The Ukrainian Weekly, 2016
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INSIDE: l Photo essay: Maidan memories two years after – page 5 l Yale hosts exhibit about Euro-Maidan – page 9 l Ukrainian heritage plus Devils hockey – page 10 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIV No. 9 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 $2.00 UNICEF reports: Crimean Tatar Jamala to represent Ukraine at Eurovision War in Ukraine affects by Zenon Zawada KYIV – Once again, Ukraine will make over 500,000 children political waves at the annual Eurovision Song Contest. Yet this time around, a UNICEF Crimean Tatar will represent Ukraine, as GENEVA/NEW YORK/KYIV – The announced on February 21. conflict in Ukraine has deeply affected Accomplished pop singer Jamala will get the lives of 580,000 children living in a unique chance to raise Europe’s aware- ness to the plight of her people in perform- non-government controlled areas and ing “1944,” a song that ties the current per- close to the front line in eastern Ukraine, secution by the Russian occupation to the UNICEF said on February 19. Of these, genocide in which Soviet dictator Joseph 200,000 – or one in three – need psycho- Stalin deported most of the Crimean Tatar social support. population to Uzbekistan. “Two years of violence, shelling and The Verkhovna Rada declared the 1944 fear have left an indelible mark on thou- forced deportation of Crimean Tatars a sands of children in eastern Ukraine,” genocide on November 12, 2015, and desig- said Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF repre- nated May 18 as the Day of Remembrance sentative in Ukraine. “As the conflict con- of Crimean Tatar Genocide Victims. More tinues, we need to reach these children than 180,000 Tatars, or about 84 percent of urgently to meet their physical as well as UNIAN the population, was forcibly reported, psychological needs.” according to Soviet records. The vast major- Jamala (Susana Jamaladinova) has been chosen to represent Ukraine at Eurovision 2016. More than 215,000 children are inter- ity, or more than 82 percent, were resettled nally displaced from the conflict-affected (better known as the drag queen “Verka In “1944,” Jamala performs the soprano to Uzbekistan, while the remainder were areas. At least one out of five schools has Serduchka”) and Konstantin Meladze, the vocals in her trademark R&B/soul style, mostly sent to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and legendary pop music producer. which proves haunting when juxtaposed been damaged or destroyed. Last year, central Russia. more than 20 children were killed and Despite requests by Tatar leaders, the against a lone club beat for most of the song “The events in the country coincided with voting couldn’t include Crimean residents before it erupts into a climatic finale with a over 40 were injured. Out of those, 28 a certain phase of my maturation and forma- casualties were caused by mines and for technical reasons owing to the occupa- dramatic backing keyboard track. The song tion,” the 32-year-old Jamala told the life. tion. So Crimean Tatar Mejlis Head Refat also features Tatar ethnic vocals. unexploded ordnance. A polio outbreak pravda.com.ua news site in an interview was confirmed in Ukraine 19 years after Chubarov asked the Ukrainian public to Jamala has been a household name on published on February 21. “It was impossi- cast their votes for Jamala. Voters heeded the Ukrainian pop music scene before this the country was declared polio free. ble not to become absorbed in what has Damage to basic infrastructure has the call and Jamala gained the most text year’s Eurovision competition, breaking been happening. And everyone, including votes – 382,500 – which translated into six onto the scene in 2009 with her victory at put the water supply at risk for some 2 myself, emerged from these events changed.” million people across the frontline. points in the contest. the annual New Wave music competition, “1944” was selected as part of a national And although she ended up being tied As temperatures plummet, fuel short- which was held in Latvia that year. competition that determined the winner by with goth rockers The Hardkiss with 11 ages and high prices of coal are leaving She further distinguished her R&B/soul text-voting by the public, as well as by a jury points, the tie was broken by her having children at risk of respiratory infections. style with Afro-American gospel vocals and of Ukraine’s music industry stars that con- more points from the public than the jury, accompanying jazz rhythms. (Continued on page 8) sisted of 2004 Eurovision winner Ruslana, which awarded her five points compared to 2007 Eurovision runner up Andriy Danylko six for The Hardkiss. (Continued on page 14) “Ukraine Exists” exhibited at Ukrainian American Cultural Center of N.J. WHIPPANY, N.J. – “Ukraine Exists” was the title of a unique exhibit of art by contemporary artists from Ukraine accompanied by videos of interviews recorded in the coun- try’s war-torn eastern regions whose aim was to depict Ukraine’s current reality