Inside: l A look at ’s new government – page 7 l “Songs from Ancient Ukraine” at UIA – page 12 l Carpathian Ski Club races in Hunter, N.Y. – page 17

ThePublished U by thekrainian Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationeekly Vol. LXXXVIII No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 $2.00 Canadian foreign minister discusses Will Ukraine renew water supply his first official visit to Ukraine for Russian-occupied Crimea? New Cabinet sends mixed signals

by Roman Tymotsko – On the first day after his appoint- ment as Ukraine’s prime minister, mentioned the possibility of renewing the water supply from mainland Ukraine to the occupied Crimean peninsu- la. He was speaking on the “Right to Power” program on the 1+1 television channel on the evening of March 5. “The issue of supplying water to occu- pied Crimea is not a matter of trade with the invader. It is not a matter of business. It is a matter of humanitarian responsibility before people who live in Crimea. Failure to Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine supply water will lead to a humanitarian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. François-Philippe Champagne (FPC)/Twitter catastrophe... We won’t turn the water off at Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne meets with the mainline... We cannot stop giving water the deadline for reforms was yesterday.” ’s Operation UNIFIER forces in Yavoriv, Ukraine. to Ukrainians,” Mr. Shmyhal said. And the very next day, he felt first-hand the An outburst of public criticism followed public’s lack of patience. those words. Many Ukrainians expressed by Christopher Guly Royal Canadian Mounted Police is assisting Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo their opinion on social media, and most of Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Ukrainian police in their criminal investiga- Klimkin commented on Mr. Shmyhal’s tion of the Ukraine International Airlines them voiced their disappointment with the statement about water for Crimea. “I want OTTAWA – At the conclusion of his first (UIA) plane that Iran said its Islamic newly appointed prime minister. everyone to understand what will happen official visit to Ukraine as Canada’s foreign Revolutionary Guard Corps accidentally shot In his first address as prime minister, on after the resumption of the water supply to affairs minister, François-Philippe Cham­ March 4, Mr. Shmyhal noted that “expecta- pagne told reporters back home that the (Continued on page 9) tions are high, patience is wearing thin, and (Continued on page 4)

U.S.-Ukraine Security Dialogue conference held in Washington

by Andrij Dobriansky ence by less than 24 hours. Moreover, that major change in government had taken WASHINGTON – The 11th U.S.-Ukraine place only a few hours after more than a Security Dialogue took place in Washington third of all delegates for the Democratic on Thursday, March 5. The full-day confer- National Convention had been assigned, ence was presented at the National Press with 14 state primaries and one caucus Club as a collaborative effort of the Center eliciting nearly a fifth of all Democratic pri- for U.S.-Ukrainian Relations (CUSUR), the mary voters in a single day. American Foreign Policy Council, the U.S.- In response to Russian armed forces vio- Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian lating the ceasefire in the Joint Forces Congress Committee of America. Operation (JFO) area in eastern Ukraine 11 In addition to the two dozen senior U.S. times on March 1, and the 22 violations on and Ukrainian strategists as well as defense February 18, Mr. Futey urged the prioritiza- and security experts who presented at the tion of NATO’s Enhanced Opportunities conference, were the Ambassador Partners program for Ukraine, and the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of renewed possibility of Major Non-NATO Ukraine to the United States of America Ally (MNNA) status for Ukraine. Mr. Futey , as well as his succes- Andrij Dobriansky repeated the UCCA’s recent call to get sor as the permanent representative of The audience listens to presentations by panelists (from left) Ambassador Volodymyr involved in this year’s presidential and con- Ukraine to the United Nations, Serhiy Vasylenko, Ambassador John Herbst, Ariel Cohen and Jonathan Katz. gressional elections, encouraging Kyslytsya. Ukrainian Americans to volunteer for cam- Prof. Walter Zaryckyj of CUSUR intro- York City, who was able to remain at the Joining Ambassador Kyslytsya to close paigns and to engage with candidates on duced Ambassador Yelchenko, who then National Press Club for the entire day of the event was Andriy Futey, president of the campaign trail. highlighted potential points of discussion discussion, participated by questioning the Ukrainian Congress Committee of The co-chair of the Congressional regarding Ukraine’s National Security various presenters and then offered the America (UCCA). Having recently returned Ukraine Caucus (CUC), Rep. Andy Harris Strategy before departing for a full day of closing words of the conference, drawing from Ukraine, Mr. Futey pointed out the (R-Md.), joined Ambassador Yelchenko at meetings and events. Ambassador on his previous position as Ukaine’s deputy sudden change of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Kyslytsya, visiting for the day from New minister of foreign affairs. Ministers that had preceded this confer- (Continued on page 5) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

ANALYSIS

Plans for waterway from Baltic to Black Sea Ukraine acts to prevent coronavirus spread Kyiv for analysis, an Iranian diplomat said. Tehran has also invited other interested via Ukraine, Belarus and advance The Ukrainian government has decided countries to participate in reading the data to ban mass gatherings and to close schools from the black boxes, Farhard Parvaresh, and universities for three weeks in a bid to away from . Since then, the project who heads Iran’s delegation at the U.N.’s by Paul Goble prevent the spread of the novel coronavi- has attracted new attention and made real Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Eurasia Daily Monitor rus. The government said in a statement on progress. In September 2019, the transpor- Organization, told Reuters on March 11. The March 11 that it was banning all mass During the Middle Ages, the waterways tation ministers of Ukraine and Belarus met Iranian military said it accidentally shot events with more than 200 expected partic- linking the Baltic and the Black seas were a and agreed on what needed to be done. A down the Ukrainian jet on January 8, killing ipants. Some sporting events might go far more important trade corridor than any month later, Belarus signed a contract with all 176 people on board. The victims includ- ahead with the agreement of the relevant land routes linking Europe with what was Beltonenergo for the construction of a port ed 82 Iranian citizens and 63 Canadians, international organizations, but without to become Russia. Twenty years ago, fol- on the Dnipro and the development of asso- many of them of Iranian origin. The shoot- spectators. The government also banned lowing the collapse of the , the ciated waterways. In December, Ukrainian ing occurred with Iran’s air-defense forces until June 1 the export of masks and other European Union called for developing this and Belarusian officials signed a broader on high alert following an Iranian ballistic- gear to ensure there are no shortages of older route to handle modern barge traffic agreement about the E-40 project. And at missile attack a few hours earlier on U.S. protective equipment. The statement did via Ukraine, Belarus and Poland. that time, they, along with Poland, began to forces in Iraq. The strikes came days after not say when the measures would come Those plans were celebrated in stamps search for the $20 billion in investments Iran’s most prominent military commander, jointly issued by Ukraine and Estonia in that will be needed to complete the entire into force. The coronavirus outbreak has Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. drone 2003; but to date, relatively little progress route (TASS, September 14, 2019). infected more than 117,000 people globally strike outside Baghdad. Iranian officials has followed. Now, these plans finally While that sum and the technical prob- and killed over 4,200. Ukraine’s only con- have for two months refused to hand over appear to be taking off, which could dra- lems of building canals in Belarus remain firmed coronavirus patient is a resident of the recording devices for deciphering. matically change the economies of Belarus daunting, enough progress has been made the southwestern region of Chernivtsi who (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Reuters) had recently traveled to Italy. Earlier in the and Ukraine, linking them more closely in the past four months that in mid-Febru- 298 empty chairs recall MH17 victims with Europe and thus giving them a greater ary 13 Russian analyst Aleksey Chichkin day, Kyiv Mayor announced chance to escape from under Russian domi- admitted the program was now going for- that schools and universities in the Relatives of victims of Malaysia Airlines nance. ward. He nonetheless suggested there were Ukrainian capital would be closed until the Flight 17 (MH17) have set up 298 empty The EU christened the revived Ukraine– serious obstacles ahead given that some in end of March, as part of “preventive mea- chairs in front of the Russian Embassy in Belarus–Poland water route the “E-40 Ukraine and the EU remain skeptical about sures” against the spread of the novel coro- the Netherlands to protest the Kremlin’s Project” and designated it part of its Minsk’s ultimate orientation and are hesi- navirus. In a video message posted on his continued refusal to admit its role in shoot- program. Once com- tant to put money into a project until Facebook page, Mr. Klitschko said mass ing down the passenger airliner in July pleted, it would extend 2,000 kilometers Belarus’s crucial participation can be guar- events such as concerts and conferences 2014. The March 8 protest in The Hague via the Dnipro and Prypiat rivers, the anteed (Ritmeurasia.org, February 13, would also be restricted in the city from was staged a day before the trial began in Dnipro-Bug canal, further along the west- 2020). March 12, while cinemas and entertain- the Netherlands against three Russian citi- ern Bug to the Vistula, and northward to The E-40 will involve linking together ment areas in shopping malls would zens and a Ukrainian militant who are Polish ports on the Baltic. Once completed, currently navigable rivers and canals by remain closed. Public transport will contin- charged with murdering all 298 passengers this corridor could carry 5 million to 7 mil- mostly deepening existing waterways and ue to operate as usual, he said. “Even and crew members aboard the ill-fated lion tons of goods westward each year, not building some new ones. The largest part of though not a single case of the coronavirus flight. “This is for me a very beautiful sym- only bypassing Russia but cementing this must still be done on Belarusian terri- has been registered in Kyiv, we have decid- bol for 298 people who perished,” said pro- Belarus and Ukraine more firmly into the tory. Many are enthusiastic about the possi- ed not to wait and protect the residents of tester Piet Ploeg, whose older brother Alex West. Indeed, both when it was originally bilities such a water route will play in a the city,” the mayor said. On March 10, Mr. was killed when a Russian antiaircraft mis- pushed in the early 2000s and now, it region of some 100 million people. But oth- Klitschko announced that Kyiv had received sile struck MH17 in July 2014 while it was appears this riverine transit route’s geopo- ers worry about an issue likely to be raised rapid test kits for the virus. “Right now, flying from the Netherlands to Malaysia. litical impact has been viewed by all parties forcefully in the future, especially by oppo- there are 1,200 [kits], by the end of the “They are gone. My brother never returned,” as of even greater importance than its geo- nents of the plan in the Russian Federation. week we’ll have 5,000. The test kits will be Mr. Ploeg said. “The idea of the action is to economic one. Namely, because of the 1986 Chornobyl distributed to seven designated hospitals make perfectly clear to the Russian state Russian opposition, economic uncertain- accident, many of the areas along the that will accept patients suspected of being that they have to cooperate with the investi- ties and questions about Belarus’s political planned route were and remain contami- ill with the coronavirus,” he wrote on gation.” The Kremlin has repeatedly denied orientation had kept the project from mak- nated by nuclear fallout. The new water- Facebook. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, any involvement in the MH17 tragedy – ing much progress until last fall, when with reporting by Reuters and AFP) despite dossiers of evidence collected by a Minsk appeared to make a choice to turn (Continued on page 5) Iran agrees to hand over black boxes Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and the Britain-based Bellingcat open-source The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization investigative group. The independent inves- has agreed to send the flight recorders from EU may direct funds for Eastern Partnership a downed Ukrainian passenger plane to (Continued on page 14) to reducing energy dependence on Russia he krainian eekly FOUNDED 1933 BRUSSELS – The European Union plans particular attention to the area of public T U W to better tie financial assistance to the six procurement.” An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., nations of its Eastern Partnership program Graft has historically been a major prob- a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. to improvements in their rule of law and lem in the Eastern Partnership member Yearly subscription rate: $90; for UNA members — $80. may increase funding for alternative energy states due to weak public institutions, Periodicals postage paid at Caldwell, NJ 07006 and additional mailing offices. to wean them off Russian fossil fuels. including a truly independent judiciary, (ISSN — 0273-9348) In a leaked draft of its joint communica- free press and civil society. Many of the tion about the future of the Eastern states rank low in Transparency The Weekly: UNA: Partnership seen by RFE/RL, Brussels also International’s Corruption Perception Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 said it wants to step up the fight against Index. economic crime in the six countries, includ- The 18-page paper, which is likely to be Postmaster, send address changes to: ing the recovery of stolen assets. presented by the European Commission The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas Created in 2009, the EU’s Eastern next week, is titled “Reinforcing Resilience P.O. Box 280 Partnership aims to bring the former Soviet – An Eastern Partnership that Delivers for Parsippany, NJ 07054 e-mail: [email protected] states of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, All” and follows months of consultations Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine closer to the among EU member states and the six coun- The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com bloc through help with reforms, without tries about the future of the Eastern offering those nations guarantees that they Partnership. The Ukrainian Weekly, March 15, 2020, No. 11, Vol. LXXXVIII could one day join. The paper will form the basis of discus- Copyright © 2020 The Ukrainian Weekly “It is important for the Eastern partners sion when EU and the Eastern Partnership to put in place robust asset recovery frame- leaders meet for their next summit in works, including by setting up functioning Brussels, tentatively scheduled for June 18. asset recovery offices that are in a position The leaders will discuss launching new visa ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA to trace and identify criminal wealth,” the liberalization talks with Armenia, Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 draft said. Azerbaijan and Belarus, whose citizens still and advertising manager fax: (973) 644-9510 e-mail: [email protected] Furthermore, it said the EU will support require visas to travel to the EU. a legal framework in the six states “with a Subscription Department (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 e-mail: [email protected] focus on high-level corruption, and will pay (Continued on page 9) No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 3

