture, 30|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Artists in times of revolutions|Culture & Arts even by Ukrainian standards, has not even the Russian one with its the same as we have to talk to been actively moved to the under- aggressive nature. I wonder what quite a few Ukrainians, who un- ground: the authorities and pro- pushed Yuri Bashmet, who is a fortunately, also have views that government oligarchs did every- musical genius, to sign this infa- are different from our own. If we thing to make it impossible for art- mous letter (see Russia’s Tango want to build a new, truly demo- ists to communicate with the with the Devil on p. 29). I as- cratic country, we must not use people. This was done for purely sume that most of the signatures fascist methods, which are the mercantile reasons. The revolution there may have been collected by only ones found in Russia’s arse- can change this: it is the Maidan relevant bodies and they said it nal of tools. Just recall how almost that has become a very substantial was for a different purpose. I still three million people came to see and important platform for com- believe that many of these people the exhibition of what the Nazis munication, which finally allowed were not completely aware of the saw as degenerative art in Munich, artists to speak directly to consum- situation. Let’s not wave our while barely 500,000 visited the ers, not filtered through the mass swords when talking about ge- exhibition of Nazi art (the Degen- media. In the future, this should niuses: saying that if someone has eration Art Exhibition opened in protect us and our society from signed such a document, we im- 1937 in Munich presenting 650 “thugification”. Fighters for hire re- mediately reject this person for- works of art that did not fit into flect the lack of culture that has ever, no concert tours or exhibi- the general art framework of the been planted over many years. In tions will be allowed, and he has to Nazi party. The works were by that cultureless environment, UAH leave Ukraine. Even if it emerges outstanding modernists including 200 is good enough to replace eth- that they truly support Putin’s ac- Otto Dix, Vasily Kandinsky, El Lis- ics and honour while an artist is tions, we should not respond in sitzky, Marc Chagall, Max Ernst seen as a solitary freak who has no kind. We should not ban artists and the like. At the same time, the influence on the developments simply for their views, particularly Nazis celebrated the opening of whatsoever. if they are sincere. They may have the grand Haus der Kunst featur- a different vision, but this is not a ing what Hitler and his spin doc- U.W: Has the Maidan changed the pretext to resort to Russian-like tors saw as genuine art – Ed.). Ukrainian cultural environment? hysteria and an absurd level of the This will always be the case, how- – Most of the people involved politicization of culture, such as ever much current fascists or in culture were at the Maidan. banning Okean Elzy from per- Moreover, at the most dramatic forming in Russia. Of course, if moments, their activity only in- Russian artists try to engage in UNDER NO ACCOUNT SHOULD creased. However, overall, artists some kind of propaganda, that’s a CULTURE BE TRANSFORMED were clearly shocked by all these different matter, but we cannot events. Many are still struggling to ban them as artists. Moreover, it’s INTO AN INSTRUMENT FOR make their way out of that break- not worth throwing rotten toma- POLITICIZATION OF SOCIETY down, because artists live with ex- toes at them during their perfor- posed nerves. Let’s not forget that mances, because any acts of vio- those of the past tried to make culture is basically pacifist by na- lence will certainly be used against their way into culture which they ture. So it is very interesting that Ukraine. The only thing that can don’t understand. The same rule on the contrary, the clashes on be said, is that our state institu- applies to relations between Hrushevskoho Street or the top- tions should be free of any influ- Ukrainian artists and the state: pling of the Lenin statue - very pro- ence and they should improve the they must be as independent as vocative from the very start and di- quality and selection of the cul- possible from it, because an artist rected towards a split, both in soci- tural product presented. What in service to the state apparatus – ety as a whole, and in the cultural should be rejected is the low-qual- is always at least kitsch and environment into “normal people” ity Russian television product with pseudo-culture, or “common fas- and “radicals” - have resulted in its subliminal message broadcast- cism” at its worst – as is currently tighter grouping and consolidation. ing specific cultural codes. the case in Russia. Russia’s artists And this consolidation only and its entire society will shortly strengthened and continues to U.W: But we have a war, and be undergoing a painful and long strengthen. So this is clearly a posi- these people are supporting the treatment process with many de- tive influence of the Maidan. enemy. How can one take this pressions and disenchantments. indifferently? Instead, we have to show how a U.W: Do you think that Ukrainian – Under no account should political revolution transforms culture finally has a chance to culture be transformed into an in- into a cultural one. We have al- replace the low-quality Russian strument for politicization of soci- ready lost 