Why candidates with no chance The threats Religions of winning run in the election of language separatism and piety in Ukraine

№ 8 (74) may 2014

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|contents BRIEFING POLITICS Unruly Luhansk: The past month has The Myth of Russian-Speaking Regions and how Russian as the turned the oblast into a territory beyond second state language nationwide or in part of Ukraine’s territory control of the official government will aggravate the discrimination of Ukrainian-speakers and ease 4 the Kremlin’s expansion Errki Bahovski on the 1993 referendum 24 and why the Abkhazia and Transnistria A Dangerous Compromise: International lawyer Volodymyr Scenarios did not come true in Estonia Vasylenko on the constitutional status of the Ukrainian language 6 and its role in state-building FOCUS 28 Déjà vu? What the most popular Ukrainianization: a bogeyman candidates for presidency or a must? promise this time and why candidates who have zero 32 chances of winning the election still run SOCIETY Pro-Ukrainian Donbas: Intelligent, Creative, Chaotic. And they 7 need organization and government support Right, Left or Centre? Why Ukrainian parties alternate between being radical, conservative and liberal, depending on the 35 circumstances and the electioneering situation Ukraine’s Religious Diversity: The split in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is ruining the authority of its official institutions and 12 facilitates alternative trends SECURITY 38 Arming the Enemy: Despite loud statements about ceasing Social psychologistO leh Pokalchuk on the piety of today's rich as military cooperation, Ukrainian plants continue to supply the an old criminal tradition Russian aggressor 40 14 Heresies and Sects inR ussia: economics Was the West really the source of Resuscitating Ukraine’s Moribund Economy: Ukraine is currently deviance for Russian orthodoxy? at the bottom of an economic cycle, but some indicators suggest the first signs of growth. The government’s ambitious reform plan 42 gives hope that the country will bounce back HISTORY 16 Modern Ukrainian Conservatism: In 1918, Ukrainian conservatives tried to implement a reform agenda that was free NEIGHBOURS of populism and relied on private property as the foundation of The World According to Putin: Why should the Russian culture and civilization president’s innovative attitude towards borders be restricted to Eastern Europe? 44 19 CULTURE & ARTS Museums Under Occupation: Museums holding over 917,000 RestrainingP utin, not Russians: Western strategy is to try to exhibits are the price of Ukraine’s cultural loss in Crimea. While focus especially on Putin himself and his entourage without museum workers there try to adapt to the new reality, Ukraine is arousing the blanket hostility and fear of ordinary Russians looking for ways to keep valuable objects 20 48 Finnish journalist and writer Revolution in photos, the voice Jukka Rislakki on the image of the Earth and children’s film of the Baltic States in Russian festival: The Ukrainian Week’s propaganda, the internal divide selection of things to enjoy, see it fuels in Latvia, and ways for a and hear in May small nation to resist it 22 50

E-mail [email protected] www.ukrainianweek.com Tel. (044) 351-13-87 The Ukrainian Week № 8 (74) May 2013 Editors address 37 Mashynobudivna str., Kyiv, 03067, Ukraine Founder ECEM Media GmbH. Publisher ECEM Media GmbH Print run 15 000. Free distribution Address Austria, Am Gestade,1, 1010 Vienna Our partner State registration certificate КВ № 19823-9623ПР 19.03.2013 Chief Editor Alla Lazareva Editors Anna Korbut, Natalia Romaneс, Shaun Williams № 8 (74) april 2014|the ukrainian week|3 briefing| trends &talk Assassination attempt on Clashes in Odesa IMF decides to Separatists releaseOSCE Kahrkiv Mayor Hennadiy leave 46 dead, grant the USD inspectors kidnapped Kernes. He was severely nearly 200 17bn loan to earlier. The Kremlin’s wounded and sent to Israel people injured Ukraine propaganda presents for treatment this as its own successful diplomacy Unruly Luhansk During the course of a month, Luhansk Oblast has transformed into a criminal enclave, in which the official authorities do not act

n April 29, the separatists Author: who had seized the Lu- Kostiantyn hansk office of the Security Skorkin OService of Ukraine (SBU), went on a new attack, taking admin- istrative buildings in the city centre under their control. Only the Lu- hansk Oblast Police Department withstood the attack. Luhansk city centre transformed into something like Grozny in the 1990s – armed gunmen in camouflage with subma- chine guns have become part of the city’s landscape. Separatists’ check posts were established around the city, search- ing cars and even intercity passen- ger minibuses. A friend says that at one post, his car was almost shot to Kyiv’s authority does not yet cover Luhansk law enforcers have pieces by the gunmen, when he Luhansk. Local government in Lu- been demoralised and are prone to failed to stop on their command. hansk, comprised of the Oblast betrayal – the new Head of the “They themselves were frightened Council and the Mayor’s Office, has Oblast Department of Internal Af- by this situation. They said “don’t already followed the separatist fairs, Anatoliy Naumenko, having you understand that we are armed?” trend. While many local deputies obtained reinforcements from other I replied that “if I had a gun, would I actually take part in separatist ac- oblasts, has not yet given in to sepa- also be able to stop anyone?””. tions, particularly active Commu- ratists, but no one knows how long There is currently no valid au- nists, they hardly play a decisive can he can hold out. Detachments thority in Luhansk. Acting Presi- role in them. It is more than likely of the Ukrainian Army and National dent Oleksandr Turchynov has ap- that this is an attempt to straddle Guard are constantly blocked by pointed Iryna Veryhyna, Head of the wave, which is already breaking bands of separatists, who actively the local branch of Batkivshchyna, independently. (There was a funny apply the “human shield” of civil- to temporarily fulfil the responsibil- incident with a highly-placed offi- ians. ities of governor, replacing former cial, who is a representative of the The power vacuum that has Governor Mykhailo Bolotskykh. But Party of Regions, when his car was emerged is being filled with self- this position in Luhansk is nominal almost confiscated by separatists at proclaimed “otamans” – the posi- – the building of the Oblast State one of their check posts and it was tion of People’s Governor and Com- Administration has been seized by only with great difficulty that he was mander of the South-Eastern Army separatists and officials cannot per- able to convince them that he was is held by Valeriy Bolotov, a former form their responsibilities. In fact, one of them). soldier, born in Stackhanov. In the 4|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 rpry fmle ad personal and families property, for fear simple in also but ations, consider patriotic or convictions leave does not simply lie in political or to push The so. citydonealready have the leave to planning are intelligentsia and class middle the of representatives many – hansk separatistshascaused panicLuin a “pirate republic”. theemergence “greyaof zone” and weakenedsituation.resultsin This and anarchy reigns as a result of Kyiv, the official blackmailingleaders local of boundary the passed long Tsariov. Oleh presidency for ex-candidate and MP pro-Russian notoriously