NEWS ANALYSIS Russian ‘bot farms’: Th e new-old challenge to Ukraine’s national security

by Alla Hurska SBU, these broken-up bot farms had active- led to numerous network failures and infor- than 20 communication devices used for Eurasia Daily Monitor ly worked on behalf of Russia and the ille- mation leaks around the world. In addition, espionage, photo and video recording gal military leadership of the LPR and DPR the companies whose servers were used by equipment that had captured sensitive On February 17, the Security Service of (Pravda.com.ua, February 17). hackers – 33 in Ukraine alone – bore repu- information about protective structural Ukraine (known by the Ukrainian acronym During searches in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, tational risks, as their IP addresses continu- engineering projects of the Ukrainian SBU) disrupted the activity of a network of Dubno ( region) and Irpen (Kyiv ally ended up on various web security Armed Forces, other military information, “bot farms” – an extensive, organized effort region), the SBU found and seized comput- blacklists (kp.ua, April 8, 2016). as well as nearly 20 Ukrainian and Russian to create “fake” (automated) social media ers, special equipment and telecommunica- In March 2019, the SBU uncovered SIM cards (ssu.gov.ua, March 12, 2019). The accounts, which was found to be active tions hardware (GSM-modems and gate- another bot farm, “Sapphire.” According to detained individuals face charges of assist- across multiple regions of Ukraine. ways), and more than 22,000 SIM cards of Serhiy Levchenko, the head of the SBU’s ing terrorism, collecting and transferring According to the SBU, the technical equip- different Ukrainian mobile operators. military counterintelligence arm, this spe- information about the Ukrainian Armed ment used by the operators of these bot Based on the results of the preliminary cial information warfare unit was set up by Forces, and conducting special information farms was supported by Russian online investigation, the SBU does not rule out the Russian GRU (military intelligence) in operations (Lb.ua, March 12, 2019). services. The SBU’s investigation showed On December 4, 2019, an SBU raid in that the network had registered more than Kyiv seized equipment used for the cre- 8,000 active fake accounts on different pop- So-called bot farms, particularly ones ation and maintenance of bot farms. The ular social media platforms. linked group of individuals had been orga- The main purpose of those bot accounts coordinated by the GRU and other nizing a mass registration and further pro- included, among other elements, spreading motion of fake accounts on popular social false information about the situation in Russian state institutions, pose a serious media sites on behalf of both Russia and Ukraine, instigating street protests and sub- security challenge to Ukraine. the DPR. Their bot farm additionally man- verting popular sentiments. The bots’ aged SIM cards (including of foreign destructive activities specifically included mobile operators), virtual mobile phones, dispatching fake bomb threats to critical text message campaigns, etc. (Dt.ua, infrastructure objects and installations in that the Russian intelligence services might Luhansk. The Sapphire bot farm was December 4). Ukraine; attacking the online accounts of have been directly involved in organizing staffed by 15 members of the LPR “people’s Yet another bot farm was blocked in Kyiv top Ukrainian politicians with disinforma- and running the uncovered bot farms (ssu. militia” and managed by Ukrainian national on January 30. This group was also orga- gov.ua, February 17). tion; as well as operating as points of sale Kateryna Vasylina. Apart from that, the nized by Russian citizens and internally This episode is by no means unique. On for firearms, explosive devices and drugs to GRU created an agent network that operat- displaced persons (IDP) from the occupied April 8, 2016, one of the largest bot net- anonymous users (ssu.gov.ua, February 17). ed in the territories controlled by the Donbas. They managed more than 500 works in the world was discovered in south- The Internet registration of these Ukrainian authorities. active accounts. The ultimate goal of the ern Ukraine. Ukrainian Cyber Police (work- accounts was evidently made via Russian Sapphire’s main tasks consisted of pre- network was to reduce public confidence in ing together with private digital security online services that provide a user with a paring and conducting anti-Ukrainian governmental institutions by spreading firms ESET and Cys Centrum, and the virtual mobile (cellular) number – which is information campaigns, carrying out infor- false and overtly exaggerated information German computer emergency response generally required for identification pur- mational-psychological operations, collect- online about the economic and social situa- team CERT-Bund) located a server in poses to create an account on many social ing information about Ukrainian top offi- tion in Ukraine. The bot farm additionally Ukraine that managed a large botnet and media platforms. Moreover, some of the cials and the Armed Forces, as well as gath- disseminated false messages about bomb was administrated from Russia. The botnet equipment that was uncovered by the SBU ering general intelligence. According to the threats. Furthermore, it enabled extraterri- in question made use of 4,000 servers investigators was used to illegally reroute SBU investigation, the bot farm generated torial registration of various anonymous belonging to private companies in 63 coun- mobile-phone traffic from two unlawfully around 12,000 fake stories of which, per- Telegram accounts, channels and commu- tries, including Ukraine. These servers had established telecommunications compa- haps, the most noteworthy was a piece of nities, which were then used for illegal been hacked with sophisticated malware, nies, Lugacom and Fenix, which operate out “news” alleging that the Ministry of sales of firearms, explosives and drugs (Dt. including the Mumblehard virus. Computer of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Defense of Ukraine had “suspended all ua, January 30). security experts from ESET and Cys Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s additional payments to Ukrainian service- Since early 2014, Russia has carried out Centrum found that the botnet’s activities republics” – DPR, LPR). According to the men.” Apart from that, their bots actively a number of hybrid/non-linear operations called for anti-government protests. The against Ukraine that rely heavily on an group’s activities increased significantly informational-psychological confrontation. ahead of Ukraine’s presidential election In this context, so-called bot farms, particu- campaign (ssu.gov.ua, March 12, 2019). larly ones coordinated by the GRU and Zelenskyy defends Cabinet shake-up, The network created 50 accounts and 130 other Russian state institutions, pose a seri- user groups (both nominally pro-Ukrainian ous security challenge to Ukraine. As the gives peace ultimatum to Russia and pro-separatist) on such popular social SBU contends, such information warfare media platforms as Facebook, Vkontakte represents a key weapon in Russia’s anti- RFE/RL garchs is Ihor Kolomoyskiy, who backed Mr. Zelenskyy in his previous career as a comic and Odnoklassniki (the latter two are par- Ukrainian operations armory thanks to its Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy TV actor, but is now embroiled in a fight ticularly popular in Russia). immediate negative impact as well as far- has defended a major shake-up of his cabi- with the government for control of a bank According to the Security Service of reaching potential consequences, whose net, which has rattled investors worried called PrivatBank. Ukraine, Sapphire’s main curator was effects may not be instantly ascertainable. that his government is backing away from Mr. Zelenskyy insisted that oligarchs had Russian officer Aleksandr Sazonov (pseud- major economic and structural reforms. no influence over his government. onym Pavel Bodrov). The SBU ended up The article above is reprinted from In an interview with Bloomberg pub- “They own 70-80 percent of assets in arresting four agents linked to the Russian Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from lished on March 7, Mr. Zelenskyy tried to this country,” he said. “Every manager in operation. In the suspects’ homes, its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, reassure outside observers, who have voiced Ukraine worked for one of them or is some- Ukrainian investigators discovered more www.jamestown.org. concern that he was returning to the murky how linked to one of them. And they hire governing practices of his predecessors. the best – we should understand that.” “We needed to react to the Cabinet’s In another interview also published FOR THe ReCORd effectiveness,” Mr. Zelenskyy was quoted as March 7, Mr. Zelenskyy said he was giving saying. Russia a one-year ultimatum to find peace He said this week’s shake-up, which in the war in eastern Ukraine. Trial of four suspects in MH17case resulted in Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcha- “The government can spend one year on U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. to establish accountability, in accordance ruk losing his job and being replaced by his the entire agreement. Then it should be Pompeo made the following statement on with U.N. Security Council Resolution deputy, Denys Shmyhal, was needed, since, implemented. Any longer is prohibited,” he March 8. 2166. he said, the existing cabinet wasn’t working was quoted as telling The Guardian news- This trial is a critical moment in the well. paper. The United States welcomes tomor- search for justice for the families and “When you’re making such deep chang- Mr. Zelenskyy was elected last April in a row’s commencement of the criminal friends of the 298 individuals who lost es in the country, you can’t fail. It’s not landslide election, largely on a mandate to trial in the Netherlands of four individu- their lives on July 17, 2014. about your personal ratings, it’s not that enact major reforms but also to end the als indicted for the downing of Malaysia We have the utmost confidence in the you can be kicked from power, it’s that conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has killed Airlines Flight MH17. As the trial begins, Dutch legal system to establish the truth Ukraine may not ever have a chance again more than 13,000 people since it erupted we recall the U.N. Security Council’s and to do justice in this case. We support to do this,” he said. in March 2014. demand that “those responsible… be held the ongoing investigatory work of the Some experts have worried that Mr. His popularity has waned in recent to account and that all states cooperate Joint Investigation Team comprised of the Zelenskyy is giving in to pressure from oli- months, as Ukrainians grow impatient with fully with efforts to establish accountabil- Netherlands, , , Malaysia garchs: the powerful, wealthy businessmen the pace of reforms. ity.” All of those indicted are members of and Ukraine. We again urge Russia to who control a large part of the economy The fighting in the east pits Ukrainian Russia-led forces in eastern Ukraine. We cease its continuing aggressive and desta- and have exerted outside influence. government troops against separatists sup- call upon all states to cooperate in efforts bilizing activities in Ukraine. One of the country’s most powerful oli- ported by Russia. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11 MP Yvan Baker elected to chair Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group

CUPFG Members of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, which is headed by MP Yvan Baker (center).

CUPFG forum for the exchange of ideas between Oleh Sentsov. deeply honored to having been elected and Canadian parliamentarians and their coun- The CUPFG co-hosts, with the Embassy entrusted to fulfill the role as chair of this OTTAWA – On March 9 on Parliament terparts in Ukraine, and to promote and of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Canadian association at this crucial time. Canada has Hill, Yvan Baker, member of Parliament for enhance the political, economic and cultur- Congress, the annual Holodomor stood at the forefront of international sup- Etobicoke Center, Ontario, was elected al relations between Canada and Ukraine. Commemoration, Vyshyvanka Day and port for Ukraine’s democratic, economic chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliame­ The CUPFG has hosted bilateral meet- Ukrainian Day on Parliament Hill. and defense reforms, as well as its sover- ntary Friendship Group (CUPFG) during ings and roundtables with Ukrainian politi- “Canada and Ukraine have a special and eignty and territorial integrity. I look for- its annual general meeting. The CUPFG is cal leaders such as President Volodymyr strategic bilateral relationship. This is ward to working with my colleagues on the one of Canada’s largest and most active Zelenskyy, President , based on the ties built between the 1.4 mil- CUPFG from all parties, in both the House parliamentary friendship groups, with Prime Minister , and lion Ukrainian Canadians and their ances- and the Senate, to continue to support over 100 members representing all politi- Chairman , tral homeland, and Ukraine’s position as Ukraine’s prosperity, sovereignty and terri- cal parties. as well as human rights activists such as the bulwark against Russian aggression torial integrity,” said Mr. Baker, who is a The purpose of the CUPFG is to provide a Mustafa Dzemilev, Hennadiy Afanasyev and and challenge to liberal democracies. I am member of the Liberal Party.

Will Ukraine... (Continued from page 1) Crimea. Formal non-recognition of the occupation will remain, but the sanctions will gradually be lifted,” Mr. Klimkin wrote on his Facebook page. “The status of Crimea will be equated with the status of the Baltic states in the USSR: the occupa- tion is not recognized, but everything else – please. This is the end of the fight for Crimea. It will not be a problem for Russia. For them, Crimea is a military base, and the people are mere appendages to it.” “The constant ‘trial balloons’ about sup- Ilya Tarasov/krymr.org Andriy Dubchak/RadioSvoboda.org plying water to Crimea is the desire to kill Crimean Tatar Mejlis Chairman . Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs . two birds with one stone: to please the Russian Federation for further normaliza- people from water that is supplied to mili- representative office, once again, respond- back to those who have not reconciled tion of relations and to use, to a great tary bases. This thesis was lost in the noise ing to the statements of individual officials, themselves to the occupation of Crimea and extent, the favorable attitude of many in the studio. The position remains officially declares the inadmissibility of remain faithful to the Ukrainian state,” Ukrainians toward the resumption of the unchanged: we would like to supply water water supplies to the temporarily occupied Mejlis Chairman Refat Chubarov said in a water supply to Crimea – those who do not to our citizens, but we cannot and do not territory of Crimea and Sevastopol until the statement. understand that the start of supplying have the technical ability to do so until the moment of their de-occupation,” the state- “It is unacceptable to attempt to cover up water is not the beginning of de-occupa- de-occupation of the peninsula and its ment read. “We emphasize that the supply such ‘initiatives’ by allegedly caring for tion, but its end,” Mr. Klimkin said. “And, return to Ukraine,” the prime minister of water to Crimea has been stopped since Ukrainian citizens living in Russian- finally, the occupier is responsible for the explained. the occupation began. Following interna- occupied Crimea. Any concessions to Russia occupied territory – this is clearly spelled Newly appointed Minister of Foreign tional law, the occupying state is responsi- on the part of Ukraine or its international out in international law. Our government is Affairs , who previously ble for ensuring the life of the population partners only exacerbate the Kremlin’s new, but international law remains the served as the deputy prime minister for on the occupied territory.” repressive policy towards Ukrainian citizens same,” the ex-minister underlined. European and -Atlantic integration, “Ukraine is obliged to protect the inter- living in temporarily occupied Crimea, first After hours of public discussion, Prime made his position clearly known on ests of its citizens, including those who are and foremost against the Crimean Tatar Minister Shmyhal spoke once again, slightly Facebook: “Ukraine is not considering forced to reside on temporarily occupied people,” Mr. Chubarov stressed. adjusting the position he had voiced earlier. resumption of the supply of Dnipro water territory,” the mission underscored. Before 2014, much of the water supplied One of the main points against Mr. to occupied Crimea. I want all speculation, “However, the supply of water from the to Crimea came from the Dnipro River via Shmyhal’s idea was that Ukraine shouldn’t suspicion and conjecture on this subject to controlled territory of Ukraine will reduce the North Crimean Canal, but with the supply Russian military bases with resourc- stop. Period.” the pressure on the occupying state. This beginning of the Russian occupation, es, and the newly appointed prime minister Opposition National Deputy Iryna will result in postponement of the de-occu- Ukraine blocked it. When Mr. Zelenskyy was reacted to that opinion. “We would like to Herashchenko, who is a member of the pation of the territory of Ukraine and the elected president, Permanent supply water to our citizens in Crimea, but Foreign Policy Committee in the Verkhovna continuation of repressions and persecu- Representative of Crimea under the we do not have the technical ability until Rada, reacted: “The government is a collec- tion of our citizens by the occupying President of the Russian Federation Georgi Crimea’s de-occupation,” he said. tive body, but is not yet aware of it. The Russian authorities.” Muradov said the peninsula’s Russian “The talk show program format is not prime minister wants to supply water to The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People authorities wanted to ask the Russian the best for discussing difficult issues – for citizens in Crimea, not to businesses, and also expressed opposition. “The scandalous Federation’s leadership to initiate negotia- example, the issue of water supply to he boldly told the Rada about it. Agree on statement of the newly elected Prime tions with Ukraine on the supply of water Crimea. Once again, I want to emphasize communication. Period.” Minister Denys Shmyhal about the possibil- from the Dnipro River. that the government is not forgetting about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not ity of supplying water through the “Water can be a weapon, and it can be an citizens on the territory of the temporarily commented on the differing signals sent by Northern Crimean Channel to temporarily instrument of surrender,” noted Ukraine’s occupied Ukrainian Crimea. We want them members of the new Cabinet of Ministers. occupied Crimea, voiced by him against the ex-Foreign Minister Klimkin. “All you have to feel that we care about them,” Mr. The Mission of the background of intensification in Crimea of ​ to do is make a choice. And to assist the Shmyhal wrote on his Facebook page. “In in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea repression and persecution of Crimean occupier on the territory he occupies, fact, for technical reasons, it is impossible released a statement reacting to the public Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians by the where he is fully responsible under inter- to separate water that is being supplied to discussion about the water supply. “The Russian invaders became a sneaky blow- national law, is capitulation.” No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 5

