Democracy Trapped in Poverty
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#9 (139) September 2019 In search of the middle class Demographic challenges “Unofficial” Ukrainian painting during here and abroad and male mortality in Ukraine the era of socialist realism DEMOCRACY TRAPPED IN POVERTY WWW.UKRAINIANWEEK.COM FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION CONTENTS 3 BRIEFING SOCIETY 4 Russia’s word 27 Mykhailo Zabrodskiy: “Generals do The Russian-Ukrainian exchange not think within the framework of the of prisoners is still in question previous war” The commander of the Ukrainian Air POLITICS Assault Forces on the feasibility of holding 8 Boris Johnson and apocalypse a military parade on Independence Day Michael Binyon (London) on what of Ukraine and the specifics of the war in economic and political challenges Donbas are threatening the new 30 Science & Technology: Diagnosis and UK Prime Minister treatment Ex-Deputy Minister of Education and 10 Anti-media campaign Science of Ukraine on the Ukrainain Why the new government is trying scientific sphere’s needs and aspirations to mess up with journalists 34 His death: Weak “stronger sex” and why direct communication On the the reasons why Ukrainian men with the people is a myth die earlier than women FOCUS 38 The new underestimated threat 12 Stop the vicious cycle Why demographic challenges in Ukraine How oligarchic-proletarian model puts are equally dangerous as its economic Ukraine’s success in jeopardy and political troubles? 15 Middle ground NEIGHBORS Where Ukraine’s middle class is and how 40 The evolution of homo sovieticus it can develop Why is it so much harder than anyone expected to break ties with the soviet past? 18 The force of evolution What conclusions the patriotic 42 Donbas: The new repertoire camp should draw from Ukraine’s On the fact that open supporters of integration with Russia being presidential and parliamentary persecuted on the occupied Donbas elections HISTORY ECONOMICS 44 The art of hesitation 20 Clouds in a silver lining The adventures of signing the Ukrainian- On the threats of cheap dollar for Russian Treaty of friendship, cooperation Ukrainian economy and partnership 22 “Dismissed” from the mines CULTURE & ARTS How the DNR-LNR terrorist leadership 47 Ukrainian art: Home at last accomplished their own biggest fear – What “unofficial” Ukrainian art was like the closure of the mines during the era of socialist realism 24 Colonial misbalance 50 The months of futurism, short films and Is there a hidden threat behind Eros Ramazzotti the sudden trade increase between The Ukrainian Week offers a selection of Ukraine and China? events to visit in September and October E-mail [email protected] www.ukrainianweek.com Tel. (044) 351-13-00 The Ukrainian Week #9 (139) September 2019 Office address Kyiv, Ukraine, 36A, vul. Bohdana Khmelnytskoho, apt. 3 Founder ECEM Media GmbH. Publisher ECEM Media GmbH Print run 15 000. Free distribution Address Austria, Am Gestade, 1, 1010 Vienna Our partner State registration certificate КВ № 19823-9623ПР 19.03.2013 Chief Editor Dmytro Krapyvenko Editors Max Nestelieiev, Lidia Wolanskyj Russia’s word Denys Kazanskiy BRIEFING The exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine an- nounced at the end of August never did take place. Instead, Ukrainians saw a series of strange statements from government officials who initially declared that Ukraine’s prisoners had re- turned home, then retracted their statement. Among others, newly appointed Prosecutor General Ruslan Riaboshapka for some reason shared a fake post from Bucha City Councilor Anna Islamova, who had written that the prisoner exchange had been HANNA CHABARAI PHOTO: successful. THE UKRAINIAN WEEK | #9 (139) September 2019 6 BRIEFING | Eventually it became known that Islamova had no re- the fact that the Russians demanded his release at the very lationship to the prisoner exchanges and had no informa- last minute, which was guaranteed to stop the exchange, tion about the exchange, but simply shared rumors she had can only be called a deliberate provocation. heard, but by then it was too late. The story got into the In Russia itself, the hold-up in the exchange process press and the families of Russia’s hostages drove to the air- was explained as being due to a change in the procedure port to meet their freed sons and husbands – whom they according to which exchanges are supposed to take place. never did see. Expectations were once again raised when Among others, the Russian paper Kommersant cited its it was announced that the exchange was delayed until Sep- own sources as saying that the two sides could not agree to tember 3. Once again, nothing happened. It began to be the legal basis for releasing and handing over prisoners to clear that for some reason the agreement had collapsed. each other. The result was that a new plan was drawn up, Various reasons have been suggested