of war and peace, as well as to demonstrate Ukraine’s desire to take its rightful place as a full-fledged member of Europe. Dubbed a “Project of Truth and Art,” the exhibit was pre- sented in two parts, comprising contemporary Ukrainian art and documentary materials from the years 2014-2015. A project of the charity fund Wilni UA, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Alina Haieva Creative Agency, the exhibit was shown at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey (UACCNJ) from January 31 through February 14. Its message was outlined in the exhibit brochure: “Through internal and external challenges, overcoming the war, economic and political crises, we are developing. Christine Syzonenko At the opening of the exhibit “Ukraine Exists” at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, commu- (Continued on page 4) nity activist Roksolana Vaskul Leshchuk addresses the audience. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 No. 9 ANALYSIS Russia’s moves to gain Russian military command linked to MH17 Biden commends anti-corruption efforts LEICESTER, England – A team of open- WASHINGTON – U.S. Vice-President Joe dominance in the Black Sea source researchers investigating the crash Biden on February 18 called Ukrainian of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 has published President Petro Poroshenko and com- extraction from the offshore Odesa natural a report it provided to Dutch prosecutors mended him for passing anti-corruption by Maksym Bugriy gas field deposit measures 1.17 billion linking the commanders of a Russian mili- legislation sought by the International Eurasia Daily Monitor cubic meters (bcm) per year, or 57 percent tary unit to the plane’s downing. The latest Monetary Fund (IMF), the White House of the annual gas output in Crimea. Its loca- report, released on February 24 by the said. “The vice-president urged President Russia’s primary objectives in the Black tion, 150 kilometers west of annexed British group known as Bellingcat, links Poroshenko to continue on this positive Sea region are to maximize its strategic and Crimea, allows Moscow to claim the field as higher-ups in Russia’s military chain of trajectory, to include successful implemen- maritime influence there, isolate Ukraine part of Russia’s exclusive economic zone, command to the tragedy and adds other tation of the new legislation and continued and Georgia, weaken the cohesion of the thus questioning Ukraine’s sovereignty details building on earlier investigations visible progress on anti-corruption North Atlantic Treaty Organization on over the gas field (Kommersant, December into the July 2014 downing of MH17. Its reforms” backed by the United States and Black Sea security issues, and limit access 15, 2015). previous reports had identified Russia’s European Union. The IMF had threatened to the area through the Turkish Straits for Ukraine is suing Russia over its annexa- 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade as being to halt delivery of Ukraine’s $40 billion bail- the navies of the United States and other tion of the Odesa gas field and other the likely source of the missile that Dutch out package from the IMF and European extra-regional NATO members. Crimean and Black Sea assets in a aviation officials say brought down the jet, Union unless it cracked down on corrup- A December 2015 incident in which Stockholm arbitration court. But future dis- killing all 298 people on board. The new tion. Mr. Biden also applauded Mr. Russia hijacked two Ukrainian offshore nat- putes are likely to be over the even larger report details the chain of command for Poroshenko’s efforts to replace Procurator ural gas drilling rigs provides interesting Pallas gas and oil field, located in the north- this battalion and adds to the growing body General Viktor Shokin, “which paves the of circumstantial evidence suggesting insight into this wider Russian strategy. eastern sector of the Black Sea, between way for needed reform of the prosecutorial Russian complicity. This includes personal On December 14, the jack-up drilling the borders of Russia and Ukraine. Russia service,” the White House said. U.S. officials information about Russian military officers rigs Petro Hodovanets and Ukraina – both began courting Ukraine into joint drilling of have long made clear their position that Mr. and enlisted soldiers who Bellingcat alleges assets of the Ukrainian firm Chornomor- the Pallas field with Gazprom in 2003 Shokin should resign to restore public con- specifically knew of, and possibly even naftogaz, which was wholly seized by the (Rosbalt, September 17, 2003). After fidence in Ukraine’s justice system. (RFE/ manned, the Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile Russian state when it illegally annexed lengthy negotiations, then-President Viktor RL, based on reporting by AP and Reuters) Crimea in March 2014 – were hauled away Yanukovych’s administration agreed to a system believed to have brought down from their location on the Odesa gas field, joint venture with Gazprom and Lukoil in MH17.