Plans for waterway... (Continued from page 2) Washingtonians honor Shevchenko ways could have the effect of spreading this contamination to a larger area. That appears to be a particular concern in with a gathering at his monument Poland, which so far has shown little interest in developing its own shipping industry to take advantage of the E-40 (Khersonline.net, February 17; iPress.ua, February 13). The Ukrainian government recently declared that it expects a breakthrough on financing of the E-40 at a meet- ing with the Poles, Belarusians, EU officials and German bankers later this spring. Moreover, Kyiv said it now has assurances that the Belarusian government is committed and believes that, with such commitment, the project will attract European support and go forward (Liga.net, February 13). And while many observers remain skeptical about the E-40, some Ukrainian ones are in a celebratory mood: Yaroslav Pylypchuk of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future argues that with this project’s completion, Ukraine will have in place the ability to be a major link between Scandinavia and India (UBR, February 12). But perhaps the clearest sign of progress is that Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure just announced it is shifting some of its funds away from highway construction – something that will not be popular with many Ukrainians – to river and canal development so that the country will be ready to play its part in the E-40 (Segodnya.ua, February 11). What must be remembered is that, for Ukraine and Poland, the parts of this project on their territories will play a major role in economic development, while for Belarus, the entire project will have to be completed to have any effect. Thus, the first two countries will see bene- fits within the coming months, while Belarus may not for WASHINGTON – The Washington area Ukrainian chorus Spiv-Zhyttya celebrated the anniversary of renowned several years. That difference could prevent the entire Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko’s birthday on March 9 in front of his memorial in the nation’s capital with the per- project from succeeding; but it is also why Minsk is clearly formance of a collection of songs honoring his poems. The rendition included “Oi Kryknuly Siri Husy,” “Dumy Moyi,” encouraged by what is happening in Ukraine and thus is “Reve ta Stohne Dnipr Shyrokyi,” “Utoptala Stezhechky” and “Biut Porohy.” The last two were composed by the Spiv- likely to push forward to restore a waterway that played Zhyttya chorus member Viktor Morozov. At the conclusion of the presentation, the choir requested that the audience such a key role in medieval Europe and could do so again join in with them and one of their chorus members — Laryssa Pastukhiv, who also plays the bandura — in the repeti- in the 21st century. tion of “Dumy Moyi” and “Reve ta Stohne.” The ceremony ended with everyone singing “Bozhe Velykyi, Yedynyi.” A few minutes later, the sun set and a full moon rose on the capital’s western and eastern horizons. Taras Shevchenko The article above is reprinted from Eurasia Daily Monitor was born March 9, 1814, in Moryntsi, a Ukrainian village then in the Russian Empire, and died on March 10, 1861, in with permission from its publisher, the Jamestown St. Petersburg. Foundation, www.jamestown.org. – Yaro Bihun

foreign policy advisor to former vice -presi- U.S.-Ukraine... dent and current presidential candidate Joe Biden. The senior director of the Penn (Continued from page 1) Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global the start of the day in welcoming the con- Engagement, Mr. Carpenter began his pre- ference attendees and assembled present- sentation by referencing the very recent ers. In his remarks, Rep. Harris highlighted change in Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers – a the “pressures being brought on Russia” by development that forced him to scrap most the United States, including lethal aid being of his prepared remarks. provided to Ukraine’s security forces and In discussing Ukraine’s progress in economic sanctions. Leading this support reforming its Defense-Industrial Complex, for Ukraine is the understanding by mem- Mr. Carpenter highlighted President bers of Congress that “Ukraine shares the Zelenskyy’s November 2019 appointment ideals of liberty and freedom with the United States,” and while the United States of Ukroboronprom as a recent positive Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) speaks. Luke Coffey of the Heritage Foundation realizes that Ukraine is an “important ally,” development.of Aivaras Abromavičius Overseeing as somedirector 130 general com- and Mike Carpenter of the Penn Biden Ukraine’s leadership has also made clear to panies and employing 80,000 employees ments unfortunately are remnants from the Center for Diplomacy and Global them that “the U.S. is their best ally in the who make products from tanks to planes to Soviet era, with the associated deteriora- Engagement. entire world,” Rep. Harris noted. tion that comes from age. The poor quality Analysis), Andriy Kohut (State Archives of Reflecting the bipartisan support of series of really deep and lasting reforms,” of such facilities isn’t a good enough return the Security Services of Ukraine) as well as Ukraine in Congress, Luke Coffey of the Mr.missiles, Carpenter Mr. Abromavičiuscommented. Some is “leading of facto a- on investment for Ukraine’s state funding, two former ambassadors: John Herbst, for- conservative Heritage Foundation chaired a ries on which Ukraine relies to build mili- and the new management team at mer U.S. ambassador to Uzbekistan and morning panel that featured remarks by a tary vehicles and supply them with arma- Ukroboronprom faces the daunting task of Ukraine, and Volodymyr Vasylenko, former making sure that’s Ukraine’s defense indus- try cuts down on economic losses such as ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain and these, the speaker added. Northern Ireland, the Benelux countries Viktor Yahun, from Ukraine’s Agency for and also the former representative of the Reform of the Security Sector, also par- Ukraine to the European Union and NATO. ticipated in this panel, which further The last panel discussion of the day com- touched on Ukraine’s NATO prospects dur- prised former ambassadors: William ing the question and discussion period. Courtney, former U.S. ambassador to Additional panels were chaired by Kazakhstan and Georgia, spoke alongside Herman Pirchner, the founding president of Alexander Vershbow, former U.S. ambassa- the American Foreign Policy Council dor to the Russian Federation, South Korea (AFPC); Stephen Blank, of the Foreign and NATO, as well as , Ukraine’s Policy Research Institute; Jonathan Katz of former ambassador to the United States. The German Marshall Fund of the United Attendees were able to attend the day- States; and Robert McConnell of the U.S.- long conference free of charge due to the Ukraine Foundation. generous contributions of the Self Reliance Noted panelists included Admiral Ihor New York Federal Credit Union, the Kabanenko (Ukrainian Naval Forces, ret.), Heritage Foundation of the First Security Ariel Cohen (Atlantic Council), Glen Federal Savings Bank, the SUMA Yonkers Andrij Dobriansky Howard (Jamestown Foundation), Janusz Federal Credit Union and the Toronto- Walter Zaryckyj addresses conference attendees. Bugajski (Center for European Policy based Buduchnist Credit Union. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

COMMENTARY The Ukrainian Weekly Who is behind the campaign MH17: The trial begins On March 9, the trial against four persons charged with murder in the down- to discredit Maidan and its victims? ing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (designated as MH17) began at the Hague. Dutch prosecutors say the three and one Ukrainian on trial (in absentia) by Halya Coynash try to discredit the Maidan, there is not nec- essarily full agreement as to who is behind had arranged for the Russian missile system that was used to shoot down MH17 Kharkiv Human Rights Protection it. In an article asserting that the drawn-out on July 17, 2014, over Ukraine’s Donbas region. The names of all 298 people Group investigation and impunity have enabled killed that day were read out by a prosecutor, and the presiding judge, Hendrik Two major media watchdogs have pub- Maidan opponents to raise their head, Steenhuis, said in his opening remarks, “Many people have long waited for this lished studies of a campaign under way in Krystyna Berdynskykh spoke with several day.” Ukraine to discredit the Revolution of analysts. Russia, as expected, continues to deny any involvement in the murders of the Dignity (the Euro-Maidan protests) and to Iryna Bekeshkina from the Democratic civilian aircraft’s passengers and crew. In fact, it has pushed all manner of propa- push a narrative on Russia’s invasion of Initiatives Foundation believes that Mr. ganda about alternate accounts of what happened on that fateful day. The Kharkiv Crimea and military aggression in the Yanukovych’s old Party of the Regions is Human Rights Protection Group notes: “Over the first two days after the disaster, Donbas which closely follows the Kremlin’s. attempting to avenge itself and make a Russian Internet trolls posted a record-breaking 65,000 tweets trying to blame The publications coincide with a comeback after the battle for Ukraine that Ukraine for the disaster.” The KHPG also reminds us that “Russia used its power of Hromadske journalist’s probe of three they lost in 2013-2014. Among the veto in the U.N. Security Council on July 29, 2014, to block an international tribu- Maidan cases that clearly disproves one of Ukrainians who gave their votes to Mr. nal into the downing of MH17.” Subsequently, the Joint Investigative Team was the underlying refrains, namely, the claim Zelenskyy and his formed by the Dutch with officials from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. that there is no evidence against suspected party in 2019 were many who would earli- The fact-checking site Stopfake.org on March 10 posted an analysis of the Berkut killers. er have voted for the Party of the Regions. Kremlin’s tactics to discredit the JIT and to sabotage any investigation (see Anastasia Stanko from Hromadske.ua The latter is now trying to reclaim its “elec- https://www.stopfake.org/en/occupy-the-information-space/). was merely citing the kind of evidence that torate,” she believes, with manipulation and On the second day of the proceedings in the Netherlands, Reuters reported: prosecutors from the former Special distortion of the Maidan as one of its meth- “The sum of all the facts casts a dark shadow over this investigation because there Investigations Departments have amassed ods. is strong indicative evidence that Russian government is keen to thwart the inves- over the last six years since the bloodiest Oleksiy Antypovych, head of the Rating tigation,” Prosecutor Thijs Berger told the hearing. He also focused on testimony days of Maidan. The automatic rifles almost public pollster points to the lack of a well- by witnesses who have not yet been named. “Several witnesses in this investiga- certainly used to gun down protesters dis- defined position on the Revolution of tion have said that they fear for their lives if their identities would come to light,” appeared from the base after February 20, Dignity on the Zelenskyy team. “Everybody he explained. 2014, and were later found in a lake, with feels a weakening of control. You can speak Reuters also reported that one witness, a Russian national who volunteered to the numbers on them rubbed off. There out in defense of ‘Anti-Maidan’ and you join the militants in the Donbas, had already been given protection. Dubbed M58, are, however, enough bullets, including won’t suffer any consequences,” he says. he told prosecutors that Russian military personnel and “separatists” at the scene those that inflicted fatal injuries, which can Ms. Bekeshkina believes that the same were “initially pleased,” thinking they had downed a military transport plane. be linked to specific rifles formally issued can be said of other events and processes, “However, when the first people returned from the crash site, they said it was a to specific Berkut officers, including two of with Mr. Zelenskyy’s team trying to please civilian aircraft,” Prosecutor Dedy Woei-a-Tsoi said. There are other such witness- the five men released in an exchange of everybody. With respect to the Maidan, es and plenty of evidence showing a direct link between Russia and the so-called prisoners on December 29, 2019 (Pavlo there are a number of national deputies rebels in the occupied Donbas that will be presented during the course of what is Abroskin, Serhiy Zinchenko). inside the Servant of the People party who expected to be a trial of several months’ duration. Oleksiy Donsky, one of the prosecutors were themselves against it. According to RFE/RL, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted on working on Maidan cases from the end of Although Mr. Portnov ostentatiously the day before the trial began that “justice will prevail and that those responsible 2014, reports that the Internal Affairs chose the eve of Mr. Zelenskyy’s inaugura- will be held accountable for the deaths of 298 innocent people.” Dutch Prime Ministry management also issued 156 tion to reappear in Ukraine, the key point is Minister Mark Rutte said on March 6 that the trial is “a very important step Kalashnikovs and 40,000 bullets to “titush- that the previous five years had probably toward uncovering the truth and seeking justice for the victims and their survi- ky,” or government-paid thugs, on February convinced him and others closely linked to vors.” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on March 7 that his govern- 20, 2014. Although the initial attempt to the Yanukovych regime that impunity could ment “remains steadfast in its commitment to pursuing justice and accountability issue them during the night appears to be expected. This, many analysts believe, is for MH17.” A statement from the Malaysian Foreign Affairs Ministry said the trial have failed, with the man organizing the the reason that he, Olena Lukash and many would be “a significant milestone” toward “finding justice” for those killed. thugs having said that they never signed up other people from Mr. Yanukovych’s team Clearly, there is much expectation in their words that the Dutch court will fulfill to killing people, they are known to have now feel that they can publicly “raise their its very important responsibilities in ensuring that justice is served. And there is been given out to the thugs later. Those head” again. There are plenty of media will- also the impassioned hope that the relatives of the deceased – who set up 298 weapons have never been recovered, mak- ing to provide them with a platform for empty chairs in front of Russia’s Embassy to the Netherlands as both a moving ing it impossible to identify whether titush- serious distortions of the facts regarding memorial to their families and as a pointed protest against Russia’s refusal to ky were involved in the deaths either of the events from November 2013 to cooperate in the investigation – will find some measure of closure. activists or of enforcement officers. February 2014, including those believed to Mr. Donsky pointed out that the case have links with , the over this criminal issue of lethal weapons contentious and rich Ukrainian national to thugs was handed to the court back in deputy with close ties to Russian President January 2016, but has never gotten beyond . Turning the pages back... the preparatory stage. He blames the The surge in disinformation and fakes March defense lawyers in this case, but in many about the Maidan since November 2019 others there has been obstruction from the has prompted both the Institute for Mass Fifty-five years ago, on March 14, 1965, 11-year-old pianist Internal Affairs Ministry, the Prosecutor Information (IMI) and Halyna Poptsova 15 Juliana Osinchuk earned the praise of The New York Times, with General’s Office, the Security Service of from Detector Media to carry out assess- its four-column caption “Pianist, 11, is summoned to the rescue Ukraine (SBU) or individual judges. Events ments of what both agreed are efforts to 1965 of a concert.” of the last six months, including some very discredit the Revolution of Dignity. While The article, dated March15, continued: “A surprise debut was suspect appointments and the release on such attempts are not new, the scale of this made by 11-year-old Juliana Osinchuk yesterday afternoon when December 29, 2019, of five former Berkut campaign is unprecedented. she was called to the stage during the Fontenbleau Alumni Association Concert at officers as part of the prisoner exchange, IMI names Mr. Portnov, Ms. Lukash and Carnegie Hall Recital Hall to substitute for her teacher, Jean Casadesus, the pianist, who have seriously eroded confidence that Mr. Medvedchuk as having been most was indisposed. Juliana was as surprised as anyone. But she turned in a fine performance there will ever be justice for the victims. active in a campaign to discredit both the of Beethoven’s Sonata [No. 5] in C minor (Op. 10, No. 1).” One of the people widely believed to Maidan and the slain activists – the The Times also noted Ms. Osinchuk’s Ukrainian heritage and how she studied at the have influence on highly contentious Nebesna Sotnia, or Heavenly Hundred. Fontenbleau School of Music in France the previous summer with Nadia Boulanger and appointments and investigations in the They were provided a platform by the web- Mr. Casadesus. Having studied piano since the age of four, she spent the previous five years State Bureau of Investigations (which has site Strana.ua and media associated with studying with Louise Talma. The upcoming summer, Ms. Osinchuk was to study at the taken over many Maidan cases) is Andriy Mr. Medvedchuk (ZIK, 112.ua and Fontenbleau School of Music with Ms. Boulanger and a master class with Arthur Portnov. He was deputy head of President NewsOne). Rubenstein. In the fall, she planned to continue her studies at the Paris Conservatory of ’s administration during There was serious manipulation, for Music as well as privately with Ms. Boulanger. the Maidan protests and only returned to example, over claims that the list of slain Ms. Osinchuk’s performance at Carnegie Hall was also broadcast on March 15 on WQXR Ukraine on the eve of President Volodymyr Maidan activists was half “falsified.” Ms. on several programs. She was in sixth grade at the time at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Zelenskyy’s inauguration. He is one of the Lukash and Mr. Portnov pretended to have School (now Saint George Academy) in New York. most active figures in the current campaign uncovered new information showing that This year, on March 15, Ms. Osinchuk was to perform a concert at The Ukrainian to discredit the Revolution of Dignity and to many of the names of victims should not be Museum in New York that was sponsored by the Ukrainian National Women’s League of at least suggest that its victims should be there. IMI points out that there was no sen- America. The event was canceled due to the coronavirus. treated as perpetrators. sation and that Yuri Butusov, chief editor of Source: “Juliana Osinchuk, 11-year-old pianist, to the rescue,” The Ukrainian Weekly, Although there is fairly widespread rec- March 20, 1965. ognition that a campaign is under way to (Continued on page 12) No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 7

