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INSIDE: l Russia returns seized Ukrainian ships – page 2 l Statements in remembrance of the Holodomor – page 6 l UAYA Exchange Program with Ukraine – page 17 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association, Inc., celebrating W its 125th anniversaryEEKLY Vol. LXXXVII No. 48 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2019 $2.00 Sobor of UOC-U.S.A. elects Activists demand answers a year new Metropolia Council after Kateryna Handzyuk’s death UOC-U.S.A. Roman Tymotsko Members of the newly elected Metropolia Council (standing, from left): the Rev. Victor “Silence kills” proclaims a sign at the remembrance event held near the Presidential Office Wronskyj, the Rev. Gregory Czumak, Howard West, Olga Lyskiwska, Elizabeth of Ukraine one year after the death of anti-corruption activist Kateryna Handzyuk. Symonenko, Aleksandra Kocelko, the Rev. Robert Holet, the Rev. Andriy Pokotylo, John Holowko, the Rev. Vasile Saucier, (seated, from left) the Rev. Stephen Hutnick, by Roman Tymotsko Ukraine is located. After Volodymyr Protodeacon Ihor Mahlay, Dr. Gayle Woloschak, Archbishop Daniel, Metropolitan Zelenskyy was inaugurated as president, one Antony, Dr. Paul Micevych, Karen Ferraro and the Rev. Taras Naumenko. KYIV – Kateryna Handzyuk, or Katya, as of his first decisions was to remove the fences friends and fellow activists called her, was that had blocked the entrance to Bankova, an anti-corruption activist in Kherson. On where the building formerly known as the UOC-U.S.A. Ukrainian Cultural Center mainly focused on financial matters concerning the Church July 31, 2018, she was attacked with sulfu- Presidential Administration stands. As a SOMERSET, N.J. – The 22nd Regular and ongoing expenses related to the main- ric acid in front of her house. Three months result, the public now has access to the Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of tenance of properties and buildings owned later, she died of her injuries. Now, a year front door of the Presidential Office. the U.S.A. was held at the Metropolia Center by the Church. after her death, the main question in the The movement seeking justice in the of the UOC-U.S.A. on October 16-19, and This year’s Sobor theme was “Lord, I case still has no answer: Who ordered the Handzyuk case is known by the main ques- attracted more than 170 delegates and par- love the beauty of Your house and the place killing of Katya Handzyuk? tion it poses to the authorities – “Who ticipants. The Sobor is the highest adminis- where Your beauty dwells.” (Psalm 26:8) On November 4, several hundred people killed Katya Handzyuk?” Activists continue to ask this question, most recently in front trative body of the Church. gathered on Bankova Street, a small street in of President Zelenskyy’s window. The dem- The three-day Sobor held at the central Kyiv where the Presidential Office of (Continued on page 16) onstration started with the screening of a short documentary that tells the story of Handzyuk’s activism and death, focused on the corrupt investigation of her murder. Ukrainian Heritage Consortium convenes at Harvard When the film on screen morphed into an illustration of the anti-corruption activ- by Jurij Dobczansky ist with a huge red mark on her face, music and Andrew Fedynsky started playing. Demonstrators brought a CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Ukrainian huge red sign with the message “Silence Heritage Consortium of North America kills.” As the music continued, dozens of (UHCNA) convened its 2019 meeting at people began moving toward the sign with Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute lit candles. When all of the memorial lights (HURI). The UHCNA is a voluntary group were placed in a row, a minute of silence that coordinates the exchange of informa- was observed. tion, fosters friendships and cooperation Most of the activists then headed to the among Ukrainian cultural heritage insti- Ministry of Internal Affairs to demand tutions and professionals in the United action in solving the Handzyuk murder. States and Canada. Kateryna Handzyuk’s activism Past conferences have included the initial Kateryna Handzyuk (born June 17, 2011 meeting at Cleveland’s Ukrainian 1985) was a civil rights and anti-corruption Museum-Archives (UMA) and the following: activist. She was a deputy of the Kherson 2012 at the Ukrainian Museum and Library Oblast Council and the Kherson City at Stamford, Conn., 2013 at Chicago’s UHCNA Council, as well as an adviser to the mayor Ukrainian National Museum, 2015 at the 2019 participants at the UHCNA: (seated, from left) Maria Shust, The Ukrainian of Kherson. She frequently criticized the Library of Congress in Washington, 2017 Museum, New York; Andrew Fedynsky, Ukrainian Museum-Archives, Cleveland; security authorities and especially con- hosted by the Ukrainian History and Maria Klimchak, Ukrainian National Museum, Chicago; (standing) Tetyana demned corruption in the regional depart- Education Center in Somerset, N.J., and Chervinska, Ukrainian National Museum; Marko Slyz, Shevchenko