for this one-again, according to which sentenced individuals would return to off-again situation. Supposedly Russia insisted on a num- their homeland after a presidential decree offering clem- ber of men being exchanged that Ukraine had not planned ency, while those who were still under trial would return to to release at this time. Yet this kind of issue is generally Ukraine and Russia with notarized copies of their criminal agreed in advance and if the exchange collapsed at the last cases. They would eventually be tried in person for their minute, then the reason had to lie elsewhere. In this case, crimes at a later date. it was obvious that it was not connected to a particular sur- The Russians say that it was because Ukraine had de- name but to Moscow’s desire to spoil things for Ukrainians clared the criminal investigation of its seamen illegal from while making President Zelenskiy look like a fool. After all, the very start and demanded their immediate release with- it’s worse to offer hope and trick someone than not to offer out any excuses or conditions. This way, getting a copy and any hope at all. not the original case, Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies The return of Ukrainian citizens to their homeland from would not have to continue a criminal investigation of its captivity is always a major and joyful event. In contrast to own citizens, as had been originally planned. the Russians, who avoid drawing much attention to such If it all really does come down to just this, the exchange exchanges, Ukraine has always celebrated the liberation of of prisoners should take place as soon as the legal issues its people. And, of course, top officials have always enjoyed are settled. Of course, no actual dates have been mentioned the reflected glory of this joy. Zelenskiy could have brought since the exchange failed to materialize. If Ukrainians can his people great news at the very start of his presidency, but forget about seeing an exchange take place, it will be clear at this time, Moscow is making sure that doesn’t happen. that the legal mumbo-jumbo was just an excuse for Russia Right now, it’s not clear if it ever intends to do so. to once more fail to uphold its side of a bargain. Clearly Moscow’s imprisoned citizens have far less value to Russia than the Ukrainian hostages it holds do for Kyiv. CLEARLY MOSCOW’S IMPRISONED CITIZENS HAVE FAR LESS VALUE And that’s the main reason why, for the last five years of TO RUSSIA THAN THE UKRAINIAN HOSTAGES IT HOLDS DO FOR KYIV. its conflict, Russia has treated the question of exchanging AND THAT’S THE MAIN REASON WHY, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF ITS prisoners as a concession on Ukraine’s part and uses it as CONFLICT, RUSSIA HAS TREATED THE QUESTION OF EXCHANGING leverage. So far, the names of those individuals it wants re- leased are not even known – that’s how interested Moscow PRISONERS AS A CONCESSION ON UKRAINE’S PART AND USES IT AS is in its prisoners. The Ukrainian list is almost complete – LEVERAGE 22 seamen and high-profile political prisoners like Sentsov, Kolchenko, Klykh, Karpiuk and Bekirov, the Russians have Of course, the disruption was taken full advantage of provided only a handful of names. These include a par- by pro-Russian, in the person of Putin’s koum, the odious ticipant in the Odesa union fire on May 2, 2014, Yevgheni Viktor Medvedchuk. Together with Vadym Rabinovych, his Myefiodov, journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, and two Crimeans, partner in the Opposition Platform – Za Zhyttia party, he Maksym Odyntsov and Oleksandr Baranov, who were orig- swiftly flew to Moscow and made sure to promote himself inally Ukrainian servicemen but betrayed their oath and with the prisoners. The story of how they visited Russia received Russian passports. and met with the Ukrainian captives was, of course, ea- Who are the remaining 3 dozen individuals? One can gerly shown on the television channels controlled by Med- only guess. Various names are mentioned, including a Rus- vedchuk. sian serviceman, Viktor Ageyev, who was taken prisoner in However, Deputy Chair of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis Ilmi a battle in Luhansk Oblast. But mostly these are individu- Umerov claims the exchange was disrupted because Putin als whom no one knows and whom no one in Russia has issued new conditions at the last minute. “After bringing even mentioned, neither politicians nor journalists. Russia the situation to its peak, he took a step back by adding new has always been ashamed of its prisoners, obviously under- conditions: releasing a witness to the Boeing,” he told re- standing the incriminating conditions under which they porters, with reference to the MH17 catastrophe. “This is fell into Ukrainian hands. a very serious provocation and yet another crime commit- Interestingly, nearly all the Russian press that has ted by Putin.