The Ukrainian Weekly, 2016
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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 propKristof 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.