actions,leastat thelegal one,theis the Luhansk Republic. referendumproclamationtheon of a conduct city to oblast the prompted in mayors and oblast the of nised Bolotov as the legitimate head recog Andreyev thatleadership of claimedPeople’s Council Communistunder the theself-pro the isUkraine. ItofParty and Volodymyr Medyanik MP the Regions of with Party to connected formerly transport.This personisa whowas city the of charge in formerly was who Andreyev, Andriy by Council,headed People’s Luhansk the is ture, operating in the Oblast struc Another Centre, city. the into of arms amount goodly a brought and fidently through borderthe gaps in teredUkrainian territory quite con sianCossacksDon aid,enforwho his own establish republic, having to turned decided to Rus has tion him calhead ofthe regional have administra to killed). ordersAntratsytIn County, lothe given had Bolotov that said even (he dently indepen operating is and thority au Bolotov’s recognise not does He Russia. Gastarbeiter from mer separatist for another Mozhoviy, achieftain, Oleksiy of people the enterprises, are Rinat his where has Akhmetov oligarch richest Ukraine’s zone mining-industrial the in – Oblast Luhansk of south to get enough votes in the parliamentalization and minority languages failsnian “consultative poll” D raft law on the nationwide h cmn t pwr f the of power to coming The separatist scenario has the But separatists’ the of curator The about feder U krai ------wounded but is alive – severely was daughter old Their10-year border. Russian to the cars wards separate two in driving couplemarried a dead shotratists gained has quite a resonance (On May 9, sepa County the Sverdlovsk in owners business – married couple a of murder The safety. a bae – umn recom gunmen – beaten was Spirin Yevhen Journalist fiscated. Enlistmentand con Office,car his Registration Military Oblast the of laev was beaten during the storming Kremlin-controlledchannels). Journalist and Tavakkul from Aba reportersRussian of exception the (with extremely limited is work to persecution. kidnapping, and beating fortarget potential a is each so known,well city,“opposition”all supporters are receiveconstantsmallthreats. a In and safe feel not do city), them of most the fled both and pressure subsequently werereleased underpublic activists (both Mokrousova OleksandrBida, andactivist Hanna PublicSector of the Luhansk the EuroMaidan, of leader a of napping fromLuhansk Oblast. After the kid evacuated been also haveactivists really differ. not do law the beyond are actions criminals,regulartheirbecauseby committedaremany how andtary paramili separatist the of tatives crimesarecommitted represenby cultto establish how many of these diffi is It racketeering. at tempts for paying at and instances are There without them. goods simply and take shop any enter men Gun 1mn. UAH carrying vehicle bank armoured an “expropriated” persons unknown County, hansk Stanychno-Lu the In Russophile. its Oblast of Head, Valeriy theHolenko, car a dedicated the of including Council, garage the from requisitionedalsocarshaveratists sepa way, the By increased. have burglaryrevolution”,and shooting requisition cars “in the name of the gunmen – region the and city the in begun has revolution criminal h opruiy o journalists opportunity forThe public of portion significant A Ed. ). A true President signs the law in ished by Viktor scription to the army abol law to resume annual con Verkhovna O ctober 2013. ------unruly oblast was the The final turnoutwas the Luhansk People’s Republic. At12p.m., separatists were al- ready cheerfullyre- illegal referendum, The triumph ofthis held onMay11, the declaration of voted for theLPR R voter turnout. ada adopts the 96% 75% 65% porting a porting of which Y about anukovych Acting ,

- - help getting from Kyiv. in faith lost likelihood all the new government in Kyiv have of supporters in local the Even ness. lawless and control of lack the to alternativeRussiananauthority as recognition of the for themparing pre are Luhansk of residents age pagandaandconfusion theofaver factthat thechaos, pressure ofpro will hold defence out. this long how know difficult to isterrorist operation, it decisivenessconductinganti-in an theirorder. establishBut in view of Kyiv’s to in separatists of tempts at the repelling are unitsdefence state.The local authorities and self- newly-declared unruly the against is defences maintaining population isprevalent, Ukrainian ethnic region of Luhansk Oblast, where the sons. per unknown authority of the der dentsexpectcandifficult times un resi Luhansk So powers.plenary Council,have been stripped Oblastoftheir Luhansk friendly bodies, the even authority Ukrainian any announcedtheythat12, May of as lead their to “state” remains intendamystery. upstartsBut the How neighbours. or members family of principles. democraticYou could ofvote on behalf violations of kinds referendumsaidthatthere were all so-called this in participatedwho eyewitnesses the of Most LPR. the was turnout whichvotedabout96%for75%,of final The voterturnout. 65% a reporting cheerfully p.m.,12At separatists werealready Republic. People’s Luhansk the of declarationthe on 11, May onheld referendum, illegal the was oblast Russian citizens). pro- separatists and by worn now siansymbol of victory in WWII and Rus the areGeorge’s ribbonsthat St. for name (the ribbons” orado largegroup peopleof wearing “Col a is there where places in pearing ap risk don’t media masscentral he still could. Most journalists of the mendedthatleavehe thecity while h mi polm is n the in lies problem main The northern the only present, At unruly this of triumph The separate from hold an illegal referendum to citizens seem to ignore it D onetsk and L unansk U kraine. O Most blasts ------photo: unian Briefing|Separatism Estonia: Why theA bkhazia and Transnistria scenarios did not come true

ne of the biggest crises the newly re-inde- it should be noted that the Estonian government pendent state of Estonia faced was an at- was not prepared to handle a crisis of this scale, tempt to establish an autonomous region meaning that many issues were left to improvisa- O in its northeast part in 1993. The region tion and the skills of the political leaders. was mostly inhabited by Russian speaking people So the work on winning the hearts and minds of who had arrived during the Soviet period. Needless the Narva and Sillamäe people began. A represen- to say that very few of them spoke Estonian or tative of the Estonian government, Indrek Tarand, were part of the Estonian culture. current MEP, had an opportunity to speak on the The referendum in Narva and Sillamäe (cities in local radio. He explained to the people in Narva Northeastern Estonia) was initiated after the Estonian that the choice was actually very simple – either Parliament had passed the Aliens Act in the summer of they secede from Estonia and switch back to the 1993. The new Act declared all non-citizens aliens and Russian rouble, or life continues with the Estonian regulated their life in Estonia. The Russian-speakers kroon (Estonia’s freshly introduced stable cur- who were either stateless persons or citizens of the rency) within the state of Estonia. The Narva peo- Author: Russian Federation took it as a violation of their rights ple could thus compare their current situation to Erkki Bahovski and felt their status in Narva and Sillamäe threatened. the daily life in Russia since across the Narva river In addition, as could be expected, the Narva City lied Ivangorod where the rouble time still contin- Council and