AN EXAMINATION Ukraine’s new government: more oligarchic, more pro-Russian by Bohdan Ben for the whole Cabinet at once without any Press consideration of each particular candi- date’s merits. That was a formal approval of Hyphenated? From his first days in office, Ukrainian Mr. Zelenskyy’s will by the monopoly President Zelenskyy showed his disregard majority rather than real voting. “There is no such thing as a hyphenated East European affairs in the crucial 1980s. I for the rule of law by dissolving Parliament Third, how the Cabinet was formed and American who is a good American. The suspect he did more for Poland than if he and ignoring the law of lustration while by whom raises questions. In principle, the only man who is a good American is the had spent his time learning to speak Polish making appointments. However, events in prime minister should form his govern- man who is an American and nothing else.” or dance the “Krakowiak.” But others have Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada on March 4 ment and the Parliament should vote on his Thus spoke former President Theodore combined ethnic activism with profession- show a new level of the Parliament’s servi- proposals. In reality, nobody knows who Roosevelt, addressing the Knights of al success. tude to the president, having no will of its selected the ministers and how. Reportedly, Columbus at Carnegie Hall in New York City With or without the hyphen, being own, even when the law requires it. until the last moment, some candidates on Columbus Day 1915. “Ukrainian American” can be just a matter First, the very fact that Prime Minister were refusing offers of working in the new In Roosevelt’s time, the concern was of ancestry. Citing available statistics, Oleh ’s government was dis- government. Four positions are still vacant, political loyalty. Since ethnic identity Wolowyna, who simply uses the term solved is disturbing. Having made both those of the ministers of education, energy, became fashionable in the 1960s and “Ukrainians,” finds that there were about reforms and mistakes during its six months culture, and vice-prime minister for eco- 1970s, hyphenated Americans have been 700,000 such persons in the U.S. in 1980 of work, the government was definitely not nomic development. seen more as advocates for special inter- (defined as including those of mixed origin one of the worst. Among its most positive Ex-Minister of Education Hanna ests than as potential traitors. Nevertheless who list “Ukrainian” as their first or second sides was an attempt to reorganize some Novosad commented that she does not some, to remove any doubt, drop the ancestry). As of 2010, this had risen to over markets and state enterprises, continuing understand the reasons for the old govern- hyphen. Myron Kuropas’s pioneering 1991 931,000, and may now be approaching a reforms introduced by the previous gov- ment’s resignation. She also has questions monograph on our people in the United million (Oleh Wolowyna, “Atlas of ernment. Although some reforms, like the regarding the next prime minister’s States is titled “The Ukrainian Americans.” Ukrainians in the United States,” 2019). land market reform, were disputable in reforms agenda. Therefore, she declined to The Ukrainian National Association does This is obviously due to the Fourth Wavers, their details, and general economic indica- enter the new government. A similar com- likewise. “Ukrainian” is simply an adjective who have swollen our ranks since 1988. tors tended rather to fluctuate than to rise, ment was offered by ex-Minister of describing “Americans.” Even considering that some of them must the government at least had no obvious Economic Affairs , who Today, with a resurgent American nation- have joined the Russian-speaking Jewish links to oligarchs. rejected the proposal to work in the new alism endorsed by the president, the objec- diaspora, this would still lead one to expect Six months is not enough to fully evalu- government because of the new minister’s tion to hyphenation seems based on the that our community organizations would ate a government’s work. According to the unclear position regarding market reforms. need for socio-cultural cohesion in a frag- have grown over the past 40 years. law, the government has a one-year immu- mented nation. Some thinkers also stress “Tough proprietors” For any that have not, the obvious cul- nity from dismissal by the Parliament. If Mr. the psychological importance of being root- prit is “assimilation.” One aspect of assimi- Honcharuk wanted, he could start playing The characteristic of the new govern- ed in a particular place. Children of dis- lation is intermarriage. Close to half of all his own game and become a true politician ment as “tough proprietors” (“krepkikh placed persons whose jobs require frequent Ukrainian Americans are descendants of instead of performing Mr. Zelenskyy’s hoziaystevennikov” in Russian) by econo- moves may find this difficult to appreciate – “mixed marriages” (Wolowyna, 77). True, wishes. It wasn’t hard – the law was on his mist Serhiy Fursa has gone viral. The though we may also long for it. Others even in ethnically mixed families, Ukrainian side. He just had to say that the govern- expression refers both to the Soviet past of emphasize the value of a shared history, identity can be passed on from generation ment will continue working throughout the most ministers as well as their age. While which has forged a common American cul- to generation. Today, however, one cannot whole year to finish some reforms. Why he, the government of Mr. Honcharuk, who was ture and mentality. Conservative commenta- assume that this will happen. Three- instead, submitted his resignation to Mr. only 35, was the youngest in Ukraine’s his- tor R. R. Reno has pointed out that “America generation families under a single roof, Zelenskyy is perplexing. tory, the average age of the newcomers in is a community of memory and habit of which used to facilitate cultural transmis- Second, Parliament also proved it is not the next government is 51. Most of these mind.” (First Things, May 2017, p. 65). Can sion (especially when both parents were independent but rather a presidential newcomers are old faces who worked for one belong to two such communities with- working), are becoming rarer. Having chil- machine for voting. According to the law, runaway ex-President Viktor Yanukovych out succumbing to schizophrenia? Can one dren late in life increases their distance the government in Ukraine is appointed by or oligarchic companies. emulate both Kozaks and cowboys? from culture-bearing grandparents. the Parliament. This requires that all candi- For example, Prime Minister Denys Most of the speakers at a conference Besides, more Americans stay single. Those dates for ministerial positions be first inter- Shmyhal worked as a top manager in oli- held in New York last September 21 would who do marry tend to do so late, with few if viewed in parliamentary committees. Then, garch ’s electricity and have said yes. Marking the 125th anniver- any offspring. Community organizations voting should be conducted regarding each energy company DTEK. Some colleagues of sary of the organized Ukrainian American that presuppose the traditional Ukrainian candidate. This is a relatively long proce- former Prime Minister Honcharuk say that community, and specifically the UNA, the family may have to rethink their strategies. dure that requires several days at least. one of the reasons for his resignation was assembly was part of the Ukrainian At the same time, the logic of a liberal However, deputies were handed the list the prime minister’s replacement of man- Historical Encounters Series. It featured society gradually removes the authority of of the candidates just a few hours before agers in regional and central electricity panels on cultural, religious, academic and the family as well as of the community and the vote. Moreover, they did not conduct economic life. The presentations by repre- the parish. Children are no longer com- any discussion in the committees and voted (Continued on page 15) sentatives of organizations serving our pelled to cultivate their “roots.” How many youth (Plast, “SUM,” “Ridna Shkola”) were will voluntarily spend their Saturday morn- especially encouraging. We were left with a ings in Ukrainian school and their Sunday FOR THE RECORD sense of being not “hyphenated,” but uni- mornings in church? The one remaining fied. For as one speaker put it, being authority, the state, has no compelling inter- Ukrainian can be a way of being American. est in perpetuating hyphenated identities. In this respect, the U.S. is different from Whereas in the past, ethnic neighbor- UWC calls on Ukraine’s new government Europe, with its exclusive “blood and soil” hoods (“ghettoes”) reinforced Ukrainian identities. “Ukrainians,” said one speaker, identity, in recent decades Ukrainian to maintain trajectory of reform “are the best Americans.” Americans have migrated out of the old Is this what our immigrant forebears urban enclaves in the Northeast to the The Ukrainian World Congress issued the motivated justice or fails to fully implement expected? The chief aim of the first two South and West. More now live in the sub- following media release on March 6. necessary democratic and economic reforms. “waves” was a better life, and identity was urbs. This spells sparser settlement. “The Ukrainian World Congress is com- probably not a question for most. The politi- Whether the Internet can make up for the With the dismissal of the government of mitted to strengthening Ukraine as a suc- cal exiles of the Third Wave might have resulting atomization is an open question. Ukraine and the removal of the prosecutor cessful democratic European state. We resented the effectively genocidal nature of A virtual community is no substitute for general by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stand with the people of Ukraine as they their expulsion, for the realists knew that face-to-face fellowship. just half a year after taking office, the defend their territorial integrity and sover- their progeny would become American. Few Nevertheless, last year’s New York con- Ukrainian World Congress calls upon newly eignty amid Russia’s continued military, could have expected to return, and even ference was encouraging. Perhaps place appointed Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal political and economic aggression. It is vital after 1991, few did so. Those who have tried does not matter so much. Perhaps one can and his new government to maintain a pro- that both Ukraine’s elected and appointed to help Ukraine sometimes found that there, be physically in the U.S. but mentally and reform Euro-Atlantic trajectory. government leaders continue on a positive they were seen as clueless (and gullible) spiritually “in Ukraine.” Can a culture be UWC maintains that the interests of reform trajectory while upholding the rule Americans, while in America, they were not both local and global? Even the hyphen, Ukraine and its people remain paramount. of law, respecting human rights and avoid- always regarded as “real” Americans. after all, is a connector. Connection is, by its Trust in government, independence of the ing politically motivated justice,” stated Is hyphenation, then, an effective strate- very nature, relational. And relationality is judicial system and sanctity of democratic Paul Grod, UWC president. gy? A college classmate of mine, son of a the key to cultural and spiritual as well as institutions are key to Ukraine’s success. The UWC will be monitoring their Polish diplomat, embraced an unambigu- physical survival. Ukraine risks losing the support of interna- actions to ensure the rule of law is upheld ously American identity. He became a tional allies if its political leadership fails to and the Euro-Atlantic vector continues to National Security Council staff member in Andrew Sorokowski can be reached at uphold the rule of law, engages in politically make progress in Ukraine. the White House, advising the president on [email protected]. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11 No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 9