23 years, and we cannot commercial rubbish stuffed into ety, and this must be set forth in transform into a mirror image of the minds of mostU krainians by all possible codes and laws. It is our neighbours on the wave of rev- Russian and local TV and radio? In because of the falsehood and in- olutionary euphoria. We must not view of the openly anti-Ukrainian sincerity that the gentle Ukraini- lose our sense of tolerance and position of many artists inR ussia, anisation campaign failed earlier. wisdom, which is our main advan- is it worth removing them from The key law here is the artist’s tage over the current Russian cel- Ukraine’s cultural territory, using right to free expression. However ebration. We have to unite around administrative measures? much we would like quick and the battle for, as opposed to – This is what I say: real cul- radical resolutions, we still have to against, something, which is what ture does not have any rubbish, go to Russians to talk to them, just our Russian neighbours do. № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|31

Culture & Arts|Museums Yulia Lytvynets: “Museums must be open. And to be open, they need to feel safe”

Interviewed eople often come to by Hanna museums in the Trehub Netherlands. Just “Pto hide away from the rain,” Yulia Lytvynets, Chief Custodian of Ukraine’s National Art Museum, says. The recent revolutionary events changed the angle from which her museum’s staff approached preserving the collection and the museum building and building horizontal relationships between museums and individuals. U.W.: What kind of visitor and consumer of museum information do we have in the 21st century? What are her needs A ndriy l omakin P hoto: and demands? What must she students as part of their curricula. U.W.: Could you tell about how give to the museum? Is If they study zoology, let them go your museum survived the interaction possible between to a zoological museum. If they revolution? You must now have them? study a certain period in history priceless experience that you The framework of museums’ or culture, let them go to muse- can share with other museum activities has been severely nar- ums where these things are best workers. rowed in recent times: they must represented. Children and youth The territory where our mu- preserve and popularize their col- must have experience. Museums seum is located changed hands, lections. But popularization is not can become part of not only edu- and when we were controlled by aimed at dialogue, i.e., informa- cation and enlightenment, but law enforcement agencies, it was tion is provided in one direction also the life of every Ukrainian an absolutely different reality with no feedback. Visitors are not from kindergarten to her last day. and different dangers. It was just people who pay the entrance The National Art Museum is tak- much easier to come to an agree- fee to see our collection. Visitors ing steps to accommodate its visi- ment with the protesters, be- are the carriers of information, a tors through thematic lecture se- cause an average protester is a litmus test of the processes taking ries and a number of interesting person with two university diplo- place in society. An analysis of courses for children and adults. mas, good command of English visitors, their needs and interests Perhaps, it sounds like some and an understanding what a must change Ukrainian muse- kind of coercion, but it must be. museum is. Things changed dra- ums. In fact, the situation is al- In the past month, I have met matically when we found our- ready changing, because muse- with absolutely different people. selves behind the police cordon. ums across the world are working They have a certain stereotype of Ordinary people had a very hard to build dialogue with their visi- museums as such. Those who time trying to get to the museum. tors, between museum objects went to museums in Soviet time Our employees had to come out and visitors. did not bring their children. and talk to the Berkut special In the classical Soviet system, There is a group of permanent force and the internal security there was only information about visitors, but it is fairly small. troops and explain what the Na- the displays, and that was it. The Raising trips to museums from tional Art Museum is and that it views and reactions of visitors the level of family affairs to at works for all people. On 19 Janu- were of no interest. This reaction least the school education level ary, things changed dramatically. may differ depending on time and would greatly elevate the self- Lectures and workshops for chil- social group. I am sure that our awareness of the Ukrainian com- dren were abruptly stopped, and state must take steps to help mu- munity. As a result, we would people had to be taken out of the seums. The Ministry of Education have individuals and citizens building through different exits would have to make museum vis- who would not permit a museum and negotiate with the police to its mandatory for children and being in the firing line. let them pass. The next day, very 32|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 Museums|Culture & Arts few people were able to go U.W.: The first thing that comes Oleksandr Bohomazov, Aleksan- through the police cordon and to mind when European cities dra Ekster and Tetiana Yablon- get to the museum. After that, are mentioned is historical ska) and will grasp that Ukrainian there were people on duty in the