Sillamäe City Council were supported ued. The people in Narva decided that they would by Russia who lam- not want to go back to basted the Estonian au- Once the referendum those times. thorities on every occa- The final nail in the cof- sion. Despite the fact failed, the work on fin of the referendum that the Estonian Par- winning the hearts supporters was ham- liament amended the mered on July 23 when Aliens Act after consul- and minds Prime Minister Mart tations with interna- of the Narva and Sillamäe Laar visited Narva. He tional organisations and ignored the local politi- politicians the attacks people began cal leaders and went to continued. The Esto- meet the local entrepre- nian press reported of the concentration of neurs in the Baltiyets factory. Laar’s body- Russian troops just across the border. In 1993, guards simply forced the main organiser of the there were about 7,000 Russian soldiers based referendum, Vladimir Chuikin, out of the in Estonia even though none of them were situated meeting room. This was a language the local entre- in the northeast region. preneurs understood well. The referendum failed. By mid-July, it was clear that the Estonian govern- In autumn 1993, the first municipal elections were ment could not stop the referendum from happen- held also in Narva. ing. Many analysts pointed out that from the very The vigorous action of the Estonian leaders cer- beginning of the crisis, Estonian authorities never tainly saved the northeast region for Estonia, but contemplated using force. Instead, the plan was to international support also played its role. The Es- discredit the referendum and its results. tonian government never tried to handle the issue On July 16-17, 1993, the referendum was carried bilaterally with Russia but took it to the interna- out both in Narva and Sillamäe. According to the tional level immediately. This is definitely one of city councils, more than of 50% of the inhabitants the reasons why the Abkhazia and Transnistria participated in the referendum. 98% of the votes in scenarios never materialized in Estonia. Nor were Sillamäe and 97.2% in Narva supported territorial there any Russian troops. autonomy. Nevertheless, international observers After the referendum had failed, the West started noted that less than 50% of Narva inhabitants cast to take Estonia more seriously since the govern- their ballots. In addition, the Estonian press re- ment had succeeded in avoiding violence and had ported on the absence of a common electoral list been able to show that Estonia was part of the so- which allowed one person to vote several times. lution. The calls for Russia to withdraw her forces The Estonian Legal Chancellor had declared the from Estonia intensified after the referendum (the referendum unconstitutional before it even took troops were finally withdrawn in 1994). Estonia re- place. This created an aura of failure around the mained a unitary state without any autonomous referendum from the beginning. At the same time, regions. 6|the ukrainian week|№ 13 (55) July 2013 Presidential election|Focus and Mykhailo Dobkin would get 6.7%, 4.5% and 4.3% respectively. However, when GFK Ukraine held a survey on May 6-8, it revealed a surprising result where Tymosh- Déjà vu? neko’s rate was much lower and Tihipko’s was much higher. As a result, it would be Serhiy Tihipko, Ukraine risks returning to the post-Orange not Yulia Tymoshenko, with the best chance to run against Petro Revolution internal squabbles very soon Poroshenko in the second round. Two important facts to know espite hopes of another Author: 2005-2009. When Viktor Yush- about GFK Ukraine’s data are that chance to completely re- Oles chenko was President and Yulia the poll was held via telephone ex- boot the country after the Oleksiyenko Tymoshenko was Premier, they clusively, and its predictions were Dsecond revolution Ukraine had waged a deadly struggle always the farthest from the actual is slowly entering the second against each other instead of re- results compared to all other soci- round of squabbles within the forming and strengthening the ological services in Ukraine in pre- once uniform Orange team. The country. vious elections. This is probably leaders of the current presidential In the current campaign, the because GFK Ukraine does not campaign are bringing back the top three leaders have been un- cover the entire electorate in vil- groups of “Yulians” (after Yulia changed for a while now. Accord- lages and small towns whose citi- Tymoshenko) and “Victorians” ing to a survey by Rating, a socio- zens account for nearly half of all (the former team of Victor Yush- logical agency, held on April 25- voters in Ukraine. And Tihipko al- chenko, now embodied in “Petro- 30, Petro Poroshenko enjoys the ways had better rates in big and rians” after Petro Poroshenko), al- support of 43.4% of those polled. mid-sized cities, while Tymoshen- most identical to those from the Yulia Tymoshenko has 13.9%. Ser- ko’s core electorate was in rural post-Orange Revolution years of hiy Tihipko, Anatoliy Hrytsenko regions. photo: phl photo:

№ 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|7 Focus|Presidential election The names of the final pair in claiming powers that exceed the the rise of wages, pensions and round two may change given the ones I am elected for”. Meanwhile, student scholarships”, but “we will fact that only 37% of those polled people who talk to him in person spend money on all this as soon as claimed that they were “sure about insist that his aspirations for abso- we have it once we have built a their choice” in the latest survey lute power are identical to, if not new economy”. Meanwhile, Po- by Rating. Another 33% said that stronger than those of Tymosh- roshenko’s platform suggests that they “were sure but their choice enko. he expects to transfer responsibil- could still change”. Tymoshenko Tymoshenko’s platform offers ity for the social-economic situa- and Poroshenko have the most more populism that pops up in tion in Ukraine on the govern- confident voters – 54% of their some mutually-exclusive prom- ment, the one in charge of “run- supporters were confident about ises. For instance, she pledges to ning economic processes” under their choice. 12% of those polled extend moratorium on farmland the current version of the Consti- have not decided on their pre- sale while ensuring the opportu- tution. As a guarantor of the Con- ferred candidate yet. nity to sell state-owned farmland stitution, rights and freedoms, the However, it is other figures at the market price (which cannot President should only “create con- that look worrisome. If Porosh- be estimated without the land ditions” for social justice and in- enko and Tymoshenko get to the market). She also offers an in- novative economy, Poroshenko second round, only 14% of the flated annual lease price of 10% of believes. Donbas citizens are prepared to the farmland market price (which, If he indeed does not intend vote for any of them. Two thirds again, is impossible to calculate in to expand his powers, he and his insist that they will ignore the vote a non-existent farmland market). Administration will obviously act with these two candidates in the Another pledge in her plat- as expert observers who “evaluate second round, essentially boycot- form is to abolish special pensions and instruct” the government “re- ting it. 22% are still contemplating and privileges for all top officials. sponsible for running economic their choice for the second round. This is, however, forbidden to do processes” and the