Part 1 of THE YEAR IN REVIEW pages 5-13

ThePublished U by thekrainian Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationeekly Vol. LXXXIV No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 $2.00 Shokin-Kasko rivalry seen by U.S. Commentators react to Obama’s as hindering anti-corruption eff orts choice of words regarding Ukraine KYIV – U.S. President Barack Obama in open and democratic decision to demand his State of the Union (SOTU) address to the basic human rights, journalistic and econom- U.S. Congress on January 12 chose question- ic freedoms and closer integration with able words relating to Ukraine, saying it, like Europe during the Revolution of Dignity.” Syria, is being propped up by Russia. For observers and experts on foreign Speaking about threats faced by the U.S. relations, Mr. Obama’s choice of words was and the world, Mr. Obama said: “Even as a puzzle, as Voice of America noted. their economy severely contracts, Russia is Below are some of the tweets on the pouring resources in to prop up Ukraine issue. and Syria – client states they saw slipping away from their orbit.” According to vari- Calling our friend and ally #Ukraine a ous news media reports, apparently the Russian• Rep. “client Peter state”Roskam shows (PeterRoskam): an alarming word “client” was a departure from the lack of understanding of geopolitical reali- president’s prepared text, which referred ties. #LastSOTU to “states,” not “client states.” The Ukrainian Congress Committee of why Obama vetoed prominent Cabinet America reacted with a statement released support• Casey – MichelKerry, (cjcmichel):Biden, Carter, Maybe etc. this– For is on January 13, noting, “In his final State of the helping arm Ukraine. Union address, President Obama got it wrong when it came to Ukraine. … When it #SOTU, Obama says “#Russia is pouring Aleksandr Sinitsa came time to mention Ukraine, a long-time resources• Christopher in to Miller prop (ChristopherJM): up #Ukraine.” In Deputy Procurator General Vitaliy Kasko was denied permission to attend a senior- strategic partner of the United States, Misspoke? B/c Moscow is def trying to level meeting on fighting corruption to be held in Washington on January 18-21 by President Obama once again demonstrated a destabilize Ukraine. his superior, Procurator General Viktor Shokin, drawing criticism from the U.S. shocking ignorance of foreign policy Embassy in Ukraine. hotspots in his biggest address to the nation.” pifer): POTUS: #Russia “is pouring resourc- The UCCA said it “is outraged by the es •in Ambassadorto prop up #Ukraine.” Steven PiferOdd line. (steven_ More by Zenon Zawada and the U.S. Justice Department, he said. description of Ukraine used in the State of like Moscow pouring resources in to desta- “The visit serves as another strong sig- the Union address. To be clear, Russia is not bilize Ukraine. #SOTU KYIV – It’s the new year, but the nal of U.S. support for those in the propping up Ukraine; the Russian Federation Procurator General’s Office of Ukraine is Prosecutor General’s Office, the National is destabilizing Ukraine. Nor did Ukraine ‘slip Times (NickKristof): “Russia is pouring still resisting the U.S. government’s anti- Anti-Corruption Bureau in Ukraine and away from Russia’s orbit’; the people of resources• Nicholas to prop Kristof up ofUkraine”? The New Hello? York corruption recommendations. elsewhere working to build a judicial sys- Ukraine made up their own minds with The latest episode in the U.S. govern- tem free from corruption and firmly regards to national policy, including their (Continued on page 22) ment’s anti-corruption struggles with the ground in rule of law,” Mr. Lalley said. Poroshenko administration involves As for the letter’s author within the U.S. Procurator General Viktor Shokin denying Embassy, he declined to comment on the permission for Deputy Procurator General Embassy’s private diplomatic correspon- Ukraine stops power supply Vitaliy Kasko to travel to Washington as dence. In the Facebook posting, the letter’s part of a senior-level Ukrainian delegation footer, bearing the signature, is intentional- that will examine anti-corruption reform. ly cut off to avoid revealing its author. to Russian-annexed Crimea In the Procurator General’s Office, Mr. The unidentified U.S. official informed Kasko is responsible for international Mr. Shokin he is “very disappointed” at his by Oleg Varfolomeyev Ukrainian town of Kakhovka in the early hours of December 31 (112.ua, December cooperation, asset forfeiture and asset refusal to allow Mr. Kasko to join the dele- Eurasia Daily Monitor 31, 2015). As in November, Ukrainian recovery. Last fall, U.S. Ambassador to gation. His participation would have been Shortly before its residents rang in the activists were most probably behind the Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt praised Mr. Kasko crucial given his responsibilities with the New Year, the Russian-annexed peninsu- blast, and the Security Service of Ukraine for his anti-corruption initiatives and came office, the letter stated. la of Crimea again found itself entirely has been reportedly questioning mem- to his defense after reported pressure from “You have repeatedly requested U.S. without Ukrainian electricity. As in bers of the far-right paramilitary group his superiors to undermine these efforts. assistance in international cooperation but November 2015, this was caused by Pravyi Sektor (Hromadske.tv, January 4, “By withholding permission for Mr. now, when we make this unique opportuni- unidentified saboteurs who blew up a 2016). Ukraine quickly repaired the pylon Kasko to join the delegation, you may hin- ty available to your experts, and to Mr. power transmission line tower in and the transmission line. But the power der the advancement of reform efforts,” Kasko in particular, you deny Mr. Kasko the Ukraine’s Kherson Oblast, which borders supply was not restored (112.ua, January said a letter addressed to Mr. Shokin that chance to attend,” the letter said. Crimea. However, this time, Kyiv is 1, 2016), because the Russian-Ukrainian was written and sent in December by an The meetings will give the senior-level unlikely to restore the power supply. contract on supplying electricity to unidentified U.S. Embassy official. It was Ukrainians the opportunity to discuss poli- First, Ukraine’s electricity contract Crimea expired on December 31, and no posted on Facebook on January 11 by cy and practical issues on anti-corruption with Russia regarding supplying Crimea new contract has been signed. National Deputy Svitlana Zalishchuk of the reform with their American counterparts, has expired, and both Kyiv and Moscow In December 2014, when Crimea Poroshenko Bloc. the letter said. It urged Mr. Shokin to recon- are reluctant to sign a new one for politi- could not survive without Ukrainian The senior-level delegation will travel to sider his decision. cal reasons. And second, Crimea depends power, Moscow coerced Kyiv into signing Washington on January 18-21, said Yet Mr. Kasko confirmed this week that on power from mainland Ukraine to a the contract. Kyiv agreed to continue Jonathan Lalley, a spokesperson for the U.S. his superior hasn’t changed his mind. much lesser extent than in November, as sending power to Crimea, which had Embassy in Ukraine. Representatives of the “I received a personal invitation, and he Russia in December boosted its own sup- been illegally annexed by Russia in March Ukrainian Justice Ministry, Procurator simply didn’t let me go, despite the trip plies to the occupied peninsula and flew 2014, in return for Russia agreeing to General’s Office and the newly appointed being at the expense of the U.S.,” Mr. Kasko in power generators. supply electricity to eastern Ukraine, Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Unit will meet said, as reported by the Ukrinform news A fallen electricity pylon was discov- with their senior-level counterparts at the ered by emergency crews near the (Continued on page 21) White House, the U.S. State Department (Continued on page 22) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

ANALYSIS

Putin’s national security strategy Ukrainians’ happiness rating sinks relay information to artillery units that fired near a location in eastern Ukraine WASHINGTON – A survey by Gallup where two Russian journalists were killed marked by defiance and pushback shows that Ukrainians gave their lives in by artillery fire in 2014. She denies the 2015 the worst ratings that the opinion some 50 million Russians – the second accusations, saying she was kidnapped and by Pavel Felgenhauer pollster has yet measured in the country. forcibly brought to Russia in July 2014. The such massive exercise in two years. Cold The survey, published on January 4 in Eurasia Daily Monitor 34-year-old has spent over a year in custo- War-era bunkers are being renovated and Washington, indicates that on a ladder scale dy in Russia, during which time she has Under existing legislation, Russia’s prepared for use. The authorities declared with steps numbered from 0 to 10, with 10 already protested her detention by going National Security Strategy (NSS) must be that all Russians (over 140 million) will be being the best possible life, Ukrainians on on an 83-day hunger strike. (RFE/RL) updated every six years. The previous ver- provided refuge from nuclear attack and average rated their current lives at 4.0. sion was approved in May 2009 by then- radioactive fallout in the event of war with Current life ratings have dropped among Russian hacker Sandworm is blamed President Dmitry Medvedev, so a new NSS the U.S. (Interfax, October 28, 2015). At an residents from all age groups, education was due in 2015. The NSS is composed SCRF session, Mr. Putin demanded that levels, and gender, Gallup said. The only DALLAS – U.S. cyberintelligence firm under the auspices of the Security Council mass production begin of gas masks to exception were the wealthiest Ukrainians, iSight Partners said it is certain that a of the Russian Federation (SCRF). Last defend the Russian population against whose ratings of their future lives have Russian hacking group known as month SCRF Secretary Nikolai Patrushev radioactive fallout, gas and germ attacks improved slightly over the past year. Gallup Sandworm caused last month’s unprece- told the government daily Rossiyskaya (Moskovskiy Komsomolets, October 30, said the poor outlook is likely related to dented power outage in Ukraine. “We Gazeta that the text of the revised NSS has 2015). Ukrainians’ growing dissatisfaction with believe that Sandworm was responsible,” been prepared and submitted to President Mobilization, including industrial mobi- their living standards in the conflict-torn iSight’s director of espionage analysis, John Vladimir Putin (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, lization, was another essential pillar of country. Over the last year, the percentage Hultquist, told Reuters. iSight and other December 22, 2015). Mr. Putin, who tends Soviet Cold War strategy – i.e., the prepara- of Ukrainians who report being satisfied cybersecurity companies had been leaning to be notoriously late on practically any tion of capabilities to rapidly transform with their living standards has dropped toward blaming Sandworm, a nebulous, appointment, signed the revised NSS on civilian industrial plants and infrastructure from 27 percent to 17 percent, Gallup said. Moscow-based hacking group that has been December 31, so the document is dated to serve massive military production in the The percentage of Ukrainians who view the strategically aligned with the Russian gov- 2015 in compliance with legislation. The run-up to global nuclear war with the country’s economic situation as “poor” ernment, because of the Ukraine hackers’ NSS is an open, non-classified document United States. The NSS implies renewed jumped from 62 percent in 2014 to 79 per- use of BlackEnergy malware associated (Pravo.gov.ru, December 31, 2015). mobilization efforts and declares that the cent in 2015. Ukraine’s Crimea region, with Sandworm. U.S. security agencies have Mr. Patrushev, priority develop- which was annexed by Russia, has not been suspected that Russia was behind the always eager to pro- ment of Russia’s included in the Ukraine survey since 2014. Ukraine power outage, as well as similar mote the role and The overall goal of military industry Also excluded were Ukraine’s eastern attacks in the United States and Europe, but significance of the pushing the U.S. and will be the main regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where have not publicly named any culprits to SCRF in security “engine” of overall Ukrainian forces have been engaged in mili- date. Ukraine’s state security service has decision-making, its “proxies” out of future Russian mod- tary conflict with Russian-backed separat- blamed Russia for the blackout affecting insisted the NSS is a Kyiv is still a domi- ernization (Pravo. ists since April 2014. Gallup said the results 80,000 customers in western Ukraine on “fundamental docu- nant strategic objec- gov.ru, December of its survey are based on interviews with December 23, 2015. iSight came to the con- ment of strategic 31, 2015). 1,000 adults, conducted in July and August clusion it was Sandworm based on its analy- planning,” or a sum tive of Russia. Massive civil 2015. (RFE/RL) sis of BlackEnergy 3 and KillDisk malware of other doctrines defense and indus- Savchenko’s health ‘worrisome’ used in the attack, and intelligence from and long-term government plans on trial mobilization preparations are costly “sensitive sources,” Mr. Hultquist told defense, foreign policy, defense industry, endeavors that make sense only if the MOSCOW – A lawyer for Ukrainian mili- Reuters. He said it is not clear whether mobilization preparations, economic devel- Kremlin seriously sees an imminent threat tary pilot Nadia Savchenko, who has been Sandworm is working directly for the opment, agricultural production, social sta- of armed conflict with the U.S. and its allies. on a hunger strike in Russian custody for Russian government. The group is named bility, religious tolerance and so on. While Russia convalesced after prolonged nearly a month, has described the state of Sandworm because its malware is embed- According to Mr. Patrushev, the key objec- New Year’s celebrations, the threat assess- his client’s health as “worrisome.” Lawyer ded with references to the “Dune” science- tive of the NSS is to strengthen national ment part of the NSS, which is much more Nikolai Polozov, who is based in Moscow, fiction series. “It is a Russian actor operating unity in the face of growing outside threats. concrete and makes more interesting read- said in a tweet on January 12 that Ms. with alignment to the interest of the state,” The draft text of the NSS was, according to ing, was actively commented on by officials Savchenko had lost 15 kilograms (33 Mr. Hultquist said. “Whether or not it’s free- Mr. Patrushev, discussed by a “wide circle of and the media in the West. pounds) of weight since she started a hun- lance, we don’t know.” To date, Sandworm representatives of the business community, In the threat assessment part of the NSS, ger strike on December 17. Mr. Polozov also has primarily engaged in espionage, includ- scientists, different government ministries the U.S. and its allies are accused of “exert- said she feels pains in her stomach and ing a string of attacks in the United States and departments, the presidential adminis- ing military, political, economic and infor- heavy nausea. Ms. Savchenko launched the using BlackEnergy that prompted a tration and the prime minister’s office” mational pressure” to reverse Russia’s hunger strike to protest a Donetsk city December 2014 alert from the Department (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, December 22, 2015). “independent foreign and internal policies.” court’s decision in Russia’s Rostov region to of Homeland Security, according to iSight. Since the NSS is non-classified, it turned The U.S. is allegedly threatening Russia in prolong her detention until April 16. out an extremely vague document full of the West, in the East and in the Arctic. The Russian officials say Ms. Savchenko helped (Continued on page 14) noncommittal slogan-type phrases about Ukrainian crisis is the result of the U.S. and the need to strengthen defense and nation- the European Union’s “support of an uncon- al unity, achieve “food production indepen- stitutional coup” in Kyiv. The Islamic State dence,” develop the economy and so on, developed as a result of the West’s med- The Ukrainian Weekly FOUNDED 1933 without any concrete hints about how all dling, “double standards” and a Western these good things could be achieved. The policy of “provoking the overthrow of legiti- An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., NSS was published on New Year’s Eve, mate governments.” According to Mr. a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. when Russia was preparing to celebrate the Patrushev, the North Atlantic Treaty Yearly subscription rate: $90; for UNA members — $80. traditionally (since Soviet times) most Organization (NATO) is an aggressive orga- Periodicals postage paid at Caldwell, NJ 07006 and additional mailing offices. important holiday of the year and then fall nization, while “Western leaders lie about it (ISSN — 0273-9348) into almost two weeks of drunken slumber, being a defensive alliance” (Rossiyskaya The Weekly: UNA: with banks, the government and newspa- Gazeta, December 22, 2015). Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 pers closed until January 11. The NSS text Duma Security and Anti-Corruption appeared too late for much substantial Committee Chair Irina Yarovaya dismissed Postmaster, send address changes to: comment from inside Russia; only Mr. Western concerns about the newly signed The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz Patrushev had a head start to comment the document: “The NSS does not define any- 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas text. The revived NSS, according to Mr. one as an ‘enemy’ – it objectively assesses P.O. Box 280 Patrushev, in particular puts more empha- the threat of U.S. policies to Europe, Russia Parsippany, NJ 07054 e-mail: [email protected] ses on “preparing civil defenses” and on and the entire world.” Ms. Yarovaya accused “mobilization,” including industrial mobili- Washington of “aggression” and of treating The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com zation (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, December 22, Russia as an enemy. But in accordance with 2015). the NSS, continued Ms. Yarovaya, Russia The Ukrainian Weekly, January 17, 2016, No. 3, Vol. LXXXIV Civil defense was an essential part of will use military might “only if other legal Copyright © 2016 The Ukrainian Weekly Soviet war preparations, designed to mini- and diplomatic means are exhausted” (RIA mize losses and ensure overall victory in a Novosti, January 5, 2016). nuclear standoff with the U.S. and its allies. As a non-classified text, the NSS is not a After the end of the Cold War, civil defense military or diplomatic action plan per se. ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA preparations were neglected, but this has But it apparently correctly reflects the over- Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 and advertising manager fax: (973) 644-9510 been dramatically reversed after the illegal all Kremlin notion of Russia being besieged e-mail: [email protected] annexation of Crimea in 2014. Last October on all sides by the U.S. and its proxies, and November, a month-long all-Russia Subscription Department (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 e-mail: [email protected] civil defense exercise involved reportedly (Continued on page 4) No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 3 Helsinki Commission briefing sheds light on Russian human rights abuses in Crimea

by Adrian Karmazyn with the U.N., create a Special Court for Ukraine with jurisdiction over crimes and USUF other human rights violations committed in WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commission on Crimea during the Russian occupation. Security and Cooperation in Europe, also Such a court can also have jurisdiction over known as the Helsinki Commission, held a crimes and human rights violations com- briefing on “Human Rights Violations in mitted during the Euro-Maidan protests Russian-Occupied Crimea” on December between November 2013 and February 12, 2015. 2014, as well as crimes committed in the The discussion featured a panel of activ- conflict in Eastern Ukraine.” ists who are working to keep the world’s The report calls on the Ukrainian gov- attention focused on the troubling human ernment, the international community and rights dimensions of the illegal annexation NGOs to keep the issue of human rights by Russia of the Ukrainian peninsula and abuses in Crimea in the spotlight and to was chaired by Orest Deychakiwsky, a poli- ensure that residents of Crimea have access cy advisor at the Helsinki Commission. to independent media in the Ukrainian, In his opening remarks, Mr. Crimean Tatar and Russian languages. Deychakiwsky emphasized that: “Russia’s In his presentation, Bohdan Yaremenko, forcible and illegal occupation of Ukraine’s Stacy Hope/Helsinki Commission a leader of the Ukrainian NGO Maidan of sovereign territory of Crimea in March Panelists and interpreters at the Capitol Hill briefing on human rights in Crimea. Foreign Affairs and a former diplomat, tied 2014 resulted in a deplorable human rights the occupation of Crimea to other military situation and other serious consequences Federation as an occupying power is obliged and national groups that oppose the occu- moves by Vladimir Putin in the region: “We that continue to this day. Changes in gov- to ensure that everyone is treated humanely pation. Indigenous Crimean Tatars are fre- are convinced that situation in Crimea and ernment and the legal framework in and without discrimination based on ethnic- quently suspected of this sort of broadly eastern Ukraine is directly connected and Crimea following the attempted annexation ity, religion or any other basis.” defined ‘anti-Russian activity’ [and the] should be kept in the same frame for politi- have had a toxic impact on human rights Ivanna Bilych, a New York attorney and Russian Federation’s illegal occupation and cal analysis. Honestly speaking, the picture and fundamental freedoms. Violations of one of the co-authors of the report, attempted annexation of Crimea has creat- will still be incomplete without analyzing civil, political, social, economic and cultural explained at the Helsinki Commission brief- ed a continuous stream of human rights the Russian intervention into Ukraine aside rights are widespread, especially against ing: “The purpose of the report is to assist violations encroaching on or even prohibit- of what is happening in Transdniestria in those who oppose the Russian occupation, individuals in Crimea, Ukraine, as well as ing basic individual rights and freedoms.” Moldova, Abkhazia and Ossetia in Georgia.” including Crimean Tatars and other ethnic, around the world, working in academia, The “Human Rights on Occupied The annexation of Crimea, Mr. political and religious groups.” governments, international organizations, Territory: Case of Crimea” report includes a Yaremenko noted, “calls into question the Mr. Deychakiwsky noted that Russia’s non-governmental organizations, business- list of recommendations for the Ukrainian existence or the effectiveness of interna- takeover of Crimea is not internationally es and media to understand the nature of government, the international community, tional law and the international security recognized and “both the [U.S.] administra- the human rights violations in the occupied NGOs and individuals. For example, it rec- guarantees, thus threatening the existing tion and Congress have addressed the territory, so that they are better equipped ommends that the Ukrainian government world order.” Russian occupation of Crimea in various to defend and protect the internationally create an electronic database dedicated to He also talked about the dangers of the ways, including through legislation and recognized expression of human rights.” storing information and made available to militarization of Crimea: “The occupying through concrete sanctions against Russia, Furthermore, Ms. Bilych said: “What is Crimean citizens to “secure documents and authorities are developing Crimea mainly including Crimea-specific sanctions.” very clear, however, is that practice of information in their possession that testi- as a military base. The number of troops is In an effort to address the international human rights in occupied Crimea is dire fies to their holdings and property, to about 50,000 people, not including the legal obligations of Russia as an occupying and continues to deteriorate. Every day, human rights violations, and other legal members of the security agencies. The power in Crimea, a group of experts, Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea face matters.” development process and increase of the researchers and activists recently released a unprecedented oppression and limitations Kyiv should “provide Crimean citizens military grouping has not yet been com- report titled “Human Rights on Occupied of their rights. Serious and consistent viola- with the means to report crimes and other pleted; however, according to the objectives Territory: Case of Crimea.” The report, pub- tions of the civil, political, social, economic violations of human rights to the Ukrainian defined by the minister of defense of lished by the VOLYA Institute for and cultural rights of Crimeans have been authorities, establish a telephone and Russia, the number of Russian troops in Contemporary Law and Society and the well-documented by a variety of organiza- Internet ‘hotlines’ for Crimean citizens to Crimea can be increased to 100,000 to Ukrainian American organization Razom, tions, including the United Nations, Human report crimes and human rights violations 200,000 people.” emphasizes that “according to the interna- Rights Watch, international media outlets, committed in Crimea [and] ensure the Crimea is a training ground for Russian tional law on occupation, the Russian reports from the undercover journalists proper investigation of crimes committed mercenaries in the Donbas, Mr. Yaremenko within Crimea and various local organiza- on the territory of Crimea, especially those said, and “by forming a powerful military Adrian Karmazyn is a special advisor, tions over the previous year. The illegiti- against citizens of Ukraine,” the report says. base in Crimea, Russia threatens both the strategic communications and develop- mate self-proclaimed Crimean and Russian The authors also recommend that the ment, at the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. authorities target those ethnic, religious Ukrainian government, “in cooperation (Continued on page 18) Vira Savchenko calls on Ukraine’s politicians to give all the facts about agreements reached KYIV – Imprisoned Ukrainian military day spent in a pre-trial detention center is pilot Nadiya Savchenko’s sister, Vira, equal to two days of imprisonment. appeared at a press briefing at the Ukraine “Unfortunately our judicial and law Crisis Media Center, on December 30, 2015. enforcement systems are not much differ- She spoke about her sister’s case, noting ent from the Russian ones. I am saying this that her trial is to resume on January 13, from my observations both here and there. and pointing out that Nadiya started her …For the moment we have the same prac- second hunger strike on December 18, tice as in Russia [whereby an innocent per- 2015, saying she would continue her pro- son is accused of a crime in order to close a test until the end of her trial, at which time case],” explained Vira Savchenko. she would go on a “dry” hunger strike, According to Vira Savchenko, her sister refusing both food and water. is also receiving appeals as a member of Vira Savchenko also recalled that Ukraine’s Parliament; the majority of them Russian President Vladimir Putin had spo- are regarding corruption in hospitals and ken about prisoners held by both sides in abuses by chief doctors. “We already have the war and the need to exchange “all for certain results. We are happy that Nadiya’s all,” but added that such agreements were voice is heard,” she noted. not reached at the recent negotiating ses- Recently an appeal to Nadiya Savchenko sion in Minsk. came from Kharkiv servicemen, who out- “I herewith call on Ukrainian politicians lined corruption at military bases, cases and on our president to start a tradition – when money for uniforms is demanded to give press conferences and give us first- Ukraine Crisis Media Center from servicemen, as well as problems with hand information on what has been agreed Vira Savchenko speaks at a press briefing at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center on the granting of ATO veteran status. “We upon… or openly respond to our ques- December 30, 2015. tions,” Vira Savchenko stated. shall pass this information on to the She underscored that her sister is a as a member of the Ukrainian delegation to law No. 3413 that changes the procedure Defense Ministry. We hope they will react political prisoner, but that she remains the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council used by courts to calculate the terms of pre- accordingly,” Vira Savchenko said. active as a Ukrainian national deputy and of Europe. She is the author of Ukrainian trial detention. According to the law, one Source: Ukraine Crisis Media Center 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