government,” said Mr. Bezan, who added Canadian... that the Trudeau government should also reinstate the supply of images from (Continued from page 1) Canada’s Radarsat-2 satellite that the down on January 8. Conservatives began in 2015 but which the “We always said from the beginning that Liberals terminated the following year. we want to bring closure, accountability, “Ukraine still needs the images for those transparency and justice – and this is the eyes on the ground to seek out what per- justice part,” said Mr. Champagne in a sonnel and materiel are coming across the March 6 teleconference from . “We border into the Donbas region,” he want to do everything we can to support explained. [Ukraine] because obviously this was a “And it’s more than just giving them Ukrainian airline flight, so we’re support- equipment. It’s about sending a message to ing Ukraine in their criminal investigation Putin and his proxies that the West stands of those that would be responsible.” shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, and He said that he and Ukraine’s new for- that by making Ukraine stronger, they are eign affairs minister, Dmytro Kuleba (who going to not only protect Ukraine’s sover- was appointed on March 4) agreed to “con- eignty against this Russian-influenced inva- tinue to push” UIA to provide compensa- sion, but they are also protecting democra- tion to the families of the victims of the ill- cy around the world by standing up to this fated Flight PS752. despotic regime under [Russian President] “From day one, I said that I would stand Vladimir Putin.” up for [the] families; that I would stand up Presidential Office of Ukraine Mr. Bezan added that the Ukrainian gov- ernment also needs support to rebuild the for accountability and stand up for com- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister François- pensation, and that’s part of this effort to Philippe Champagne. country’s navy. make sure that I’ll always push for things to When asked whether the issue of arms happen faster,” said the Canadian foreign thing the Ukrainian government “can do on provide Ukraine with military support. was raised in his meetings during his visit minister, who had hoped to meet in this, it will be, of course, done.” In a statement released on March 4, to Ukraine, Mr. Champagne referred during Ukraine with UIA President Yevhenii Mr. Shevchenko added that UIA also Deputy Conservative Leader Leona Alleslev, his callback with reporters to Canada that Dykhne but said that he expected to soon expects compensation from Iran, since it a former Liberal Member of Parliament Ukraine was added (in December 2017) to speak to the airline executive. lost nine crew members on Flight PS752. who also serves as her party’s shadow min- the Automatic Firearms Country Control Mr. Champagne, who also discussed the In a statement sent to The Ukrainian ister for foreign affairs, and James Bezan, List that enables Canadian companies and Ukraine International Airlines file in his Weekly, the airline said: “In all of our opera- the shadow minister for national defense, individuals to apply for a permit to export meeting with Ukrainian President tions and activities, the airline must comply repeated their call to Prime Minister certain restricted firearms, weapons and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 4, said that with international regulations. Therefore, Trudeau’s Liberal government to provide devices to Ukraine. it took between one to two years before we can’t comment on any issues related to lethal defensive weapons to the Ukrainian The issue of the Canadian government compensation was paid to families of the compensation until all legal procedures Armed Forces. equipping Ukraine with arms directly is victims of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 surrounding the incidents on PS752 is They said that despite the fact that about “something we’re always prepared to look (MH17) in which 298 passengers and crew completed. All parties will be indemnified $10 million ($7.4 million U.S.) worth of at as the situation warrants,” the foreign perished after a Russian surface-to-air mis- according to applicable legislation. arms, originally allocated to Kurdish affairs minister told The Ukrainian Weekly. sile shot the plane down over eastern However, as before, we declare no fault in Peshmerga fighters against the Islamic “But for now, the core of our mission has Ukraine on July 17, 2014. Three Russians, the actions of the airline.” State in northern Iraq, as The Ukrainian been training – helping the Ukrainian forc- including Igor Girkin, who served as At a March 4 news conference with Weekly has previously reported, “have es to strengthen their capacity, strengthen defense minister in the self-declared Ukraine’s Foreign Minister been sitting in warehouses unused for the the techniques and expertise they have – Donetsk people’s republic in Ukraine, and a (soon afterwards the foreign-affairs portfo- past three years, the Liberals have ignored complement what they have been doing so Ukrainian, Leonid Kharchenko, who held a lio was handed to Mr. Kuleba), Mr. repeated requests from Ukraine for addi- that they can be more NATO-operable, and senior position in a pro-Russian militia in Champagne called on Iran to provide access tional military support.” also have the level of professionalism that eastern Ukraine in 2014 – all fugitives – to the black box “without any further delay” The Conservatives said that “Trudeau’s will help them.” were charged with murder after a Dutch- and, as he said, “to allow for transparency so refusal to increase support to Ukraine in As for the arms, in storage in Montreal led Joint Investigation Team (JIT), involving that justice can be carried out.” their war against Russian aggression is just and Jordan, according to Mr. Bezan, Minister judicial authorities from four countries While Mr. Champagne was in Ukraine on another example of the prime minister’s Champagne declined to comment, but said that include Ukraine, issued warrants for March 4-6, he also participated in a confer- weak leadership on the international that after meeting with President Zelenskyy their arrest last year. Their trial began in ence call with foreign ministers from the stage.” and two Ukrainian foreign affairs ministers the Netherlands on March 9. member states of the International In an interview, Mr. Bezan, a Manitoba over 24 hours, as well as Col.-Gen. Ruslan On compensation for the downing of Coordination and Response Group, which MP of Ukrainian descent, said the Canadian Khomchak, chief of the general staff of the PS752, the Canadian foreign minister – a includes Canada, Ukraine, Afghanistan, the government’s refusal to donate military Armed Forces, and other senior Ukrainian lawyer by training – said that UIA’s insurer and , all of whom equipment to Ukraine is “unconscionable” military officials, they “reasserted their is responsible for paying the families and lost citizens in the plane crash. and highlighted that the last time Canada appreciation for the Canadian presence that the Canadian government “is not a “Should Iran not abide by its commit- gave Ukraine military equipment was here, the Canadian contribution when it party to that.” ments under the Convention on Interna­ under ’s Conservative gov- comes to military cooperation.” He explained that his role is “to make tional Civil Aviation,” the ministers “dis- ernment, when Mr. Bezan served as parlia- “But as always, we’re willing to discuss sure that everyone is focused on that so cussed in detail the options available to mentary secretary to then-Defense and assess the type of assistance we can that it happens as quickly as possible,” them… to have the flight recorders down- Minister Rob Nicholson in 2015. provide. Because one thing that is clear to including providing advance payment to loaded and analyzed in a country with the However, the equipment was non-lethal us is that Ukraine is on the frontline of Flight PS752 victims’ families. capacity to do so, without delay,” according and consisted of military gear, including democracy – and I can assure you that In January, Canadian Prime Minister to a readout following their meeting. tactical communications systems, explosive everyone I talked to in Ukraine not only Justin Trudeau announced that his govern- Minister Champagne told reporters in ordinance disposal equipment, tactical remarked, but appreciated, that Canada’s ment would provide families with $25,000 the March 6 teleconference that the black medical kits and night-vision goggles. been steadfast in speaking and spending (about $18,000 U.S.) to cover the cost of box would be transferred to “a location in “All the Liberals have done at best is to for Ukraine when it comes to territorial funerals and travel. Europe” and said that an Iranian delegation maintain operations and support for integrity and sovereignty, and we will con- Of the 176 passengers and crew killed in was planning to visit Kyiv. Ukraine at the same tempo and levels that tinue to do that,” Mr. Champagne under- the crash, 55 were Canadian citizens and While in Ukraine, the foreign minister have previously been done by the Harper scored. 30 were permanent residents of Canada. announced more than $2 million (about Their families qualified to receive that $1.5 million U.S.) in Canadian funding over financial assistance from the Canadian gov- three years to help strengthen the capacity the countries be spent on green issues. The ernment, which as Prime Minister Trudeau of the National Police of Ukraine in plan- EU may direct... paper also pledges to help the six countries stressed at a January 17 news conference ning, implementing, monitoring and to increase energy efficiency as well as (Continued from page 2) in Ottawa, is in addition to the expectation reviewing reform processes, according to energy security by diversifying away from that Iran will “compensate these families.” Global Affairs Canada. The Eastern Partnership has faced ques- fossil fuels. During his call from Kyiv, Minister Mr. Champagne also visited the 200 tions about its purpose as countries such as Russia is the dominant supplier of oil Champagne explained that UIA’s compen- deployed there Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which are and gas to most of the six states. sation is “statutory” under the Montreal with Operation UNIFIER at the Interna­ seeking to join the EU, question the rele- and Warsaw conventions that provide tional Peacekeeping and Security Center in vance of being lumped with Azerbaijan, Copyright 2020, RFE/RL Inc. Reprinted compensation for the victims of air disas- Yavoriv, Ukraine. That Canadian security- Armenia and Belarus, which have not with the permission of Radio Free Europe/ ters. force training initiative, which was directly expressed that interest. The paper Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine’s ambassa- launched in September 2015, is scheduled states there is no intent to break up the Washington DC 20036; www.rferl.org (see dor to Canada, told The Canadian Press that to end in March 2022. partnership group. https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-may-direct- the “carrier is committed to all the interna- But the Official Opposition Conserva­ A big emphasis at the summit will also more-funding-for-eastern-partnership- tional rules and applications that apply to tives back home in Canada hoped the for- be put on environmental issues. Paris has nations-to-reducing-russian-energy-depen- such situations.” He said that if there is any- eign minister would have done more to suggested that 50 percent of all funding to dence/30480325.html). 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11 No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 11

Artist Yulia Gasio speaks at the opening ceremony of the “Art and War” exhibition at Fresno State’s Henry Madden “Donbas, 2014 – Present” triptych by Yulia Gasio (spring 2019, paper, craft paper, charcoal, ink on the panel, Library on February 6. 6 x 12 feet). “Art and War” exhibition at Fresno State sheds light on Russia’s war against Ukraine

by Victoria Malko Enigma of the Donbas,” emphasizing that the Donbas is a peculiar place where no FRESNO, Calif. – “Art and War: Donbas, ideology – liberalism, communism or 2014 to the Present,” an exhibition of paint- nationalism – has truly captured the hearts ings and drawings by Yulia Gasio, a Fresno and minds of its population. An American State alumna and a faculty member at historian of Japanese origin, Dr. Kuromiya is California State University, Long Beach, a specialist on Ukrainian and Soviet history opened at the Henry Madden Library’s and the author of “Freedom and Terror in Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery on February the Donbas: A Ukrainian-Russian 6. The opening ceremony attracted faculty Borderland, 1870s–1990s” (Cambridge and students from California State University Press, 1998). The speaker chal- University, Fresno, as well as from Fresno lenged the stereotype about the Donbas as Pacific University and Fresno City College, a stronghold of Russian , argu- historians, artists, journalists, board mem- ing that, in fact, the Donbas was and is a bers from the Fresno Art Museum, repre- supremely Ukrainian land. The war, he sentatives from the Fresno community and underscored, was transplanted from out- Ukrainian organizations from southern side. California. Organizers with guest speakers and guests (from left): Olia Starow, Dr. Victoria The artist, Yulia Gasio, a native of Malko, Dr. Hiroaki Kuromiya, artist Yulia Gasio, the Rev. Dr. Gregory Zubacz, Luda The Rev. Dr. Gregory Zubacz of St. Wussek and George Wyhinny after the opening ceremony of the “Art and War” exhi- Luhansk, shared her family’s story. The art- Michael’s Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church bition at Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library. ist’s self-perception as a citizen of Ukraine in Fresno and associate provost at Fresno and America was thrown into relief in Pacific University invited the audience to Heavenly Hundred who defended the Euro- In a more subdued tone, Prof. Hiroaki 2014, when Russia unleashed unprovoked bow heads in a minute of silence and pray Maidan and to honor soldiers and volun- Kuromiya of Indiana University, Bloomington, for the souls of over 10,000 slain in the bru- teers fighting in the Donbas on the frontline spoke about “How to Understand the (Continued on page 18) tal and senseless conflict in eastern of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Ukraine. He blessed all guest speakers to Mr. Wyhinny, who also served as narrator, courageously spread the truth about the raised rhetorical questions: “What if the rest largest land war in Europe since World War of the world does not hear Ukraine’s cries? II so that the listeners may see the reality What if the world forgets about her, while around them and work for the restoration Ukraine is slowly wiped out as Russia claims of peace and justice. it bit by bit until she exists no more, and her In a dramatic performance, George sons are dying in foreign land because the Wyhinny sang a cappella the mournful song land that was theirs is now gone?” “Plyve Kacha,” interspersing the lines in “Yet, Ukraine continues to fight for free- Ukrainian with stanzas in English transla- dom, to fight to be heard; but often her cries tion against a video footage of the carnage fall on deaf ears as countries turn a blind eye in February 2014 during the Revolution of to murder, focusing on other political events. Dignity. Since then, the song from the But Ukraine continues to protest, continues Lemko region has become an unofficial to fight, and continues to deal with the requiem to commemorate the slain trauma she has witnessed,” he noted.

Yulia Gasio, artist of the “Art and War” exhibition, with her art history professor, Dr. Laura Meyer of Fresno State, at the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery. 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

“Songs from Ancient Ukraine” presented at Ukrainian Institute

by Ihor Slabicky ensemble leader, Mr. Kytasty has had an enduring impact on bandura not only in NEW YORK – The mid-season concert of North America and Ukraine, but world- the “Music at the Institute” (MATI) series at wide. His extensive discography includes the Ukrainian Institute of America featured the solo bandura recordings “Black Sea Julian Kytasty and Roman Turovsky per- Winds” and “Songs of Truth” that present forming “Songs From Ancient Ukraine.” traditional kobzar music and contemporary Presented on Saturday, February 1, the improvisations on “Nights in Banduristan.” evening featured religious and secular He has issued collaborative recordings of musical selections from three periods: the albums with Alexis Kochan, Michael Alpert Baroque, the transitional or parallel period, and Derek Bailey, his own groundbreaking and the kobzar, lirnyk and romanticist peri- “Experimental Bandura Trio” and the od of the 18th-19th centuries. recent electro-acoustic project “Disturbance The ambiance for the evening was set by Fields” with Kyiv composer Alla Roman Turovsky playing “Prelude,” a piece Zagaykevych. He works frequently as musi- from the Baroque period by Dmytro cal director with Yara Arts Group, creating Tuptalo which he had set for playing on his and performing music for theater pieces, torban. poetry performances and festivals. His That was followed by three kanty – work on Yara’s “1917-2017 Tychyna, songs usually of religious nature with Zhadan & the Dogs” earned him a New York moral content – from the late 17th century: Innovative Theater Award for best original “Jesus My Inspiration” (Tuptalo), “The score. He has also created music for film Betrayed Lover’s Song” and “Beset by and for modern dance performances. Enemies” (Trutovsky). These were sung by Mr. Turovsky has appeared as a lute solo- Julian Kytasty, his voice in mellifluous form, ist and continuo player in the Early Music and accompanied by Mr. Turovsky on the line-up of Mr. Kytasty’s New York Bandura torban. The final piece from this period was Ihor Slabicky Ensemble and Radio Banduristan. He is a the “Epitaphion (On the Death of Tuptalo)” Julian Kytasty and Roman Turovsky perform “Songs From Ancient Ukraine” on recipient of the 2008 New York State by Stefan Yavorskyj. February 1 at the Ukrainian Institute of America. Council on the Arts grant. As a composer, Taking up his bandura, and with Mr. Mr. Turovsky concentrates on the instru- Turovsky on the torban, Mr. Kytasty contin- (Hryhory Skovoroda); “Daszkiewicz” Mr. Kytasty played a bandura made by mental idiom of the Baroque lute and the ued on vocals as the duo performed songs (Tymosz Padura); “Sinner at the Gates of Yosyp Snizhniy that was later modified by torban, as well as viola da gamba and caril- from the transitional period: “The Flood Heaven,” a traditional kobzar song herald- Antin Chorniy. The exact origin of this lon. He has composed over 1,100 instru- (Potop)” a traditional kobzar song; an 18th ing back to the moral lessons of the kanty; a unique instrument is shrouded in bandura mental and vocal works influenced by his century dance tune “Bandurka” (collected traditional kobzar “tanets,” “A Tree on the history: it may have been made in the Ukrainian heritage and the Baroque period. by Trutovsky) about a Kozak wooing a Hill” (Skovoroda); and “Handzia z Samara” 1930s by Snizhniy when he was in Many of these have been premiered by Luca woman who plays a bandura, with plenty of (Tymosz Padura). Manchuria and then Shanghai and brought Pianca at international festivals in Spain, double meanings and innuendos in the lyr- The evening ended with a Q and A ses- with him to , or, Snizhniy may Portugal, Germany, , Italy and ics; and an “Interlude” set by Mr. Turovsky. sion with Messrs. Kytasty and Turovsky. Of have made it in the early 1960s in France; by Roland Ferrandi in Corsica; by The musical interplay on “Bandurka” was interest were several questions about the Argentina. With the modifications by Simon Paulus in Germany; and by Jindrich particularly inspired, with Mr. Turovsky instruments that each played. Chorniy, the resulting instrument is a tran- Macek in the and Croatia. soloing on torban while Mr. Kytasty sang, The torban, a lute, played by Mr. sitionary one that places it between a His compositions appear on recordings by and then his torban providing a solid foun- Turovsky is a contemporary made instru- kobza and a concert bandura – it has more Massimo Marchese, Christopher Wilke, dation when Mr. Kytasty soloed on bandura ment that is a replica of an instrument from strings than the kobza, but fewer strings Daniel Shoskes, Angelo Barricelli and between lyrics. 1765. It is a fretted multi-stringed instru- and no chromatics as are seen on a concert Thomas Schall, among others. From the kobzar, lirnyk, and romantic ment with a unique feature of stacked tun- bandura. Its bright sound gave an authentic The MATI series continues with two period of the 18th and 19th centuries, the ing heads. Listening to Mr. Turovsky play- musical feeling to the material presented more concerts in the spring. Details for duo performed: “Bird in the Garden” (col- ing, one was awe-struck by the euphonious that evening. those are on the UIA website at http:// lected by Trutovsky); “Zhovta Ptashka” tones the torban produced. As a performer, teacher, composer and ukrainianinstitute.org/events/list/