parliament re- No other region in Ukraine has for the pensioners who are already sponsible for passing laws. When such extreme sentiments. Only getting them. Tymoshenko is Yushchenko did that as President 35% will ignore the vote in promising to ban fines for late after the Orange Revolution, he Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Za- utility payments “until welfare faced harsh criticism from the porizhia Oblasts if these two can- rises significantly”. This will result Party of Regions, then in opposi- didates make it into round two, in arbitrary debts on utilities and tion, and from the majority of while 47% will not vote in South- gas, deteriorating utility services, Ukrainian society that votes for ern Ukraine. This could under- increasing burden on the budgets the President and expects him to mine the legitimacy of the election of all levels, and, eventually, a sit- ensure full-scale transformations in Donetsk region and provide uation where disciplined pension- (voters don’t care how he does tools for speculations. ers will keep paying for the that), rather than to merely ad- Despite the widespread Rus- wealthy judges delaying payments vise to the parliament and gov- sian propagandist mantra about yet confident of their impunity. ernment which turn out to be the the government monopolized by Petro Poroshenko is trying to bad cops. Western Ukrainians, all top candi- distance himself from social popu- Thus, just like with Yush- dates come from Southeastern lism, a trademark element in his chenko, Ukrainian voters will soon Ukraine. Petro Poroshenko was key rival’s campaign. He claims inevitably see the President as born in Odesa Oblast; Yulia Ty- that “all political platforms you someone responsible for the state moshenko comes from Dniprope- have seen before were about policy. His attempts to criticize the trovsk Oblast; pennies from heaven but government or the parliament for Serhiy Tihipko used to live in they never come down” and ineffectiveness will most likely Dnipropetrovsk Oblast as well, “clearly, I support fuel another round of deep disap- and Mykhailo Dobkin comes from 43.4% pointment: the voters will inter- Kharkiv. pret this as just another series of internal squabbles in “the single The common and the The rates of the democratic pro-European team”. different in the top candidates This will discredit Poroshenko and platforms Source: A poll by the Rating Ukrainian statehood overall, thus 13.9% sociological group held The platforms of two top candi- on April 25-30, 2014 playing into the hands of pro-Rus- dates in this campaign look attrac- sian forces and the Kremlin’s pol- tive for the wide audience yet they icy to subordinate Ukraine. do not fit in the scope of powers the current Constitution grants 6.7% Cognitive dissonance the President. 4.5% Both Tymoshenko and Porosh- Yulia Tymoshenko openly 4.3% enko support lustration and elimi- claims her “will for power” and in- nation of corruption in the state tentions to concentrate it in order bodies, fair courts, honest law en- “to break the current system”. forcers, lower tax pressure on the Petro Poroshenko speaks of the business and demonopolization of opposite, pledging to “become a the economy. Meanwhile, both guarantor of the newly reinstated Petro Yulia Serhiy Anatoliy Mykhailo groups are being staffed with rep- parliamentary system… while not Poroshenko Tymoshenko Tihipko Hrytsenko Dobkin resentatives of the former govern- 8|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Presidential election|Focus ment. Poroshenko has been criti- been involved in covering up sep- issue of NATO as the only way to cized multiple times for actively aratist groups and making sure guarantee Ukraine’s security in engaging people from the tandem that police chiefs avoided respon- the face of continuous Russian of Serhiy Liovochkin, Party of Re- sibility for helping or doing noth- threat, and even accept the veto of gions MP and ex-Chief of Staff un- ing to hold back separatists. Ex- the pro-Russian fifth column in der Viktor Yanukovych, and Dmy- governor of Odesa Oblast Volody- Southeastern Ukraine. Appar- tro Firtash, the gas tycoon recently myr Nemyrovskyi and ex-Interior ently, he will be the first one to arrested in Vienna on FBI war- Minister Yuriy Lutsenko have lead Ukraine to NATO as soon as rant, in the regions. Tymoshenko’s both blamed him for lobbying the 70% of Ukrainians support the Batkivshchyna party voted in uni- appointment of the traitor police idea. When the share is 30%, he son with the Party of Regions on chiefs, Dmytro Fuchidzhi and will not since he would thus risk acts that were not supported by Oleh Lutsiuk. On the other hand, losing Donetsk or Luhansk the rest of the democratic coali- Poroshenko raises doubts as his Oblasts, Kharkiv or Odesa. tion in the post-Maidan parlia- plants resume operations in Rus- Instead, both candidates offer ment. Svoboda members have sia and his business operates un- useless options to replace NATO blamed it for attempts to provoke inhibitedly in the Russian-occu- membership. Tymoshenko sug- their exit from the coalition so pied Crimea. Some refer this to gests an amorphous “European that the Party of Regions could his deals with Firtash whose ef- policy of common security”, while replace them. As to oligarchs, forts in lobbying Putin’s interests Poroshenko offers a reinforced Rinat Akhmetov seems to be the became obvious from his clearly version of the Budapest Memo- most interested one in Tymosh- pro-Russian stance during the randum. Both support elimination enko’s presidency now, given his EuroMaidan. of any aspect in which Ukraine de- difficult record with Poroshenko pends on Russia, energy being the in the past. So is Ihor Kolo- Tied by hesitation top priority. Meanwhile, both sup- moyskyi, the Dnipropetrovsk- Both top candidates have similar port friendly, equal and partner based oligarch and owner of approaches to the language issue, Privat Group, who is now actively and these approaches will do While supporting gaining political weight under the nothing to consolidate the nation rule of Tymoshenko’s allies as in- or overcome the regional divide. lustration and elimination terim government. Yulia Tymoshenko promotes The most concerning aspect is Ukrainian as the only state lan- of corruption, obviously the Russian trace. Po- guage with Russian and other both Tymoshenko and roshenko is said to engage people languages having the official sta- related to Viktor Baloha and tus in the regions where the dom- Poroshenko are staffing Volodymyr Lytvyn, Andriy inating majority wants that. This their teams with people Derkach and Dmytro Firtash. The will subsequently lead to increas- latter two were always the key ing Russification of a number of from the previous Russian lobbyists in Ukraine. Yu- regions in South-Eastern Ukraine government lia Tymoshenko on her part has (see p. 24). Petro Poroshenko always been on good terms with pledges to preserve the current relations with the “future non-Pu- the agents of Russian influence in status quo on the language issue, tin democratic Russia” which is Ukraine, such as Viktor Medved- which means that the Kolesn- hardly an option at all. chuk, his right-hand man Nestor ichenko-Kivalov language law Both Tymoshenko and Po- Shufrych, Andriy Kliuyev (ex- will stay intact in its current ver- roshenko pledge to abolish local Chief of Staff under Yanukovych), sion. state administration and to dele- and Tymoshenko’s one-time None of them is prepared to gate most of their functions to ex- main advisor Andriy