Let’s talk about it

BY YARO BIHUN

Remembering Rostyk Chomiak Kyiv COPs a bye in Paris at Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe, a sim- Some skeptics called it the “hot air sum- GHGs by only a few percent, and China and ilar U.S. media organization. mit.” Officially, it’s called the “Conference of India are increasing theirs by 40-50 per- His earlier journalistic career resumé, Parties – 21st Session of the United Nations cent. However, 60 percent of the 1990 which began in the early 1960s, also Framework Convention on Climate emissions level translates to 386 MMt of included such assignments as the editor of Change,” or COP21-UNFCCC. The meeting GHGs. This actually represents a 40 percent The Ukrainian Weekly, reporter for the took place from November 30 to December increase in GHGs over current emissions in Calgary Herald and associate editor of the 13, 2015, in Paris. In all, 195 nations 2012. This is one of those rare times that Prolog Research and Publishing showed up, including presidents, princes, lady luck is with Ukraine, i.e., that 1990 is Association. celebrities and dictators. Ukraine sent its the official baseline. After two years at VOA, Rostyk accepted small delegation, for it stands to gain some There were two key contentious issues financial rewards for its fortuitous stance an editorial position with the African Press at COP21 that separated the delegates of on reducing greenhouse gases. developed and developing nations: are the Branch of the U.S. Information Agency, President Barack Obama recently stated commitments voluntary, and how big the which provided African countries – their that “no challenge poses a greater threat to package of financial aid will be for helping governments, media and people – with our future and future generations than a developing nations to convert to renewable journalistic reports, texts and transcripts of change in climate.” The COP21 summit energy. China, Saudi Arabia and India led official statements transmitted over what came just two weeks after the horrific the resistance to mandatory requirements, was known as the “Wireless File.” slaughter of over 200 innocent civilians in while the developing world, the G-77 as In 1979, when Rostyk was deputy chief Paris, on top of tens of thousands of deaths they are known, led the campaign for of the African Branch, he suggested that I in Syria and Iraq during the past year, pledges to create a fund of $100 billion per apply for the editorial position that became together with over 4 million refugees from year to assist their conversion to green open. I did and was accepted, and it focused that civil war. COP21 was one of President energy, i. e., low-carbon-intensity sources. Journalist Ross Chomiak in 1962, when my journalistic career back into the press Obama’s crown jewels of achievements, And of course, we the taxpayers, will be he was a correspondent for the Calgary and the English language. As well, it gave along with the Iranian nuclear deal. picking up the tab. Herald. me a deeper world perspective with the However, COP21 was almost derailed in The deal takes us to 2030, when GHGs experience and insight I gained in covering the last minute by a single word. Someone are expected to peak, and China, India and This old journalist is not easily moved to post-colonial African affairs, including a few had inserted “shall” instead of “should” into other coal-consuming nations will start to tears, especially if his mind and eyes are assignments on that continent covering vis- the text, referring to financial commitments replace their carbon-based economy with also focused on what’s going on on the iting senior U.S. government officials. by the developed world to the developing renewable energy sources. China has other side of his Nikon camera lens. But I After the break-up of the Soviet Union, world. A crisis was averted with some pledged to peak at 14,000 million metric did feel a bit of moisture in my eyes that when the U.S. government had to open extra-legal juggling and discretion of the tons of GHGs by 2030, a 40 percent increase sunny Saturday morning a month ago at St. embassies in the newly independent chair of COP21, Laurent Fabius, the French from 10,000 MMt currently emitted. The U.S. Andrew Ukrainian Cemetery in South minister of foreign affairs and international Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, has promised to reduce its emissions from Bound Brook, N.J., as the priest and mourn- development. 5,500 MMt to 4,500 MMt, a 20 percent both of us were selected to be among the ers began singing “Vichnaya Pamiat” for The entire two-week meeting was made decrease, while India is to increase its emis- first press attachés there: I in Ukraine and Ross Chomiak, visibly moving his wife, of many such compromises – of changing sions from 3,000 MMt to 4,500 MMT (a 50 Martha Bohachevsky-Chomiak, daughters, Rostyk in Kazakhstan. “shall” to “should” and “will” to “may.” Many percent increase). In other words, just two Tania Chomiak-Salvi and Dora Chomiak, His daughter Tania Chomiak-Salvi supporters of the agreement were disgusted nations, China and India, will be allowed to and their families to tears. became the second press attaché in with the watering down of all enforcement produce more GHGs over the next 15 years Rostyk – as Ross is known to his Kazakhstan. And now, she is a senoir foreign mechanisms. John Kerry repeatedly had to than all the pledged reductions from all the Ukrainian friends – is an old journalist col- service officer at the State Department. twist the arms of Saudi Arabia, China and other nations combined. Net global emis- league and friend of mine who died that Rostyk and I retired from the USIA in India, who resisted all calls for mandatory sions will actually increase over the next 15 previous Monday morning, December 7, 1994, and both of us then refocused our requirements, to stay the course. The result years. after a long illness and a few weeks shy of journalism back to the now-independent is a largely voluntary agreement, which is not The net result is that scientists say, his 80th birthday. Since then, my mind Ukraine. He spent a year in Kyiv managing officially termed a treaty, otherwise it would based on their models, this agreement will hasn’t been able to stop thinking about the International Media Center – which have to be approved by the U.S. Senate. reduce temperatures by only 0.17 degrees him, his work in Ukrainian and African was co-founded by his other daughter, It was a historic summit, nevertheless, C (0.3 degrees F) by 2100, without some affairs, and the role he played in the devel- Dora Chomiak – and continued writing and considered a huge success by nearly all technological miracles by 2050. opment of my journalistic life since our articles and commentaries for The Weekly, who participated. In the world of diploma- Temperatures will continue to climb well professional paths merged in the 1970s in Svoboda and other media. And I became cy, it is a truly a monumental accomplish- beyond the 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) Washington. the Washington Ukrainian radio corre- ment to get 195 countries to even agree on level that was agreed to as the upper limit, It was at the Ukrainian Service of the spondent for the British Broadcasting the simplest of realities. Though most of to about 4.5 degrees C (8 degrees F), by Voice of America – the U.S. government’s Corporation and began my freelance rela- the commitments to reduce their green- 2100, based on the commitments of COP21. shortwave radio service providing tionship with The Weekly. house gas (GHG) emissions over the next So what exactly is the value of this agree- Ukrainians living in the Soviet Union and It looks like things worked out well for 15 years are voluntary, and there are no ment? A panel of five leading climate scien- enforcement mechanisms, except for vol- elsewhere with truthful reports about both of us Lviv-born journalists, Rostyk. No tists, who are in charge of modelling the untary reports. The hope is that peer pres- what was going on in the world in their need to stop the presses. outcomes of such agreements and commit- sure and subsequent COPs will ultimately native language. I joined VOA in 1969, and Thank you. Rest in peace. Vichnaya ments, said that in order to keep tempera- ratchet up mandatory requirements. They Rostyk came there in 1972 after five years Pamiat. tures from rising more than 1.5 degrees C, will be needed, if they hope to limit global net GHG emissions must be reduced to zero average temperature increase to just 2.0 by 2050. That spells economic catastrophe degrees C (3.8 degrees F). “The U.S. is increasing the network of bio- for most developing nations. Ukraine submitted its “Intended logical warfare labs in countries neighbor- In order to stabilize temperature at 2 Putin’s... Nationally Determined Contribution” ing Russia” (Pravo.gov.ru, December 31, degrees C by 2050, GHG emissions would (Continued from page 2) (INDC) early. This is U.N.-speak for what 2015). But for Russia’s rulers, such threats have to be balanced by the natural and man- Ukraine agreed to as its target for reducing made absorptive capacity of the earth. The which purportedly seek to isolate, subvert, seem real. Mr. Patrushev previously GHGs by 2030, as part of the COP21 agree- hope is that technologies for carbon seques- and cause internal political and social accused the United States of “increasing ment. All national targets are based on tration can be found to enhance the absorp- 20-fold the number of bio-war labs” and of upheaval to bring about regime change in 1990 emissions levels. Ukraine’s GHG emis- tive capacity of forests and oceans. This is “deploying bio-weapon production labs in other countries. In turn, Mr. Putin’s Russia sions during the peak of its Soviet industri- called the “GHG emissions neutrality” tar- is ready to defy and push back on all fronts some CIS [Commonwealth of Independent al era in 1990 was 943 million metric tons get. That means that technological adapta- – in Syria, in Ukraine, in the Arctic – and by States] countries” (Mk.ru, October 30, (MMt). According to the latest figures tion must accelerate dramatically over the all means available. In Ukraine, Moscow’s 2015). (2012), it stands at 281 MMt, and is proba- next 25 years in order to achieve that dras- apparent agreement to settle for a “frozen Today, Mr. Putin has underwritten into bly even lower now that industry in tic goal of zero net emissions by 2050. conflict” based on the present line of sepa- law these and other similar threat evalua- Donbas is operating at about 30 percent of Over the next decade, rich countries and ration and a prolonged ceasefire may be a tions. Russian countermeasures are surely what it was in 2012. multilateral lending organizations, like the misinterpretation. The overall goal of push- forthcoming. But, here’s the rub, and why Ukraine got World Bank, will be diverting over $1 tril- ing the U.S. and its “proxies” out of Kyiv is a bye at the COP21 climate summit. lion to so-called “climate aid” as a conse- still a dominant strategic objective. The article above is reprinted from Ukraine’s promise to keep greenhouse gas quence of financial pledges made in Paris. The NSS threat perception may seem Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from emissions at 60 percent of 1990 levels What this really means, is that COP21 is tell- bizarre when one focuses on such unfound- its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, looks very good on paper, at a time when ed statements as the document’s Article 19: www.jamestown.org. most countries are having trouble reducing (Continued on page 21) No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 5

2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW As war in east continues, Ukraine moves Westward ocket attacks in the east marked the beginning of 2015 for Ukraine. Twelve civilians were killed and R11 were wounded by a missile fired by Russian- backed militants that hit a bus in the town of Volnovakha, 35 kilometers southwest of Donetsk, on January 13. President Petro Poroshenko stated: “This is a disaster and a tragedy for Ukraine. This is more evidence after the MH17 plane, after the many civilian casualties – it is a crime that terrorists from the so-called DNR and LNR [Donetsk and Luhansk peoples’ republics] have severely violated my peace plan, which was approved and support- ed by the European Council and the European Union.” It was yet more evidence also that the ceasefire agreed to in Minsk in September of 2014 was being violated almost daily. As of the beginning of 2015, it was noted that over 4,700 people had been killed and more than 10,000 injured in the fighting in Ukraine’s east that began in April 2014. At year’s end, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that there were now more than 28,000 casualties in Ukraine since the war began, www.president.gov.ua including more than 9,000 killed. In addition to the dead At the Minsk summit on February 12 (front row, from left) are: French President Francois Hollande, Ukrainian and wounded, more than 1.5 million were internally dis- President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Belarusian President Alyaksandr placed as a result of the conflict. Lukashenka, who hosted the meeting. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen in the background. Our Kyiv correspondent, Zenon Zawada reported that 2014 for Mr. Yanukovych for abuse of power and murder Russia continued sending its “humanitarian” convoys pro-Russian rebels in the Donbas, backed by the Russian charges. Yet Interpol revealed that it didn’t respond into Ukraine throughout the year. On January 8, the 11th military, on January 13 launched their biggest military because the request wasn’t compliant with its rules and such convoy was reported. By the end of the year, there’d campaign against Ukrainian forces since the September 5 regulations. Interpol’s decision came criticism was mount- been at least 47 so-called humanitarian convoys from Minsk II ceasefire protocols, staging hundreds of attacks in ing of the current government’s failure to successfully Russia into eastern Ukraine. All but one of the 44 vehicles a fierce attempt to take control of the territory of the criminally prosecute those who ordered and committed crossing the border on December 24 were labeled ruined Donetsk airport. Besides the aforementioned the shootings and killings in the winter of 2014 of Euro- “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation,’’ the Volnovakha attack, a January 19 explosion near a Kharkiv Maidan activists. More than 100 were killed, and more Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe courthouse injured 14, four of them seriously, and a bridge than 1,000 were injured or missing. All the key (OSCE) reported. was blown up the next day in the Zaporizhia region as a Yanukovych administration officials fled abroad, mostly to cargo train crossed it. The Russian government intended the Russian Federation. As many as 5,000 people fled to Political prisoners in Russia its military-terror campaign to boost its negotiating posi- Russia – that number included officials, their relatives, and Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian air force pilot who tion with the Europeans and Ukrainians in talks to resolve support and service staff. was fighting in the east with the volunteer Aidar Battalion the Donbas war, said Volodymyr Fesenko, the director of Meanwhile in Davos, Switzerland, at the World when she was abducted on Ukrainian territory by pro- the Penta Center for Applied Political Research in Kyiv. Economic Forum, President Poroshenko on January 21 Russian forces in June 2014 and taken to Russia, was on a Soon afterwards, news came that the Donetsk airport accused Russia of sending more than 9,000 troops into hunger strike at the beginning of 2015. She had begun this was completely destroyed and was no longer suitable for Ukrainian territory. He demanded that Russia immediate- protest against her illegal imprisonment on December 13, defense. Thus a decision was made to withdraw Ukrainian ly implement all of its obligations under the Minsk peace 2014, and continued it for 83 days. Ms. Savchenko was servicemen from the new terminal, reported Andriy plan, close Russia’s border with Ukraine, “and withdraw charged by Russian authorities with complicity in the Lysenko, spokesman for the Anti-Terrorist Operation all the foreign troops from my territory.” Mr. Poroshenko deaths of two Russian journalists and, remarkably, with (ATO). The Ministry of Defense reported the most difficult said that in addition to the thousands of troops in Ukraine, illegally crossing the border – never mind that she was situation was towards Debaltseve, where Kremlin-backed Russia had about 500 tanks, heavy artillery, and armored kidnapped with a sack over her head. She faces a sentence terrorists continued shelling Ukrainian positions. Towards personnel carriers. The president asked: “If this is not of up to 25 years in prison if found guilty. Mariupol, militants repeatedly shelled Ukrainian posi- aggression, what is aggression?” In April, Ms. Savchenko’s mother launched a global tions. Several media outlets showed video footage of Ukraine’s Parliament on January 27 adopted a state- campaign to free her daughter. Maria Savchenko, 78, told Kremlin-backed forces parading captured Ukrainian sol- ment branding Russia an “aggressor state” – a move that the Associated Press that Nadiya is a political prisoner and diers in Donetsk. deputies hoped would pave the way for punishment that Russian prosecutors have showed “no evidence” that Also at the beginning of the year, on January 12, under international law. The Verkhovna Rada also voted her daughter provided guidance for a mortar attack that Interpol issued wanted person alerts for former Ukrainian that day to define self-styled “people’s republics” in the killed two Russian state TV journalists at a checkpoint in President Viktor Yanukovych, former Prime Minister eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as “terrorist eastern Ukraine, as Moscow claims. Mrs. Savchenko Mykola Azarov, and two of their associates on charges of organizations,” and to appeal to the international commu- launched her global campaign in Germany, where she embezzlement and misappropriation. The Ukrainian gov- nity for additional nonlethal military aid and stronger pleaded for help from lawmakers and wrote to Chancellor ernment had submitted an alert request as early as March sanctions against Russia. Angela Merkel. New York was her second stop. She was traveling with her daughter’s Russian lawyer, Mark Feygin. On December 18, Ms. Savchenko, 34, started a second hunger strike, vowing to continue until the end of what is clearly a politically motivated trial, at which time she would go on a “dry” hunger strike, refusing both food and water. Another political prisoner being held in Russia was Oleh Sentsov, a filmmaker from Crimea who opposed Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula. Mr. Sentsov and three other Ukrainian citizens were arrested in May on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks in the Crimean cities of Symferopol, Yalta and Sevastopol. At his trial in Rostov-on-Don, which started on July 21, Mr. Sentsov, who denied all the charges, said, “I don’t consider this court a court at all, so you can consider whatever you want.” In his final statement, he said: “A court of occupiers by definition cannot be just.” The court founded him guilty on August 25 and hand- ed down a sentence of 20 years in a maximum-security prison. His co-defendant, Oleksander Kolchenko, received a sentence of 10 years. Earlier, two others arrested with Messrs. Sentsov and Kolchenko on the trumped-up charg- es, Oleksiy Chyrniy and Hennadiy Afanasyev, were each sentenced to seven years in prison. When asked by the judge if the ruling was clear to them, Messrs. Sentsov and Kolchenko sang the Ukrainian national anthem and chant- ed “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!” Aleksandr Sinitsa/UNIAN Amnesty International likened the proceedings in the Aidar Battalion members carry the coffin of a fellow warrior on February 2 on Kyiv’s Independence Square. Sentsov-Kolchenko case to the Soviet “trials” of the Stalin- 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

