INSIDE: BOOK NOTES: Ukrainian poetry in translation – page 8 Celebrating Ukraine’s Independence Day – centerfold USCAK Tennis Championships at Soyuzivka – page 15 Published by the Ukrainian National Association, Inc., celebrating its 125th anniversary Vol. LXXXVII No. 37 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 $2.00 Oleh Sentsov speaks of his plans Ukraine welcomes home 35 political prisoners following release from Russian prison in long-awaited swap of detainees with Russia RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service A Russian court convicted him on multi- ple terrorism charges on August 25, 2015, KYIV – More than five years after his and sentenced him to 20 years in a maxi- arrest in Crimea, and just three days after mum-security prison. his release from Russian custody as part of Human rights activists and Western gov- a prisoner swap with Ukraine, filmmaker ernments repeatedly called on the Russian Oleh Sentsov says his plans are simple. “Do authorities to release the film director, say- the two most wonderful things on this ing his arrest and trial were politically planet: shoot films and live.” motivated. Speaking to a large number of journal- “As for Crimea, I will only go back there ists in the Ukrainian House in downtown in a tank... My words shouldn’t be taken lit- Kyiv on September 10, Mr. Sentsov and erally,” Mr. Sentsov said with a wry smile, another freed Ukrainian activist, Oleksandr adding that he was going to push to secure Kolchenko, expressed thanks to “all who the release of Ukrainians “illegally held in supported us and contributed to our libera- Russia and Donbas,” referring to the east- tion.” ern region where Russian-backed separat- The two were released from Russian ist are battling Ukrainian troops. custody in a prisoner swap between Kyiv Imprisoned in Russia’s northern Yamalo- and Moscow on September 7 that saw the Nenets region, Mr. Sentsov held a 145-day two countries exchange a total of 70 pris- hunger strike last year, demanding that oners in the first major prisoner swap Russia release 64 fellow Ukrainians he con- Presidential Office of Ukraine between them since 2017. sidered political prisoners. Russia took control of the Black Sea pen- Mr. Sentsov called Russian political pris- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy greets Oleh Sentsov as he disembarks from the plane that brought him and 34 other political prisoners and hostages held by Russia back insula in 2014 and has backed the separat- oners in Russian prisons “our brothers,” home to Ukraine. ists in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which and thanked Ukrainian and foreign journal- has left more than 13,000 people dead over ists for what he called “doing their jobs so by Bohdan Nahaylo nationally renowned filmmaker from the last five years. that we could be free now.” Crimea, Oleh Sentsov, generated joy and Mr. Sentsov, a Crimean native who “Now we have to think about the libera- KYIV – Moscow freed 35 Ukrainian polit- hope, but also some controversy. opposed Russia’s 2014 takeover of the tion of our people who remain in custody in ical prisoners and hostages in an exchange There were moving scenes at Kyiv’s Ukrainian peninsula, was arrested by the Russia and Donbas. We must remember involving the same number of detainees Boryspil International Airport as the fami- Moscow-imposed Crimean authorities on that along with our people there in prisons held by Kyiv because of their hostile activi- lies and Ukraine’s president welcomed May 11, 2014, and charged with planning in Russia there are many Russians who are ties on behalf of Russia. home the exhausted, relieved and still the fire-bombing of pro-Russian organiza- The return to Ukraine on September 7 of tions in Crimea. (Continued on page 13) the Ukrainian captives, including the inter- (Continued on page 9) Ukrainian World Congress convenes annual general meeting in Berlin UWC BERLIN – On September 6-8 at Berlin City Hall in Germany, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) held its annual general meeting (AGM), reviewing the organiza- tion’s work since November 2018 and developing an action plan for the year ahead. Participants of the AGM from over 20 countries gathered in Berlin to support the more than 100,000 strong Ukrainian com- munity in Germany, and to focus the atten- tion of German high-ranking officials and civil society on current Ukrainian issues, including the importance of consolidating action in the war with Russian hybrid aggression and the recent release of Ukrainian political prisoners, whose return to Ukraine on September 7 was welcomed by the delegates and guests of the AGM. During the official opening of the meet- ing, the UWC recognized German politician UWC Delegates and guests at the annual general meeting of the Ukrainian World Congress held in Berlin on September 6-8. (Continued on page 16) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 No. 37 ANALYSIS Russian disinformation, psy-ops Trump on joining Normandy talks tion with