under way over these deaths. Kremlin-loyal Yanukovych team on “insur- war in the Donbas – between supporters Who is behind... It is, however, true that a law was passed gents.” and opponents of the new Kyiv regime immediately after Mr. Yanukovych’s flight Hearkening to the idea of the Overton Moscow supported the latter [i.e. the oppo- (Continued from page 6) guaranteeing immunity to Maidan activists. window, or window of dialogue, being the nents], providing them with weapons and Censor.net, had reported back in March Many activists had been imprisoned, or range of policies and ideas that will be military experts.” 2018 that the correct number of heroes of otherwise prosecuted on fabricated charg- viewed as acceptable to the mainstream There is no mention of armed Russian the Nebesna Sotnia was likely 86, and not es, so the move had seemed justified; how- population at any given time, Ms. Poptsova soldiers without insignia, armed Russian 107. ever, this question is undoubtedly conten- suggests that Mr. Portnov and the people he paramilitaries, major military offensives at If Mr. Butusov’s aim had clearly been to tious and the acting director of the state calls his team have set about changing that Debaltseve and Ilovaisk, etc. Russia just uphold justice and truth, and honor only bureau of investigations has suggested that range inside Ukraine. Such a change would “helped” opponents of the Maidan. Ms. those who genuinely perished on the she thinks the amnesty law should be lead to “executioners becoming victims, Poptsova provides many examples of such Maidan, the Portnov/Lukash alleged “reve- revoked. heroes – killers and victory – betrayal.” narratives, as well as of the manipulation of lations” were aimed solely at trying to dis- It is when it comes to the supposed The pro-Russian segment of Ukrainian sociological data, etc., used to distort the credit Maidan. “consequences of the Maidan” that all the media have, she says, been actively circu- real level of support for the Maidan in The same material also tries to claim above-mentioned media closely echo the lating disinformation about the Maidan Ukraine, not to mention the facts about lack of any proof that Berkut officers were line taken by Russian state-funded propa- aimed at supporting the Kremlin’s narra- Russia’s aggression. involved in the gunning down of activists, ganda. The message they all push is that tive. The aim is to free the Yanukovych While Strana.ua has long been recog- although there is considerable proof. Their the Maidan was a “state coup” and that this regime from liability for the violence nized as a publication that promotes a pro- text, as well as others on Strana.ua, have “bloody path” was then thoughtlessly against protesters, and Russia from liability Russian and/or anti-Ukrainian slant on just pushed the claims that there was a group transferred to the Donbas, with the conflict for the war and occupation of Crimea by about everything, ZIK was, until June 2019, around Maidan defender Volodymyr there labelled “a civil war.” discrediting the protests and calling for a publication that was not viewed as hav- Parasiuk that shot at protesters or that it Some of the other manipulative ploys repressive measures against them. ing a particular political agenda. Now it has was Maidan activists who first began shoot- cited in the IMI study – the use of an Ms. Poptsova dates this new campaign become the third media (after NewsOne ing. The texts tend to be extremely manipu- extremely selective choice of supposedly from November 21, 2019, with the article and 112.ua at the end of 2018) to be taken lative and claim that they are revealing “disillusioned experts” or activists, and the in question citing Mr. Portnov and pub- over by Taras Kozak, a person closely information that has been concealed claims about “Georgian snipers” on the lished on Ukraina.ru, a website that, like linked to Mr. Medvedchuk. The fact that because it doesn’t fit the preferred version. Maidan – have also been seen on Russian Strana.ua, can be expected to always echo 112.ua has a strong English-language page IMI also describes a campaign to get all propaganda sites. the Kremlin line on any events related to has probably meant that a lot of people enforcement officers amnestied, with the At the very beginning of her study, Ms. Ukraine. In a thoroughly toxic piece on read its website without due caution. same campaign also pushing the idea that Poptsova notes that “the objective of Strana.ua, for example, the authors claim How quickly any society’s “window of the killing of 13 enforcement officers dur- Kremlin propaganda is to distort the mem- that a “civil war” was launched by the dialogue” changes is not clear, but it is ing those final days is not being investigat- ory of the events and participants in the Maidan, and that it was anti-Maidan pro- probably dangerous to assume that a long ed. Maidan investigators have long stated Maidan. That will allow it to place liability tests after Mr. Yanukovych’s flight that period is needed in the case of unrelenting that there are criminal investigations for the crimes committed by Russia and the “ended with Crimea joining Russia and the disinformation. No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 13 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

large despite the issuance of international spokeswoman Maria Zakharova charged on and civil society. Minister Champagne also NEWSBRIEFS warrants for their arrest. The suspects all March 6 that an “unprecedented” media visited Canadian Armed Forces personnel held senior positions with Russia-backed campaign in the run-up to the trial was deployed on Operation UNIFIER, Canada’s (Continued from page 2) militia formations that have been fighting “accusatory toward Russia… and its citi- military training mission in Ukraine, at the tigators determined that MH17 was shot Ukrainian government forces in eastern zens.” The trial is expected to last through International Peacekeeping and Security down over separatist-controlled territory in Ukraine since the spring of 2014. Mr. Girkin most of 2020. (RFE/RL, with reporting by Center in Yavoriv, Ukraine. “It is crucial that eastern Ukraine by a Russian anti-aircraft had been the so-called defense minister of AP, Reuters, DPA, AFP and CNN) Minister Champagne was able to see first- missile that was sent to help the Moscow- hand the complex reform challenges which a Russia-backed Donetsk people’s republic. Rada votes no confidence in prosecutor backed separatists fight Ukrainian govern- The other suspects were members of the Ukraine faces and hear the perspectives of ment forces. The victims included 193 formation’s military intelligence unit. The Ukrainian Parliament has passed a Ukrainian civil society leaders,” said UCC Dutch citizens, 43 Malaysians, and 38 Despite evidence that Russia’s military was no-confidence vote in Prosecutor General National President Alexandra Chyczij. “At a Australians. Russia has been held politically directly involved in shooting down MH17 Ruslan Ryaboshapka, the latest move in a time when the Ukrainian people face responsible by the Netherlands and with a missile fired from separatist-con- reshuffle that saw the prime minister and increasing political and economic instabili- Australia. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by trolled territory in eastern Ukraine, the most of his government ousted. At an ty, and Russia continues to escalate its war Reuters, AP, AFP and DPA) Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involve- extraordinary session on March 5, 263 on Ukraine, it is vitally important that ment. Mr. Pulatov, the only suspect whose members of the Verkhovna Rada backed Ukraine’s Western allies continue to sup- MH17 trial opens in the Netherlands defense attorneys were present at the trial, the no-confidence resolution against Mr. port the Ukrainian people. The UCC The trial of three Russians and a denied his guilt, his lawyer, Sabine ten Ryaboshapka, who had been holding the applauds Canada’s leadership role in the Ukrainian citizen over the July 2014 down- Doesschate, said on March 9. According to position of prosecutor-general since August international community’s support for ing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in sepa- the lawyer, her client decided to defend last year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Ukraine.” Servant of the People party has proposed ratist-controlled eastern Ukraine has himself because he insists he bears no Two killed, eight wounded in east opened in the Netherlands on March 9. The responsibility for the MH17 crash and all one of their lawmakers, Serhiy Ionushas, as defendants were not present in the dock of its consequences. The other three suspects Mr. Ryaboshapka’s replacement. The vote Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and the high-security court located near weren’t represented in the courtroom. in parliament came a day after lawmakers eight wounded from projectile fire on Schiphol Airport from where the doomed Dutch-led investigators who probed the accepted the resignation of Prime Minister March 10 in the eastern part of the country flight took off, but judges ruled that the incident for several years have charged that Oleksiy Honcharuk, who had been in office where a war has raged since 2014 with hearing could continue in their absence. In the four suspects colluded to carry out the for six months, and backed Mr. Zelenskyy’s Russia-backed separatists. Ukraine’s mili- a somber moment, a prosecutor read out attack, although they did not actually shoot choice for his successor, Deputy Prime tary said that an anti-tank missile struck a the names of each of the 298 passengers down the airliner. The JIT also concluded in Minister Denys Shmyhal. Public trust in military truck near the town of Pisky in the and crew who were killed when MH17, fly- May 2018 that the Buk anti-aircraft system President Zelenskyy has slid from nearly Donetsk region. One soldier inside the ing to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down by a that shot down MH17 belonged to Russia’s 80 percent in September 2019 to around truck was killed immediately and another Russian-made antiaircraft missile. “Many 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. 50 percent last month, polling figures from died from his wounds later. Seven service people have long waited for this day,” Investigators said in 2019 that there was the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center show. members were wounded as well, the Joint Presiding Judge Hendrik Steenhuis said in “almost daily telephone contact” between (RFE/RL, with reporting by Reuters) Operations Forces reported in a daily brief- ing. Another soldier was wounded from opening remarks. The four men accused of the Donetsk separatists “and their contacts UCC welcomes additional support for Ukraine murder – Russian citizens Igor Girkin, in the Russian Federation using secure shelling at a different juncture of the front Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov, and phones provided by the Russian security The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) line the same day. Fifteen Ukrainian service Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko – remain at service.” Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry on March 11 said it welcomes the addition- members were killed in January-February al Canadian support to improve security in and more than 13,000 people have been Ukraine. Canada will provide $2.2 million killed between March 2014 and October over three years to the Police Assistance 31, 2019. The war in Ukraine has uprooted Project on Strategic Reform Capacities of more than 1.5 million people from their the National Police of Ukraine. The homes in the easternmost regions of announcement of the additional support Donetsk and Luhansk. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL Walter Honcharyk (973) 292-9800 x3040 was made by Minister of Foreign Affairs Service) or e-mail [email protected] François-Philippe Champagne during his Markiv appeal in Italy postponed recent visit to Ukraine. Minister SERVICES PROFESSIONALS Champagne stated, “Throughout my meet- An Italian appellate court in Milan has ings in , Ukraine and Poland, I had postponed a hearing in the case of the opportunity to discuss the close ties Ukrainian citizen Vitaliy Markiv, who is between Canada and these three countries challenging a 24-year sentence for his role and to underline our close collaboration – six years ago while serving in the Ukrainian particularly in support of regional security, National Guard that involved the deaths of trade and political cooperation – which is an Italian photojournalist and his Russian essential to upholding the rules-based interpreter. Lawyers for the defendant told international order, and promoting peace RFE/RL on March 8 that the court in the and stability for all.” UCC CEO Ihor Lombardy region had decided to hear the Michalchyshyn accompanied Minister case on March 31 due to government- Champagne on his visit to Ukraine, where meetings took place with political leaders (Continued on page 15) МАРІЯ ДРИЧ SERVICES Ліцензований Продавець Страхування Життя МАRІA DRICH Licensed Life Insurance Agent Ukrainian National Assn., Inc. 2200 Route 10, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Tel.: 973-292-9800 ext. 3035 e-mail: [email protected]

TRAVEL

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Sloviansk, a town in the Donetsk region Rome with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe the party and parliament. That is why NEWSBRIEFS that was held by Russian national Igor Conte. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) today, Holos has elected the best manager Girkin, a former colonel in the Federal from our team as the new [party] head.” (Continued from page 14) Vakarchuk steps down as Holos leader Security Service, and the forces he was The singer-turned-lawmaker said he will imposed measures that have banned public leading composed of other Russians and Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav continue building the political party with gatherings. The measures were introduced local militants. At the time, Mr. Markiv and Vakarchuk has said he is stepping down as the aim to win more seats in the next elec- on March 7 in much of the country’s north about 150 Ukrainian servicemen were sta- leader of Holos (Voice), the political party tion. “My mission is to continue bringing and have since been extended nationwide tioned atop the Karachun hill, surrounded that he founded last year, to concentrate on new, honest, professional people into poli- amid an outbreak of a new respiratory ill- by Mr. Girkin’s forces and approximately 2 using his star power to recruit new mem- tics. This mission of political providence is ness known as COVID-19 that has killed kilometers from where the group of jour- bers. Mr. Vakarchuk, who won a seat in the my format in Ukrainian politics,” Mr. 463 people and infected 9,172 in Italy. The nalists were located at a ceramic factory on Verkhovna Rada in July 2019, announced Vakarchuk said. Ms. Rudyk was elected to contagion became known near Italy’s finan- the edge of Sloviansk. Mr. Markiv, a native of the decision in a video posted to the party’s Parliament in the third spot on the party’s cial capital on February 21, some three Ternopil, was found guilty of directing mor- website following a party congress that list. She is the deputy head of the parlia- months after it originated in China and tar fire that led to the May 24, 2014, death took place on March 11. Kira Rudyk, who mentary committee on digital transforma- spread to at least 106 countries. The rising of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rochelli previously served as the CEO of Ring tion. “Kira embodies modernity. And she numbers of deaths and infection have and Russian interpreter Andrei Mironov, Ukraine, a home-security and smart-home will bring that modernity into the work of stunned Italy’s health-care system. who was also known as a rights activist. A company owned by Amazon, will take his the party, along with the invaluable experi- Following his June 30, 2017 arrest in third person, French photographer William place. “The [current] government, under ence of managing large teams,” Mr. Bologna, Mr. Markiv, a dual Ukrainian- Roguelon, was wounded during the shell- the guise of new faces, actually installs old Vakarchuk said, commenting on her new Italian national, was given a 24-year prison ing. In February, Ukrainian President ones,” Mr. Vakarchuk said. “We, by example, leadership role. There are 20 Holos mem- sentence in July for actions he allegedly Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on his first official demonstrate the opposite: we elevate new bers in the parliamentary faction. (RFE/ committed while being posted near visit to Italy, spoke about the Markiv case in professional people to leadership roles in RL’s Ukrainian Service)