want to catch Putin in his lies. We want to tell people that the president of Russia – a man who controls nuclear weapons and leads an enormous country – is lying to the Russian people and to the entire world.” The war in Ukraine’s east continued throughout the year, despite the Minsk II ceasefire. Significant escalation was reported in mid-August when Russian-backed terror- ists intensified attacks on towns in the Donetsk region where Ukrainian military forces were based. Intense bat- tles were reported at the same time near the government- held city of Mariupol; they were focused on a strategic highway that connects Mariupol with Donetsk. Speaking on September 27 at the United Nations sum- mit on development, President Poroshenko said the con- flict in Ukraine’s east was costing the country $5 million a day – money that could better be spent on development. He added that the war with Russian-backed militants had made Ukraine lose about one-fifth of its economic poten- Aleksandr Sinitsa/UNIAN tial and that the insurgency in the east had led to “the Among the political prisoners being held in Russia during 2015 were Nadiya Savchenko and Oleh Sentsov. emergence of a new form of poverty, sudden or unexpect- ed poverty” for tens of thousands of people. era and called them “fatally flawed.” On November 24 the step towards de-escalating the war. “It’s not a complex Meeting at a summit in Paris on October 2, Russia and Russian Supreme Court upheld the verdicts in the solution and of course not a breakthrough, but Minsk II Ukraine reached verbal agreements towards resolving the Sentsov-Kolchenko trial. Among those speaking out in can be a step that can remove us from the spiral of mili- war in the Donbas, including withdrawing armaments support of Mr. Sentsov, who is an internationally known tary escalation towards a political impulse after weeks of from the conflict line beginning on October 4 and cancel- film director, were prominent members of the European violence,” said German Foreign Affairs Minister Frank- ing illegal elections planned that were to be held in the Film Academy. Walter Steinmeier. next few weeks. The meeting, which also involved the At the same time, much skepticism surrounded its Sanctions against Russia leaders of Germany and France, also set a basic frame- prospects – even in the short term – particularly since work for fulfilling the Minsk accords – though without any Sanctions on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine con- many of the agreement’s points were repeated from the revealed dates – that is based on granting immunity and tinued to be extended and ramped up during 2015. The first agreement, which was never upheld by the Russian- amnesty to the Russian-backed terrorists and allowing European Union’s Foreign Ministers Council voted on backed forces. The Weekly editorialized: “It remains to be them to run in elections next year under a special law to January 29 to recommend extending Crimea-related sanc- seen whether Minsk II will be any better than Minsk I. be drafted. Ongoing disagreements were apparent after tions until September and imposing new economic sanc- Should we expect this ceasefire to work, when the previ- the talks. President Poroshenko and his advisors vowed tions. The day before, the Parliamentary Assembly of the ous one failed so abysmally? The devil is in the details and, not to allow the elections to occur until Russian soldiers Council of Europe (PACE) voted to extend sanctions most importantly, hinges on the willingness of the aggres- leave Ukraine and Ukrainian control of the border is restricting Russian activity in the organization until the sor to cease and desist.” restored. Yet French President Hollande said elections end of April. The consideration of new sanctions was Analyst Vladimir Socor, writing for Eurasia Daily should occur before these conditions were met, with mon- Monitor, pointed out that, “At no point does the agreement prompted by the January 24 terrorist attack by pro-Rus- itoring performed exclusively by the OSCE. sian forces on a residential neighborhood of Mariupol, acknowledge Russia’s role as a party to the conflict, or the where 31 residents were killed and more than 100 were presence of Russian weaponry and military personnel on The downing of MH17 injured. The attack was condemned by PACE and the EU Ukraine’s territory.” Furthermore, he noted, “The Minsk II The Netherlands said on April 16 that, with nearly all of Foreign Ministers Council, which both cited the direct agreement’s military and security clauses leave Ukraine in the victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) identi- responsibility of the Russian government. a position of even greater vulnerability; while the political fied, efforts had shifted to finding those responsible for Sanctions were widened by the U.S. and the EU in clauses threaten (more directly than Minsk I) to insert shooting the plane down over Ukraine on July 17, 2014, September on dozens of Russian and Ukrainian individu- Russia through its proxies into Ukraine’s constitutional killing all 298 people on board. In March, Dutch media had als and entities with connections to Crimea’s annexation processes.” reported that a metal fragment from the crash site match- and the ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine. In an And still the fighting continued. es a Russian-made rocket. On April 22 it was reported that announcement published in the U.S. Federal Register on Ukraine’s armed forces suffered a major military defeat more remains had been found at the crash site. The Dutch September 2, the U.S. administration said it was adding 29 on February 18 when President Poroshenko announced people to its sanctions list. Some of those added had ties their retreat from the key railroad hub of Debaltseve, Justice Ministry said in a statement that along with human to Kremlin-linked insiders and companies who were pre- about 47 miles northeast of Donetsk, after the fiercest bat- remains investigators also found passengers’ jewelry, viously sanctioned, including Gennady Timchenko, a tle of the Donbas war so far that raged since mid-January. passports and photographs. wealthy oil trader believed to be close to President Putin. Rather than adhering to the February 12 ceasefire, the On May 13, evidence emerged that a large Russian mili- A total of 33 companies or other entities were cited, Russian-backed forces threw all their resources at the bat- tary convoy that traveled to eastern Ukraine in June 2014 including subsidiaries of state-owned oil giant Rosneft tle and slaughtered Ukrainian soldiers as they retreated, had brought Buk anti-aircraft systems to Russia-backed and the company that manufactures Kalashnikov assault news reports said, citing eyewitnesses. separatists. That was a month before MH17 was downed. A rifles. The European Union, meanwhile, said it would On May 12, the long-awaited report by Boris Nemtsov group of pro-Ukrainian citizen activists published a report extend the freezing of assets and visa bans for 150 on Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine – titled purportedly identifying a Russian soldier who was a driver Russians and Ukrainian separatists, along with 37 compa- “Putin. War.” – was released in Moscow by colleagues of in that convoy and showing photographs of Buk systems nies and entities either located in Crimea or having ties to the murdered Russian opposition leader. The report docu- being escorted across Russia to Ukraine. Eliot Higgins, the separatist units in eastern Ukraine. mented the deaths of 220 Russian soldiers in the fighting founder of the citizen’s journalism website Bellingcat, said At the end of 2015, the United States added another in Ukraine’s east – a number that surely represents merely the information jibed well with Bellingcat’s own probes three dozen people and companies to its sanctions list. the tip of the iceberg. It was prepared by Mr. Nemtsov’s into the convoy that allegedly brought the Buk systems to The European Union on December 18 agreed that it allies, who pieced together information he left behind, eastern Ukraine, including the one he believes was used to would extend economic sanctions against Russia for even though Russian authorities had seized his computer shoot down MH17. “We’ve been looking at this same con- another six months over its role in the war in Ukraine. hard drives and documents, and despite the fact that voy, and there’s quite a lot of interesting information,” Mr. many sources were not willing to speak with them after Higgins told RFE/RL. “We’ve found much, much more Fighting continues despite ceasefire Mr. Nemtsov was killed – some say precisely because of additional material. We’ve got the names of the people A second attempt at a ceasefire in Ukraine’s east was his work on this topic. The report noted that Russia had who were in the convoy. We’ve got a good idea of which brokered on February 12 in Minsk by the heads of state of spent at least $1 billion on the war in Ukraine during its vehicles they were driving. In fact, the guy who they fea- France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine after Western leaders first 10 months, and it documented the use of Russian ture in the article was actually almost certainly driving warned it was the last chance to avoid an escalation in vio- state funds to pay Russian citizens to fight in Ukraine. just one vehicle in front of the actual missile launcher that lence in the Donbas war, particularly with the U.S. leader- The report showed how “the Russian government pro- [we believe] shot down MH17.” ship considering providing lethal arms. The Minsk II cease- vided active political, economic, personnel and also direct On July 2, Malaysia told the United Nations Security fire agreement – signed by the representatives of the military support to the separatists.” It noted the types of Council that it planned to push for a U.N.-backed tribunal Ukrainian and Russian governments, the “separatist” forces Russian military hardware used by the so-called separatists to prosecute those suspected of shooting down MH17. and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in in eastern Ukraine and said Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was The proposal was developed jointly by the five nations Europe (collectively known as the Trilateral Contact Group) downed by these “separatists” with a Buk missile system. In investigating the downing. Dutch Prime Minister Mark – consisted of 13 points, including a establishing a ceasefire addition, it detailed how the Russian government paid off Rutte, whose country had the greatest number of nation- as of midnight February 15, removing all foreign armies families of Russian soldiers killed in the war to ensure their als among the victims of the crash, said a U.N. tribunal is from Ukrainian territory and withdrawing heavy weaponry silence. Yet another interesting finding: Russian personnel “the best option to prosecute those responsible for the from what was in effect a newly created buffer zone. were compelled to resign from the Russian military before MH17 disaster, as it is the best chance to get them before a The new agreement emerged after a week of negotia- being deployed to Ukraine, thus making possible the deni- court of law.” tions involving the leaders of what’s known as the ability of the presence of Russian forces. On the first anniversary of MH17’s downing, “Normandy format” countries: French President Francois Opposition activist Ilya Yashin said at the May 12 press Ukrainians, a deeply religious nation, mourned the citi- Hollande, German Chancellor Merkel, Russian President conference at which the 64-page report was released: “We zens of 11 countries who had perished. Local residents in Putin and Ukrainian President Poroshenko. Western and want to tell people the truth about what is happening in the towns where the plane’s remnants, and passengers’ Ukrainians leaders hailed the new agreement as a critical Russia, about what is happening in eastern Ukraine. We bodies, rained from the sky, had erected memorials and No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 7

2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW they continued to pray for the repose of the souls of the passengers and crew. Memorial services were held throughout Ukraine; in Kyiv, people laid flowers on the steps of the Dutch Embassy. President Poroshenko explained in an address that “the Ukrainian people took this catastrophe as a personal tragedy.” At the same time, previously unseen video footage was released by News Corp. Australia of “separatists” sifting through the wreckage of MH17 soon after it was shot down by a Buk missile, realizing that this was a civilian aircraft, and then callously going through the belongings of the dead. Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said it was “sickening to watch.” The country’s prime minister, Tony Abbott, said the images show the downing was an atrocity – that the rebels were “deliberately shooting out of the sky what they knew was a large aircraft.” Mr. Abbott stated that he had no doubt the aircraft was shot down with a Russian- supplied surface-to-air missile because “rebels don’t get hold of this kind of weaponry by accident. I mean, this was obviously very sophisticated weaponry.” Then, on July 29, Russia vetoed a U.N. draft resolution to create an international tribunal to investigate and try those Dalia Grybauskaite/Facebook responsible for firing the missile believed to have brought Foreign leaders join with Ukraine’s president on February 22 in the city center of Kyiv to remember the fallen on down MH17. Eleven other Security Council members the first anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity. backed the proposal by Malaysia, Australia, the Netherlands and Ukraine, while Angola, China and Maidan anniversaries cute any officials in the Yanukovych administration for alleged economic crimes, violence against the historic Euro- Venezuela abstained. The supporters of the resolution In 2015, Ukraine marked the first anniversary of the Maidan protest and separatism in the Donbas region. “It’s were three out of the five permanent members of the massacre on the Maidan, when security forces of the Security Council: France, the United Kingdom, the United very good that we achieved the resignation of the procura- Yanukovych regime killed over 100 people. President tor general, who showed no results,” Self-Reliance National States; and eight of the 10 non-permanent members: Chad, Poroshenko designated February 20, the day most of the Chile, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria Deputy Yegor Sobolev told the February 10 parliamentary victims lost their lives, as an official day of remembrance. session during which Mr. Yarema’s resignation was and Spain. Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said Russia had RFE/RL reported: Church bells rang across the country approved. “That’s the first time in Ukrainian history that a “failed to stand up and be counted in the quest for interna- and a minute of silence was held. Hundreds of people procurator general left who suited the president, suited tional justice.” He added that countries involved in a Dutch- marched in Kyiv to honor their memory, and mourners the majority of political forces but didn’t suit society.” led investigation will now focus on other legal options “at laid flowers and candles at sites where protesters were Mr. Yarema resigned ahead of a February 17 report in both the international and national level... supported by a shot dead. A religious service was held in Independence the Wall Street Journal that stated the European Union broad international coalition” because “the perpetrators... Square, where the protests took place. Another religious would soon begin to drop sanctions against members of must not be allowed to escape punishment.” service took place at a church situated on a nearby street Mr. Yanukovych’s entourage – starting with four out of 22 The long awaited Dutch Safety Board report on the that saw some of the worst bloodshed. Mr. Poroshenko targeted – for lack of evidence provided by the Ukrainian MH17 disaster was released on October 13. It said the addressed the nation later in the day from Independence government to back up corruption allegations. “I stated passenger plane was downed by a Russian-made Buk mis- Square, promising to “do the maximum I can, so those several months ago that, in the event that EU sanctions are sile. It did not specify the exact location from which the huge loses our people suffered during the past year won’t removed from the Yanukovych entourage through the missile was fired, but it did identity a 320-square-kilome- be wasted. We will stop the war and within the few years fault of the procurator general, Vitaliy Yarema should be ter area mostly under the control of the separatists at the everyone will notice how Ukraine is changing.” held politically responsible and resign,” wrote National time. The missile detonated less than a meter to the left of In November, the country noted the second anniversary Deputy Serhiy Leshchenko on his Facebook page the same the aircraft’s cockpit, according to the report, killing the of the beginning of the Euro-Maidan movement. day as the resignation. pilots instantly and causing the aircraft to break apart. Unfortunately, the anniversary also brought to the fore the To replace Mr. Yarema, the Verkhovna Rada on Board head Tjibbe Joustra stressed that investigators fact that not a single conviction had come about against February 10 approved the president’s nomination of sought to answer the question of why Malaysia Airlines those who perpetrated violent events on the Maidan Viktor Shokin, who had served as deputy procurator gen- was flying over a conflict zone. He said the airline should resulting from the authorities’ crackdown on what came eral since December 2004. Fiery debate preceded the vote have recognized the risks, but noted that the carrier was to be known as the Revolution of Dignity. “Was it neces- in which critics warned he’d perform just as badly as Mr. not alone: 61 airlines were flying over eastern Ukraine at sary to wait until the second anniversary of the Maidan to Yarema, having served at the heart of Ukraine’s corrupt the time, in the apparent belief that their aircraft were fly- announce what we already knew on the Maidan?!” Oleh law enforcement system for more than a decade, including ing at high enough altitudes to avoid danger. Mr. Joustra Rybachuk, a former head of the Presidential Secretariat, under the Yanukovych administration. also said Kyiv should have closed the air space over east- wrote on the gazeta.ua news site. “The law enforcement The Ukrainian government soon afterwards unleashed ern Ukraine because of the conflict with pro-Russian sepa- bodies aren’t reformed,” he added. a new round of criminal investigations and arrests against ratists. Predictably, the Kremlin criticized the report and Corruption and lack of reforms Yanukovych administration functionaries, among them investigation as “biased,” with Deputy Foreign Affairs “the three odious judges” – as they were widely labeled – Minister Sergei Ryabkov saying that, despite Moscow’s Ukraine’s top law enforcement officer, Procurator who were involved in illegal rulings that drew global atten- efforts to organize an MH17 probe, “there are obvious General Vitaliy Yarema, submitted his resignation on tion. They are two other Yanukovych functionaries of a attempts to carry out a political order.” February 9 amid mounting criticism of his failure to prose- higher profile – the former chair of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction, Oleksandr Yefremov, and his deputy, the late Mykhailo Chechetov – were arrested by Ukrainian authorities. Mr. Chechetov, a key functionary in the Party of Regions most famous for leading the January 2014 vote in the Verkhovna Rada for what was dubbed the dictatorship laws, was found dead on February 28 outside his 17th floor apartment in what was determined by police to be suicide. Just a week earlier, a Kyiv court had ordered that Mr. Chechetov, 61, be placed under house arrest. “At first glance, the efforts of the new procurator general, Viktor Shokin, would inspire optimism that President Petro Poroshenko is finally punishing the crimes commit- ted under his predecessor after a year of inaction,” Mr. Zawada wrote. “But political experts contacted by this cor- respondent insist the latest moves are largely for show and to cool boiling public discontent, and may not even lead to punishment. All the key insiders of the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych remain at large, many hiding in the Russian Federation, and some have even begun to get their sanctions dropped by the European Union.” The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine was finally launched on April 16 by President Poroshenko at a ceremony in which he revealed its first head will be Artem Sytnyk, a former prosecutorial investigator who has dis- tinguished himself with investigations that led to incarcer- ations. The announcement came after months of delay in www.president.gov.ua Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko presents former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as the new head of creating the bureau and criticism that the government the Odesa Oblast State Administration to local residents on May 30. wasn’t doing enough to address corruption. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

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“Everything’s in the hands of the new chair. He has time, society’s support and healthy forces,” said Mustafa Nayyem, a national deputy with the Poroshenko Bloc. “Mr. Sytnyk can go down in history as the first fighter against corruption, who was able to put behind bars top-tier offi- cials, from ministers to judges, prosecutors, etc. Or he can become yet another inglorious official from the dark masses.” Mr. Sytnyk was granted exceptional authority – with influence rivaling other top law enforcement officials – in accordance with legislation approved by Parliament in October 2014 that created the bureau and then amend- ed in February of this year. His task is to uncover crimes at the highest levels of government and conduct pre-trial investigations, without any politician having the legal authority to interfere with the bureau’s work. Amidst rising criticism that reforms in Ukraine were pro- ceeding too slowly, President Poroshenko in late May appointed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as head of the Odesa Oblast State Administration to lead the president’s initiatives in the region, as well as oversee the spending of funds earmarked by the central Kyiv budget. Mr. Saakashvili is among the most popular post-Soviet politi- cians in Ukraine and the West after leading reforms that turned Georgia into a competitive economy. He has a long www.kmu.gov.ua history in Ukraine, having studied alongside Mr. Poroshenko Some of the first graduates of a new training program for Kyiv patrol police on July 2. in Kyiv and learned the Ukrainian language. Mr. Saakashvili had spent recent months criticizing the Ukrainian govern- top state officials could have reached deals enabling their had appointed to a commission to establish a Specialized ment for failing to quickly carry out needed reforms. avoidance of detention and prosecution for their alleged Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. These prosecutors Odesa is among the main sources of corruption in the crimes. “I think that I’m not alone in suspecting that a non- were identified by Transparency International as Ukrainian economy, being the nation’s biggest port and aggression pact, a ring of protection exists between the Yanukovych administration holdovers who were loyal to having a reputation for contraband for decades, dating current and past leadership of the country,” said National the current president and would compromise the indepen- back to the Soviet era. Odesa is also the nation’s third-larg- Deputy Yegor Sobolyev, chairman of the parliamentary dence of the specialized prosecutor’s office. est city, behind Kyiv and Kharkiv. In presenting Mr. Committee on Preventing and Countering Corruption. Criticism that had been circulating among Western cir- Saakashvili, the president referred to him as an “indepen- Charges of selective justice emerged yet again with the cles became public in late September, when U.S. dent, decisive person” and assigned him the priorities of case of Hennadiy Korban, a business associate of oligarch Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said in a speech to the Odesa deoligarchization, fighting corruption, ensuring transpar- Igor Kolomoisky, who was arrested on October 31 and Financial Forum that corrupt prosecutors are “openly and ency in the state customs and tax-collecting services, and charged with stealing from the private Country Defense aggressively undermining reform.” Ambassador Pyatt defending the rights of citizens. As 2015 drew to a close, a Fund, as well as organizing the kidnapping of two govern- underscored: “the true measure of Ukraine’s commitment lot remained to be done in Odesa. ment officials. In his defense, Mr. Korban said through his to fight corruption is the number of officials from the cur- On June 18, the Verkhovna Rada voted to approve lawyers that he didn’t steal from the fund, which he him- rent administration in prison for corruption. The authori- President Poroshenko’s request to dismiss Valentyn self had created to aid the war effort, and that he had no ties’ willingness to prosecute all corrupt officials and oli- Nalyvaichenko as head of the Security Service of Ukraine involvement in any kidnappings. Mr. Korban’s arrest garchs, regardless of their political party or personal (SBU). While the president argued that Mr. Nalyvaichenko sparked mixed reactions among the public, with many wealth, is a critical indicator of its commitment to the rule had failed to fulfill his responsibilities, Mr. Poroshenko’s saying the president was targeting his opponents. of law. On this indicator, Ukraine post-Revolution of critics argued that the dismissal was revenge for Mr. Mr. Poroshenko was widely criticized also for pursuing Dignity still comes up short.” Nalyvaichenko’s unapproved attempts to eliminate the his business interests while serving as president, and EU Representative to Ukraine Jan Tombinski warned that president’s allies – alleged to be corrupt – from both the there were allegations in September that he was involved the consequences extended beyond Ukraine’s dysfunctional SBU and the Procurator General’s Office. The conflict over in orchestrating attempts to bribe national deputies from law enforcement system. In an October 22 letter to Ukraine’s Mr. Nalyvaichenko, who some alleged was aligned with the Radical Party faction to remain in the coalition govern- Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkin, Mr. Tombinski oligarch Dmytro Firtash, was the biggest since the coali- ment. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk also was suspect- warned that the failure to launch by year’s end the tion government emerged in November 2014. Most politi- ed of involvement in corruption scandals; indeed, such Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and, in turn, cal observers commented that the conflict was merely the accusations were made by Mr. Saakashvili, head of the the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, would cost Ukrainians Odesa Oblast State Administration. Mr. Saakashvili told latest chapter in the power struggle among Ukraine’s oli- their visa-free regime planned for launch in 2016. garchs, including Mr. Poroshenko himself. Channel 5 television: “All the oligarch interests control the But there was some good news in the battle against Another Yanukovych insider who eluded arrest was Ukrainian government.” He also spoke about the lack of corruption and implementation of reform in Ukraine. A Serhii Kliuyev, who apparently fled the country within reforms: “Decisions about reforms are not being made. … graduation ceremony of new Kyiv patrol police officers days after Ukraine’s Parliament voted on June 3 to strip What the government is calling reforms, I can’t call trained with the support of the project coordinator in him of his political immunity. By June 10, he was declared reforms.” The result of Mr. Saakashvili’s TV interview was Ukraine of the OSCE was held on July 2. According to the missing by Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the internal a war of words with the prime minister. official website of the government of Ukraine, Prime affairs minister, who confirmed a week later in Parliament Procurator General Shokin himself was the target of that he fled to Russia through the occupied territories of much criticism from the West. His integrity and credibility Minister Yatsenyuk presented certificates to the graduates Donbas. The government’s failure to make arrests of key were called into question after he resisted European Union and greeted them by saying: “Millions of Ukrainians have Yanukovych officials infuriated critics, who believed that recommendations that he replace the four prosecutors he hope in you. And each of you will take an oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian nation. You are the new face of Ukraine. You are the new Ukrainian police. You are also the representa- tives of our new European Ukraine.” The establishment of the new patrol police in the Ukrainian capital, initiated in January by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was the first step in nationwide police reform. Over 33,000 persons – 35 percent of them women – applied and undertook tests to evaluate their general and individual skills, as well as health and physical abili- ties. As a result of the selection, about 2,000 recruits underwent initial training courses between April and June. “We are going step by step in developing police reform in Ukraine,” said Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov. He said some 6,000 new police officers would be trained by the end of the year and that about 170,000 police officers require re-training country-wide. On November 25, a group of activists, including 15 national deputies of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc – most of whom were involved in the Euro-Maidan – announced they were forming a group, the Anti-Corruption Platform, with- in the faction to expose and fight corruption both within their faction and beyond. The announcement came a day after a closed-door meeting of faction deputies in which the reformists accused establishment politicians of not only indulging their own corrupt business schemes, but Sergey Nuzhnenko/UNIAN even undermining their reform projects. “These were situ- Participants at the rally of mourning held on May 18 on Kyiv’s Independence Square to mark the 71st anniversary of Stalin’s genocidal deportation of the Crimean Tatar people. ations of the so-called ‘deoligarchization’ that began last No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 9