Portnov (ex- take steps to protect Ukrainian- ecutive committees of local coun- First Deputy Chief of Staff for Ya- speakers from Russification in cils. In the current situation, how- nukovych). Acting President and Southern, Eastern and partly ever, this can only further fuel Tymoshenko’s ally Oleksandr Central Ukraine, let alone facili- separatism and restrict ways for Turchynov is known to have ac- tate the actual rather than formal the central government to affect tively negotiated with Vadym use of Ukrainian as the state lan- inefficiency in the regions. If im- Novynsky, Putin’s “supervisor” in guage. Eye-witnesses claim that plemented, this will hardly liber- the Ukrainian parliament and both Tymoshenko, and Porosh- ate the central government from business partner to tycoon Rinat enko, as well as their families, responsibility for local problems, Akhmetov. It is Tymoshenko’s al- speak Russian at home and in as Poroshenko expects in his plat- lies who were mostly blamed for private life while switching to form, since most Ukrainians re- the lack of adequate actions to re- Ukrainian in public or to talk to main paternalist-minded, espe- strain Russian aggression in the people they find useful. cially in Southeastern Ukraine. Crimea and the Donbas in the Both candidates promise to They will keep blaming the chaos first month after Yanukovych facilitate Ukraine’s defence ca- in their towns and villages on the fled. pacity and European integration. incapable central government. The recent deadly incident in Yet, none mentions NATO mem- That will allow local authorities to Odesa adds to the Tymoshenko bership in their platforms. Po- fuel such sentiments via their loyal controversy: MP Oleksandr roshenko, as the most likely win- local media, while Russia will use Dubovyi, close to Tymoshenko ner of this campaign, seems only this to aggravate pro-Russian sen- and Turchynov, is said to have willing to follow the crowd on the timents. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|9 focus|Presidential election It’s Not the Winning, But the Taking Part That Counts Why some candidates are running in the campaign without a chance to win it

Author: mentary elections. The other one For some candidates from the Oles Oleksiyenko comprises people who have no first group, this election will be the chance to get anything serious crucial opportunity to cement their he upcoming snap presiden- whatsoever. political weight in the new post-rev- tial election features 21 can- The former group includes olutionary system. This will allow didates. Yet, only half of Party of Regions’ MP and ex-Gov- them to seek formats and money for Tthem have more than 1%, ernor of Kharkiv Oblast Mykhailo and just the trio of Petro Porosh- Dobkin, Communist Party leader For some candidates from enko, Yulia Tymoshenko and Ser- Petro Symonenko, ex-Defence hiy Tihipko actually stand a Minister during Viktor Yushchen- the first group, this chance to win the race. Still, a few ko’s presidency Anatoliy Hryt- election will be the crucial candidates may well gain a fairly senko, MP Oleh Liashko, Svoboda good result in the first round and leader Oleh Tyahnybok and proba- opportunity to cement compete with Tymoshenko or Ti- bly Olha Bohomolets, the well- hipko for a place in the second known doctor and activist who their political weight in round. took care of treatment for the vic- the new post- Those who realize that they tims of the Maidan, and Dmytro will not win the election are di- Yarosh, the leader of the Right Sec- revolutionary system vided into two groups. One in- tor. The latter group includes other cludes candidates whose rates are candidates, representatives of the an upcoming parliamentary cam- close to the 5% threshold in parlia- Yanukovych regime among them. paign, or to negotiate a quota for themselves in exchange for joining a The rates of the lea popularcandidates who have no chance certain party. This option could be promising for Anatoliy Hrytsenko, to win the eleion Oleh Liashko, Olha Bohomolets and Petro Based on a poll by the Rating sociological group, Razumkov Centre, Dmytro Yarosh, provided that the Symonenko KMIS and SOCIS on April 9-16, 2014 latter steals some electorate from Svoboda. Candidates from the second Oleh group will obviously have a chance Liashko to trade their quotas for represen- tatives in district election commis- Olha sions (see A lucrative re- source). To some, such as Oleh Bohomolets Tsariov, the notorious Party of Re- gions MP who now seems to coor- dinate separatist movements in Eastern Ukraine, and Renat Kuz- Oleh min, Donetsk-born former Deputy Tyahnybok Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council and former Deputy Prosecutor General, the Dmytro candidate status ensured protec- Yarosh tion from criminal charges. This election may bring a few surprises compared to current ex- pectations based on results of so- ciological surveys. All candidates with over 1% of support have a good chance to gain a decent out- come from the voters that see 4.0 3.2 2.5 1.4 0.7 them as their secondary choice 10|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Presidential election|focus A lucrative resource traditional eurosceptical and Without serious eleoral support, a dozen marginal candidates ill have their quotas for anti-NATO rhetoric for support representatives in di ri eleion commissions, thus accounting for half of all member and head to “bilateral agreements with the seats. This creates va loopholes for trading their quotas to the top candidates, and could “adju ” US and the UK on urgent mili- the outcome of the vote in favour of those candidates who manage to make better deals tary assistance in case of armed aggression”, “real rather than de- Candidate % of represen- % of heads of % of deputy % of commis- clarative actions to integrate tatives in commissions heads of sion secretaries Ukraine into Euro-Atlantic secu- di ri eleion commissions rity structures”, and “specific commissions deadlines for Ukraine’s possible Petro Poroshenko 5.63 7.55 7.04 5,63 entrance to NATO.” The plat- form of Dmytro Yarosh, the Yulia Tymoshenko 5.63 5.66 6.57 6.10 leader of the Right Sector, is sim- Serhiy Tihipko 5.63 5.19 5.63 5.16 ilar. Mykhailo Dobkin 4.89 5.66 5.16 5.63 Anatoliy Hrytsenko tradition- ally builds his campaign on his Oleh Liashko 5.61 5.19 5.16 5.16 positive qualities, untainted repu- Petro Symonenko 5.61 5.19 5.16 6.10 tation and military experience – Anatoliy Hrytsenko 5.61 5.19 4.69 5.16 something quite appealing in the Oleh Tyahnybok 5.61 5.66 5.16 5.16 current situation. The candidates squabbling for Olha Bohomolets 5.63 5.19 5.16 6.57 the electorate of the previous re- Zorian Shkiriak 5.61 6.13 5.16 5.63 gime seek contact with various parts Dmytro Yarosh 5.58 5.19 5.16 5.63 of it, from radical pro-Russian vot- Oleksandr Klymenko 5,63 5.66 5.16 6.57 ers to moderate supporters of sta- (Ukrainian People’s Party) bility or “improvement today”. After Oleh Tsariov withdrew from the Vasyl Kuibida 5,63 5.66 5.63 5.16 race, Mykhailo Dobkin, the notori- (People’s Movement of Ukraine) ous ex-governor of Kharkiv Oblast Yuriy Boyko 5.63 5.19 6.57 5.63 and creature of Rinat Akhmetov, Mykola Malomuzh 5.55 4.72 5.63 5.63 has been the most consistent agent Vasyl Tsushko 5.45 5.19 5.16 5.16 of Russia’s line in Ukraine. Petro Symonenko, the leader of the Com- Vadym Rabinovych 4.63 4.72 4.69 4.23 munist Party, focuses on federaliza- Volodymyr Saranov 4.15 3.77 4.23 3.29 tion, Russian as the second state Renat Kuzmin 2.17 2.36 1.88 2.35 language, and Ukraine’s