INSIDE: • Yanukovych's speech on Ukraine's Independence Day – page 3. • Hillary Clinton's Ukrainian Independence Day message – page 7. • Miss Soyuzivka 2011 is crowned – page 8. THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No. 35 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine Ukraine celebrates Flag Day, Independence Day Aleksandr Prokopenko/UNIAN Yulia Tymoshenko and other members of the opposition during a public rally on Ukrainian Independence Day in front of the Taras Shevchenko monument in Kyiv. Anastasia Sirotkina/UNIAN KYIV – Ukraine celebrated its Supreme Soviet). President Viktor Yanukovych during celebrations in Kyiv’s city center of National Flag Day on August 23 with On National Flag Day, which has been Ukrainian Independence Day, August 24. various activities aimed at promoting celebrated since 2004, huge flags were independent Ukraine’s national symbols, displayed in various cities throughout foremost among them the blue-and-yel- Ukraine. In Kyiv, participants of an low flag. action dubbed “The Flag of Ukrainian The next day, Ukrainians nationwide Unity” presented a huge blue-and-yellow observed Ukrainian Independence Day – national flag. The largest flag – 9.5 kilo- the anniversary of the adoption on August meters in length – was unfurled in 24, 1991, of the Act of Declaration of the Ternopil. Independence of Ukraine by the Verkhovna Rada (then still known as the (Continued on page 19) Yanukovych administration targets political enemies, independent activists by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – The administration of President Viktor Yanukovych has appar- ently targeted its most formidable ene- mies for political persecution, which has returned to Ukraine with a fervor unseen since 2001, when former President Leonid Kuchma arrested and incarcerated a series of opposition leaders. Among the top targets are officials who served the government of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, lead- ers of the Svoboda nationalist party, offi- cials who served Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetskyi and independent activists, particularly those critical of the Kremlin Zenon Zawada and the pro-Russian policies of the Civic activist Oleksander Hudyma is Yanukovych administration. being prosecuted for protesting alleged- The administration’s tactics involve Oleg Petrasyuk/UNIAN ly illegal construction in central Kyiv surprise inspections of offices, illegal being carried out by a Party of Regions To mark National Flag Day, celebrated on August 23, Ukrainians in Kyiv national deputy. (Continued on page 9) unfurled a huge blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2010 No. 35 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Russian military power advancing Opposition message on Independence Day than a random gift of fate and the ambi- tions of the power elite,” he said in a let- in Black Sea-South Caucasus region KYIV – The leader of the opposition ter of congratulations. “In recent years, Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (YTB) and the we have all seen how an incompetent and by Vladimir Socor Batkivschyna Party, Yulia Tymoshenko, weak government put the state on the Eurasia Daily Monitor While Russia con- in her congratulatory message on the verge of existence. The so-called biggest occasion of Ukrainian Independence Day, Russia’s deployment of long-range S-300 supporters of independence scorned the ducts an authentic described the holiday as the one symbol- Constitution through their action, bled the air defenses in Abkhazia is a sui-generis way izing “the victory of the Ukrainian people economy, depreciated the national curren- to mark the second anniversary, not only of imperial sweep in in their millennial struggle for the right to cy, plunged the country into gas debt the invasion of Georgia, but also of the armi- live in their own country and be the mas- bondage and destroyed the image of an stice agreement that committed Russia to the Black Sea re- ter of their house.” She noted that the independent Ukraine in the world,” Mr. withdrawing its forces. country and the people are becoming Azarov said. “The Ukrainian people real- The deployment creates an interdiction gion, the U.S. and more mature, more confident and stron- ized in time that patriotism and the capability potentially affecting all flight NATO seem to be ger every year. “We remember our histo- strengthening of independence are not paths, including those used by the U.S. and ry, and appreciate what we’ve experi- high-sounding words, but daily affairs,” NATO, over the adjacent Black Sea area, absorbing these enced and done. We well understood that the prime minister added. He said that the Georgia’s interior and the South Caucasus freedom of speech, human rights and fair authorities should be unified, strong and air corridor (Eurasia Daily Monitor, August strategic setbacks elections are the values that guarantee professional, “from Kyiv to every vil- 11). Ukraine its democratic development, as lage.” Mr. Azarov called on citizens to This move exemplifies