Scientific ment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Ukrainian Museum in New York. Society, New York; Lubow Wolynetz, Ukrainian Museum and Library, Stamford, Handzyuk exposed the police’s involve- The sixth conference opened on Conn.; Olha Aleksic, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute; Jurij Dobczansky, ment in several cases of fraud. Thursday evening, October 17, with a Shevchenko Scientific Society and the Library of Congress; Lev Chaban, Harvard Before she was attacked, Handzyuk pub- reception in the Omeljan Pritsak Memorial University; Aniza Kraus, Ukrainian Museum-Archives; Zorian Stech, Ukrainian licly spoke out against the illegal wood Library of the Ukrainian Research Canadian Research and Documentation Center, Toronto; Christine Fedynsky, trade taking place near Kherson. At the Ukrainian Museum-Archives; Natalia Khanenko-Friesen, Prairie Center for the beginning of July, Handzyuk, then a deputy (Continued on page 15) Study of Ukrainian Heritage, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2019 No. 48 ANALYSIS Aft er almost a year, Russia Sentsov receives Sakharov Prize tal freedoms. It is named after Soviet physi- cist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov. Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) returns seized Ukrainian naval ships was one of the most prominent political prisoners in Russia, has finally received last Putin, Zelenskyy speak ahead of summit by Pavel Felgenhauer allegations and produced footage of the ships being handed over on the high seas in year’s Sakharov Prize for freedom of Eurasia Daily Monitor thought from the European Parliament. Russian President Vladimir Putin has good order. In turn, the FSB insisted the spoken with his Ukrainian counterpart, Almost one year ago, on November 25, Ukrainians themselves were to blame if The award ceremony took place on November 26 in Strasbourg, France. Before Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the phone, two 2018, two small Ukrainian Gyurza-M-class anything went missing after they took back weeks before their planned meeting in gunboats, together with a tug, attempted to the ships (TASS, November 21). accepting the award from the European Parliament President David Sassoli, Mr. Paris. Statements from the Kremlin and the cross from the Black Sea through the Kerch During his election campaign Mr. Presidential Office of Ukraine said the Strait into the Sea of Azov, where Ukraine Zelenskyy had promised the return of the Sentsov addressed the European lawmak- ers, urging them not to forget the November 25 call included discussion of controls two major port cities: Mariupol and “the men and ships.” On Wednesday three-way negotiations between Russia, Berdyansk. The Ukrainian convoy was (November 20), he flew to Ochakiv to meet Ukrainians’ sacrifices in the ongoing con- flict with Russia-backed separatists in east- Ukraine and the European Union for Russia stopped and attacked by Russian forces. and inspect the recovered boats. Mr. to keep sending natural gas to European One of the gunboats, the Berdyansk was hit Zelenskyy told journalists some equipment ern Ukraine. “Every time, when some of you think about stretching out a hand of customers via pipelines that traverse multiple times as the Ukrainians, who did is missing and that Kyiv would demand that Ukraine. A gas-transit contract between not return fire, were attempting a retreat. Moscow return it all. The ships will be refur- friendship to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin over our heads, you should remem- Moscow and Kyiv expires on January 1, The boats were boarded and all 24 bished and, in some three months, again while the next round of EU-mediated talks Ukrainian service members (some were ready for service, the president declared. ber each of the 13,000 [people] killed in Ukraine, the hundreds of our boys kept in for a new contract are scheduled for next wounded, though none fatally) were impris- Mr. Zelenskyy insisted the ships (and men) week. Disputes between the two neighbors oned in the Federal Security Service’s were returned without any preconditions: “I prisons, who may be tortured as we speak, the Crimean Tatars, who may at this very in 2006 and 2009 left many European Lefortovo prison, in Moscow; they were did not agree, or promise, or sign anything” countries with gas shortages in mid-winter. questioned and accused of crossing the (Militarynews.ru, November 21). moment be arrested,” Mr. Sentsov said to rapturous applause from the European Mr. Zelenskyy’s office also said he insisted Russian border illegally, despite the exis- But according to Nikolai Polozov, the that Russia “return all weapons, equip- tence of a 2003 Russo-Ukrainian treaty Ukrainian sailors’ Russian lawyer, the legal lawmakers. Mr. Sentsov, a 43-year-old Crimean native who opposed Russia’s 2014 ment, and documentation that had been defining the Kerch Strait as a joint sover- case has not been closed, and the boats are aboard” three Ukrainian naval vessels that eignty “internal” waterway.

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