2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW year but was never completed and it’s happening now, leader Oleh Lyashko said in an August 27 interview with when each of us is being persecuted and being destroyed the News One television network. in the media. All of our attempts to bring this information Outside the Parliament on August 31 were members of to the country’s leadership, to the procurator general, to the Svoboda Party, the Radical Party, Pravyi Sektor and law enforcement bodies merely ended with us being on Ukrop (a party launched by Mr. Kolomoisky, a billionaire our own. We decided to unite our efforts,” said Mr. Nayyem. and rival of Mr. Poroshenko). They gathered to protest the lack of public discussion on the amendments, which had Special status for the Donbas been approved by the Constitutional Court on July 31. Ukrainian lawmakers on March 17 approved a draft Inside the Rada, Radical Party members blocked the podi- law to grant special status to the rebel-held areas in the um and the work of the Parliament. Once the vote on the country’s east. It was part of a package of legislative pro- first reading of the constitutional amendments ultimately posals made by President Poroshenko that had been took place, violence broke out outside. Simple bombs and sharply criticized by both Russia and the pro-Russian sep- explosives were hurled toward the Parliament building aratists. The bill outlined the boundaries of particular dis- and the attacks were capped off by a military grenade that www.president.gov.ua tricts in the areas under pro-Russian separatist control killed three National Guardsmen and hospitalized over 90 Volodymyr Viatrovych speaks during a ceremony at the that could be granted special status with limited self-rule. people. It was Ukraine’s most serious domestic political Mystetskyi Arsenal in Kyiv, where the “Remembrance That was a key part of the Minsk II ceasefire deal reached. conflict since the Euro-Maidan. Poppy,” Ukraine’s new symbol of victory over Nazi The bill said rebel-held areas in Donetsk and Luhansk Germany in World War II, was unveiled on April 7. Plight of Crimean Tatars regions will be granted their special status after holding get anything,” said Mr. Dzhemilev. The Kyiv-based group elections in accordance with Ukrainian law and under Crimean Tatars commemorated the 71st anniversary of Crimea Civil Blockade issued a series of demands: release international observation. their mass deportation ordered in 1944 by Joseph Stalin, political prisoners; stop interference in Crimean Tatar and On July 16 the Rada voted to send for the Constitutional which displaced around 200,000 people and cost tens of Ukrainian media activity; ensure foreign journalists’ and Court’s review constitutional amendments submitted by thousands of lives. Nearly half of those deported died of star- monitors’ access to Crimea; stop criminal proceedings and the president, including an amendment creating what was vation or disease en route to the places of their forcible administrative persecution of Crimean Tatars and other now called “specific procedures” for local self-governance resettlement. Crimean Tatars were allowed to return to their citizens of Ukraine; and lift the ban on Crimean Tatar lead- on the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts occu- homeland following the collapse of the Soviet Union. RFE/ ers entering Crimea. pied by Russian-backed terrorists. Although legislation cre- RL reported that a special event, called “I Am a Crimean On November 22, Crimean Tatars launched their big- ating specific procedures (previously referred to as “special Tatar,” was held in Kyiv on May 18 to remember the deporta- gest countermeasure since the beginning of the Russian status”) had been twice earlier approved by Parliament, an tion victims. Organizers said the goal of the gathering was occupation of their homeland by ruining four electricity amendment was also needed to the Constitution of twofold: to commemorate Crimean Tatars who died during lines, situated in the neighboring Kherson Oblast, that Ukraine. In his remarks endorsing the amendment on spe- the deportation to Central Asia that started on May 18, 1944, account for 70 percent of the peninsula’s electricity. By the cific procedures, President Poroshenko assured Parliament and to honor those who lost their lives during and after time they woke up, the majority of Crimean residents that it wouldn’t lead to federalization, or creating an auton- Crimean’s annexation by Russia in March 2014. were lacking access to not only electricity, but also water, omous entity within Ukraine like Crimea. A resolution passed by the Verkhovna Rada on heat, gasoline and cash, the news.allcrimea.net website Though insisting he was not being pressured, the presi- November 12 recognized the mass deportation of reported. Mr. Dzhemilev, the president’s ombudsman on dent confirmed that the legal mechanism to establish the Crimean Tatars from their homeland in 1944 as genocide. Crimean Tatar affairs, said on November 23 that activists specific procedures was being demanded by the European A Day of Remembrance for the victims of the genocide of had cut the electricity in order to force the release of polit- Union and the United States. “We simply don’t have the the Crimean Tatar people will now be held annually on ical prisoners being held in Crimea and Russia, among right to create with our own hands a situation that will May 18. The resolution also says that “the Verkhovna Rada other political aims. leave Ukraine on its own against its aggressor,” he said. of Ukraine states that the systemic pressure on the To stop the activists, the Ukrainian government dis- “That’s why now and in the future, when we will vote to Crimean Tatar people, the repression of Ukrainian citizens patched National Guardsmen and fighters of the Kherson approve the Constitution as a whole, we need to approach on a national basis, the organization of ethnically and Battalion, a division of the Internal Affairs Ministry. At the this vote with exceptional responsibility.” politically motivated prosecutions of the Crimean Tatars same time, Mr. Poroshenko held a meeting in the Later in the year, on August 31, constitutional amend- on the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine by the Presidential Administration with Crimean Tatar leaders, ments shifting certain state authority to local governments, public authorities of the Russian Federation, starting from who were accompanied by more than 100 demonstrators including provisions related to the special procedures for the date of temporary occupation, are a conscious policy outside, on Bankova Street, who urged the president not to parts of the Donbas, were approved by the Verkhovna of ethnocide of the Crimean Tatar people.” allow law enforcement officers to interfere with the activ- Rada with support from the national deputies of the On September 8, Crimean Tatar leaders called for a ists. As a result of the meeting, Mr. Poroshenko agreed to Poroshenko Bloc, the People’s Front led by Prime Minister blockade of Crimea. Speaking at a press conference in order the Cabinet of Ministers to impose a trade embargo Yatsenyuk, the Russian-oriented Opposition Bloc and the Kyiv, Refat Chubarov, chairman of the Mejlis of the on Crimea. The Cabinet fulfilled the order with the State deputies’ groups will of the People and Rebirth, which con- Crimean Tatar people, said: “…every day we see evidence Border Service implementing it on November 24. Repairs sist of big businessmen and former members of the Party of pressure, detentions, searches and pogroms organized of the electrical lines began as early as November 25. of Regions. Three of the five factions of the governing coali- by the occupation authorities against the Crimean Tatars Activists allowed crews to conduct all the necessary repairs, tion – the Radical Party, Samopomich and Batkivshchyna – and other national minorities.” Pointing out that Ukraine Mr. Dzhemilev told the Deutsche Welle news agency, add- voted against the amendments. Part of the specific proce- was still delivering goods to the occupied peninsula with ing, however, that the Tatars’ demands hadn’t changed. dures called for granting full immunity to the Russian- almost no obstacles, he said: “We believe that this is backed terrorists from any prosecution, enabling them to wrong, because this way the Ukrainian state feeds those Changing the narrative run for political office in local elections, remain in office for who occupied our land and supports Kremlin power, The Ukrainian government in 2015 took a major step in the full length of their terms, appoint prosecutors and judg- which now opposes Ukraine.” Crimean Tatar leader changing the narrative of World War II in Ukraine. Ukraine es, form local police forces and establish “deep neighborly Mustafa Dzhemilev noted that this was not only a question made the crimson poppy flower a symbol of the victory relations” with districts in the Russian Federation. “This is of foodstuffs. Ukraine supplies 85 percent of electricity over Nazi Germany, part of a shift away from the Soviet part of Putin’s plan for splitting and federalizing Ukraine and about 80 percent of water, especially irrigation water, imagery Kyiv said the Kremlin was using to influence and is practically the legalization of the Russian occupation to Crimea. “Before the occupation, such costs were cov- neighbors and promote self-serving myths about World on the occupied territory of the Donbas,” Radical Party ered by tourism or business trips. Now Ukraine does not War II. First Lady Maryna Poroshenko attended a “Remembrance Poppy” ceremony on April 7 as part of events marking the 70th anniversary of the Nazi surrender in May 1945. “The time has come when we have to look for the ideas that unite our country and nation,” she said. “The second world war affected each and every Ukrainian fami- ly. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance that pays tribute to all heroes who sacrificed their lives for a better future.” The head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, Volodymyr Viatrovych, said that Soviet-era com- memorations of the Allied victory had turned the “dread- ful tragedy” of World War II into a celebration of the “tri- umph of Communist ideas” and created a “cult of war.” He noted that the initiative of commemorating fallen Ukrainians with the Remembrance Poppy had been estab- lished the previous year. In 2015, the initiative gained leg- islative basis in the form of a presidential decree that made May 8 the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. Mr. Viatrovych also stated: “It is extremely important to honor the victims and heroes of this war in a Ukrainian manner, because Ukraine was one of the main arenas of the second world war. According to various estimates, about 10 million Ukrainians were victims of the war. Ukrainians made a decisive contribution to the victory Presidential Administration of Ukraine over Nazism in the Red Army, the Ukrainian Insurgent A flag from the battle of Ilovaisk that was on display in the exhibit “Power of the Unbroken” on Kyiv’s St. Michael Square, part of the first commemorations of the Day of the Defender of Ukraine, October 14. Army, the armies of Poland, France, Great Britain and 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

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Ukrainians who struggled for the independence and free- these two regions [Donetsk and Luhansk]. It’s you who, in dom of the country and recalled the words of Bohdan tightly closing off the fighting lines, are holding the Khmelnytsky: “We are a freedom-loving people, always defense against the aggressor with an impenetrable for- willing to die for our freedom.” Speaking of today’s tress. Thanks to you, the price of a likely Russian attack defenders of Ukraine, Mr. Poroshenko noted that over became so high that even the most intoxicated Russian 93,000 Ukrainian soldiers were direct participants in the minds sobered up. But that doesn’t insure us against a war, almost 108,000 took part in the ATO, and 210,000 large-scale escalation of military activity in the east, the came to the army in six waves of mobilization – one-sixth likelihood of which grows with Independence Day.” of them volunteers. Speaking on August 24 during the March of Independence in central Kyiv, the president said: “Russian Poroshenko’s self-assessment aggression has become a catalyst of our unity. We have Assessing his first year in office, President Poroshenko been completely formed as a single Ukrainian political offered an uncharacteristically sober view in which he nation.” He emphasized that “today, we are stronger than acknowledged disappointments with the government. He yesterday. …We cannot be enslaved or broken. We were also stressed achievements, such as thwarting Russia’s born free on our land. And we are ready to defend it until attempts to split Ukraine. The evaluations and political the end at any cost.” He added these words of caution: “We plans came in a June 4 address to the Verkhovna Rada and have to walk through the 25th year of independence as if a June 5 press conference. “I am often asked whether I’m we are on a thin ice. We should understand: the slightest satisfied with the work of the government. No. Am I satis- misstep can be fatal. The war for independence still contin- Presidential Administration of Ukraine fied with the work of the Verkhovna Rada? Also no, obvi- ues. And one can win it by combining defensive efforts, dip- President Petro Poroshenko and First Lady Maryna ously. I’ll say more – I am dissatisfied with my own work,” lomatic skills, political responsibility and iron self-control.” Poroshenko place symbolic bouquets of wheat before Mr. Poroshenko said. Mr. Poroshenko confirmed that his On November 28, Holodomor Remembrance Day, Mr. the statue named “The Sad Memory of Childhood” on government wouldn’t be able to return Crimea to Poroshenko spoke of those he called “people of the truth,” November 28 at the national museum complex dedicat- Ukrainian control for at least a year, while insisting, who “broke through the tight blockage of deception and dis- ed to the memory of Holodomor victims. “Crimea remains our top priority.” At the same time, he information in which Moscow held Ukraine and the whole other countries. Together, they made the victory over fas- acknowledged the government had yet to prepare a strat- world for decades.” Among these people he cited Robert cism possible.” egy for returning Crimea – a document that was being Conquest, James Mace, Lydia Kovalenko and Volodymyr In a related development, Ukraine’s Parliament preparing by the National Security and Defense Council. Maniak. He continued: “The truth pierced its way to the approved several historic bills on April 9 that took deci- He underscored that Ukraine’s armed forces must people. See how Ukraine has changed over the last two, sive steps to part with the country’s Soviet legacy. One of remain on guard for a possible full-scale Russian invasion three, four years. According to today’s sociological research, the bills recognized on the state level all those who fought of Ukrainian territory. A “colossal threat” also remains of 80 percent of Ukrainians consider the Holodomor an act of for Ukrainian independence in the 20th century, in armed, wide-scale fighting conducted by Russian-backed forces, genocide. Such an assessment prevails throughout Ukraine paramilitary, underground or political organizations, which currently include 14 battalion-tactical groups with without any exception – in the east and in the west.” including the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the more than 9,000 soldiers on Ukrainian territory, he said. The president also pointed to a historic continuity: Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, the Ukrainian National Republic, As his biggest success, the president cited the govern- Russia’s “hatred of Ukraine and the uncontrollable desire government bodies of Carpatho-Ukraine, the Ukrainian ment’s success in undermining the Russian government’s to destroy us, Ukrainians, as a separate nation.” He added, Helsinki Union and dozens of others. Another bill required attempts to create a separatist Novorossiya state, encom- “In this historical continuity, the Holodomor is nothing but the removal of all public Soviet symbols and monuments, passing the eight oblasts of southeastern Ukraine. “The a manifestation of a centuries-old hybrid war against and the renaming of all cities, towns and villages bearing Kremlin was counting on the bacilli planted by Russian Ukraine waged by Russia. Whether they take our grain or Soviet names. The largest to be affected was intelligence services to provoke an epidemic of separatism fire Grad rockets at our land, their goal remains the same Dnipropetrovsk, the city of 993,000 residents named after in the eastern and southern oblasts, but that idea didn’t and it is clear.” find support anywhere, including the Donbas,” he told the Grigory Petrovsky, a leader in the Red Terror of 1918- Moving Westward 1923 and the Holodomor of 1932-1933. Verkhovna Rada. “Even in the temporarily occupied dis- “From now on, children won’t ride on carousels in tricts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, the separatists As Ukraine tried to move Westward during 2015, the parks named after executioners, students won’t study in are being kept in power only thanks to Russian bayonets.” Eastern Partnership summit in Riga on May 21-22 revealed the European Union had lost the boldness it institutes named after terrorists, and lovers won’t arrange Celebrating, remembering their dates on squares named after killers,” National demonstrated in Vilnius in November 2013, when its par- Deputy Yuriy Lutsenko, head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc The Ukrainian government commemorated the start of ticipants ostracized President Yanukovych for declining to parliamentary faction, wrote on his Facebook page. its 25th year of independence from Moscow on August 24 sign the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. After the mil- Never was it more apparent that Russia and Ukraine by hosting a march of the nation’s top soldiers along the itary aggression demonstrated by the Russian govern- were going their separate ways than the 2015 commemo- Khreshchatyk and awarding Anti-Terrorist Operation ment since then, EU leaders haddemonstrated heightened ration of the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi commanders honorary battle flags. Though it dropped the caution, refraining from any direct condemnations of Germany, noted Mr. Zawada. Not only will the main com- display of armaments and hardware as was the case in the Russia and mutedly encouraging the six post-Soviet mem- memorations be held on different days, but the Ukrainian previous year’s parade, the Ukrainian government empha- ber states on their Euro-integration efforts. In the sum- state events will be stripped of any symbolism of Soviet sized the military theme, which remains relevant as mit’s joint declaration, the EU refrained from making communism for the first time. The government also decid- Russian-backed terrorists continue to engage in daily clearer Ukraine’s prospects for membership, let alone ed to do away with the May 9 military parade on Kyiv’s attacks on Ukrainian military and civilian targets. offering visa-free travel regimes. For the first time, the central boulevard, the Khreshchatyk, once and for all. “This “It was you who made an attack deep into Ukraine declaration referred to “trilateral consultations” on the era has disappeared forever, at least in our country,” said impossible for the enemy, who – besides the Anschluss of Ukraine-EU Free Trade Area, calling the January 1, 2016, Yurii Krykunov, a Kyiv City Council deputy who is among Crimea and Sevastopol – tried, attempted and planned to launch date “provisional.” those responsible for organizing the 2015 commemora- annex at a minimum eight other Ukrainian regions in the The declaration “reads like a successful sting operation tions. “I think these commemorations will be two absolute framework of the so-called Novorossiya project,” by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB),” Anders contrasts, revealing that we are moving towards civiliza- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a pre-Inde- Aslund, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council in tion and they [in Russia] are moving towards a dead end.” pendence Day speech on August 22 to soldiers at the Washington, wrote on May 26, describing the summit as a Victory Day, marked on May 9, has been among the big- Chuhuyiv Airfield in the Kharkiv region. “It was you who “disaster” for Ukraine. The consensus among numerous gest holidays on the Ukrainian calendar ever since 1965, freed from the occupants a large part of Ukrainian Donbas political observers was that Ukraine remains on track for when it was established. Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) and contained the fighters in the southeastern districts of Euro-integration, but both the Russians and the Ukrainians has been commemorated on May 8 in the Western world themselves had succeeded in dampening the enthusiasm. because that’s when the German Nazi leadership declared “The EU is tired of Ukraine’s desire to gain political results its capitulation. Yet Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin declared without real work,” said Bohdan Yaremenko, a Ukrainian Victory Day on May 9 because it was 0:43 a.m. Moscow diplomat and head of the Maidan Foreign Affairs Fund. time when the act was signed (22:43 in Berlin). In a sym- However, the EU and Ukraine did sign a 1.8 billion-euro bolic move intended as a break from the past and as indi- ($2 billion) loan deal to help revive Ukraine’s ailing econo- cation of Ukraine’s European integration, the government my. The Associated Press reported the agreement, part of held a larger ceremony for the May 8 commemoration, as the EU’s Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) program, compared to the limited events planned for May 9. would require Ukraine to adopt a series of reforms, Another sign of the changing narrative in Ukraine came including anti-corruption measures, to remedy structural on October 14 as Ukraine for the first time marked a new problems in its economy. The agreement brought the total national holiday – Day of the Defender of Ukraine – estab- amount of EU assistance to Ukraine in the past two years lished to honor the courage and heroism of the defenders to about 6 billion euros. Ukraine’s Finance Minister of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial Natalie Jaresko told journalists that the EU support was integrity. The date coincides with the religious feast day of “critical” to her country. “This third macro-financial assis- St. Mary the Protectress (Pokrova). On the legendary tance package is the largest to date... and a testament to Khortytsia Island in Zaporizhia, President Poroshenko the EU’s belief that Ukraine can and will steer through this took part in a special ceremony at which students of the challenging period and progress along our path of reform Ivan Bohun Kyiv Lyceum and Zaporizhia Regional Lyceum and transformation,” she said. took their oaths as part of their intensified military-tech- Poland continued to be a strong supporter of Ukraine nical training. In his speech to the cadets, he emphasized www.president.gov.ua during 2015. On April 9, President Bronislaw Komorowski the importance of historic ties among all generations of President Bronislaw Komorowski of Poland addresses addressed the Verkhovna Rada, stating that Poland has the Verkhovna Rada on April 9. No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 11

