The Ukrainian Weekly, 2015
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INSIDE: U.K. announces package of support for Ukraine – page 4 Samopomich causing a stir in Verkhovna Rada – page 5 Our community: Passaic, New Haven, Tucson – page 16 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIII No. 9 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2015 $2.00 Ukraine marks anniversary of Maidan massacre RFE/RL KYIV – Commemorations were held in Kyiv on February 20 to honor the victims of deadly clashes between protesters of the Euro-Maidan movement and the security forces of the Yanukovych administration one year ago. The violence killed more than 100 people, including 17 security officers, between February 18 and 21, 2014. The revolt led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, who ultimately fled to Russia. His elected successor, President Petro Poroshenko, designated February 20, the day most of the victims lost their lives, as an official day of remembrance. Church bells rang across the country and a minute of silence was held. Hundreds of people marched in Kyiv to honor their memory, and mourners laid flowers and candles at sites where protest- Dalia Grybauskaite/Facebook ers were shot dead. Foreign leaders join with Ukraine’s president on February 22 in the city center of Kyiv to remember the fallen on the first anni- A religious service was held in versary of the Revolution of Dignity. Independence Square, where the protests fered during the past year won’t be wasted. to become a truly independent, powerful the spots where Euro-Maidan activists took place. Another religious service took We will stop the war and within the few and successful European state. This great were killed pointed up into the night sky in place at a church situated on a nearby street years everyone will notice how Ukraine is dream, this national idea is already coming an illuminated memorial. that saw some of the worst bloodshed. changing.” true,” Mr. Poroshenko assured his listeners. On Sunday, February 22, thousands par- President Poroshenko addressed the “As the president, I feel a tremendous A concert on the Kyiv’s central square ticipated in a peace march in Kyiv to com- nation later in the day from Independence responsibility to the heroes of the Heavenly wrapped up the commemorations, with memorate the Euro-Maidan. Square, promising to “do the maximum I Hundred, to your children and parents, poetry readings and a choir singing the can, so those huge loses our people suf- brothers and sisters. They died for Ukraine national anthem. Beams of light placed at (Continued on page 16) FOR THE RECORD John Kerry Durbin calls on Kerry to send increased military aid to Ukraine on anniversary Senator speaks in Chicago of Maidan protests at Ukraine solidarity rally The following press statement, titled WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin “One Year Anniversary of the Maidan (D-Ill.) on February 24 urged Secretary of Protests in Ukraine,” by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to send increased military State John Kerry was released on aid to Ukraine at a State and Foreign February 21. Operations Appropriations hearing on the Fiscal Year 2016 Department of State bud- For three months ending last year, get. Sen. Durbin argued that increasing mil- Ukrainians braved long nights, bitter itary aid is necessary for Ukraine to defend cold and violent crackdowns by a gov- itself against Russian aggression and pro- ernment that refused to hear its own tect territorial sovereignty. people. Snipers shot at them from roof- During his remarks, he spoke of attend- tops, cutting down more than 100 peo- ing a rally in Chicago over the weekend to Vasyl Stetsiuk ple – protesters and police alike. We demonstrate solidarity with the govern- Sen. Dick Durbin with Ukrainian community activists at a rally in Chicago on February will never forget those who lost their ment and people of Ukraine. 22 that marked the first anniversary of the deaths of the Heavenly Brigade in Kyiv. lives and raised their voices for free- “One can’t be effective in your job with- dom and dignity. out a sense of history,” Sen. Durbin said to President to provide defensive arms to Congress Committee of America’s Illinois Ukrainians celebrate this weekend Secretary Kerry. “It was Sunday in Chicago Ukraine and to do it quickly,” the Illinois Division, major organizations within the first anniversary of the Revolution and I attended a rally outside the Catholic senator said. Chicago’s Ukrainian community and repre- of Dignity, when the Euro-Maidan pro- church in the Ukrainian village. I spoke to On Sunday, February 22, Sen. Durbin – sentatives of other ethnic communities in testers stood up against injustice and the people there who were holding many who co-chairs the recently created Senate Chicagoland. sparked the birth of a new Ukraine. Ukrainian flags and posters. But, they were Ukraine Caucus – spoke at a rally in Last week, Sen. Durbin and a bipartisan I visited Kyiv in the aftermath of these also holding Lithuanian flags and Polish Chicago to demonstrate solidarity with the