monuments and art museums: fine art is of European and world- museum around the clock. There the Louvre in Paris, the Prado class calibre and is in no way infe- was no way to evacuate the mu- National Museum in Madrid, etc. rior. I am sure, because I have seum, even though the collection The associations with Kyiv are, heard it from visitors, that after was in danger. In Soviet times, it as before, the Kyiv cake, candies they see the works we have on was moved away from the front and cutlets. Why is the Ukrainian display in our museum, they be- The National Art line, but in this situation the con- capital still not associated with a Museum: its come many times more proud of flict was everywhere and it was museum or an art gallery? collection included Ukraine. impossible to move it. The mu- Let us be frank: for a long 1.5 Anyway, we are talking about seum guards should be given time Ukraine was an occupied art events. I would like people to credit for never deserting their territory. Our art was nullified in million come and see Ukrainian classical pieces in 1919, posts. The Ministry of Culture to every possible way. Take, for ex- while a mere artists, such as Yablonska, Karpo which we appealed (just like we ample, the National Art Museum: Trokhymenko and others, with did to the Ministry for Emer- its collection included 1.5 million 40,000 the same enthusiasm as Monet. gency Situations and the police) pieces in 1919, while a mere remain was not prepared to help, even 40,000 remain. Unlike Western U.W.: The National Art Museum though it has a unit responsible museums, we were totally di- is now hosting the exhibition for emergency situations. We vided: a huge collection that in- Ukrainian line of contemporary simply could not reach them by cluded applied and fine arts, his- art (in the firing line). In 2013, a phone – we dialled the number tory, anthropology and much number of works by Ukrainian mentioned in the standard in- more was split to create a number impressionists, avant-gardists structions for museums explain- of small museums back in Soviet and modernists were brought ing what they should do in case of times. A large and nice museum from various provincial museums emergence but the telephone was complex has never been con- across the country to the Art answered by the guards in the structed. Arsenal in Kyiv. This kind of ministry who were stunned by But even small museums have pulling works from store rooms the fact that we were calling them a very interesting future. Each has given them a unique flavour of all people. Nevertheless, Maria one of them begins to develop and freshness. What does the Zadorozhna managed to get the some unique features. These are Ministry for Emergency Situa- not the gigantic imperial muse- tions (MES) send two of their ums of large cities or well-known Museums can become men to our museum. Every day, brands. Each of them has an op- a part of life for every there were two policemen, two portunity to grow. Museums need MES people and at least two mu- to work on their own brands. This Ukrainian from seum employees on guard to look will be the essence of museum kindergarten after the museum’s stock and dis- art, i.e., small museums will have plays. to find the right brands for them- to the last day There was a great danger than selves, present and popularize rocks and Molotov cocktails could them and shape their own unique Ukrainian modern art displayed break through the windows on visage. in your museum now look like? the ground floor. The exhibits This exhibition has gone were moved to the stock section; U.W.: How do you see the brand through some rough times. We windows were covered with plas- of the National Art Museum? are very thankful to museum di- tic and, where possible, flake- Will it be about large rectors across Ukraine for provid- boards and plasterboards. To exhibitions, such as Normandy ing these works and for not trying keep away soot, we put special in art or Jacques Chapiro. Kyiv- to get them back. They trusted us fabric over all air exhausts and it Paris, Master returning. Mark with these works. The exhibition served as a kind of filter. The Epstein? Will it be about large- is quite symbolic in terms of not friends of the museum purchased scale projects and big names or only trust but also its unifying 30 additional powder fire extin- something totally different but function. We have works from guishers. Fire hoses were rolled equally interesting? Lviv, Kharkiv, Sumy and even the out to the windows. All rooms I am fairly sceptical of the Crimea. They have indeed come were hooked up to the alarm sys- large scale and very big names. In from across Ukraine. And it tem: if there had been a broken the case of the exhibition about shows that Ukraine is one and window and a fire had started, we Normandy, the surname of Monet unified. would have seen in which room it played a very big part. Again, it is In fact, the country has to happened and would have been a foreign, rather than Ukrainian, know its heroes, modernist paint- able to react faster. Moreover, we brand. But it is still not so bad, ers. These include Oleksa Nova- had to explain to police com- because people will come to see kivsky and, again, Oleksandr Mu- manders that, in addition to food Monet or Chapiro and will at the rashko, who was a very versatile provision and heating, they had same time see Ukrainian icons, artist. It is no surprise, because to arrange for toilets themselves