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“stretched out its hand to Ukraine and is doing everything eled to New York to campaign for his country’s election, – and will do everything – so that other states and peoples said Ukraine has a broader global agenda but that its tone of the free Western world stretch their hands out to with Russia will “definitely not be conciliatory.” He added, Ukraine as well.” According to RFE/RL, he also under- “For the first time, we have an absolutely unique, unimagi- scored that “Poland’s outstretched hand is not just an indi- nable situation... that a permanent member of the U.N. cation of the current political trend but our understanding Security Council is an aggressor in Ukraine, waging a of the historic processes turning Ukraine into an equal hybrid war against Ukraine.” and extremely important partner and neighbor.” Without Local elections held nationwide mentioning Russia by name, the Polish president pointed clearly at Moscow and stressed that the West must under- Our Kyiv correspondent wrote of the October 25 stand the importance of Ukraine’s security. “One cannot nationwide local elections that, “Exhausted by war, eco- tolerate that the aggressor’s soldiers, tanks, armored per- nomic depression and ongoing government corruption, sonnel carriers and anti-aircraft installations are present Ukrainians turned out less-than-expected to elect their in Ukraine’s east,” he said, adding that “only the blind can- local councils and council heads.” As expected, the not see their lies today.” Solidarity Petro Poroshenko Bloc performed well, finish- President Komorowski also said that European Union ing in the top two parties on most councils in western and nations recognize Ukraine’s territory in borders estab- central Ukraine. The youth-oriented Samopomich per- lished by 1991, reiterating the EU’s refusal to accept the formed surprisingly well, earning seats in the nation’s six annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea by Russia. “The changes of largest city councils. On the other hand, Euro-Maidan per- borders against the will of the Ukrainian nation will never secutors were re-elected mayors of numerous cities in Yuriy Sergeyev/Twitter be accepted by us and will always be condemned by us.” southeastern Ukraine, including Kharkiv and Odesa. U.N. Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev tweeted on September Mr. Komorowski’s successor as president of Poland, Voter turnout was 46.6 percent, far lower than the 60 17 that thus far 70 countries of the U.N. General Andrzej Duda, visited Kyiv on December 14-15. Mr. Duda to 74 percent projected by various experts. “The low turn- Assembly’s 193 members are in favor of stripping went to great lengths to demonstrate Poland’s commitment out at the elections means Ukrainians believe in neither Russia of its veto power on the U.N. Security Council. to Ukraine. He announced that he will advocate for Mr. the government nor the opposition. No one without Poroshenko and his delegation to “have a seat at the table” exception,” Serhiy Rudenko, a veteran political observer at ment, would insist Ukraine pay its debt by the end of the at the next NATO summit, which will occur in Warsaw in the Espreso television network, wrote on his Facebook year. It was then-President Yanukovych who in 2013 took on a loan of $3 billion from Russia, which was offered as early July 2016. In the context of their plans to relaunch a page. “The absence of tangible reforms, the further decline an incentive for Ukraine not to move toward the European presidential consultation committee to discuss projects and in quality of life, the prolonged war in Donbas – all this has Union. Now that loan was a danger, since Russia threat- initiatives, the two leaders agreed on settling remaining already fed up Ukrainians.” conflicts over culture in order to ensure regional coopera- ened to bloc future IMF funds to Ukraine if its loan was tion on crucial issues of security and defense. “In giving Restructuring Ukraine’s debt not fully paid back by the end of December 2015. Russia said on December 9 that it would take Ukraine to court if deep honor to the victims of the tragic pages of history, the Kyiv reached a debt-restructuring deal with a group of it defaulted on the payment. Kyiv responded by saying it common responsibility of Ukraine and Poland is to ensure international creditors under which part of its debt will be was ready to fight Moscow in court. their descendants a peaceful present day. We reached full written off. RFE/RL reported that Prime Minister agreement on this issue,” the Ukrainian president noted. Yatsenyuk said on August 27 that investors who own And, at the end of the year… Among the other key agreements to emerge from the Ukraine’s bonds will write off 20 percent of their holdings, As 2015 came to a close, Russia issued a new banknote talks was a 1 billion euro currency swap – exchanging that shrinking $18 billion in sovereign debt to $15.5 billion. dedicated to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed ille- equivalent in Polish zloty and Ukrainian hryvni – in what The deal will also extend the payment period on the gov- gally by the Kremlin in 2014. RFE/RL reported that the was described by Mr. Poroshenko as an effort to enhance ernment bonds by four years through 2027. Finance new banknote, worth 100 rubles ($1.41 U.S.), depicts a Polish and Ukrainian trade upon the January 1 launch of Minister Jaresko, who was widely lauded for the deal, said memorial to sunken ships in the port of Sevastopol, where the Ukraine-EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Kyiv will use the saved 20 percent to spend on social wel- Russia keeps its Black Sea Fleet, and the Swallow’s Nest, a Area. The Polish leadership also agreed to offer consulta- fare and national defense. International Monetary Fund clifftop castle near Yalta. The yellow-colored note also fea- tions to the Ukrainian government and business for the Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the agreement tures a watermark of Empress Catherine the Great, who free trade area’s launch, and even offered the Polish mar- will “help restore debt sustainability and – together with extended the borders of the Russian Empire in the 18th ket as a springboard from which to promote Ukrainian the authorities’ policy reform efforts – will substantively century to absorb Crimea. Russia’s central bank said in a products on the European market. meet the objectives” set by an IMF bailout program. She statement it would issue 20 million of the new notes. As for cultural issues, Mr. Poroshenko lauded the coop- also appealed to other bondholders to endorse the deal. There was news that highly destructive computer mal- eration that had begun between Polish and Ukrainian Our correspondent Mr. Zawada explained that the main ware infected power authorities in Ukraine and caused a Institutes of National Memory. In the past, Russia has success of the debt restructuring was that it postponed power failure that affected hundreds of thousands of manipulated tragic chapters of history, such as the Volyn the first debt payments to 2019. This enabled the govern- homes on December 23, leaving about half of the homes in massacres of 1943, to ignite enmity between Poles and ment to avoid a possible default, as well as continue build- the Ivano-Frankivsk region without electricity. Researchers Ukrainians. “The Ukrainian side is ready for a frank and ing its international reserves, which are critical for sup- from the security firm iSIGHT Partners, who studied sam- constructive dialogue on the pages of our common history, porting the hryvnia, Ukraine’s currency. “The and we agreed for this to occur in the framework of our ples of the malicious code that infected at least three International Monetary Fund (IMF) is elated with this consultation committee,” the Ukrainian president said. regional operators, confirmed the malware led to “destruc- agreement because it means its Ukraine program will be “History has taught us well that when Ukrainians and tive events” that in turn caused the blackout. “It’s a mile- fully financed, while Ukraine is elated because it won’t Poles argue, a third party benefits. I am sure we won’t stone,” John Hultquist of iSIGHT told Arstechnica.com. “It’s have to pay anything for the next four years. By then, the allow that. And our approach will be very responsible.” the major scenario we’ve all been concerned about for so Ukrainian economy will be in an entirely different condi- long.” Trend Micro researcher Kyle Wilhoit told Reuters: tion, I hope,” said Dr. Anders Aslund, a resident senior fel- Ukraine at the United Nations “This is the first time we have proof and can tie malware to low at the Atlantic Council in Washington. On September 17, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.N. a particular outage. It is pretty scary.” Antivirus provider However, the threat remained that Russia, which Yuriy Sergeyev tweeted that thus far 70 countries of the U.N. ESET said multiple Ukrainian power authorities were declined to participate in the debt-restructuring agree- General Assembly’s 193 members were in favor of stripping infected by “BlackEnergy,” a package discovered in 2007 Russia of its veto power on the U.N. Security Council. In a that has been repeatedly updated to include new destruc- resolution unanimously adopted on September 16, the tive functions. A Moscow-backed group, Sandworm, is sus- Ukrainian Parliament called for urgent reform of the pected of using it for targeted attacks. Security Council, in which Russia holds veto powers as one The leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine of the five permanent members. It said the veto has too renewed their support for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. often been used to “cover up the crime of aggression by a The office of the French presidency said in a statement on permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.” December 30 that the four leaders also reaffirmed their On September 4, Ukrainian President Petro commitment to the “concerted withdrawal without delay Poroshenko told Voice of America that Russia should be of heavy weapons.” German Chancellor Merkel, French stripped of its veto power on the Security Council. In his President Hollande, Russian President Putin and address to the U.N. General Assembly on September 29, Ukrainian President Poroshenko reportedly spoke by Mr. Poroshenko stated: “Abuse of the veto right – its usage phone for two hours. The four leaders emphasized the as a ‘license to kill’ – is unacceptable. … Ukraine stands for need to follow through on the Minsk peace accords over the gradual limitation of the veto right with its further the coming year, including preparations for local elections cancellation. Veto power should not become an act of at the start of 2016 in areas of eastern Ukraine held by grace and pardon for the crime, which could be used any- pro-Russian rebels. time and ‘pulled off from the sleeve’ in order to avoid fair Finally, as January 1, 2016, approached – the date that punishment.” He noted that since the beginning of Russia’s the free trade agreement between Ukraine and the aggression against Ukraine, Russia had used its veto on European Union was to go into effect – last-ditch negotia- the Security Council twice when that body was consider- tions aimed at addressing Russia’s concerns and its ing questions related to Ukraine. demands that its trade interests be taken into account, It was highly significant that Ukraine on October 15 Andrey Kravchenko/UNIAN ended without result. The trade deal went ahead after the won a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko at the early morning parliaments of all 28 member states of the European Union for the 2016-2017 term as the representative of Eastern session of the Verkhovna Rada on December 25, 2015, had ratified the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, a Europe. Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkin, who trav- when the 2016 budget was approved. milestone that had been attained on November 20. 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

with vendors and exhibits, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Museum informed visitors of the vast historical and cul- Our Churches: praying tural roots of Ukraine. Answers to visitors’ questions were provided by Natalia Honcharenko and Dr. Michael for peace in Ukraine Andrec. Religious events in 2015 were varied, including a visit The Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow by Pope Francis to the United States and the 150th anni- Patriarchate has been losing parishes in Ukraine since versary of the birth of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, but more number Most often, though, religious leaders from Ukraine shifts began to show in April 2015 when the Moscow appealed to the West for increased humanitarian assis- Church openly supported the Russian side, while tance for Ukraine as it defends against Russian aggres- denouncing the Ukrainian side. This trend continues to sion and reminded the world of historical examples of reduce Russian Patriarch Kirill’s influence and, thereby, Russia’s aggression against Ukrainians, such as the Moscow’s influence in Ukraine. Holodomor. Vladimir Fesenko of the Kyiv Center for Applied Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Political Research, said “the current leadership of the Kyiv Patriarchate was in Washington on February 3-7 to Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate has attend the annual National Prayer Breakfast. The patri- made a very serious error by shifting from formal neu- arch explained that he had come “to pray together for trality” about the Russian side of the conflict in Ukraine world peace” and to interact with and remind American to open support of the Russian side and opposition to leaders that Ukraine is asking the U.S. to fulfill its duty as Ukraine. “This can have very sad consequences for this a signatory of the Budapest Memorandum to help Church and for its place” in Ukraine. Both parishioners Ukraine defend its territory. During a press conference at and clergy have voted with their feet by leaving these the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington, the patriarch parishes or have become increasingly critical of the bish- called on the United Sates to help Ukraine protect itself against Russian aggression, not only with humanitarian ops and of the Moscow Patriarchate. assistance, but with military aid as well. The key event that triggered this shift, for most, was Patriarch Filaret also met with congressmen and sena- Yaro Bihun the fact that the UOC-MP Metropolitan Onufrii did not tors – Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D- Ohio) and Sen. John McCain Patriarch Filaret calls for U.S. military and humanitari- stand in honor of Ukrainians who had died defending (R–Ariz.) – to brief them on the situation in Ukraine and an aid for Ukraine during a meeting at the U.S.-Ukraine their country. The Rev. Bogdan Timoshenko of the UOC- to award Sen. McCain the Order of St. Volodymyr, first Foundation on February 6. KP said that the Moscow Church had less of a position to talk about reuniting with the Ukrainian Church, and as it degree, for his continuous work on behalf of Ukraine. In an update on April 16, CIUS hosted a talk by Prof. Patriarch Filaret also attended a meeting on February 6 dissolves, its members, priests and hierarchs will shift John-Paul Himka and Natalia Kononenko of the toward the Ukrainian side, rather than a formal unifica- at the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, where he suggested that Sanctuary Project, who reported on fieldwork in tion. with ample modern weapons and other military equip- Saskatchewan and Alberta. Among the areas of examina- On May 8, a Ukrainian Catholic delegation from the ment from the West, Ukraine would gain the upper hand tion were ritual practices – Easter, Christmas, baptisms Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa visited the apostolic nun- in fighting against Russian aggression. He added that and weddings as described by the parishioners or clergy cio of Canada, Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, to inform him of Ukrainian soldiers are willing to die in their fight to pro- – prayer books, church architecture and iconography. The the situation in Ukraine and to call for solidarity with tect their native land, while Russian soldiers are not will- role of the church on the prairie land of Canada was that Ukraine in its defense of its territory. ing to die for the sake of acquiring foreign land. of keeper of tradition and culture, such as the baking of The Sheptytsky Institute hosted a Colloquium on the The University of Alberta hosted the Sanctuary Project traditional ritual breads, pysanka-writing or embroidery, – whose full name is Sanctuary: The Spiritual Heritage but also other things such as baseball, to help assimilate Future of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church in North Documentation Project – workshop on February 17. The the new immigrants. America on May 8-10 at Holy Spirit Seminary in Ottawa. project focuses on documenting sacral culture on the The annual St. Thomas Sunday pilgrimage, known in The event, sponsored by the Ukrainian Patriarchal Canadian prairies and connecting scholars with the com- Ukrainian as “Providna Nedilia,” attracted thousands to Society and the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky munity. The aim of the project is to facilitate interaction the Metropolia Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Instutute (MASI) of Eastern Christian Studies, attracted between museum personnel and church decision-makers of the U.S.A. (UOC-U.S.A.) on April 18-19 in South Bound clergy as well as scholars. Led by the Rev. Dr. Andriy who need to deal with sacred objects. It is sponsored by a Brook, N.J. Divine liturgies were served at St. Andrew Chirovsky, topics focused on current challenges facing the grant from the Killam Foundation through its Connection Memorial Church with Bishop Saba of the North Ukrainian Catholic Church in North America, especially Program, with additional support from the Kule Chair in American Diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church join- the opportunities presented by the Revolution of Dignity Ukrainian Ethnography and the Canadian Institute for ing Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Daniel of the UOC- and the challenges created by the Russian invasion of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS). During the workshop, partici- U.S.A. A general prayer service was held at the memorial Ukraine. The gathering of theologians also agreed that pants discussed resolutions on the needs of rural parish cross, in memory of the victims of the Holodomor, the Ukrainian Catholic Church should use the term Greco- communities as well as a guidebook outlining best prac- Chornobyl, those who served in the armed forces of the Catholic instead of Greek-Catholic, which it called a mis- tices and policies to follow when dealing with sacred U.S.A. and of Ukraine, as well as Christian victims in the translation from the Ukrainian. The participants also objects, including ownership once a transaction is com- Middle East and the heroes of the Euro-Maidan protests agreed to create a scholarly society for Ukrainian Greco- plete between a church and a museum. An online data- (Revolution of Dignity). Commemorations were made at Catholic intellectual endeavors in and for North America. base includes links to resources provided by the the gravesites of those interred at St. Andrew Cemetery, The UOC-U.S.A. received a $10,000 donation from the Historical Resource Management Branch of Alberta beginning at the crypt of Patriarch Mstyslav, the first Ukrainian National Women’s League of America on May Culture and Tourism, the Alberta Museums Association patriarch of Kyiv and all Ukraine, at Holy Resurrection 18 for its charitable outreach projects in Ukraine. During and the Royal Alberta Museum. Mausoleum. The Ukrainian Cultural Center was busy the presentation at the Consistory Offices of the Metropolia of the UOC-U.S.A. in South Bound Brook, N.J., UNWLA President Marianna Zajac presented the check to Bishop Daniel. Metropolitan Antony was present for the official ceremony, lauding the work of the UNWLA in assisting the needs of the Ukrainian communities in the U.S. as well as in Ukraine. The Weekly’s columnist, Dr. Myron Kuropas, lauded the work of the Rev. Chirovsky with the MASI in Ottawa, and the 25th anniversary of the founding of the institute with a jubilee report to mark the institute’s progress. The institute, Dr. Kuropas explained, was made possible in Canada with the support of Metropolitan Maxim Hermaniuk and consultations with the Rev. Joseph Andrijishyn, rector of Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Interparchial Seminary at St. Paul University in Ottawa. Pope Francis signed a decree on July 16 that recog- nized Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, leader of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1901-1944 as “venerable.” The move was a step in the process toward sainthood that was made possible by the opening of Soviet archives in the former Soviet space. Metropolitan Sheptytsky was also recognized for saving the lives of Jews during the Holocaust. The year 2015 marked the 150th anniversary of the Catholic leader’s birth. Bishop Borys Gudziak noted that, “The Soviets did not liquidate the Greek-Catholic CIUS At the Sanctuary Project’s February 17 workshop (from left) are: Nadia Cyncar, Tom Ward, Frances Swyripa, Church while he was alive.” He was allowed a public Natalie Kononenko, John-Paul Himka, Heather Coleman, Meaghan Patterson, Father Alexy Surayev, Elaine funeral, but five months later, the Soviets arrested all the Harasymow, Mike Luchanski, Karen Lemiski and Roman Shiyan. bishops and moved toward declaring the Ukrainian No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 13

2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Catholic Church illegal. Another major religious event in 2015 was the visit by On July 17, the Rev. Dr. Peter Galadza, the MASI acting Pope Francis to the United States, including stops in director, issued a statement on the recognition of Philadelphia, Washington and New York. The pope’s visit Metropolitan Sheptytsky as “venerable” by Pope Francis. coincided with the conclusion of the eighth World “During this time of foreign aggression against Ukraine – Meeting of Families on September 22-25 in Philadelphia as well as turmoil in so many other historically Eastern that was attended by Metropolitan Stefan Soroka and the Christian lands – this recognition brings particular conso- Rev. Taras Lonchyna. On September 26, Pope Francis cel- lation.” Governments, the Rev. Galadza continued, as well ebrated mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral Basilica in as Jews themselves have argued for the archbishop’s Philadelphia and on September 27, he celebrated a mass beatification. The archbishop was also a champion of dia- on Benjamin Franklin Parkway that attracted more than logue between Catholic and Orthodox Churches. “It con- 800,000. Ukrainians could be spotted dressed in tradi- firms the institute’s mission and compels us even more tional embroidered shirts, waving Ukrainian flags and earnestly to follow Sheptytsky’s saintly example,” the that of the Vatican, as well as in uniforms of Plast statement concluded. Ukrainian Scouting Organization. A monument to Sheptytsky was unveiled in Lviv on Pope Francis met with Patriarch Sviatoslav on October July 29 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Catholic 14 during the pontifical synod on the family hosted by hierarch’s birth. Blessed by Patriarch Sviatoslav, the mon- the Vatican. During their exchange, when Patriach ument sits near St. George Cathedral. President Petro Sviatoslav explained the dire humanitarian situation due Poroshenko and his wife, Maryna, were in attendance to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, he pre- among the multitude. A special program was held at the sented the pope with a medal commemorating the 150th Lviv Opera House to mark the occasion. Construction of anniversary of the birth of Metropolitan Sheptytsky. Pope the monument began in May 2015. Sculpted by Andriy Francis signed a decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Koverko, with designers and architects Ihor Kuzmak and Metropolitan Sheptytsky, and told the patriarch, “Ukraine Mykhailo Fedyk, the 3.6-meter-high statue is cast from is in my heart and will always remain there.” bronze and features Metropolitan Sheptytsky in a monas- On the morning of November 7, Patriarch Filaret met tic robe, holding a cross with his head bowed. with members of the Ukrainian American community as Bishop Gudziak was among the panelists during a dis- well as political leaders – including Rep. Kaptur, who is cussion on issues facing families in the 21st century dur- the co-chair of the Ukrainian Congressional Caucus – at Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky after his release from ing the annual Catholic conference held at the Napa the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill. While acknowl- Russian tsarist imprisonment 1917. (Photo reproduced from the book “Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky and Institute on August 1 in Irvine, Calif. The conference edging the support of the international community, the the Establishment of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in attracted more than 300 clergy, business leaders, Catholic patriarch highlighted that there remained little faith for the United States” by the Rev. Dr. Ivan Kaszczak.) journalists, Church activists and philanthropists, this year international talks after the security guarantees of the under the motto “Equipping Catholics in the Next Budapest Memorandum were not upheld – first in gious leaders of Ukraine visited the Holdomor monument America.” Crimea and then in the Donbas. But, he added, President that was unveiled and blessed on November 7. In describing the situation in Ukraine, Bishop Gudziak, Vladimir Putin was beginning to doubt himself, and there Patriarch Sviatoslav, joined by Metropolitan Stefan who was more up-beat in his assessment, explained: was reason to believe that Ukraine can overcome its chal- Soroka, Bishop John Bura and Bishop emeritus Basil “When our Church came out of the underground in 1990, lenges. However, Ukraine was in desperate need of Losten, Bishop John McIntyre of the Latin-rite Catholic our Church had been decimated by decades of intense humanitarian assistance from the West and support to Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and clergy from the Soviet persecution. The ranks of our clergy had been set and keep Ukraine on its path toward democracy, he Philadelphia Archeparchy, celebrated a divine liturgy at reduced to only 300, mostly elderly priests with an aver- underscored. the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate age age of 75. Today, our Church in Ukraine, despite war Ukraine’s religious leaders – representatives of the All- Conception in Philadelphia on November 15 that was and severe economic pressures has grown dramatically, Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious attended by nearly 1,200. The liturgy celebrated conse- with more than 3,000 priests with an average age of 38. Organizations, representing 85 percent of the citizens of crated life, and Patriarch Sviatoslav cited, as examples to Our seminaries are producing hundreds of new priests Ukraine – met with Obama administration officials in follow, the lives of Metropolitan Sheptytsky and Blessed every year and vocations are strong.” Washington on November 9 at the White House. Included Sister Josaphata Hordashevska, who founded the Sisters Bishop Gudiziak added, “The catacombs are not in the delegation from Ukraine were Ukraine’s Chief Servants of Mary Immaculate and was beatified by Pope romantic – the underground is real… Fear and distrust Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarch John Paul II in 2001 during his visit to Ukraine. The patri- entered into the DNA of the population… We know that Filaret and Ukrainian Catholic Patriarch Sviatoslav. Also arch blessed icons of Metropolitan Sheptytsky and Sister all relationships, particularly marriage and family rela- attending the meeting were Ambassador of Ukraine to Josaphata that were written by iconographer Chrystyna tionships, are based on trust. And over the last century, the U.S. Valeriy Chaly; Rosytlav Pavlenko, deputy head of Dochwat, who received the Metropolitan Sheptytsky the trust of the people of Ukraine has been tried in ways the Presidential Administration; and Nadia K. McConnell, medal from Patriarch Sviatoslav. we cannot even imagine.” president of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. In a letter to The patriarch also celebrated divine liturgy at the Noting the situation in Ukraine after the Euro-Maidan President Obama, the religious leaders urged the presi- Ukrainian National Catholic Shrine of the Holy Family in protests, Bishop Gudziak stated: “There’s a long road dent to increase humanitarian assistance, especially with Washington on November 8, following the blessing of the ahead. There’s bewilderment, there’s frustration. But we winter approaching. After the meeting at the White Holdomor monument in Washington on November 7. should trust that the Lord is working in history… Let us House, the leaders continued their appeal during a press While in the U.S., the patriarch also visited parishes in be peaceful and joyful in our faith in God who is the God conference at the National Press Club in Washington that Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Assumption of history, who will not let His Truth be trampled. And as was organized by the Sound the Alarm for Ukraine Catholic School in Perth Amboy, N.J., where he met with the story of the Church in Ukraine shows, He leads His Coalition, moderated by Ambassador John Herbst of the students and teachers, and answered a variety of ques- people from a land of slavery to the Promised Land.” Atlantic Council. Following the press conference, the reli- tions from his young audience.