the entrenchment in silence. well as strengthen its unity and indepen- multiply the invaluable asset of indepen- and growth of Russian military power dence. They are the foundation of nation- dence and ensure a European future for beyond Russia’s borders in the Black Sea- hood, and we are ready to protect them,” the next generations, and expressed con- South Caucasus region. This process has eign forces on its territory. The prolongation Ms. Tymoshenko said. fidence that “every citizen of Ukraine continued steadily following Russia’s of Russian basing rights violates all these Ms. Tymoshenko, who lost to current now understood that only agreed work August 2008 seizure of Abkhazia and South constitutional provisions of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych can help develop an independent Ossetia from Georgia. One year later, the Apart from prolongation, the original bas- in the 2010 presidential election, said that Ukraine,” adding, “I believe that the ing treaty remains unchanged. As such it pre- Russian navy had imposed de facto a sweep- “we will definitely win when united Ukrainian people can fulfill this task.” cludes unilateral expansion, modernization ing redrawing of maritime borders in the around our common goal – the develop- (Ukrinform) eastern part of the Black Sea (EDM, or re-arming of the Russian Fleet in Ukraine. ment of a just and rich country, where September 17, 18, 21, 2009). Nevertheless, the Russian government and every citizen feels free and secure, while Lytvyn congratulates Ukrainians In April of this year, Moscow induced the navy have unilaterally announced ambitious the law is one for all.” Another opposi- KYIV – Verkhovna Rada Chairman new Ukrainian government to prolong the plans to add new warships at the Sevastopol tion leader, Arseniy Yatsenyuk of the Volodymyr Lytvyn congratulated Russian Black Sea Fleet’s basing rights base in Ukraine, as well as to Russia’s Front for Change Party, expressed hope Ukrainians on Ukraine’s Independence beyond the 2017 deadline that had been Novorossiysk base. Russia also plans to on the day of the 19th anniversary of Day and noted that “the country has fixed in the 1997 bilateral treaty. Instead, the reactivate its Soviet-era naval station in Ukraine’s independence that society walked a difficult and thorny path toward basing rights have now been prolonged to Tartus, Syria, for use by ships of the Black would understand that “it’s impossible to maturity, large-scale social and economic 2042, with further five-year extensions pos- Sea Fleet. Toward that end, a floating naval fence off from the authorities and change reforms, and the complete approval of sible to 2047 and thereafter. Meanwhile, the workshop has been dispatched from them in one fell swoop, but it’s possible freedom and democracy.” In his opinion, 2017 deadline remains on paper in the Sevastopol for preparatory work and to create in society an opposition to the “thanks to natural wisdom and tolerance, Ukrainian Constitution, along with Ukraine’s upgrades at Tartus (Interfax, August 6). system being imposed by the current the diligence and self-restraint of the peo- neutrality and a ban on the stationing of for- On July 30 the Russian government authorities.” He added, “The state will be ple, Ukraine is continuing its develop- announced (and on August 4 and 5 the formed the way we form it. And it can be ment as a mighty and united state, which Armenian government confirmed) plans to formed only by people who respect them- is known and respected throughout the extend the stationing of Russian forces in selves.” (Ukrinform) Errata Armenia. Their basing rights are to be pro- world for its powerful potential, and its longed beyond the 2017 deadline that had PM greets Ukrainians on holiday ability to find decent and proper answers The article announcing the publication been fixed in the 1995 treaty. Instead, their to all challenges of modernity.” of Volume 3 of Volodymyr Vynnychenko’s basing is to be prolonged to 2044, with fur- KYIV – Ukrainian Prime Minister (Ukrinform) diary (August 22) got a number of facts Mykola Azarov congratulated Ukrainian ther extensions possible to 2049 and thereaf- Russian leaders congratulate Ukraine wrong, according to Dr. Alexander J. ter. Moreover, new explicit wording stipu- citizens on Independence Day, the infor- mation and communications department Motyl, who was mentioned in the story lates that the defense of Armenia forms an KYIV – Russian President Dmitry of the Cabinet of Ministers’ Secretariat prepared by the Canadian Institute of integral part of the Russian troops’ mission Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Ukrainian Studies. Dr. Motyl notes: “Way (Interfax, July 30; PanArmenianNet, reported. “The state’s independence is a back when – in the early 1980s, and not, Armenian Public TV, August 4, 5). big responsibility and hard work, rather (Continued on page 14) as the article says, in the 1990s – I had the This newly defined mission can open the good fortune to work together with the late way for Russian troop reinforcements to be Dr.