non- aligned status, while traditionally Source: Central Eleion Commission blaming oligarchs, neo-Nazis and (see p. 7). Thus, Mykhailo Dob- (Rating, SOCIS, KMIS and Ra- the West for all troubles. kin and Petro Symonenko could zumkov Centre) shows that over Yuriy Boyko presents himself end up with up to 7.1% and 5.8% 70-80% of people distrust pro- as the successor of the previous respectively, while Anatoliy Hryt- Russian candidates. However, government where he was Vice senko could get 11%. After all, they can prevent Tymoshenko Premier, offering two state lan- many voters in the Donbas and from getting through to the sec- guages as well. Meanwhile, he is Kharkiv Oblast have not yet de- ond round. So can the dilution of virtually the only one who publicly cided on their preferred candi- her loyal electorate by Oleh Li- represents big business saying in date, intend to boycott the election ashko, Anatoliy Hrytsenko and or to vote against all candidates. Olha Bohomolets in Central and any openly pro-Russian The participation of the Donbas Western Ukraine. voters in the election will have a Most candidates, especially candidate has no chance to huge impact on the outcome since those that have no chance to enter win round two. pro-Russian candidates have the the second round, have populist most supporters here, compared elements in their platforms. Very over 70-80% of people to other regions in Ukraine, and often, their promises do not nearly distrust pro-Russian the region is fairly densely popu- fit the scope of powers the current lated. Constitution grants the President. candidates Thus, a lot will depend on how With further restrictions currently effectively the Party of Regions favoured by the majority in parlia- his platform, unlike other candi- uses its administrative leverage in ment, the President could end up dates, that “the state should pro- that region. If it does to promote with very limited powers. More- tect the interests of the big, me- Mykhailo Dobkin as its official over, they have no chance to hold dium and small businesses on the candidate, he may even get 16- a snap parliamentary election, let equal basis”. He does not insist on 18% and enter the second round. alone to form a loyal majority of Ukraine’s joining the Customs Still, any openly pro-Russian the like-minded MPs in the legis- Union and promotes cooperation candidate has no chance to win lature. with all countries, the priority of round two. The latest poll by For this campaign, Svoboda’s economic integration with the EU four sociological companies Oleh Tyahnybok has switched his and energy diversification. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|11 focus|Ukrainian parties Right, Left or Centre? In their words and deeds, Ukrainian parties alternate between being radical, conservative and liberal, depending on the circumstances and the electioneering situation. Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna is one example

Аuthor: faded into insignificance after be- Ihor Losev coming a party. However, such movements have n contemporary Ukraine, discus- to have a truly national, rather than sions about political radicals, con- narrow party-oriented, programme servatives and liberals in Ukraine of fundamental social reforms that Ias counterparts of political groups could unite millions of people who in established Western systems ap- are divided on some other issues. radical in politics. It is hard to say pear to be quite scholastic, as in any (This is what causes the division of anything definite about UDAR, ex- unstructured emerging society. politically likeminded people into cept that it is a typical leader-cen- Roughly speaking, Ukrainian society separate parties.) Then, acceptance tred party much as its allies in the is made up of oligarchs, bureaucrats, of the key foundations of the move- coalition. The position of the leader a thin stratum of entrepreneurs, the ment becomes the criterion for lead- here is more important than any small and unstable middle class ership, even for non-members. The programme. which has struggled to free itself organization thus breaks away from The present circumstances de- from under the oligarchic-bureau- the party quota principle which mand energetic, precise and effi- cratic burden and a huge mass (pri- leads to mechanistic distribution of cient actions rather than common- marily in Southeast Ukraine) of the top offices among party members place political PR, but Tymoshenko dependent population that expects and puts party interests above na- is a step behind in evaluating and re- subsidies, donations and “bread and tional ones. acting to events. Her actions are circuses” from any government. Meanwhile, we can see a liberal- standard and more tailored to a As they compete for the elector- radical-conservative mixture in the peaceful time and evolutionary de- ate, parties are forced to keep these activities of most Ukrainian political velopment. She is gathering some factors in mind. In their words and parties. One case in point is Yulia Ty- committees and setting up head- deeds, Ukrainian parties alternate moshenko’s Batkivshchyna (Father- quarters composed of retired gener- between being radical, conservative land) party. On economic issues, als and military men, promises to and liberal, depending on the cir- they are obvious liberals. In fact, it bring Crimea back to Ukraine and cumstances and the electioneering would be strange to see anything else has travelled to the Donbas. How- situation. Moreover, political parties from an organization in which busi- ever, all this activity does not involve in Ukraine have never been ideolog- ness circles are represented so well. any real steps that could affect the ically consistent. The main thing for In the national and cultural sphere, threatening developments in east- them is to win votes, and if this re- Batkivshchyna seemed to be conser- ern Ukraine, even though she has quires a departure from their pro- vative, at least until recently when the requisite leverage – not retired grammatic creed, so be it – to them, Tymoshenko decided to use the state generals but her party members in this is natural and necessary tactical language, Ukrainian, as a bargaining the national government: Oleksandr flexibility. chip in southeast Ukraine. Her fiery Turchynov (her alter ego), Arseniy In societies like Ukraine and anti-oligarchic rhetoric makes an Yatseniuk, Arsen Avakov, Minister some Eastern European countries, impression that Fatherland is even of Justice Pavlo Petrenko, etc. How- mass popular movements, such as radical. ever, their actions have been such Polish Solidarity or the People’s The Svoboda (Freedom) party is that, after Crimea was given up Movement of Ukraine, are more ef- liberal on economic issues (recog- without a fired shot, the Czech de- ficient than parties. The People’s nizing private property, the market fence minister said that the West Movement was a great force in the and free competition), conservative would not be able to help Ukraine late 1980s and the early 1990s but on national and cultural issues and because it was passive in defending 12|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Ukrainian parties|focus The chance in this election, does it mean performance of that the country should be surren- Tymoshenko’s dered? Does it mean that Ukraine team in the government needs to have a weak head of state at (formally, this tragic hour? All for the sake of without her making Tymoshenko a strong prime involvement) minister in the parliamentary elec- marks the tion – that is, if the country survives downfall of until autumn? Batkivshchyna, Acts of this kind committed dur- just like the ing wartime smell of high treason. downfall of the Ukraine, rather than Tymoshenko, intrigue-based, should be on the leadership’s minds. behind- the-scenes, Instead of relishing her moment of business- glory, she may well become a politi- dominated cal corpse – and not Tymoshenko brand of politics alone but her entire party with all its in Ukraine members. Forever and irrevocably. They are now scrambling to draft a constitution of a de facto parliamen- tary republic (who needs a general presidential election then?) and want to scrap local state administra- tions, which would be an invaluable gift to the Kremlin and separatists. The Ukrainian people, however, have acquired extensive political ex- perience over these years – they see