Religious Information Service of Ukraine Patriarch Sviatoslav of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church presents Pope Francis with a medal commemo- rating the 150th anniversary of the birth of U.S.-Ukraine Foundation Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. During the October During their news conference on November 9 at the National Press Club, where they discussed the humanitarian 14 meeting, the patriarch informed the pontiff about the crisis in Ukraine, (from left) are: Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst (par- dire situation in Ukraine. tially hidden), Patriarch Filaret, Peter Voitsekhovsky (U.S.-Ukraine Foundation) and Patriarch Sviatoslav. 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

Ukraine for more active role of U.N. humanitarian crisis that confronts so many cism of Moscow’s role in eastern Ukraine, NEWSBRIEFS UNITED NATIONS – Ukraine’s new in eastern Ukraine, and the need to put an where a conflict between government forc- end to the violence that perpetuates this cri- es and Russia-backed separatists has killed (Continued from page 2) ambassador to the United Nations, Volodymyr Yelchenko presented his creden- sis,” said Mr. Apakan. In anticipation of the more than 9,000 people, saying Kyiv has That alert said a sophisticated malware tials to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon upcoming holidays that are celebrated by failed to adequately implement a peace deal campaign had compromised some U.S. on January 4. During his meeting with Mr. people across the country and beyond, “we signed in Minsk in February 2015. Mr. Putin industrial control systems. While no outag- Ban, Mr. Yelchenko “spoke in support of a are mindful of the many who have lost, or also spoke out about NATO’s enlargement es or physical destruction was reported as more active role of the U.N. to stop the are separated from, family and friends with following the 1991 Soviet break-up, saying a result of those attacks in the United States Russian aggression against Ukraine. He whom they would otherwise celebrate,” the alliance’s inclusion of countries close to and similar ones in Europe, some experts stressed that one of the possible ways the added the chief monitor. There were posi- Russia exacerbated tensions. “NATO and the said that may be simply because the attack- U.N. could engage in the de-escalation of the tive developments in 2015, he said, noting U.S. wanted a complete victory over the ers did not want to go that far. iSight said conflict in Donbas would be the deploy- the signing of agreements on the ceasefire Soviet Union,” he said. “They wanted to sit the earlier attacks outside Ukraine may ment of a peacekeeping operation there,” and on weapons’ withdrawal, but this still on the throne in Europe alone.” (RFE/RL, have been experimental in nature. ”iSight Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs report- does not mean that peace has come, or that based on reporting by DPA and Reuters) believes the activity is Russian in origin and ed. Ambassador Yelchenko stated, “We are civilians’ safety is guaranteed, said the intrusions they carried out against U.S. ready to discuss the mandate and other Ambassador Apakan. “A full and compre- Debt restructuring deal with Sberbank and European SCADA systems were recon- hensive ceasefire is still to be established. aspects of such an operation. In order to KYIV – Ukraine’s Finance Ministry says a naissance for attack,” an iSight spokesper- The fact that the number of ceasefire viola- analyze the situation on the ground, we deal has been agreed with Russia’s Sberbank son told Infosecurity Magazine. “It’s not a tions in the last weeks of December had invite the assessment mission of the U.N. to work out a restructuring deal for com- major stretch to conclude the difference in increased again in eastern Ukraine reflects a Secretariat to visit Ukraine.” (Ukrainian mercial loans guaranteed by the Ukrainian the outcomes of the attacks in the Ukraine Canadian Congress) worrying development as the year ends.” He versus those in the U.S. were an issue of added, “Ceasefire violations are not the only government. Sberbank and two Ukrainian intent, not capability,” Eric Cornelius, man- OSCE: ‘People of Ukraine seek peace’ danger for civilians. On both sides of the companies, Ukravtodor and Yuzhnoye State Design Office, “have agreed to work together aging director of cybersecurity firm KYIV – The chief monitor of the Special contact line, mines continue to cause death to achieve a settlement of the transaction as Cylance Inc. and a former U.S. homeland Monitoring Mission to Ukraine of the and injury.” He was recalling that the signa- soon as possible,” the ministry said in a security official responsible for securing Organization for Security and Cooperation tories to the memorandum of September critical infrastructure, told Reuters. iSight in Europe (ISCE), Ambassador Ertugrul 19, 2014, had agreed that all mines have to statement on January 13. It did not say how said Sandworm has been staging attacks Apakan, on December 31, 2015, expressed be removed in the security zone. “It is much the loans were for, but in December of against Ukrainian officials and media for strong hope that the coming year will be urgent that they fulfill their commitments, last year Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk some time. During Ukrainian elections last pivotal in de-escalating the violence and for the safety of all the people of Ukraine,” referred to $507 million of Ukrainian com- fall, for example, Sandworm’s “malware of taking concrete steps towards a compre- concluded Mr. Apakan. (OSCE) mercial debt held by Russian banks that the choice,” BlackEnergy, was allegedly used in hensive solution to the conflict in Ukraine. government was seeking to restructure. destructive attacks against Ukrainian “The people of Ukraine seek peace and nor- Putin says EU sanctions are ‘absurd’ Most of Ukraine’s external debt has been media. (RFE/RL, with reporting by Reuters, malization of the country,” he said. “We rec- MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir successfully swapped, apart from a $3 billion Daily Beast and Infosecurity Magazine) ognize the devastating impact of the Putin has described European Union sanc- Eurobond held entirely by Russia. The tions imposed on Moscow over its interfer- Finance Ministry repeated on January 13 ence in Ukraine as “absurd.” In an interview that it was ready to negotiate a restructuring with Germany’s Bild newspaper published of the Eurobond. (RFE/RL, based on report- on January 11, Mr. Putin said, “What the ing by Reuters) European Union is doing with those sanc- Coke stirs outrage with map TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL Walter Honcharyk (973) 292-9800 x3040 tions is nothing but a theater of the absurd.” or e-mail [email protected] He added that sanctions were “severely Coca-Cola Russia, the affiliate for the harming Russia” on international financial global beverage giant on December 30, markets. The Russian president also con- 2015, posted a holiday greetings message SERVICES PROFESSIONALS tended that a Russian-orchestrated referen- to the Russian social-media site VKontakte dum in which people in Crimea voted to along with a map of the country dotted separate from Ukraine and join Russia was with Christmas trees. The map, however, СТЕФАН ВЕЛЬГАШ “democracy, the people’s will.” The vote, Ліцензований Продавець sparked an angry response from Russian Страхування Життя held after Russian forces entered the penin- VKontakte users, who complained it sula, was denounced as illegal by 100 coun- STEPHAN J. WELHASCH Licensed Life Insurance Agent tries in a U.N. vote. Mr. Putin rejected criti- (Continued on page 15) Ukrainian National Assn., Inc. 548 Snyder Ave., Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 Tel.: 908-508-1728 • Fax: (973) 292-0900 e-mail: [email protected] Ukraine Caucus members again urge Savchenko’s release WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Sander Levin that Russia abide by its international obli- (D-Mich.), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Marcy gations and the rule of law, and we join the Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), international community in calling for members of the Congressional Ukrainian Nadiya Savchenko’s immediate release,” Caucus, continue to call on Russia to said Rep. Levin, co-chair of the release Ukrainian fighter pilot and Member Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. of Parliament Nadiya Savchenko. News of “Since July of 2014 Nadiya Savchenko – a their latest statements on her behalf was member of the Ukrainian Parliament and released on January 13. military veteran – has been unlawfully SERVICES On December 17, 2015, Ms. Savchenko detained by Russian authorities. Her crime? began a hunger strike and is reported to be Unsubstantiated charges stemming from in ill health. The House of Representatives her defense of her nation against Russia’s has passed a bipartisan resolution (H. Res. blatant military aggression. For more than 50) highlighting her illegal detention and two years, Ms. Savchenko has been incar- calling for her release. cerated in Russia in clear violation of her Ms. Savchenko was captured by pro-Rus- human rights and international standards sian forces in July 2014 in eastern Ukraine and now is reportedly in poor health. The and was illegally transferred to Russia; she U.S. stands with Ukraine in demanding the was later charged with murder. Her trial in immediate release of Nadiya Savchenko OPPORTUNITIES a remote region of Russia began in and an end to Russian interference,” said September 2015 and independent press Rep. Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the access has been severely restricted. A guilty Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. verdict is widely expected. “Nadiya Savchenko is the personification Earn extra income! “We continue to call on Russian authori- of the new Ukraine-resilient, committed and The Ukrainian Weekly is looking ties to immediately release Nadiya brave. Her arrest and subsequent detain- for advertising sales agents. Savchenko from custody, now well into its ment by Russian officials is an extreme viola- For additional information contact second year. We are gravely concerned by tion of international law and conduct. It is Walter Honcharyk, Advertising Manager, recent reports of her ill health since the clear that the prospect of a fair trial is highly The Ukrainian Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext 3040. commencement of her hunger strike. Since unlikely given the political climate in Russia her detention in July 2014, Russian authori- surrounding her case. The Russian govern- ties have repeatedly delayed Savchenko’s ment should release her immediately, espe- Run your advertisement here, trial and hearing dates, moved her trial cially given her continued deteriorating in The Ukrainian Weekly’s CLASSIFIEDS section. venue to discourage attendance, and health,” said Rep Quigley, member of the restricted access to witnesses. We demand Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 15

Kolomoisky sues Russia over assets fields. “It was Russia that, using weapons, being translated as “Mordor,” the fictional NEWSBRIEFS THE HAGUE – A Ukrainian oligarch committed a holdup on Ukraine and nation- realm occupied and controlled by evil nec- alized dozens of Ukraine’s state-owned romancer Sauron in J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic, (Continued from page 14) fleeced of assets in Crimea valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars is taking facilities,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy “The Lord Of The Rings.” It was unclear if excluded several regions, including Crimea. Russia to court in the quixotic hope of Yatsenyuk said in March. “We are talking the mistranslations were the result of a The annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula recouping a tiny fraction of those losses. not about billions, but about hundreds of hack, or whether they were due to a mal- by the Kremlin in March 2014 has been Igor Kolomoisky says he was unfairly billions of U.S. dollars.” Even that total, how- function in the algorithms used by Google to rejected by most United Nations members deprived of his right to operate a civilian ever, is likely much higher if the stolen power its translation tool. Meanwhile, the and triggered Western sanctions against airport in Crimea after Russia illegally assets of private firms are factored in. In a surname of Sergei Lavrov, the long-serving Moscow. On January 5, the company issued annexed the peninsula in March 2014. The preliminary estimate, Ukraine’s Justice Russian foreign affairs minister who has an apology on its official VKontakte page, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Ministry told AP in December 2014 that been a prominent and outspoken figure along with a new map that included The Hague announced on January 7 that it around 4,000 enterprises, organizations, since the crisis erupted between Ukraine Crimea, as well as two territories missing in had agreed to review the claim, which Mr. and agencies had had their property expro- and Russia nearly two years ago, was trans- the earlier map: Russia’s western Kolomoisky filed one year ago with the priated. (Tony Wesolowsky of RFE/RL) lated as “sad little horse.” Ukrainian media Kaliningrad exclave and the Kurile Islands, world’s oldest institution for the arbitration Google translates Russia as ‘Mordor’ the Pacific Island chain whose ownership is and resolution of disputes involving states. being expressed as “occupiers,” although a partially contested by Japan. The new map Mr. Kolomoisky’s company – Aeroport MOSCOW – Google’s hugely popular testreported on January that “Russians” 5 failed to produce(росіяни) such was a generated a fresh wave of outrage from Belbek LLC – had a contract to operate a translation tool has taken to rendering cer- result. The wonky translations appear to Ukrainians, who began circulating the passenger terminal at Crimea’s Sevastopol tain Ukrainian words into Russian with a have lasted online for at least the better part hashtag #BanCocaCola and calling for a International Airport until 2020. Mr. pronounced pro-Kyiv political spin. On of a day. Ukrainian media first reported on boycott of the company. “Personally, I’m not Kolomoisky wants Russia to compensate January 5, for instance, “Russian Federation” the political inflections on January 4. (Tom going to buy more of these products, and I him for an estimated $15 million in losses, Balmforth of RFE/RL) call on all sober fellow citizens, and their according to Ukrainian media reports. But friends and followers, to do the same,” whether the Ukrainian billionaire – who in Ukrainian (Російська Федерація) was Mustafa Nayyem, pro-Western lawmaker in has business interests in the banking, ener- With deep sorrow we share the news of the passing on Ukraine’s Parliament, wrote on his gy, media, aviation and metals sectors – will November 26, 2015 of Facebook page. “A replacement can be get his day in court is far from clear. The PCA will first decide if it does, in fact, have found for the loss of something small. But jurisdiction to hear the case. Moscow says to destroy an entire country, having suf- NADIA SHKILNYK the court has no jurisdiction over the mat- fered thousands of losses, and yet to oper- ter and that it will not participate in pro- née Krawciw ate in its marketplace – that seems to me, at ceedings, according to a statement by the widow of late Dr. Volodymyr Shkilnyk the very least, to be strange,” Mr. Nayyem court. Mr. Kolomoisky is no friend of the added. Later on January 5, Coca-Cola Russia Kremlin. While governor of the industrial born on July 3,1931, in Drohobych, Halychyna, Ukraine. deleted the post entirely from its Dnipropetrovsk region, he took a firm Funeral survices were held on December 2, 2015, at St. VKontakte page, though images of the dis- stand against pro-Russia separatism by Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church and at Sts. Peter and Paul puted maps themselves could still be found arming and bankrolling local militia groups Cemetery in Parma, Ohio. in the page’s photo gallery. Coca-Cola’s and volunteer battalions. Mr. Kolomoisky’s Ukraine affiliate, meanwhile, included on claim has cast a spotlight on the blatant Left in mourning: its VKontakte page several artistic versions asset grab by the Russian authorities in brother - Ihor with Lydia of Ukraine’s map, all of which included Crimea after the peninsula’s seizure. Crimea as part of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Shortly thereafter, all assets belonging to niece - Diana with husband Norman Dapito and Embassy in Washington said in a January 5 the Ukrainian state – from shipyards and children: Benjamin, Lila, Alexis, Erika statement that it had “expressed its con- oil rigs to health resorts – were openly cerns” to Coca-Cola and the U.S. State expropriated by Crimea’s regional govern- May her memory be eternal! Department “about the posting in social ment, now part of the Russian Federation. media by Coca-Cola’s Russian office of a Others were simply seized by armed men, map of Russia that included the illegally sometimes claiming to possess official occupied Crimea.” The Ukrainian Embassy decrees, which were never published, or no Irena Christine Holland documentation at all. Early targets included said on its website: “The Embassy empha- (née Homziak), sized that Coca-Cola’s actions violate the Ukraine’s Chornomornaftogaz, the oil and official U.S. position condemning Russia’s gas company that was seized and handed 69, died Tuesday, December 29, 2015, at illegal occupation of Crimea, which is and over to a Crimean-run enterprise bearing Hospice Atlanta, following a long, hard has always been an integral part of Ukraine, the same name. The legendary Soviet-era fought battle with leukemia. Her brother and dear friends were at her side. and urged the company to immediately summer camp Artek, and the Massandra, correct the mistake.” The Atlanta-based Noviy Svet and Magarch vineyards figured Irena was born a refugee in a Displaced Persons camp prominently among the other assets that Coca-Cola told RFE/RL in an e-mailed in Regensburg, Germany. She moved with her family were pilfered. Russian authorities in Crimea statement that an agency working with its to Belgium in 1947, then emigrated to the U.S. in said in February that “about” 260 proper- Russian affiliate had made the changes to 1951, settling in the Ukrainian community in Philadelphia. Irena attended ties on the peninsula had been nationalized. the map “without our knowledge or St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School and then the Girls High School of However, officials in Kyiv put the figure Philadelphia, graduating in 1964. After receiving her Associate’s Degree from approval,” adding, “We, as a company, do much higher. On the first anniversary of not take political positions unrelated to our the Community College of Philadelphia, Irena began a life-long career in Russia’s takeover of Crimea, the Ukrainian the insurance industry. She was a well-known and respected broker and an business, and we apologize for the contro- Foreign Ministry said Russia had illegally underwriter in excess and surplus lines, working in Philadelphia, Washington versial post, which we have removed.” taken control over more than 400 Ukrainian DC and, ultimately, in Atlanta, where she retired from The Fireman’s Fund/ (RFE/RL, with reporting by Carl Schreck) enterprises in Crimea and seized 18 gas Allianz in 2013. Irena loved to contribute to her church and to her community. Re ecting her love of books and libraries, she was a long time volunteer with the Friends On January 8, 2016 of the Dunwoody Library and made many good friends working there. She put her knowedge of vintage clothing and fashion to good use, volunteering Orest Kaczmarskyj at the Chamblee St Vincent de Paul Society thrift shop. peacefully passed in his sleep at home, leaving a world of A devout Catholic, Irena was a parishioner of All Saints Catholic Church those who will miss him deeply to join one where others were in Dunwoody, and returned to St. Nicholas, the church of her childhood, waiting with open hearts and arms. whenever she could. Irena is survived by her brother Jurij Homziak, sister-in- law Mary Trexler and niece Maya Homziak of Burlington, VT; nephew Nicholas Orest built his family with his loving wife, Martha Kaczmarskyj, and was Homziak of Gainesville, FL; and niece Allie Homziak of San Francisco, CA. She a devoted father to George (Patricia) Kaczmarskyj, Daria (Yuri) Dolnycky was pre-deceased by her parents, Jakiw and Halyna Homziak. Irena also and Ann (Stephen) Johnson. Missing their Dido’s vibrant smile and left behind her best friend from childhood, Sheila Lawton of Philadelphia, playful disposition are his beloved granddaughters Olivia, Caroline, Klara, and her Atlanta sisters of the heart Barbara Wright, Catherine Duyos, Iona Kira, Sophika and Amelia. For a lifetime spanning oceans, countries and Valentine, Debbie Sinclair and many others. Irena was profoundly thankful long journeys, Orest was a dedicated brother to his sister Halka Hirniak. To to all who had stood by her in her illness and helped her in so many ways. his extended family and friends, Orest was a man of honor, compassion, We are grateful for the wonderful and loving care she received from entertaining humor, highly curated email distribution and abundant the sta at the Northside Hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and the amounts of heartfelt generosity. Those that wish may call at Fairfax Infusion Center, and from Hospice Atlanta. Kimberly Geiger, Hospice on-call Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA on Sunday, RN was a true angel of mercy. January 17, 2016, from 5 to 7 pm with funeral services commencing at 7 A Memorial service was held at All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody pm. A Mass of Catholic Burial will be celebrated on Monday, January 18, at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, January 5, 2016. Interment was on Wednesday, at 11 am at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, 16631 New Hampshire January 6, in a private ceremony at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Cemetery, Fox Chase- Ave., Silver Spring, MD. Interment will follow at a later date. Abington, PA. In lieu of owers, memorial contributions in loving memory of Orest Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to Kaczmarskyj may be made to The Ukrainian Museum, 222 East Sixth St., support the care of incurable cancer patients, 760 Pollard Blvd SW, Atlanta, New York, NY 10003; (www.ukrainianmuseum.org). GA 30315. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

UKRAINIANS IN THE UNITED STATES Support of Ukraine through political action by Oleh Wolowyna useful when dealing with politicians at the Table 2. Number and percent Ukrainian potential voters in 18 largest local level. All tables on the website can be Recent events in Ukraine have under- Metropolitan areas: U.S., 2013 exported to Excel. scored the importance of being able to Ukrainians This information can be useful for lobby- influence U.S. foreign policy. Although con- ing candidates running for office. certed efforts to influence American policy Metropolitan Area % of U.S. Number potential voters Independently of party affiliation, regarding events in Ukraine have had some Democrat or Republican, a key criterion for success, the results have been, at best, mod- New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ–PA 97,289 0.7% our support of a candidate should be the est. The Ukrainian community in the United Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA 20,599 0.3% candidate’s position regarding Ukraine in States will be able to influence the coun- Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI 33,943 0.5% particular and his/her foreign policy posi- try’s foreign policy only if we are actively Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD 47,115 1.1% tion in general. As the data show, this lob- engaged in the political process. Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV 14,020 0.4% bying can be much more effective and pow- Our extraordinary efforts of direct assis- erful if coordinated with other Eastern tance to Ukraine need to be complemented Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, FL 11,820 0.3% European ethnic groups. Objective esti- by more vigorous and coordinated efforts Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH 12,598 0.4% mates of potential voters based on official regarding our government’s foreign policy. Detroit–Warren–Dearborn, MI 21,223 0.7% statistics, if adequately presented, are likely The upcoming presidential election pro- San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward, CA 13,223 0.4% vides an opportunity for implementing this Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ 10,620 0.4% to draw a politician’s attention. Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN–WI 12,317 0.5% Table 1. Number and percent Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue, WA 17,410 0.7% Table 3. Number and Percent of Ukrainian* potential voters** Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO 5,900 0.3% of E. European* Potential Voters** by state: U.S., 2013 Pittsburgh, PA 18,940 1.0% by State: U.S., 2013 Ukrainians Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, OR–WA 13,703 0.8% E. Europeans % of U.S. Cleveland–Elyria, OH 12,031 0.8% % of U.S. State Number potential Sacramento–Roseville–Arden–Arcade, CA 12,880 0.8% State Number potential voters Rochester, NY 8,356 1.0% voters Total 694,595 0.3% Total 11,555,157 5 . 2 % Source: 2013 American Community Survey Alabama 3,011 0.1% Alabama 41,067 1.1% Alaska 1,879 0.4% Alaska 22,251 4.2% strategy. Although the number of persons respective percentages for potential voters Arizona 13,972 0.3% Arizona 214,317 4.8% Arkansas 1,013 0.0% of Ukrainian ancestry in the U.S. is small – age 45-64 are 37 percent and 35 percent. Arkansas 27,682 1.3% California 68,698 0.3% 0.3 percent of the total population – experi- In Table 2 we present similar data for the California 732,998 3.0% Colorado 10,044 0.3% ence has shown that often elections are 18 largest metropolitan areas. We see that Colorado 181,035 4.8% New Mexico 2,004 0.1% won or lost by a small margin. Countless in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Rochester, Connecticut 321,721 12.5% Connecticut 16,152 0.6% examples show that often quality, i.e., effec- Ukrainian potential voters account for 1 Delaware 49,686 7.3% Delaware 3,952 0.6% tive organization of the voting effort, is percent or more of all potential voters. D. of Columbia 22,649 4.7% D. of Columbia 2,224 0.5% more important than quantity of potential Respective percentages in Portland, Florida 625,435 4.5% Florida 36,464 0.3% voters. Cleveland, Sacramento, New York, Detroit Georgia 126,779 1.8% Georgia 7,980 0.1% As a service to our community, the Center and Seattle are in the 0.7 percent-0.8 per- Hawaii 20,072 2.0% Hawaii 1,235 0.1% for Demographic and Socioeconomic cent range. In most of the 18 largest metro- Idaho 25,124 2.2% Idaho 1,017 0.1% Research of Ukrainians in the U.S. at the politan areas Ukrainians represent at least Illinois 922,240 10.3% Illinois 35,706 0.4% Shevchenko Scientific Society has produced 0.5 percent of all potential voters. Indiana 230,721 4.8% Indiana 5,309 0.1% statistics on the number of potential voters of Russia’s aggression poses a direct threat Iowa 74,311 3.3% Iowa 1,490 0.1% Ukrainian ancestry in the US. Ukrainian poen- not only to Ukraine but also to several Kansas 63,423 3.1% Kansas 4,704 0.2% tial voters are persons of Ukrainian ancestry, Eastern European countries. Some efforts Kentucky 50,291 1.5% Kentucky 1,936 0.1% age 18 or older and citizens of the U.S. have been made to take joint action regard- Louisiana 34,859 1.0% Louisiana 1,815 0.1% In Table 1 we show the number of ing this threat and, if well-coordinated, they Maine 33,226 3.2% Maine 748 0.1% Ukrainian potential voters in each state and can be quite effective. An examination of Maryland 226,533 5.4% Maryland 15,393 0.4% their percent of all potential voters in that the numbers of potential voters among Massachusetts 347,910 7.2% Massachusetts 16,661 0.3% state; the numbers are based on official other Eastern European ethnic groups Michigan 836,273 11.3% Michigan 32,066 0.4% Bureau of the Census data for 2013 (the shows that if Ukrainians join forces with Minnesota 280,778 7.1% Minnesota 13,386 0.3% most recent data available). these ethnic groups the result can be a Mississippi 14,136 0.6% Mississippi 495 0.0% We see that Ukrainian potential voters in powerful political force at election time. Missouri 128,283 2.8% Missouri 6,060 0.1% Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey Table 3 shows that potential voters of a Montana 28,816 3.7% Montana 2,629 0.3% make up close to 1 percent of all potential coalition of Eastern European groups Nebraska 100,205 7.5% Nebraska 1,330 0.1% voters in these states. The total number of (Ukrainians, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Nevada 80,508 4.3% Nevada 4,134 0.2% Ukrainian potential voters in New York and Hungarians, Estonians, Latvians and New Hampshire 67,344 6.6% New Hampshire 2,843 0.3% Pennsylvania is around 100,000 each, and Lithuanians) represent a significant number New Jersey 625,529 10.3% New Jersey 49,066 0.8% close to 50,000 in New Jersey. of voters in many states. Overall, they repre- New Mexico 28,677 2.0% New Mexico 2,004 0.1% In Connecticut, Delaware, North Dakota sent more than 5 percent of all potential vot- New York 1,028,557 7.6% New York 101,711 0.8% and the District of Columbia, they account ers in the U.S. – more than 11 million people. North Carolina 186,313 2.6% North Carolina 10,532 0.1% for about 0.5 percent of all voters. These In six states – Connecticut, Illinois, North Dakota 29,072 5.3% North Dakota 2,753 0.5% are significant numbers, and their potential Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio 713,042 8.2% Ohio 29,409 0.3% effect can be even stronger if we take into Wisconsin, they account for more than 10 Oklahoma 48,433 1.7% Oklahoma 1,105 0.0% account two factors: the proportion of percent of all potential voters. Oregon 109,962 3.9% Oregon 14,984 0.5% potential voters who register and vote, and In 11 states they represent between 5.3 Pennsylvania 1,179,655 12.1% Pennsylvania 91,133 0.9% the differences in these proportions for dif- percent, as in North Dakota, and 8.2 per- Rhode Island 44,634 5.7% Rhode Island 2,586 0.3% ferent age groups. cent, as in Ohio, of the total number of South Carolina 85,761 2.4% South Carolina 6,315 0.2% In the 2012 election, only 65 percent of potential voters. Additional states in this South Dakota 23,847 3.8% South Dakota 114 0.0% all potential voters were registered and 56 range are: Delaware, Maryland, Tennessee 85,589 1.8% Tennessee 3,739 0.1% percent actually voted. Thus, if all potential Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Texas 434,447 2.6% Texas 14,316 0.1% Ukrainian voters register and vote, their Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Utah 30,968 1.7% Utah 2,146 0.1% actual voting power can be almost doubled. Vermont. Vermont 28,476 5.8% Vermont 1,540 0.3% Also, it is a well-known fact that the higher Two additional tables can be found at Virginia 195,617 3.3% Virginia 11,948 0.2% the age, the higher the proportion of poten- the center’s website: http://www.inform- Washington 188,416 3.8% Washington 26,066 0.5% tial voters registering and voting. In the decisions.com/stat/, in the section “Voter West Virginia 49,919 3.4% West Virginia 1,742 0.1% 2012 election 49 percent of potential vot- Statistics.” One table presents the number Wisconsin 491,539 11.4% Wisconsin 6,251 0.1% ers age 18 to 24 were registered and only of Ukrainian potential voters by state and Wyoming 16,031 3.7% Wyoming 789 0.2% 38 percent voted while, for the age group age groups; the second table shows the Source: 2013 American Community 65-74, 77 percent were registered and 71 number of Ukrainian potential voters by Source: 2013 American Community Survey percent voted. As Ukrainians have a some- county. In both tables one can select the Survey * E. Europeans: Polish, Czech, Slovak, what older structure than the total U.S. pop- state and see the data for that state. Due to Hungarian, Baltic (Lithuanian, Latvian, * Persons with single, first or second ulation, this can translate into more actual sampling constraints, data is not available Estonian) Ukrainian ancestry votes. Potential voters age 18 -24 make up for all counties in each state. However, ** Potential voters: age 18 or more and 11 percent of the total among Ukrainians numbers of Ukrainian potential voters are ** Potential voters: age 18 or more and U.S. citizens and 13 percent for all of the U.S.; the available in many counties, and this can be U.S. citizens No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 17