Integration Vadym Prystaiko. Messrs. for that. His authority among ministers will position. It will be his fourth government in Ukraine’s... Prystaiko and Kuleba swapped positions. be roughly zero.” this position. Mr. Avakov’s seventh year in This casting was reportedly performed to Mr. Butusov, a Ukrainian military expert, office started on February 22. Recently, pro- (Continued from page 7) solve the inner conflict between Mr. also blames Mr. Zelenskyy for the arbitrary tests in Kyiv and Kharkiv called for his resig- operators, which was deemed unfavorable Prystaiko and the head of the presidential replacement of the defense minister with- nation. However, no relevant decision has to Mr. Akhmetov. office, Andriy Yermak. out drawing a strategy and looking for peo- been made by the ruling party. Immediately after his appointment, ple who can implement it. The accuses Mr. Avakov of Experts are not convinced Prime Minister Shmyhal found himself Ukrainian political scientist Viktor Taran the political killing of Oleksandr Muzychko embroiled in a scandal. Mr. Shmyhal stated Almost all prominent Ukrainian econo- is even more austere in his estimations: in 2014. Mr. Avakov has also been criticized that Ukraine should renew water supply to mists and political commentators share “During two days, Ukrainians got an oligar- many times for police inactivity and cover- Crimea “because our people live there.” skepticism about the new government with chic-Russian re-establishment. In turbo- ing up corruption or crimes, as well as sab- However, a few hours later he rejected this its old faces, links to some oligarchs, or the mode.” He also links the change of the cabi- otaging the police reform. He is suspected statement and apologized. pre-Maidan officials. net to the simultaneous dismissal of of cooperating with Minister of Social Policy Maryna Lazebna Mr. Fursa stresses that Mr. Honcharuk’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Ryaboshapka. against Petro Poroshenko during the 2019 is a governmental functionary with a long government was dismissed because it According to the head of Servant of the elections. The reason why Mr. Zelenskyy career. She also worked as head of a depart- crossed oligarchic interests in some points, People faction David Arakhamiya, the final leaves Mr. Avakov in office is unknown. One ment in ’s government and in particular Mr. Kolomoisky’s PrivatBank argument for Mr. Ryaboshapka’s dismissal possible version is to maintain firm control head of the state service for employment in and Mr. Akhmetov’s electricity industry. was “his inability to serve a notice of suspi- over police, in particular in the event of 2013-2014, during the Yanukovych era. She A media campaign against the so-called cion on Poroshenko.” Thus the head of the mass protests. left her governmental office after the “Sorosiata,” which reads as the derogative parliamentary majority openly favored the Maidan but has now returned. “George Soros’s piglets,” was an introduc- persecution of political opposition. Reprinted with permission from , where it was posted on Minister for the Development of tion to the dissolution of the former gov- The eternal Avakov Municipalities and Territories Oleksiy ernment. Led mainly by the pro-Kremlin March 6 (see http://euromaidanpress. Chernyshov, according to journalist Serhiy media linked to the Opposition Platform, As the cherry on the top, Minister of com/2020/03/06/ukraines-new-govern- Leshchenko, has links to oligarch Ihor the campaign aimed to accuse the Internal Affairs remains in his ment-more-oligarchic-more-pro-russian/). Kolomoisky. He has also cooperated since of serving Western 2003 with pro-RussianNEED businessman capital TO instead of the people. Although Oleksandr Feldman, now a national deputy there were some disputable policies car- from the Opposition Platform. ried out by the government, few would dis- Minister of Finance Ihor Umansky is an agree that the general continuation of experiencedOPEN professional. However, the deciTRANSFER- reforms aimed at establishing fair rules in NEED TO sion to dismiss , whose Ukraine would be harmful to oligarchs. work all prominent Ukrainian economists Although it is too early to accuse the new evaluated positively, raises questions. Shmyhal government of serving oligarchs, TRANSFER Minister of Defense Andrii Taran is a President Zelenskyy is already being OPEN retired general.ROLLOVER With huge military experi- blamed for the unreasonable dissolution of ence and NATO education as his strengths, the former government. As prominent he, however, represents the old generation Ukrainian intellectual Valeriy Pekar writes, of the Ukrainian military, contrary to for- this was done in the style of TV-show logic. ROLLOVER mer Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodniuk Approval ratings falling means it’s time to who was not from the military hierarchy change something and find somebody to but had experienceYOUR in the reform office and blame.IRA? Contrary to this logic, real reforms business. Ukrainian military expert Yuriy at first always eat into ratings to a certain YOUR IRA? Butusov warns that nobody knows about degree but bear fruit in the longer term. Mr. Taran’s views on the war with Russia Mr. Pekar estimates events as follows: and Ukrainian policy on it. CALL UNA“Members of the previous government do Minister of Sport Vadym Huttsait report- not know why they were fired. It is demoti- CALL UNA edly has business inIRA Russia that DEPARTMENT he failed to vating because they cannot draw conclu- declare as a public official, and has also sions. Members of the new government do been accused of plagiarism. Mr. Huttsait not know why members of the previous gov- IRA DEPARTMENT also worked for years800-253-9862 as an assistant to a ernment were fired. This is disorienting national deputy from the Yanukovych Party because they can repeat the same mistakes 800-253-9862 of the Regions. He was mentioned in anti- by ignorance. Citizens do not know why corruption journalistTRADITIONAL, investigations. ROTH, SIMPLE ANDmembers SEP ofPLANS the previous AVAILABLE. government were TRADITIONAL, ROTH, SIMPLE AND SEP PLANS AVAILABLE. Minister of Veterans Serhiy Bessarab, fired. This impairs the ability of citizens to MinisterFor of Health2019 you Ilya may Yemets be ableand Ministerto contribute adequately up to $6,000 assess (under government age 50), performance. For 2019 you may be able to contribute up to $6,000 (under age 50), $7,000 (over 50) to your TraditionalSome of theor Roth members IRA; of the previous gov- of Reintegration Oleksiy Reznikov came $7,000 (over 50) to your Traditional or Roth IRA; for SEP you may be able ernmentto contribute have more.joined the new government. either from business or are merely pro- for SEP you may be able to contribute more. ceeding in their careers, so there is little to Neither those who have been dismissed, nor be judged onUkrainian thus far. Nationalthose whoAssociation, remain, know the criteria Inc. for dis- Five ministers remain from the former missal or reapproval. The new government Ukrainian National Association, Inc. Cabinet: Minister of Infrastructure also lacks key performance indicators. Doing Vladyslav Kryklii,2200 Minister Route of10, DigitalParsippany, the NJimpossible 07054 is not the best goal setting 2200 Route 10, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Transformation MykhailoGeneral Fedorov, Information: Minister 800-253-9862 nor the best • motivation. Fax: 973-292-0900 The prime minister General Information: 800-253-9862 • Fax: 973-292-0900 of Justice Denys Maliuska,www.UNAInc.org Minister of as the head of the government had little or www.UNAInc.org no influence on the election of members of Foreign Affairs Dmytrofacebook.com/UkrainianNationalAssociation Kuleba, Vice Prime facebook.com/UkrainianNationalAssociation Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic the government. He didn’t even have time 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

Matthew Tkachuk forging Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik. a name for himself He’s also an absolute menace to play against, rapidly making enemies around Mention Calgary Flames winger the league. His ability to agitate and infuri- Matthew Tkachuk’s name and the follow- ate the opposition helps his team as shown ing adjectives will be immediately heard: by the amount of penalties he’s drawn gritty, tough, fiery, skilled and irritating. since turning pro. Only Edmonton’s Connor He’s a part of one of the best lines in hock- McDavid drew more penalties than ey, is becoming a deflection specialist, gets Tkachuk did in 2016-2017. Granted he also under everyone’s skin and had 20-plus takes more than his share of penalties, but goals this past season. So, what is it he can- that number should come down in time. not do? Well, be his team’s captain, that’s Eventually he will receive more benefit of what. At least for now. the doubt from officials as he becomes For now the “C” is worn by Flames more established as a player. The fact he defenseman Mark Giordano. No doubt, draws more penalties than he takes makes however, the lovable (and extremely dis- him a big asset. liked at the same time) 20-year-old is pro- An untouchable with high IQ jecting as the next heir to the throne of NHL.com Calgary’s captaincy. Tkachuk’s bursting Matthew Tkachuk On the ice the guy burns to win, and onto the scene has nullified the notion that winning is the most important thing to him. Sean Monahan was next in line for the opposition’s net, it is a tactic with a pur- soon. The three-year pro has firmly cement- He hates to lose more than he loves to win. team’s top leadership role. Monahan was pose beyond angering the opponent. The ed himself as one of the club’s most crucial He works as hard as anyone, he’ll go made an alternate captain at the young age mentality is do whatever you can to help pieces and this with less than 300 NHL through a wall for a fellow Flame, he of 21, back in 2015-2016. your team win. This is a captain’s mentality. games under his belt. There is no doubt the doesn’t yell at referees after penalty calls The way he plays and acts, one would Play for the crest on the front of your jersey, Flames are a different team without Tkachuk and admits to his mistakes. He is the epito- expect nothing less from Tkachuk. No. 19 is not the name on the back. Giordano’s play in the line-up, both on and off the ice. me of leading by example. quickly earning a reputation as one of the revolves around this saying. As he contin- Everyone knew Keith Tkachuk’s son was A list of “untouchable” players on the toughest to play against while clearly ues to learn the NHL game, Tkachuk is a good player, but what was not known was Calgary Flames would include forwards becoming a leader in the Flames locker doing the same. how much of an impact Matthew would Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Backlund room. He steps up and assumes responsibil- Calgary struck gold with the sixth overall make at the NHL level. It did not take long and defenseman Noah Hanifan, all crucial to ity for a loss, while challenging his team- selection in the 2016 NHL Draft. He is to find out. For almost his entire rookie the organization’s future. However, the mates to be better. The manner in which he already a complete hockey player, but he’s year Tkachuk was buried with defensive entire Tkachuk package might make him speaks for his team in post-game interviews only going to get bigger, stronger, better zone starts, going head-to-head against the the team’s most important player right now. implies he is part of the leadership group. and smarter. opposition’s top lines. To see him thrive in His offensive skill and competitiveness Tkachuk is becoming a stalwart in the His father, Keith, was a long-time NHL these scenarios was not something anyone were no shock, but his sense of defensive Calgary community. Whenever the Flames captain. Thus, Captain Tkachuk sounds could have predicted. Certainly rookies awareness was a most pleasant surprise are involved in a charity event, hospital pretty familiar. don’t usually excel in the situations and likely the biggest reason he made the visit or fan appreciation opportunity, Tkachuk faced early in his career. Igniting and impacting his Flames pro ranks at age 18. Most young standouts Tkachuk is always an eager contributor. For the average newcomer, coming away haven’t been forced to work on that part of The youngster plays hard and smart. If Tkachuk is not already the Calgary even in plus/minus would be deemed a their game before turning pro. The young When he is rustling things up in front of the Flames’ most important player, he will be success playing in a top shutdown role. Tkachuk has a sense of the 200-foot game Tkachuk, way better than average, took it a either from inheriting his successful NHL step further and produced at an impressive father’s genes or his God-given intelligence. rate. In 2016-2017, he tallied 13 goals and It’s his hockey IQ that has the Flames 48 points in 76 games with a +/- ratio of believing they’ve found a cornerstone JACQUES HNIZDOVSKY plus-14, solid numbers in a rookie cam- power winger. paign, let alone taking into consideration his TKACHUK TIDBITS: Born December 11, Save the Date: Exhibition & Sale - 60 Prints line’s role as a shutdown unit. In his sopho- 1997, in Scottsdale, Ariz., he grew up in St. more year he improved to 24 goals and 49 Louis, Mo. He is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, and points in only 68 games. This past season he attended Chaminade College Prep William Greenbaum Fine Prints he scored 34 goals with 43 assists for 77 School prior to joining the U.S. National points in 80 games, leading Calgary to the Development Team. He played one year of Friday, April 17, 2020, 4-9pm & Saturday, April 18, 10am-5pm, top seed in the Western Conference. Since D.C. Rare Book and Art Fair, Crystal City Gateway Marriott, junior hockey with London, scoring 107 joining the Flames, Tkachuk has been one points in 57 games, fifth best in the OHL. 1700 Richmond Highway, Room 110, Arlington, VA of the team’s top even strength performers, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Ihor Stelmach may be reached at iman@ He found a great home on the 3M Line with sfgsports.com.