photo: unian photo: everything, which is a guarantee that there will be no prime minister from its own territory. Lithuania’s de- tion of the central government Batkivshchyna. Yatseniuk, who now fence minister explained to official which is totally paralyzed either by holds the office, is increasingly act- Kyiv that preserving territorial in- fear or great responsibility. Winston ing like an extra minister of foreign tegrity is Ukraine’s right and duty. Churchill once said: “Responsibility affairs and Ukraine’s unofficial am- Tymoshenko’s people in the govern- is the price politicians pay for bassador to the IMF as he com- ment are constantly complaining of power.” If Tymoshenko believes that pletely removes himself from, the bad army, unreliable police and the catastrophically inadequate per- among other things, the anti-terror- questionable Security Service. How- formance of her party will in no way ist operation in Eastern Ukraine. ever, Yuriy Lutsenko, ex-Interior affect her own political standing, she The performance of Tymoshen- Minister and counsellor to the act- is being very naïve. She will be and is ko’s team in the government (for- ing president, says that Ukraine has already being held responsible for enough well-trained special-task all the party’s failures. Her people In societies like Ukraine and units, but they are not being used; surrendered the Crimea to Russia. there are a number of police units The Ukrainian military held their some Eastern European fully loyal to Ukraine, but they are ground there for nearly a month in countries, mass popular not receiving adequate orders from extremely difficult circumstances, Kyiv. waiting for some sensible actions movements, such as Polish Ukrainian law enforcement offi- from Kyiv. They never came, and the Solidarity or the People’s cers are well aware of what has hap- military began to surrender. pened to their colleagues in the Tymoshenko wasted the great- Movement of Ukraine, are Crimea who switched their alle- est chance of her entire life. If in- more efficient than parties giance to Russia. They were first stead of ruling from behind the promised exorbitant salaries but scenes without burdening herself mally, without her involvement) later had to take tests which most of with any formal obligations, she had marks the downfall of Bat- them failed. Former Security Service chosen to be the prime minister and kivshchyna, just like the downfall of officers are now being given poly- set about saving Ukraine with her the intrigue-based, behind-the- graph tests. Ukrainian military men characteristic zeal, she could be- scenes, business-dominated brand who have betrayed their oath of al- come a national leader and this pe- of politics in Ukraine. Its first signs legiance are now told: “You will riod would be her hour of triumph. were seen in the Maidan in winter serve where the motherland will However, she has gone the usual 2014 when the “leaders” showed send you.” This may be a place like way of intrigue. The country is star- they feared a wide popular move- Sakhalin, Wrangel Island, Altai or ing into an abyss, but Tymoshenko’s ment and attempted to deny access Kolyma, which means they will have friends concern themselves with to real power. Today, the country’s to leave the sunny Crimea. ways of making the new president of leadership are acting contrary to the The situation with the power Ukraine an absolutely powerless desire of the people to protect their structures in Ukraine is alarming, person and a largely ceremonial fig- country, hoping that the West will but it is much better than the condi- ure. If Tymoshenko stands no do more than Ukraine itself. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|13 Security|Arms trade Arming the Enemy Despite loud statements about ceasing military cooperation, Ukrainian plants continue to supply the Russian aggressor

Author: kraine’s statehood may Roman Malko cost several million dol- lars. And this is not cash U– only the sum of con- tracts which the country’s gov- ernment does not dare cancel even in the face of a genuine armed conflict. Just by refusing to acknowl- Motor Sich in Zaporizhia edge the fact of war, Ukraine as continues to produce engines represented by its current leader- for Russian helicopters ship is acting in a very strange and incomprehensive manner. This is not to mention the illogi- calities that bedevil its clumsy at- nian Week, the information is fence complex will otherwise col- tempts to restore order in the not quite truthful – cooperation lapse. This problem does exist, country. Initially, it could have in the defence sector actually and its roots go back to the times been attributed to the inexperi- continues as some signs suggest. when Ukraine’s economy was ence of the new government or A number of state enterprises are fully integrated with that of the the sabotage of those loyal to the still honouring their contracts rest of the Soviet Union. Many old regime. Now, the problem with Russia while pointing to a things have changed since then, looks more like a state-level sub- host of reasons why they cannot but Ukraine’s and Russia’s mili- version. For over a month now, afford to do otherwise. The prob- tary industrial complexes are still Ukraine has de facto been in a lems, they say, are social – if the closely linked. For example, Mo- state of war which bears the production facilities are stopped, tor Sich, formerly a state enter- marks of ethnic cleansing and es- dozens of thousands of people prise which now belongs to Party sentially an annexation of part of will be thrown out into the street. of Regions MP Viacheslav Bohus- its territory. Everyone under- However, it is not only about the laiev, produces the bigger part of stands that this is not the end. people, one is tempted to sus- engines for Russian helicopters. But does the government really pect. There is something else Motor Sich buys some parts for want to stop the aggressor? That that is hard to part with even in its engines from Russia, so these question remains open. Unfortu- face of death – money. Severing processes are closely integrated. nately, the entire situation is some contracts appears to be A proportion of the engines go to quite gloomy, and in spite of very painful to the new govern- other countries. To simply stop some local victories, news from ment, because it involves huge the plant will deliver a blow to its the frontline offers no reason for losses. Ending several-million- 20,000 employees. In Mykolaiv, optimism. dollar contracts is tolerable, but Zoria makes turbocharged en- In late March, acting CEO of it is almost unreal to lose hun- gines for Russian army assault Ukroboronprom Yuriy dreds of millions. These con- boats and is in a similar situation. Tereshchenko said that this gov- tracts, despite declarations, have The argument cited by bu- ernment-run defence company never been suspended, and no- reaucrats is simple: across had stopped supplying weapons one can tell whether they will Ukraine, the stoppage of such and military equipment to Rus- ever be. plants may put over 50,000 peo- sia. The announcement came af- Vladimir Putin has recently ple, an entire army, out of their ter two high-profile scandals. said that Ukraine has no alterna- jobs. The kind of close integration However, according to sources tive to continuing supply arms to that Ukraine has with Russia will that have spoken to The Ukrai- Russia, because its military de- make it impossible to continue 14|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Arms trade|Security cally. No-one even ventured to promising large dividends in the say that the country’s GDP would future. All Ukrainian plants sup- drop as a result. The sophisti- ply 10% of Ukraine’s defence cated line of argumentation from needs at best, and the rest is im-