the classics of Ukrainian avant- each painter has different periods and that the museum was not a garde art and realism (Vasyl Kry- and falls under different influ- proper place for this. chevsky, Oleksandr Murashko, ences. This means that he was not № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|33 Culture & Arts|Museums the same throughout his life. The place ourselves in world context. cial Soviet art, but unofficial art, works by Krychevsky and The problem is that we are not which was, in fact, an important Vsevolod Maksymovych come known abroad or even inside strand in artistic life in Soviet across in a new light at this exhi- Soon, we are Ukraine, for that matter. We times, is barely represented in bition. There is a widespread idea planning to open a don’t know each other , and this our museum. Meanwhile, this lat- very unexpected that Ukrainian modern art did exhibition composed isolation is artificial. Museums ter type is gradually declining. not exist and that expressionism of the Mezhyhiria must be open. And to be open, The same thing is with modern “treasures”. Believe they need to feel safe. The condi- painters, including those you have developed abroad but not in our me, there are country. But this is far from the precious, world-level tion of a museum reflects the con- mentioned. Since the 1990s, we truth. We are not so poor and un- art objects there dition of society. have purchased virtually nothing fortunate as some would like to There is also an element of on a regular basis. Even if we find paint us. We had and still have trust; this is when society and a what we need, we cannot buy it. everything. For example, some of museum begin to trust each other. Therefore, we have to ask painters Bohomazov’s works have ele- There is still the stereotype that to donate their works to the mu- ments of impressionism. Art “everything has been stolen from seum. Naturally, this method does should be viewed horizontally, museums and they only put fake not permit us to obtain the best which helps reveal this kind of in- items on display”. Together with works of some painter or another. teresting aspects. television and other journalists, Let museum specialists them- Soon, we are planning to open museum workers need to explain selves decide whether they need a very unexpected exhibition and enlighten people. I plead with Roitburd or Tetiana Golem- composed of the Mezhyhiria journalists not to twist informa- biievska to fill these voids in the “treasures”. Believe me, there are tion in pursuit of sensations. collection. The position of the precious, world-level art objects museum as the one that pleads there. Through the prism of this U.W.: How extensively are the should be fundamentally exhibition, we would like to take a painters of the second half of the changed. Look at the level of new look at our classic display of 20th century and our days Ukrainian painters – they are icons and 19th century art. represented in the National Art comparable with the best in the world. This was proven by the U.W.: Ukrainian impressionists, The state of a museum 2013-14 revolution. One gets the such as Ivan Trush, are no impression that they had been inferior to Claude Monet, reflects the state waiting for it for a long time and Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas or of society then started generating ideas and other European classical art works, ranging from very poi- painters. What can a museum do Museum? Can visitors see gnant and dealing with the senses to place Ukrainian art in paintings by Illia Chychkan, to extremely aggressive, relevant European context and show to Oleksandr Hnylytsky and at the time. The Orange Revolu- Ukrainian and foreign visitors Oleksandr Roitburd? Why are tion did not produce anything that Ukrainian modern art, these painters featured more in like that. In contrast, during the avant-garde and surrealism do galleries rather than museums? 2013-14 revolution the painters exist? What does a museum need to felt they were needed in the lit- This is, again, about coopera- have to be able to collect their eral sense. From paintings and tion between museums and the paintings and put them on graffiti to the smallest stripe environment. I mean working display? made by Ukrainian artists, such with television, historians and art As far as museum collections as Andriy Yermolenko, it is im- critics. In this system, I would Брак уваги громади are concerned, in Soviet times portant not to let these things be- і держави до give top priority to art critics and художників, our museum had a large circle of come scattered in different direc- the Ukrainian school of art criti- скульпторів friends, sponsors and donors who tions. They need to be preserved призводить до того, cism, which was under Russia’s що їхні найкращі donated items. We went on vari- in order to convey the overall at- influence throughout the Soviet твори потраплять до ous expeditions to collect art mosphere. Art objects tell an im- приватних колекцій, period. We now have to enhance але не до works. Works were also pur- portant story as they stand next the level of art critics and their українських музеїв chased through the Directorate to a painting or a shield made works, which must be published for Art Exhibitions in the Minis- from a traffic sign in European and popularized. This informa- try of Culture. It still exists. The Square. People fought for that tion has to reach public at large works that