We have been buying & selling ne prints and art for more than 50 years. Email us at [email protected] or call 508-284-7036 for details on selling or purchasing prints, drawings, or paintings by Mr. Hnizdovsky. William Greenbaum Fine Prints Rockport, MA 01966 Open By Appointment Charter Member: International Fine Print Dealers Association No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 17

Carpathian Ski Club holds annual races at Hunter Mountain HUNTER, N.Y. – A total of 53 skiers and snowboarders competed in the 66th annu- al races of the Carpathian Ski Club held on the slopes of Hunter Mountain on Leap Day, Saturday, February 29. Known by its Ukrainian acronym as KLK, the ski club has been holding this family-friendly event since 1954, when its first races took place at Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid, N.Y. In the evening, over 120 people – race participants, their families and KLK stal- warts – attended the awards dinner at Hunter Mountain’s Coppertree restaurant. Many came dressed in Ukrainian embroi- dered shirts and blouses as has become tradition at this KLK event. The program was opened by Andrew Hadzewycz, president of the Carpathian Ski Club, who introduced other KLK officers, including Vice-President Eri Palydowych, past President Erko Palydowycz, and skiing Andrew Moroch directors Orest Fedash and Zenon Stakhiv. KLK race participants, families and supporters at the awards dinner.

The youngest skiers of the 2020 races: Racers in the boys age 9-11 group (from left): Marko Skoratko, Oleksa Winners among girls age 7-8 (from left): Alexandra Markian Buniak and Kaya Mykyta. Kucher, Lev Ferencevych, Mykola Temnycky and Nazar Tehza. Pawluk, Renata Skoratko and Vera Burachinsky. He also acknowledged the work of the registration committee: Adia Fedash (who is KLK treasurer), Christine Klufas and Roma Hadzewycz. 2020 KLK race results Trophies were awarded for first place in each age group, while second- and third-place finish- Boys under 4 Men 50-54 Girls 11-15 ers received medals. The youngest winners were 1. Markian Buniak 1. Ihor Pawluk 1. Anna Kramarchuk 4-year-olds, while the oldest competitor, age 76, 2. Gregory Demetropoulos won trophies for both skiing and snowboarding. Boys 4-5 Girls 16-20 Men 55-60 Special traveling trophies were awarded to the 1. Erik Sikorskyj 1. Christina Silver fastest male and female skiers (no repeat winners 2. Julian Burachinsky 1. Rostyslav Stepanenko are allowed): Rostyslav Stepanenko and Christina 2. Eri Palydowycz Women 30-35 Silver. Boys 6-8 3. Peter Lenchur 1. Nataliya At the conclusion of the program, Mr. 1. Zorian Mykyta 4. Olexander Zhyznomyrska Hadzewycz cited the financial support of three 2. Gregory Buniak Lyaskivnytsky Ukrainian credit unions – Self Reliance New York 5. Stefan Wojcickyj Women 36-40 Federal Credit Union, Ukrainian Selfreliance Boys 9-11 1. Talia Pawluk Federal Credit Union (based in Philadelphia) and Men 61-65 1. Marko Skoratko 2. Stephanie Nova UA Federal Credit Union (Clifton, N.J.). 1. Andrew Kozak The 2021 KLK ski races are tentatively sched- 2. Oleksa Kucher Burachinsky 2. Yuriy Kucher Christina Silver, the fastest female racer. uled for March 6 at Hunter Mountain. 3. Lev Ferencevych 3. Christina Buniak 4. Mykola Temnycky 3. Vlodko Temnycky Women 41-49 5. Nazar Tehza 4. Walter Lomaga Men 66-70 1. Anya Nawrocky Boys 12-15 1. Roman Stelmach Women 50-60 1. Lucas Pawluk 2. Ihor Mykyta 2. Lukash Nynka 1. Christa Kozak Men 71 and over Boys 16-20 Women 61 and over 1. Alexander Berest 1. Marko Wojcickyj 1. Maria Silver 2. Andrew Stelmach Girls 4-6 1. Kaya Mykyta Men 30-35 SNOWBOARD 1. Vasyl Tehza Girls 7-8 Boys 15 1. Alexandra Pawluk 1. Artur Mydlyk Men 36-40 2. Renata Skoratko 1. Peter Buniak 3. Vera Burachinsky Men 39 2. Andrew Olesnycky 1. Dennis Burachinsky Girls 9-10 Men 41-49 Men 71 and over Winners in the age 41-49 group of men and 1. Kateryna Pawluk Rostyslav Stepanenko, the fastest male women, respectively, Taras Ferencevych and 1. Taras Ferencevych 2. Sophia Temnycky 1. Alexander Berest racer. Anya Nawrocky. 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

but a clash of identities, cultures, values accept the pain that her family has suf- Most importantly, “it brings art, history “Art and War...” and ideologies. “My use of the traditional fered. and culture to academia, where people embroidery points to my understanding of As an art historian, Ms. Gasio has been from different disciplines can think about (Continued from page 11) a Ukrainian spring that revitalizes national inspired by her professors, Susana Sosa of the difficult topic in a different context,” aggression and occupied the Ukrainian ter- identity and acts as a political statement in Fresno City College and Dr. Laura Meyer of said Dean DenBeste. ritories of Crimea in the south and Luhansk the face of ethnic erasure,” emphasized the the College of Arts and Humanities at The exhibition, which ran until February and Donetsk in the east. In 2016, during artist. California State University, Fresno. As 28, was sponsored by the Henry Madden her graduate studies at Long Beach, Ms. After 2014, the artist re-evaluated the Fresno State proudly carries the heritage of Library, the College of Arts and Humanities, Gasio started expressing her political origins of pan-Slavic identity and began to the first feminist artist, Judy Chicago, Ms. and the College of Social Sciences with a thoughts and feelings in 10 drawings and question the Soviet propaganda and his- Gasio believes that this feminist philosophy grant from the Associated Students Inc. at paintings featured at the exhibition. torical perspective she was raised with as echoes Ukrainian matriarchal culture and Fresno State, in cooperation with the “In my paintings and drawings, I depict truth all her formative years. Russia’s war resonates with her upbringing. Ukrainian National Women’s League of the trauma of an ongoing war through the against Ukraine, which caused inner divi- The dean of the College of Social America, the Ukrainian Culture Center, the experiences of my immediate family living sion of the nation, distress and a split Sciences at Fresno State, Michelle Ukrainian Federal Credit Union, the Ukrain­ in the war zone of eastern Ukraine,” said among the Ukrainian people, has led to a DenBeste, stressed that an “event like this ian Heritage Club of Northern California, the artist’s statement. During the ongoing maturation of Ms. Gasio’s artistic purpose adds to our knowledge about the region, the Ukrainian American Coordinating Russian occupation, three of her family into one of civic duty. In her art, Ms. Gasio allowing professionals to speak knowledge- Council and the Ukrainian Art Center. members were captured and tortured, creates the new pro-patriotic identity. The ably about the topic they care about; it “Very moving exhibition. Must-see for which was a watershed moment in Ms. artist has used the power of her brush to brings awareness to broader audiences of those that are students of man’s inhumani- Gasio’s life that has defined her as a demonstrate to the world Ukraine’s glory people who are not sitting in college class- ty to their fellow man. Much to learn about Ukrainian and an artist. and sacrifice, and celebrate its enduring rooms but are interested in the region, the impact on civilians by the Russian war The artist’s response to the war brought soul. Painting has served as a therapy for allowing them to understand the current on the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine,” to the forefront not just physical violence the artist herself and allowed her to period in history.” noted Daniel Comelli, a retired physician from Fresno. (An audio recording of the opening ceremony is available upon request courtesy of Mr. Comelli.) A video interview with the artist, which , loops on an iMac in the gallery, was direct- ed by Mr. Wyhinny with the assistance of his crew members: cinematographer Calvin ATTENTION Nemeth and video editor Miguel Sosa Ojeda of Fresno State.

Debutante Ball Organizers! Dr. Victoria A. Malko is a faculty member April 5. at the Department of History at California In keeping with our tradition, The Ukrainian Weekly will publish State University, Fresno. She is the editor of “Women and the Holodomor-Genocide: a special section devoted to the Ukrainian community’s debutantes. Victims, Survivors, Perpetrators” (The Press The 2019 debutante ball section will be published March on 30. at California State University, 2019). The author can be reached at vmalko@csufres- no.edu. The deadline for submission(with captions of alland materials photo credits) –[email protected] stories – isand photos Photography courtesy of Armando Please e-mail materials to: Carreno of Fresno State’s student-run publi- cation, The Collegian. No. 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 19

March 17 Presentation by Michael O’Hanlon, “Beyond NATO: A March 22 Designer Bag Bingo and Tricky Tray, Ukrainian Stanford, CA New Security Architecture for Eastern Europe,” Whippany, NJ American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 973-590-8026 Stanford University, www.stanford.edu March 22 Easter Bazaar, Women’s Association for Defense of Four March 17 Ramaswamy Prize award presentation to Oksana Buffalo, NY Freedoms for Ukraine, Women’s Choir Mriya, St. Nicholas Cambridge, MA Zabuzhko, The First Parish Church of Cambridge, Ukrainian Catholic Church hall, 716-839-3016 [email protected] March 22, 24, 29 Pysanka Workshop, Ukrainian History and Education March 20 Film screening and discussion, “Recovery Room” by Somerset, NJ Center, [email protected] or 732-356-0132 New York Adriana Luhovy, Ukrainian Institute of America, www.ukrainianinstitute.org or 212-288-8660 March 22 through Art exhibit, “Icons – A Window to Heaven,” by Pavlo April 12 Lopata, Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation Gallery, March 21 Presentation by Juliia Buyskykh, “Unidentified Migrants: Toronto 416-766-6802 or www.kumfgallery.com New York History of the Subcarpathian Greeks,” Shevchenko Scientific Society, 212-254-5130 March 25 Presentation with the Rev. Dr. Ivan Kaszczak and Anatolii South Orange, NJ Babynskyii, “Freedom and Dialogue: The Trajectory of the March 21 Presentation by Vasyl Makhno, “From Darkness to Light: Ukrainian Church,” Seton Hall University, https://events. New York The Paintings of Mikhail Turovsky,” with Myroslava shu.edu/event/even_id/7874 or [email protected] Mudrak and Alexander Motyl, The Ukrainian Museum, www.ukrainianmuseum.org or 212-228-0110 March 26-29 Catskill Pysanka Workshop, Soyuzivka Heritage Center, Kerhonkson, NY www.soyuzivka.com or 845-626-5641 March 20-22 Wellness Retreat, Soyuzivka Heritage Center, Kerhonkson, NY www.soyuzivka,com or 845-626-5641 March 28 Ukrainian Easter Traditions workshop, with instruction New York by Lubow Wolynetz, The Ukrainian Museum, March 21, 22, Pysanka workshop, The Ukrainian Museum, 212-228-0110 or www.ukrainianmuseum.org April 4, 5, www.ukrainianmuseum.org or 212-228-0110 New York March 28 Lenten retreat, Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Villa Maria, PA Center, [email protected] or March 22 Film screening of “Recovery Room” by Adriana Luhovy and 412-565-9441 Calgary, AB performance of “Heroyam Slava” by the Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and the Korinya Folk Ensemble, Canada- March 28 Trivia Night, League of Ukrainian Canadians (Ottawa), Ukraine Foundation, Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Ottawa Ukrainian Community Center, [email protected] or Business Association, Shevchenko Foundation, Alberta www.facebook.com/events/130765861647802 Foundation for the Arts, Seton YMCA Theater, www.tryzub.ca or www.recoveryroomthemovie.com Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events March 22 Recital, “Ironwood Quartet,” featuring violinist Carissa advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions Luskville, QC Klopoushak, Pontiac Enchanté, Venturing Hills Farm, from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors 819-455-2574 or [email protected] and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected].

THE UNA ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING COLLEGE IN THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR.

Students wishing to apply for a UNA scholarship or award must meet the following criteria:  Have been an active, premium-paying UNA member for at least two years by June 1st of 2020;  Have had a life insurance policy or an annuity, valued at a minimum of $5,000 during the last two years (term policies excluded);  Be enrolled in an accredited college or university in USA or Canada. The application for a UNA scholarship or award must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2020. For complete details and applications, please call the UNA Home Office or visit the Our Benefits page on the UNA website at: www.UNAInc.org

Ukrainian National Acossiation, Inc. 2200 Route 10, Parsippany, NJ 07054 800-253-9862 ext. 3035 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020 No. 11

PREVIEW OF EVENTS

Saturday, March 21 and Tricky Tray event will be held at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of NEW YORK: The Shevchenko Scientific Society invites all to a lecture “Unidentified New Jersey at 60 N. Jefferson Road, Migrants: History of the Subcarpathian Whippany, NJ 07981, at 1 p.m. ( Doors Greeks,” by Dr. Iuliia Buyskykh, National open at noon.) Enjoy a fun afternoon at Institute of Ukrainian Studies, Ministry of our spring fund-raising event. There will Education and Science of Ukraine, and a be many chances to win fabulous prizes: Fulbright scholar for 2019-2020 at Play bingo to win gorgeous designer bags Pennsylvania State University, State (Coach, Kate Spade, Tory Burch and more) College, Pa. Dr. Buyskykh’s current purchase tickets to win our sought-after research interests include anthropology of grand prize tricky tray baskets (cash, TV, religion, neighborhood relationships, con- theater tickets, to name a few) and a 50/50 tested memories and strategies of co-exis- raffle. Delicious refreshments will be avail- tence, border studies and Ukrainian stud- able for purchase throughout the after- ies. The lecture will take place at the soci- noon. Event tickets are $35 per person and ety’s building, 63 Fourth Ave. (between will include 10 bingo cards; additional Ninth and 10th streets) at 5 p.m. For addi- cards and tickets will be available for pur- tional information call 212-254-5130. chase at event. Order event admission tick- ets in advance at UACCNJ.org; for more Sunday, March 22 information call 973-590-8026. (Sorry, no WHIPPANY, N.J.: A Designer Bag Bingo children at this event.)

PREVIEW OF EVENTS GUIDELINES Preview of Events is a listing of Ukrainian community events open to the public. It is a ser- vice provided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the Ukrainian community. To have an event listed in Preview of Events please send information, in English, written in Preview format, i.e., in a brief paragraph of several sentences that includes the date, place, type of event, sponsor, admission, full names of persons and/or organizations involved, and a phone number and/or e-mail address to be published for readers who may require additional information. Items must be no more than 100 words long. Preview items must be received no later than one week before the desired date of publication (i.e., they must be received by 9 am Monday morning). Please include pay- ment for each time the item is to appear and indicate date(s) of issue(s) in which the item is to be published. Also, senders are asked to include the phone number of a person who may be contacted by The Weekly during daytime hours, as well as their complete mailing address. Information should be sent to [email protected]. When e-mailing, please do not send items as attachments – simply type the text into the body of the e-mail message. Preview items and payments may be mailed to: Preview of Events, The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054.