TRAVEL A tour through Scotland and Ireland by Nadia Nynka On September 18, 47 people arrived in Glasgow from Canada and the U.S. to begin an 11-day/10-night land tour of Scotland and Ireland arranged by Zenia’s Travel Club and ably led by Nila and Borys Pawluk. The tourists came from Canada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, New York and Ohio. Of the 47, 45 were of Ukrainian background and many had traveled with Zenia’s Travel before. Day 1 began with a scenic drive around Glasgow’s George Square with its ornate City Chambers, followed by a walking tour including a visit to Provand’s Lordship, Glasgow’s oldest house built in 1471. That evening at our hotel, a welcome drink awaited us before dinner, at which everyone introduced themselves and explained why they wanted to come to Scotland and Ireland. It turns out that for many in our group this was a family affair, as they came with aunts, uncles, parents and children. The next day we left for the Scottish Highlands and a cruise on Loch Ness. The scenery was spectacular. After leaving the Scottish rolling hills and agricultural area of the Scottish lowlands, we entered the rugged mountainous highlands with their beautiful lush green glens, moors and steep mountains. Along the way our guide explained the history of the lands we were seeing. As we traveled through the deep valley of Borys Pawluk Glen Coe, our guide recounted the notorious Campbell mas- The tour group visits Blarney Castle, a medieval fortress in Cork, Ireland. According to Irish folklore, anyone who sacre of the Clan MacDonald in 1692. Finally, we embarked kisses the famous Blarney Stone receives the ability to speak with eloquence, or “The Gift of the Gab.” on a short cruise of Loch Ness. Of course, we were all on the lookout for Nessie but, sadly, she never showed up. docks. From there we traveled south to Dublin. The next us with goblets of mead and entertained us with songs and The following day we drove south, stopping in Pitlochry day was spent touring the city, including a walking tour of harp music before inviting us into the great hall for a medi- for a tour of the Blair Athol Distillery and then on towards Trinity College and its famous library, where we were able to eval feast consisting of foods to be eaten without the assis- St. Andrews where we stopped for lunch and spent some view the illuminated manuscript of the eighth century “Book tance of spoons and forks. free time exploring the historic university town. of Kells.” In the evening we enjoyed a canal dinner cruise Our last full day in Ireland was spent touring Galway That evening we were in Edinburgh, where we were through the center of Dublin and were entertained with tra- and later the Clonmacnoise Monastic Site founded in 546 entertained at a Scottish Evening that included traditional ditional Irish music aboard a former Guinness barge. A.D. by St. Ciaran. We saw elaborate Celtic crosses and Scottish cuisine and a lively show with songs, stories and The following morning we left Dublin and traveled ruins of medieval churches. Finally we drove back to traditional dancing. The next morning we toured the wide through the midlands of Ireland, stopping at a working Dublin, where we spent our last night before leaving for streets of the 200-year-old Georgian-style New Town fol- sheep farm. The farmer and his family invited us into their home the following morning. lowed by a visit to the Edinburgh Castle. farmhouse for tea and scones as he explained the workings Aside from the destinations that we visited, we were The afternoon in Edinburgh was a real treat as Ms. of the farm. He then took us out into his fields to demon- entertained throughout our bus tour with stories told by Brozyna had arranged for us to meet with the local strate how his skilled border collie herded the sheep on his our very able driver and tour guide, John Greene, whose Ukrainian community. They invited us to their community command. After asking a hundred questions, we finally said great humor often had us laughing in the aisles. He center, located in the heart of the New Town. There the goodbye to the farmer and traveled farther south to visit recounted the history of Ireland from its first settlement to head of the center, Michael Ostapko, gave a short talk on Blarney Castle, the home of the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” the present time, including the great potato famine that the history of the community center and its mission, and Many in the group took the opportunity to walk up the steep brought so many Irish to the shores of America, as well as had a slide presentation showing past key events. steps of the castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. the troubles between the island’s north and south. In He then introduced an American journalist, Nolan Not far from the picturesque grounds of the castle we many ways the history of Ireland paralleled that of Peterson, a former Air Force pilot who flew missions in Iraq were able to visit the Blarney Woolen Mills. Many of us Ukraine: the early years when the Vikings settled in and Afghanistan, and had recently returned from Ukraine enjoyed a casual lunch and a beer at the pub on the Ireland; the troubles between north and south and those where as a journalist he covered the war from the front lines grounds of the mills, while others visited its largest store pledging allegiance to England versus those who wanted in the Donbas. He recounted the fighting he saw, explaining featuring all sorts of woolen goods. true independence; the banning of the Irish language; the that it was true hand-to-hand combat that harkened back to Next we were off to Killarney, picturesquely set beside destruction of the Irish culture. All of these things remind- the style of fighting during the first world war. lakes and mountains. The next morning in Killarney we ed us of our own history of Ukraine. After the presentations our tour leaders, the Pawluks, went off by horse-drawn carriage through a beautiful park Our 10 days in Scotland and Ireland went by very quick- presented Mr. Ostapko with a gift from our group as a ges- to visit Ross Castle, located on a lake, Lough Leane. From ly – almost too quickly because there was much to see. ture of appreciation for their invitation and gracious hospi- there we headed by bus around the Ring of Kerry, a wind- Besides modern, bustling cities where we spent our free tality. It consisted of a poster-sized picture of the New York ing route with breathtaking views of mountains and the time exploring on our own, or shopping and enjoying the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty, which was western coastline of Ireland, including views of Skellig, an many pubs, we also had a chance to see the quiet Scottish signed by all of the people in the tour. island where early Christian monks lived their very austere and Irish countryside and their spectacular mountains, We were then invited to tea and coffee, at which time lives. We left Killarney the following day, driving on to lakes, moors, glens, quaint and colorful villages. many in our group chatted with local Ukrainian communi- view the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, a wall of sandstone We also got to know our fellow travelers, many of whom ty members and the American journalist. reaching 700 feet above the Atlantic. we already knew from past Zenia’s Travel Club tours. We The next day we left for Caimryan, where we boarded a That evening, after checking in at our hotel, we visited quickly adopted our two non-Ukrainian travelers, and by ferry to Belfast. Once there, we visited Titanic Belfast, where Bunratty Castle, where we were treated to a memorable the end of the tour they were singing “Mnohaya Lita” along we learned about the working conditions and many other medieval-style feast. At the castle we were greeted by with the rest of us. It was a great and fun-filled trip, as well aspects of the famous liner that was built in the adjacent lords and ladies dressed in medieval garb who welcomed as educational and we all agreed, it was the best e-v-a-h!

Entering the Scottish Highlands and viewing magnificent vistas. The best way to see Killarney, Ireland, is via the Jaunting Car. 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE Karavanska fashion show in Philadelphia dazzles audience

by Leda Sawchak Kopach Philadelphia’s Ukrainian community – strutted around the room, showcasing 49 pieces of Ms. Karavanska’s collection. HORSHAM, Pa. – The Vyshyvanka Couture Fashion Show, Designs ranged from the more ethnic — intricate embroi- sponsored by the Philadelphia Regional Council of the dery and richly textured appliqués on uniquely cut blouses Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) and dresses — to more formal looks employing beading, and the Tryzub Ukrainian American Sport Association show- pleats and sheer materials, often juxtaposed with ripped cased the spectacular work of Ukrainian fashion designer jeans, stilettos, dramatic make-up and signature red lips, Oksana Karavanska, who dazzled the audience with her underscoring the wearability of Ms. Karavanska’s designs. stunning one-of-a-kind haute couture fashions. “For many years, the Ukrainian press called me an Held in a totally transformed room of the Tryzub Center in ‘ethno designer,’ and I disagreed with them,” Ms. Horsham, Pa., the show was spearheaded by Eryna Karavanska said in a post-show interview. “I never used Korchynsky, a fashion show organizer and a member of the ethno style in my fashion shows. I spoke the Ukrainian lan- UNWLA Philadelphia Regional Council, and organized by guage and maybe they interpreted it that way.” Halyno Henhalo, president of the UNWLA Philadelphia Ms. Karavanska, who lives and works in Lviv but also Regional Council, who worked tirelessly with an active com- has a boutique in Kyiv, said she had decided to pursue fash- mittee to create the event that sold out in a matter of weeks. ion design at a young age; she recalled dressing her dolls The show also marked the 90th anniversary of its parent when she was a little girl. She also enjoyed other artistic organization, UNWLA, which was also celebrated that day. To outlets, such as painting, before she attended and graduat- the delight of attendees, Karavanska made her collection ed from the Lviv Academy of Applied and Decorative Arts. available for purchase to the adoring audience after the show Some of the fashions by designer Oksana Karavanska of She said she is excited about the enthusiasm for her latest with 20 percent of sales going to Ukrainian Humanitarian Lviv that were showcased at an event sponsored by collection, explaining that it was her intuition to create the Relief, the beneficiary of the October 25, 2015, event. Philadelphia Regional Council of the Ukrainian Vyshyvanka Couture line, not a trend that she followed. National Women’s League of America and the Tryzub “I had a strong feeling to develop this line; it was never a The blustery fall day began with hors d’oeuvres and Ukrainian American Sport Association. cocktails served on the terrace to the sounds of the lively trend. Ukrainians enjoy my line, but many Europeans wear duo, the Rick and MC band. Friends mingled, anticipating and Maria Pazuniak; and Meest U.S.A. Numerous other it as well,” Ms. Karavanska commented. the show ahead, before they were led into a space adorned patrons were listed in the program booklet that included While she wouldn’t reveal much about her upcoming creatively with the designer’s signature hung ceiling-to- historical information about the UNWLA and a biography collection, she did say it would be “prêt-à-porter,” or a floor (a creation by Andrij Korchynsky). Modeling plat- of Ms. Karavanska and program participants. ready-to-wear line. forms strategically located around the room ensured that On each table was a light luncheon for everyone to enjoy The show concluded with a final walk-through of all of every attendee could easily see the fashions. during the program that was emceed by Eugene Luciw and the models, plus the audience’s first look at the designer Prior to the start of the show, attendees were enter- Lada Kozak. Throughout the afternoon, they shared some and her team, which included Eryna Korchynsky, who was tained by renowned violinist Innesa Tymochko Dekajlo, history about the UNWLA and encouraged participants to not only instrumental in inviting Ms. Karavanska to who played her way around the room, engaging the audi- purchase the fashions or simply donate to the cause. They Philadelphia but also led the artistic direction of the show. ence with her mesmerizing performance. also thanked the many people who had made the day pos- Following a standing ovation, audience members were The event was generously sponsored by Martha sible. Welcoming remarks were also made by past UNWLA invited to shop for the fashions showcased during the Pelensky, executive board member of the Philadelphia President Oksana Farion, who recalled the organization’s show. Prices ranged from $300 to$2,500. Regional Council of the UNWLA; John Hynansky of the early years. To learn more about Ms. Karavanska, readers may fol- Winner Automotive Group and Winner Ukraine; George During the show, the models – girls and women active in low her on Facebook at OKaravanska.

of people who have had to flee Crimea to There are about 40,000 to 50,000 such for over a year of their right to meet with Helsinki... avoid persecution by the self-proclaimed individuals in different parts of Ukraine. an attorney or Ukrainian consul. Crimean and Russian authorities: “First of And perhaps you know that we also have “These are people of various ages, pro- (Continued from page 3) all, I want to emphasize that we do not call about a million refugees from the Donbas... fessional backgrounds and political views, southern regions of Ukraine and the exist- ourselves refugees. The law calls us tempo- Those Ukrainian patriots from Crimea and but they share one thing: their lives have ing Black Sea naval communications, as rarily displaced persons. And although this Donbas, as a rule, understand that Ukraine become an instrument of the Russian state- well as the European countries – NATO may be incorrect, but we call ourselves is undergoing very hard times right now. sponsored propaganda that has created the member-states – Bulgaria, Romania and political immigrants, Crimean political And they are trying not to only help them- image of Ukraine as a mortal enemy of Turkey.” immigrants. And this is exactly so.” selves, but also to do something to improve Russia. The Kremlin officials constantly Andriy Klymenko, chief editor of Black Mr. Klymenko added: “Those people the situation in Ukraine. And at the same look for the means and the reasons to justi- Sea News and a prominent economist, is who left Crimea were those who under- time... we all of a sudden just have become fy their hybrid war against Ukraine. That is originally from Crimea, but was forced to stood that they could not continue their poor. I’ve lost my home and I’ve lost all my why innocent Ukrainian citizens are pro- leave the peninsula. Speaking through an either professional or civic activities or sim- property in Crimea. And at my age I am claimed to be terrorists, spies and fascists. interpreter, he talked about the thousands ply... pretend like nothing is going on. ... now a homeless person. And you know, the It is a miracle that I managed to escape only way for me to deal with this is just to imprisonment and can tell you my story try to forget it.” personally. I prayed for this all the time in KLK Cordially Invites Members, Family & Friends The final panelist from Ukraine was prison.” To Our Annual KLK Winter Ski Races Yuriy Yatsenko, an activist of the Revolution After the presentations of the panelists, of Dignity. He was illegally imprisoned in Yaroslav Brisiuck, the deputy chief of mis- Date: Saturday, February 27, 2016 Russia on political grounds in May 2014. sion of the Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S., Place: HUNTER MOUNTAIN , NY After his refusal to cooperate with the thanked the Helsinki Commission for hold- Registration: 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Ski Lodge Russian FSB (security service), he suffered ing the briefing: “There’s nothing more brutal torture and criminal prosecution. He important to Ukraine, to the government, Lift Tickets and Races: was released after a year of imprisonment, to civil society, the NGOs, to all citizens of Adults $60.00 Seniors (65 & up) $45.00 thanks to the efforts of committed support- Ukraine than stopping Russian aggression, Young Adults (13-18) $45.00 Juniors (7-12) $35.00 ers. After his release, Mr. Yatsenko became the continued occupation of Crimea and Toddlers (6 & under) $15.00 involved with the LetMyPeopleGo cam- egregious human rights abuses. We must Race Tickets only : paign to raise awareness about the not allow this topic to fall off the radar and Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in the be out-shadowed by other crises of today.” Adults & Seniors $15.00 Children (2-18) FREE Russian Federation on political grounds. “And we’re grateful for the tremendous... Lift Tickets only: “The fact I am free now is a testament to bipartisan support here in Washington, in Adults $55.00 Young Adults $40.00 Seniors $40.00 the efforts of the publicity campaigns, Congress, ...the Ukrainian Freedom Support Juniors $30.00 Toddlers $10.00 international pressure and coordinated Act passed last year, the Crimea-specific work of human rights advocates and law- resolutions both in the Senate and in the Races begin at approximately 10:00 a.m. yers,” he said. House,” he continued. “There’s executive Opening Ceremony 9:45 a.m. Mr. Yatsenko continued: “As of today, at orders imposing sanctions, Crimea-related least 13 Ukrainians [including Nadia sanctions, as well as numerous statements, Savchenko, Oleksandr Kolchenko and Oleh including by Vice-President [Joe] Biden at Dinner and Awards Ceremony: Hunter Ski Lodge Time: 6:30 p.m. Sentsov] are detained illegally somewhere the [Verkhovna] Rada just a couple of days in the Russian Federation, and at least eight ago.” Adults: $50.00; Children, ages 14 & under - Free, if accompanied by an adult. such prisoners are being held in occupied Despite all this support, Mr. Brisiuck Please wear your embroidered blouses or shirts to the Awards Ceremony Crimea, both Ukrainians and Crimean stated emphatically that sanctions must be Please visit our website www.klkusa.com for registration forms or contact Tatars. The criminal cases against them are “racheted up” in order to push back [email protected] for more info or forms. fabricated. Most of them have been brutally Russia’s aggression and end its illegal occu- tortured. Some of them have been deprived pation of Crimea. No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 19 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3 No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 21

hundreds of millions of dollars from the origi- sions. In the Philippines and in dozens of Massive corruption is impeding Ukraine’s Kyiv COPs... nal Kyoto Protocol, the prospects are bleak. other developing countries, coal remains an economy and goals for energy indepen- The greatest problem of the COP21 com- essential fuel for building more prosperous dence. Ukraine’s GDP in 2005 was $86 bil- (Continued from page 4) mitments is that it will greatly slow down societies. lion. In 2013, it rose to a peak of $183 billion ing 1 billion of the world’s worst-off people, economic growth, especially in developing Two large industrialized nations have and dropped in 2014 to $132 billion. It is suffering from poverty, tuberculosis, malaria nations such as India, Indonesia, taken different paths towards this goal. projected to be about $90 billion in 2015. and malnutrition, that what they need isn’t Philippines and most of Africa, which are France relies for over 75 percent of its Ukraine’s 2015 GDP rank is 65th out of 185 medicine, mosquito nets or micronutrients dealing with explosive population growth energy needs on nuclear power, which does nations, just below Ecuador, Angola and or even jobs, but a solar panel. and are struggling desperately to reduce not produce GHGs – it is considered clean Morocco, and just ahead of the Slovak Ukraine sat largely on the sidelines at crushing poverty and child mortality. energy. Brazil meets 75 percent of its ener- Republic and Sudan. this conference, for its commitments In contrast to the numerous uncertainties gy through hydropower. Ukraine currently It’s not only the poor economy, the frozen looked very good at first blush. Also, associated with global warming and climate generates 20 percent of its energy using conflict and loss of the Donbas that’s the Ukraine would be a beneficiary of whatever change, we are certain that poverty kills mil- nuclear power, with coal providing 35 per- problem. The persistent underlying blight is climate fund is set up – either based on lions of people each year – mostly the young. cent and gas contributing to 35 percent as that the oligarchs and petty government offi- trading carbon credits or direct grants. It The irony is that energy use reduces poverty well. Ukraine has over 100 years of shale cials at all levels are plundering the wealth would be in a very good position sell its because it is a sign of wealth, growing econ- gas reserves locked up in the Carpathian of Ukraine. It can never recover from its eco- unused carbon credits to other industrial omies and job creation. region, and another 300 years of reserves nomic malaise unless corruption is tamed. nations that cannot fulfill their pledges. The recent economic growth of the BRICS in the Donbas region. That’s why U.S. Vice-President Joe Ukraine got a bye at COP21, i.e., it was countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Why Ukraine can’t seem to adopt the rel- Biden’s recent visit to Ukraine (December not asked to make any sacrifices, by virtue Africa) contributed to most of the gains in atively simple fracking technology that has 7, 2015), just before the COP21 meeting, of its dismal economic performance since poverty reduction seen over the past decade. revolutionized oil and gas exploitation in pledged an additional $190 million in new the break-up of the USSR, and its recent These countries also produced most of the the U.S. is beyond comprehension. There U.S. aid to Ukraine will help the country troubles in Crimea and the Donbas. Back in increase in GHGs of the past decade. are several U.S. companies exploring implement reforms and fight corruption. 1990 Ukraine was the fourth largest pro- In addition to China and India building Ukraine’s deposits and transferring frack- “It’s absolutely critical for Ukraine, in order ducer of GHGs – today, it ranks 21st. over 200 coal-fired power plants each year, ing technology. Ukraine can be both green to be stable and prosperous and part of a How Ukraine’s share of carbon credits the Philippines is set to open 23 coal-fired and energy independent, simply by substi- secure Europe, to definitely, thoroughly and other financial grants will be used or power plants over the next five years to tuting gas for coal, and constructing a few completely root out the cancer of corrup- misused in the midst of widespread meet rising electricity demand, illustrating more nuclear power plants. Natural gas tion,” Mr. Biden said in Kyiv during a joint ingrained corrupt practices is yet to be deter- the challenge climate-talk negotiators faced produces about half the GHGs as the equiv- briefing with Ukraine’s President Petro mined. Judging from the previous misuse of in crafting a deal that reduces carbon emis- alent energy value of coal. Poroshenko following bilateral talks.

Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk urged prosecu- head of Crimea, said in December that he (TASS, January 1, 2016). Ukraine stops... tors to punish those who wrote up the shared the opinions of the numerous Meanwhile, the most recent cold wave Crimean power contract because its word- Crimeans who wrote to him on social net- has again caused two million Crimeans (Continued from page 1) ing, he said, provided for supplies to a fed- works that power purchases from Ukraine deprived of Ukrainian power to suffer. As of which was short of power because of the eral district of Russia, rather than to the should be stopped (Gazetacrimea.ru, January 3, Crimea was running on 930 war with Moscow-backed militants there. Ukrainian Crimean Autonomous Republic December 8, 2015). Shortly afterwards, megawatts of electricity, including 417 However, as of the end of 2015, Ukraine no (Pravda.com.ua, November 23, 2015). Kyiv Vladimir Putin instructed the government megawatts supplied from Krasnodar terri- longer needs Russian electricity – both supports the view expressed by the not to sign a new power contract on Crimea tory, compared to the 1,350 megawatts because some infrastructure was restored Crimean Tatar leaders in exile, Mustafa with Ukraine (Gazeta.ru, December 9, 2015). needed, according to a representative of in the east thanks to the ceasefire, and Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov, who are Most recently, Kremlin pollsters report- the Russian Emergencies Ministry (RIA because power consumption fell in Ukraine members of President Petro Poroshenko’s ed that 93.1 percent of Crimean residents Novosti, January 3, 2016). in 2015, due to the economic recession and faction in the Verkhovna Rada. They argue did not want a new power contract with Almost certainly, Crimeans are in for a thanks to a warm fall and winter (UNIAN, that if a new contract is signed with Russia, Ukraine if this document referred to harsh winter if Russia and Ukraine do not December 15, 2015). it must provide for power supply to a Crimea as part of Ukraine, rather than part come to a new agreement soon. Consequently, Kyiv sees no economic “Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory,” of Russia. The poll was conducted by The article above is reprinted from need for new electricity agreements with rather than to a “federal district of Russia” Moscow-based WCIOM, apparently within Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from Russia. In early December 2015, no longer (Interfax-Ukraine, December 30, 2015). hours after receiving orders from Mr. Putin, its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, fearing retribution from Russian power Russia is not prepared to back down, which raises doubts about its accuracy www.jamestown.org. suppliers, Kyiv restored the electricity flow however. During the severe blackout in to Crimea through only one of the four November, it flew in power generators power lines that had been damaged in from across the Kerch Strait in order to November. Pro-Moscow militants in the cover basic power needs. It also laid several Senior Information Bureau Donbas area stopped coal deliveries to power cables across the strait to Crimea in at Ukrainian power plants in response, but December – the so-called “energy bridge” Ukraine had managed to already store (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, December 14, United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, Inc. enough coal for the winter, so there was no 2015). As a result, Crimea’s dependence on UUARC immediate damage to the economy (BBC Ukrainian electricity quickly fell to around News – Ukrainian service, November 27, 25 percent from 70-80 percent. We can help you with the following: 2015; Rian.com.ua, December 8, 2015). Furthermore, Moscow claims that there - explain your medical bills and medical insurance bene ts Politically, Kyiv feels the urge to punish will be no need for Ukrainian electricity in - help settle electric, gas, water, telephone, internet problems Moscow and pro-Moscow Crimeans for the Crimea at all after May of this year, when - explain government social programs for senior citizens annexation. Therefore, police did not inter- more power cables will link Krasnodar ter- fere when Ukrainian (including far-right ritory to Crimea (Kommersant, December The Senior Information Bureau is open once a month, every 1st groups) and Crimean Tatar activists pre- 21, 2015; UNIAN, December 24, 2015). Tuesday of the month, from 10 am to 12 noon. Please stop by or call vented emergency crews from fixing the For the time being, however, Crimea relies 215-728-1630 during those hours. exploded power pylons in Kherson Oblast on Ukrainian electricity, so the Kremlin has for two weeks in late November and early been busy shaping public opinion in order to United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, Inc. December 2015. justify the recurring blackouts. Sergey 1206 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111 On November 23, 2015, Ukrainian Prime Aksyonov, the flamboyant Kremlin-appointed 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3 Columbia’s Ukrainian Studies Program announces spring schedule NEW YORK – During the Spring 2016 affect the geopolitical situation today. Soviet Ukrainian culture. Students will for the spring semester with more to come. semester, the Ukrainian Studies Program at Prof. Zhuk’s second course, “Rock-n-Roll, learn about the significant achievements, On April 13, writer Serhiy Zhadan will be the Harriman Institute will offer eight cours- Western Films, and a Crisis of Soviet names, events, scandals and polemics in presenting the English-language translation es and will organize several events in Identity: Problems of Cultural Consumption contemporary Ukrainian culture and will of his award-winning novel Ukrainian studies at Columbia University. in Ukraine after Stalin,” will meet on see how these have contributed to Ukraine’s “Voroshylovhrad.” On April 17, Valentyna Prof. Sergei Zhuk will be visiting associate Tuesdays at 4:10-6 p.m. This seminar post-Soviet identity. Centered on the most Kharkhun, associate professor of Ukrainian professor in history at Columbia University. explores how consumption of Western cul- important successes in literature, the course Literature at Mykola Hohol State University His appointment is generously supported by tural products, such as popular music, will also explore the key developments in of Nizhyn, will give a lecture titled “Museums the Ukrainian Studies Instructional Fund. books and movies, contributed to the crisis music and visual art of this period. of Communism in Ukraine within the Professor Zhuk is an associate professor of Soviet identity in Ukraine after Stalin. On Wednesdays, at 12:10-2 p.m., Prof. Context of Political Memory.” Both of these of history at Bal State University. His This seminar also offers a historical com- Alexander Motyl will once again teach his events will be free and open to the public. research work concentrates on the history parison of the popular cultural consump- course “Post-Sovietological Debates: Dr. Shevchuk, who is also director of the of popular culture, religion and identity in tion in the West and Soviet Ukraine during Contentious Issues and Non-Issues in Ukrainian Film Club of Columbia University, Russia and Ukraine. He has authored three the Cold War (between 1953 and 1991), Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies.” This is an will continue to provide fans of film with English-language monographs, the latest of showing a process of indigenization of interdisciplinary course that examines consistent programming featuring which is “Rock and Roll in the Rocket City: Western popular culture in the Ukrainian some of the major controversies and “non- Ukrainian cinema both on and off campus The West, Identity, and Ideology in Soviet context. controversies” in the study of the Soviet this fall. Dniepropetrovsk, 1960-1985” (Baltimore: Another course to be offered in spring Union and its successor states – including Courses at Columbia are open to stu- the Johns Hopkins University Press, and 2016 is Ambassador Valeriy Kuchynskyi’s East Central Europe – and thereby traces dents from other universities in the New Washington: Woodrow Wilson Center “Today’s Ukraine: Power, Politics and the evolution of post-Soviet studies in gen- York metropolitan area seeking credit. Press, 2010). Diplomacy.” Ambassador Kuchynskyi is the eral and Ukrainian studies in particular in Please contact the university at which you Prof. Zhuk will teach two courses at former permanent representative of light of actual political, historical and artis- are enrolled to determine whether it partic- Columbia during the spring semester. The Ukraine to the United Nations, a career dip- tic developments within the region. In par- ipates in this manner with Columbia first course, titled “History of Ukraine as lomat who has been actively involved in the ticular, the course explores how scholarly University. Some courses are also open to Unmaking the Russian and Soviet Empires,” implementation of Ukraine’s foreign policy disciplines, academic discourses, political outside individuals interested in non-credit will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:40 for many years. His course, to be held on controversies and normative predisposi- continuing studies. Additionally, through a.m.-12:55 p.m. This course challenges the Tuesdays at 2:10-4 p.m., provides historical tions affect academic debates, as well as the Lifelong Learners program, individuals traditional Russian/Soviet historical inter- perspectives on the development of today’s how scholarship and the objects of scholar- over age 65 who are interested in auditing pretations of Ukrainian history and exam- Ukraine and analyzes the evolution of its ly study interact to affect conceptual, meth- courses may enroll at a discount rate as ines the most important political, social and politics since Independence. While giving odological, theoretical and empirical Lifelong Learners. Visit the Columbia cultural developments (from the ninth cen- an assessment of political, social and eco- understandings. University School of Professional Studies tury to the present) in the history of vari- nomic transformations, the course exam- Three levels of Ukrainian language (http://sps.columbia.edu/auditing) for ous peoples who lived on the territory of ines major causes of ongoing turmoil in the instruction will continue to be taught by Dr. more details. what, since December 1991, is independent country and analyzes the military conflict Yuri Shevchuk in the spring: Elementary on January 19 is the first day of classes and Ukraine. The main focus of the course is to unleashed by the Russian Federation. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:40- January 29 is the final day to register for a explore how these developments shaped Dr. Mark Andryczyk will teach the course 9:55 a.m.; Intermediate on Mondays, class. For more information about courses various cultural identities of the Ukrainian “Brand New: Creating Identity in Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:10-11:25 or the Ukrainian Studies Program at population, how they were used for the Contemporary Ukrainian Culture” on a.m.; and Advanced on Mondays and Columbia University, readers may contact nationalist mobilization in formation of a Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:10-2:25 p.m. Wednesdays at 1:10-2:25 p.m. Dr. Andryczyk at ukrainianstudies@colum- modern nation in Ukraine and how they This course presents and examines post- Two events have already been scheduled bia.edu or 212-854-4697.

Europe and the Organization for Economic ing their review of the materials. Mr. it Mr. Shokin, particularly on the 1+1 televi- Shokin-Kasko... Cooperation and Development. Korniyets has also claimed to be ill. sion network that he controls. She commented that she believes it “I encourage all of you to speak up in The U.S. ambassador first went public (Continued from page 1) could be related to his investigations of cor- support of these brave investigators and with the U.S. government’s dissatisfaction agency on January 11. ruption among top prosecutors, particular- prosecutors,” Mr. Pyatt said in an October with the Procurator General’s Office in late He added that many issues to be dis- ly in the well-publicized “diamond prosecu- 2015 address to the Kyiv School of September 2015, when he accused corrupt cussed fall under his responsibility, includ- tors” affair. Economics. “Give them the resources and actors of aggressively undermining reform. ing extending cooperation on returning the In that case, two fellow deputy prosecutors support to successfully prosecute these and His criticism was backed up by Victoria misappropriated assets of top officials, allegedly attempted to pressure young prose- future cases.” Nuland, the U.S. assistant secretary of state exchanging intelligence and reforming the cutorial investigators in the summer to drop There’s a rivalry between Messrs. Kasko for European and Eurasian affairs. Procurator General’s Office. their bribery charges against two key officials and Shokin, and the latter has been itching It’s the U.S. government’s support for Mr. Mr. Kasko, a 39-year-old native of Lviv, is they arrested on July 6: a former first deputy for the chance to dismiss the former, his Kasko that has kept him in the Procurator considered to be among the new generation head of the Procurator General’s Main popular deputy, said Volodymyr Horbach, a General’s Office for this long, since his of Ukrainian professionals committed to Investigative Administration, Volodymyr political analyst at the Institute for Euro- appointment in May 2014, Mr. Horbach said. reform. He built his career as a state prose- Shapakin, and a former deputy prosecutor of Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv. At the same time, the U.S. government cutor before going into private practice in the Kyiv Oblast, Oleksandr Korniyets. Yet Mr. Kasko has interests that may shouldn’t be endorsing someone who could 2005. In 2013, he led the criminal law These two officials – known as the “dia- extend beyond fighting corruption, he be mixed up in Ukraine’s oligarch clan wars. department at Arzinger law firm in Kyiv. mond prosecutors” because 65 diamonds added. Mr. Shokin, a member of Mr. “The U.S. government is approaching Mr. Kasko has authored numerous works were found in Mr. Korniyets’s possession Poroshenko’s political entourage, opposes this situation motivated by the fight against on returning misappropriated assets, during their arrest – were quickly dismissed Mr. Kasko because he believes he’s aligned corruption in Ukraine and is trying to do restricting torture, combating human traf- from their positions after public pressure. with Igor Kolomoisky, the industrial mag- what is necessary,” he said. “But it’s under- ficking and protecting witnesses. They were detained and released on bail. nate who is Mr. Poroshenko’s biggest politi- estimating the conflict between the oli- This was the fifth time that Mr. Shokin Another prosecutor praised by Mr. Pyatt, cal opponent. garch groups and the Ukrainian govern- denied Mr. Kasko permission to travel Deputy Procurator General David “Poroshenko and Shokin perceive Kasko ment, which affects the political system abroad at the invitation of his Western col- Sakvarelidze, confirmed in mid-December as a prodigy of Kolomoisky, which is the entirely. It’s not advisable to interfere in leagues, Ms. Zalishchuk reported. These 2015 that the evidence has been prepared source of their rivalry with him,” said Mr. Ukraine’s affairs without understanding invitations include those extended by the for the criminal trial of the diamond prose- Horbach, pointing out that Mr. Kolomoisky these dynamics, which can exacerbate anti-corruption agencies of the Council of cutors. He said the defendants were delay- has pursued an active campaign to discred- existing problems and create new ones.”

West. The president owes Ukrainians an Officials in Ukraine were quick to stress Ostap Semerak, first vice-chairman of Commentators... apology.” that Obama’s wording should not be taken the parliamentary Committee for European In an apparent reaction to such criticism, as a sign that U.S. policy on Ukraine has Integration, also emphasized Mr. Obama’s (Continued from page 1) a senior U.S. administration official told shifted, RFE/RL reported. statement of support for Ukraine and his More like pouring resources to destabilize RFE/RL on January 13 that Mr. Obama “was “It is important to make the right empha- criticism of Moscow. Ukraine. referring in his remarks to Russia’s previ- sis in assessing this comment,” Svitlana “Obama says [the United States] is help- David J. Kramer of The McCain Institute ous long-term efforts to bolster the regime Zalishchuk, a member of the Ukrainian ing Ukraine defend democracy,” Mr. for International Leadership wrote: “…does of former President Yanukovych as a way to Verkhovna Rada’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Semerak said. “And that this strengthens President Obama really think Ukraine is a prevent Ukraine from pursuing further inte- told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service. “This is an the international order that was estab- ‘client state’ of Russia? That would be news gration with Europe.” Viktor Yanukovych error on the expression level, a failed lished after World War II. When Obama to the vast majority of Ukrainians, nearly fled from Ukraine to Russia nearly two impromptu. It shouldn’t be considered as the mentions this order, he talks about Russia 10,000 of whom have sacrificed their lives years ago, in February 2014. position of the U.S. president on Ukraine.” and its aggressive policies. Ukraine is to fend off Russian aggression in the past Later in his address, President Obama Ms. Zalishchuk noted that the president viewed as trying to maintain the system of two years. And what money is Russia referred to Ukraine in an additional sen- mentioned Ukraine twice in the speech, peace that was formed after World War II pumping into Ukraine to prop it up? tence. He said: “When we help Ukraine saying in the second reference that U.S. and as opposed to Russia’s bid to establish Absolutely none. Instead, Russia has invest- defend its democracy, or Colombia resolve support for Ukraine and other countries a new world order based on aggression.” ed in destabilizing its neighbor as much as a decades-long war, that strengthens the transitioning to democracy helped make Sources: Ukrinform, UCCA, Twitter, possible, to make it unappealing to the international order we depend on.” the world more stable. Facebook, RFE/RL. No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 23

January 17 Film screening, “A Life at War,” and Skype meeting with January 23 Concert featuring Mariana Sadovska, Christ Church Jersey City, NJ heroes of the ATO, Ukrainian Community Center, Philadelphia Neighborhood House, www.neighborhood-house.com http://sdinstitute.weebly.com or [email protected] or [email protected]

January 21 Vocal workshop, “Four Seasons of Song: A Workshop January 24 Smachnoho! Ukrainian Feast, five-course Ukrainian New York with Mariana Sadovska,” Ukrainian Village Voices, Plast Winnipeg Christmas Eve dinner, with Orysia Tracz, McNally- Ukrainian Scouting Organization building, Robinson’s Booksellers, www.mcnallyrobinson.com/ [email protected] classroom-registration#.VebyzvZViko or 204-475-0483

January 22 Malanka Pub Nite, featuring music by EMCK, Ukrainian January 24 Christmas Concert, featuring the Canadian Bandurist Philadelphia American Citizens’ Association, 215-284-0185 Toronto Capella, as well as the Levada Women’s Choir and the Dibrova Women’s Choir, St. Pius X Church, January 22- Art exhibit, “Mykola Zhuravel: Invasion Redux – 416-232-2514 or [email protected] February 14 Installation, Paintings, Photography and Video,” New York Ukrainian Institute of America, January 24 Book presentation by Serhii Plokhy, “The Gates of www.ukrainianinstitute.org or 212-288-8660 New York Europe,” The Ukrainian Museum, 212-228-0110 or www.ukrainianmuseum.org January 23 Malanka celebration, Ukrainian American Youth Jenkintown, PA Association, Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center, January 24 Traditional Christmas Eve Dinner, Ukrainian Homestead 267-415-6589 or [email protected] Lehighton, PA of ODWU, 215-235-3709 or [email protected]

January 23 Engineers’ Ball, with presentation of debutantes, January 24 Musical evening with singer Mariana Sadovska, Ukrainian Philadelphia Ukrainian Engineers’ Society of America, Hilton Jenkintown, PA Educational and Cultural Center, 215-776-1004 or Philadelphia Hotel at Penn’s Landing, 267-879-5502 www.ueccphila.org

January 23 Ukrainian Winter Debutante Ball, with music by Hrim, January 28 Presentation, lunch and meeting, Carpe Diem Club, Arts, Washington The Washington Group and the Taras Shevchenko School Whippany, NJ Culture and Education Committee, Ukrainian American of Ukrainian Studies, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Cultural Center of New Jersey, [email protected] or www.ukrainianschooldc.org or [email protected] 973-590-8026

January 23 Ukrainian embroidery workshop, The Ukrainian January 29 Film screening, “A Struggle for Home: The Crimean Tatars,” New York Museum, www.ukrainianmuseum.org New York Ukrainian Institute of America, www.ukrainianinstitute.org January 23 Presentation of debutantes, banquet and ball, with music January 30 Chervona Kalyna debutante ball, Hilton Pearl River, Chicago by Klopit, Ukrainian Medical Association of North America – Pearl River, NY 845-735-9000 or www.kalynadeb.org Illinois Branch, Palmer House Hilton, 773-486-7929 or [email protected] Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events January 23 Malanka celebration, with music by Dunai, Ukrainian National advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions Etobicoke, ON Federation of Canada, [email protected] from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors or 647-686-8895 and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected]. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016 No. 3

PREVIEW OF EVENTS

Sunday, January 24 Ukrainian version of the Stanley Cup – the Aleksander Cup, which will be presented at NEW YORK: At The Ukrainian Museum, the Ukrainian Heritage Night at the New award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy, Jersey Devils after the 12:30 p.m. New Mykhailo Hrushevsky Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University, will Jersey Devils v. Los Angeles Kings game on present his new history of Ukraine, “The February 14. For more information call 973- Gates of Europe,” in which he argues that we 544-8774. must examine Ukraine’s past in order to Sunday, February 14 understand its present and future. “Finally: NEWARK, N.J.: The third Ukrainian Heritage a compelling and concise history of a coun- Night at the New Jersey Devils will begin at try leading the news but which too many know embarrassingly little about. There are 12:30 p.m. at the Prudential Center, 25 no more excuses for ignorance,” wrote Peter Lafayette St., Newark, NJ 07102. The New Pomerantsev. Join us at 2 p.m. Admission Jersey Devils will be taking on the Los (includes gallery access and reception): $15; Angeles Kings. Scheduled to appear are members and seniors, $10; students, $5. Ukrainian opera singer Oleh Chmyr, a The Ukrainian Museum is located at 222 E. Ukrainian honor guard consisting of Sixth St; telephone, 212-228-0110; website, Ukrainian American Veterans, the Iskra www.ukrainianmuseum.org. Dance Ensemble, Nadiya Dance Group, Reechka Dance Group, Trembita Dance Saturday, February 13 Group and many others. Each ticket pur- NEWARK, N.J.: The Ukrainian Sports chased through the Devils website using the Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (known code “Ukrainian” will receive a T-shirt spe- as USCAK based on its Ukrainian acronym) cially designed for Valentine’s Day. Ticket will be hosting a Ukrainian ice hockey tour- prices range from $40.93 to $75.19. To nament on at the AmeriHealth Pavilion, order tickets or to reserve group tickets call located adjacent to the Prudential Center, the Devils, 973-757-6162, or order online at the home of the New Jersey Devils. Four www.newjerseydevils.com/ukrainian. For teams from Montreal, Toronto, New Jersey more information e-mail UkrHeritageNight. and New York will be competing in this first [email protected] or call 973-544-8774. tournament among Ukrainian amateur Visit the event’s Facebook page: Ukrainian hockey teams. They will be vying for the Heritage Night at NJ Devils.

PREVIEW OF EVENTS GUIDELINES Preview of Events is a listing of community events open to the public. It is a service pro- vided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the Ukrainian commu- nity. 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. Please include payment for each time the item is to appear and indicate date(s) of issue(s) in which the item is to be published. 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. Life Insurance* is the ultimate selfl ess gift your family truly needs

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