group of senators sent a letter to Secretary protests, and I was inspired by the flags; they have a sense of history too. They government and people of Ukraine in Kerry requesting that he immediately tight- remarkable strength of the Ukrainian have endured – personally and through opposing Russia’s military invasion and en international sanctions against Russia people. their families – the aggression of the supporting U.S. military assistance for and provide defensive weapons to Ukraine. I saw barricades made of mattresses Soviets and the Russians.” Ukraine. The event was held on the anni- The senators also called on Secretary Kerry and discarded chairs, burned tires “I’m worried about where we are and versary of the Maidan violence that to redouble efforts to ensure Ukraine’s I’ve joined my colleagues here – Democrats claimed more than 100 lives in Kyiv. The long-term political and economic future in (Continued on page 18) and Republicans – urging you to call on the event brought together the Ukrainian the face of Russian destabilization. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2015 No. 9 ANALYSIS Court refuses to release Savchenko percent of her weight... According to The debacle in Debaltseve [human rights activist Zoya] Svetova, it is MOSCOW – The Moscow City Court on now 13 days since Savchenko accepted glu- by Pavel Felgenhauer diers do not want to fight their brothers.” February 25 rejected hunger-striking Mr. Putin ridiculed the Ukrainian military: cose-enriched water making the risk to her Eurasia Daily Monitor Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko’s chal- “It is always bad to be defeated, especially health, and her life, grave.” Lt. Savchenko, a lenge against an extension of her pre-trial Ukrainian air force pilot was elected to The ceasefire agreement signed in Minsk by former farmers and miners.” Still, Mr. detention period, upholding a ruling that Putin declared himself an “optimist,” not- Ukraine’s Parliament in October 2014. last week (February 12) did not stop the she should remain in custody until May 13. ing: After the Debaltseve problem is (Ukrainian Canadian Congress) fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Lt. Savchenko was captured by pro-Russian Ukraine (the Donbas encompasses the resolved, the ceasefire may hold and, “most separatists in eastern Ukraine in June 2014 Dzhemilev urges Savchenko to stop Donetsk and Luhansk provinces). The importantly, the Kyiv authorities agreed on and taken to Russia in July. Russia has Moscow-backed Donbas rebels concentrat- a profound constitutional reform to feder- charged her with involvement in a mortar KYIV – Veteran Crimean Tatar leader ed their efforts on an offensive northeast of alize Ukraine” together with the Donbas attack that killed two Russian journalists in Mustafa Dzhemilev has called on Ukrainian Donetsk in the so-called Debaltseve bulge – rebels (Kremlin.ru, February 17). the conflict between government forces pilot Nadiya Savchenko to end her hunger an important rail and road junction semi- As Mr. Putin was gloating in Budapest, and Russian-backed rebels in eastern strike in a Russian jail. Addressing Lt. surrounded by the rebels since last Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Ukraine. In January, she was additionally Savchenko in an interview with the Gordon September. The rebels claimed they had the ordered his troops to retreat from the charged with illegal border crossing. Lt. news site on February 24, Mr. Dzhemilev Ukrainian forces fully surrounded in Debaltseve bulge. According to Mr. Savchenko denies the charges, saying that predicted her hunger strike would not Debaltseve, and this area was not covered Poroshenko, some 2,500 servicemen she was kidnapped on Ukrainian territory prompt Russian authorities to release her. by the Minsk 2 ceasefire agreement. The retreated from Debaltseve, taking with and illegally transferred to Russia; she has “Nadiya, daughter, there is no sense in con- rebels demanded that thousands of them military vehicles, tanks, guns and tinuing the hunger strike. Russia is not a Ukrainian military personnel in Debaltseve other equipment: “This successful rede- been on a hunger strike to protest her ille- gal imprisonment since December 13, country where humane principles exist,” he must surrender or be slaughtered. The sep- ployment proves our troops were not sur- said. Mr. Dzhemilev, 71, is a former Soviet aratist forces refused to allow observers rounded” (Interfax, February 18). 2014. Lawyers, relatives, and human rights activists have expressed increasing concern dissident who served six sentences in pris- from the Organization for Security and The Ukrainian General Staff announced: on camps from 1966 to 1986. He was force- During the withdrawal from Debaltseve, 13 over her health. At the initial custody- Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) into fed during a 303-day hunger strike, the lon- Debaltseve in apparent violation of the servicemen were killed, 157 wounded, 90 extension hearing on February 10, a lawyer gest in the history of the Soviet human Minsk 2 accords (Interfax, February 17).