were bought were pri- shield. But these things should be and become known. marily ideologically correct. That somewhere close by. The next, or perhaps parallel, is why we have virtually no paint- As far as museum buildings step should be cooperation with ings by top-flight Sixtiers. Valeriy are concerned, we once had great the film making industry. We Lamakh and Viktor Zaretsky are hopes for a building in Insty- need to make contemporary films represented only in a very frag- tutska Street... For some reason, about Murashko, Krychevsky, mentary way. We only have six Rio de Janeiro has the world’s museums and Ukrainian and for- works by the latter. We happened best Museum of Modern Art, and eign art for various population to receive, absolutely acciden- we don’t. A lack of attention to groups. Look at France and its tally, through the Security Ser- painters and sculptors from soci- rich variety of programmes for vice, a painting by Oleksiy ety and the state leads to a situa- various audiences. We need to Zakharchuk – and we couldn’t tion when their best works go to have the same here. In this way, believe our eyes. It so happened private collections rather than we will be able to adequately that we have many works of offi- Ukrainian museums. 34|the ukrainian week|№ 6 (72) april 2014 events|Navigator 2 April 2 – 26 April 3 April, 7 p.m. Nino Katamadze French Spring Festival Jazz Phantasies October Palace Venues in Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, National Philarmonic of Ukraine (1, vul. Instytutska, Kyiv) Odesa and other cities (2, Volodymyrskiy Uzviz, Kyiv)

A unique Georgian performer Jazz motifs and improvisations Nino Katamadze will bring her new will create a unique atmosphere and show Colourful April to Kyiv. With 25 will make a spring evening truly un- musicians on stage, including her forgettable. Some of Ukraine’s most band Insight, Georgia Brass Band talented musicians, including Larysa from Tbilisi and New Classics sym- Deordieva on piano, Lyudmyla Sem- phony orchestra from Moscow, the enenko as soprano, Yevhen Dashak show will probably be the biggest on piano and the Kyiv Saxophone concert in her career. Nino sings a fu- Quartet under the leadership of Yuriy sion of jazz and folk tunes, sprinkled Vasylevych, will perform variations of with original improvisations. When the pieces by George Gershwin, Oscar on stage, she is a storm of energy This year, April can definitely be re- Peterson, Janis Joplin and Hoagy Car- and emotions, her flexible voice turn- ferred to as the French Spring month, michael. Even the most jazz-savvy ing songs into 3D images of moun- since the 11th annual festival in Ukraine fans will thoroughly enjoy this con- tains, wind, love and sadness. will last three weeks. Traditionally, the cert. event programme is rich in surprises. Cultural events will cover cinema, the- atre, music, literature and art. April 4 will see the opening of an exhibition dedicated to photographer Jeanloup Sieff at the Brucie Collections Gallery. He had once captured celebrities, such as Catherine Deneuve, Yves St. Laurent and many more, in the lenses of his cam- eras. The music portion of the festival will be filled with soft modern jazz from the Benjamin Faugloire Project.

4 – 6 April, 4 p.m. 8 April, 7 p.m. From 10 April Japanese Spring in Lviv Sleeping Beauty Days of Polish Cinema Dzyga Art Association Gallery National Opera Zhovten Cinema and other venues (50, vul. Volodymyrska, Kyiv) (26, vul. Kostyantynivska, Kyiv) (35, vul. Virmenska, Lviv) Tchaikovsky’s ballet-fairy tale in The ninth screening of the most sig- During two days, the cultural capi- three acts, based on the famous story by nificant and interesting films of modern tal of Ukraine will host the festival of Charles Perrault, is considered to be the Polish cinematography will take place Japanese culture and art. It will offer a peak of ballet art and an encyclopaedia within the framework of the project or- range of interesting and authentic of classical dance. It was performed on ganized by the Polish Institute. This events, including tea ceremonies, lec- stage for the first time at the Mariyinsky year’s programme is comprised of seven tures, master classes and concerts. The films. They include Walesa. Czlowiek z main purpose of the festival is to intro- nadziei (Walesa. Man of Hope) by one duce Japan, its culture and traditions to of Poland’s best-known directors, - An the people of Lviv. The inhabitants of drzej Wajda. The film is about the for- Lviv and guests to the city will have a mer President of Poland and leader of chance to attend origami master the Solidarity Trade Union, Lech Walesa. classes, learn more about tourism in Criminal thriller Uklad Zamkniety (The Japan and wit- Closed Circuit) is, ness a real tea too, based on a ceremony. A real life-story, de- photo exhibition scribing the bat- titled Joined by a Theatre in 1890, choreographed by tle of three busi- Smile. A Mes- Marius Petipa. From that time on, the nessmen with sage to Ukraine ballet has been extremely popular and the corrupt state from Japan will is often sold out. The ballet story of Au- machine. The serve as the rora’s youth, the magic power of her drama Loving is bridge that joins good fairy and the life-giving power of dedicated to the the two nations charming prince’s kiss will touch the life of a woman. together. hearts of both the youngest and oldest member of the audience. № 6 (72) april 2014|the ukrainian week|35