Mr. Trump. The 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled for U.S. President Donald Trump has said he September 17-30. (RFE/RL, based on isn’t averse to joining talks with Germany, target new Ukrainian government reporting by RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) France, Ukraine and Russia aimed at ending by Yuri Lapaiev response to this year’s massive March of the Defenders in Kyiv, on August 24 the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Mr. Trump Rada OKs presidential impeachment bill Eurasia Daily Monitor told Voice of America on September 9 in (UNIAN, August 24). In that case, the goal Ukraine’s Parliament has adopted a bill Despite various hints and declarations of was likely to undermine the positive patri- Washington that he’d join the talks, known as the Normandy format, if the participants spelling out procedures for a presidential progress in Moscow’s dialogue with the otic effect of the march and to spoil the impeachment. The law was backed by 245 new Ukrainian government, Russia has image of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. needed him. “I believe the fact that the exchange of prisoners between Russia and lawmakers at a second reading on nonetheless maintained its aggressive However, another, more sophisticated September 10, immediately after the text behavior. The shelling of the Donbas per- operation occurred a few days later. Ukraine took place… is a very big step, and was passed a first time. Under the new leg- sists, and the Ukrainian General Staff Specifically, Russian authorities announced a very positive [one],” the president said. islation, the Verkhovna Rada initiates reports almost daily on new casualties – that a deal had been reached on an France, Germany and Ukraine have called impeachment proceedings, which must be wounded or killed. Simultaneously, the exchange of prisoners with Ukraine but for talks to take place by the end of this approved by the Constitutional Court and Kremlin’s information operations against was canceled just hours before the planes month. Russia has said it is ready to meet the Supreme Court, and then passed by Ukraine have not ceased. from Moscow arrived in Kyiv. Rumors that once “concrete steps” are taken before the On August 23, several media outlets from the exchanged prisoners might include meeting. The last round of Normandy talks three-quarters of lawmakers. Ruslan the occupied territories of Donetsk and famous Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov took place in 2016. Ukraine blames Stefanchuk, the president’s representative Luhansk published a fabricated news story and Ukrainian sailors captured last Moscow for stoking the conflict in eastern to Parliament, said the vote showed about Lt. Col. Robert Tracy, the United States November (see EDM, November 26, 28, Ukraine where Russia-backed militants President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is commit- Army commander of the Joint Multinational 2018) naturally attracted enormous public have fought government forces since April ted to keeping his election pledge to clean Training Group – Ukraine. The disinforma- and media interest. 2014. Russia denies involvement and has up Ukrainian politics and tackle corruption. tion claimed Lt. Col. Tracy complained This Russian psychological operation portrayed the war as an internal affair. However, opponents said the law was about the conditions at Ukraine’s Yavoriv (psy-op) campaign began on August 29, More than 13,000 have been killed in the rushed through without proper consulta- training center and purportedly accused with several Telegram channels writing conflict, according to the United Nations. tion and that the text itself was so convolut- Ukrainian military personnel of stealing about the looming prisoner swap; addition- (RFE/RL, based reporting by RFE/RL’s ed as to be meaningless. “In fact, it is only a equipment, widespread alcoholism, corrup- ally, former Russian deputy Ilya Ponomarev Ukrainian Service and Voice of America) facade of reform that does not change any- tion and lack of control. The story was posted the same information on Twitter thing,” said Roman Lozinskyy of the Holos Zelenskyy to visit U.S. later this month based on a post the commander supposedly (Twitter.com/iponomarev, August 29). (Voice) party. Mr. Zelenskyy, a 41-year-old made on his personal blog (which was also Later, former Ukrainian legislative assistant Ukrainian President Volodymyr comedian-turned-politician who has fake and soon deleted) and swiftly amplified Anna Ilamova wrote on her Facebook page Zelenskyy will visit the United States on pledged to “break the system” in Ukrainian by a number of top Russian information that the exchange was complete and that September 23 to attend the 74th session of politics, was elected in April. His Servant of outlets (Vzglyad, August 28). the Ukrainian prisoners were coming the U.N. General Assembly in New York. the People party then took a solid majority Notably, in this case, the concocted nar- home.