the Ukrainian elites is worth Ukraine’s defence ported. If these plants are forced nothing, because it prompts industrial complex to stop for a while, the country Ukraine’s Western partners to employs over will have a real chance to forever wonder how sincerely the Ukrai- 50,000 break away from Russia’s em- nian government wants to fight people brace and its defence goods mar- Russia and protect indepen- ket, which stands to lose at least dence. With the US and Germany as much as ours. Putin has ac- refusing to supply weaponry to knowledged that to set up its Russia, this cat-and-mouse game own military goods production, looks nothing less than idiocy. Russia will need at least a year MP Yuriy Syrotiuk from the and a half, while expert say it Svoboda party, who is a member will take no less than three years. of the parliamentary Committee If Ukraine stops trading in arms on National Security, says he has with the aggressor, it will be able appealed to bureaucrats regard- to switch to NATO weapons and ing this issue on multiple occa- adopt NATO standards, ulti- sions but has never been given a mately breaking any ties with clear reply. “I have been con- Russia in this sector. Consider- cerned that our Arsenal enter- ing our capacities, it will not take prise continues to produce mis- long for orders to start coming. sile homing devices for R-73 air- However, these prospects are to-air missiles. Motor Sich has never suspended cooperation. There are huge arms Artem makes R-27 midrange air- to-air missiles for Russian war- depots in eastern Ukraine planes. In Malyna, Zhytomyr which the Ukrainian Oblast, warehouses were chock- full and ready to ship equipment. government is not going

: UNIAN PHOTO Even the workers protested to evacuate against arming Russia, even making some of its products. Ex- though some of the country’s still too distant. Considering how perts say that in some cases, co- leaders say [stopping coopera- Ukraine is struggling to protect operation will not cease for a tion] would hurt these people,” its independence, they may even minute – there is a problem of Syrotiuk says. “I believe that the be unreachable. There is another dual-purpose goods. For exam- complete severance of military- interesting nuance, again having ple, Ukraine and Russia are par- technical ties between our coun- to do with arms, which may play a ticipating in joint programmes to tries would put Russia in a worse nasty trick against Ukraine. Ac- produce boosters used to launch situation. The thing is that its cording to our security concept, space rockets. Even though Aus- entire nuclear arsenal is being we still expect enemy attacks to tralia and a number of other serviced by Ukraine’s state en- come from the West. That Russia countries have refused to supply terprise Pivdenmash, located in may become an enemy has never their satellites on Russian boost- Dnipropetrovsk. If Pivdenmash been seriously taken into consid- ers in protest against Russia’s ag- stops working for Russia, this eration. Hence, Ukraine’s defence gression, Ukraine continues to will greatly jeopardize the servic- Putin has industry plants were built along participate in international space ing of its nuclear missiles. There acknowledged that the border with Russia. is no certainly that those missiles to set up its own If there is patent aggression programmes. The reasoning goes military goods that we cannot just slam the door, can fly as it is, but without main- production, Russia in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, because things are very deeply in- tenance they will turn into scrap will need at least a Ukraine will immediately lose year and a half, tegrated and will hurt everyone. metal and will be a danger to the while expert say it part of its military potential. For It is hard to deny that Ukrai- Russians themselves. Then, Pu- will take no less than example, the famous Kolchuga nian bureaucrats and entrepre- tin will have to either seek ways three years systems are produced in Luhansk neurs have no lack of the com- to reach a truce or conquer Dni- Oblast. Ukraine’s only ammuni- mercial savvy. Their iron-cast propetrovsk.” tion factory is located in Luhansk. arguments would be reassuring As they speak about excessive There are huge arms depots in if they did not come across as too economic losses resulting from eastern Ukraine which no-one is cynical, if not senseless. Prior to discontinued cooperation with going to evacuate, either. Artemi- the Second World War, the So- Russia, Ukrainian bureaucrats vsk hosts Europe’s biggest mili- viet Union had very close ties to are, in fact, not being altogether tary equipment depot. Hundreds Germany, but after 22 June 1941, truthful. Ukraine needs to recog- of thousands of weapons may end following Hitler’s attack, it im- nize that it is in a state of war up in the hands of the enemy in mediately discontinued all mili- and thus losses are inevitable. which case Ukraine will be facing tary cooperation regardless of However, this economic dark problems even with small arms how much it could hurt economi- cloud has a thick silver lining, and ammunition. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|15 Economics|Signs of improvement Resuscitating Ukraine’s Moribund Economy Ukraine is currently at the bottom of an economic cycle, but some indicators suggest the first signs of growth. The government’s ambitious reform plan gives hope that the country will bounce back

Author: he new government is a lit- ports to Russia dropped by 30%. ery and so on. Facing a full- Lyubomyr tle more than 50 days in of- This took place before power fledged trade war, our economy Shavalyuk fice – too short a period to changed hands in Ukraine, but will take longer to bounce back, Tassess its performance, es- the scale of the drop-off is a re- but there is a crucial positive as- pecially considering the events in flection of Russia’s continuing pect to the situation. By dealing Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. But policy to replace Ukrainian im- with a fear of losing its biggest the important thing is that citi- ports with Russian goods trade partner of the past, Ukraine zens look to the new Cabinet with launched long before the revolu- has opened a way for rapid, unre- hope for a better life, and this ex- tionary events in Ukraine. The strained growth in the future. The pectation has to be fulfilled. Fifty foreign trade data for March and economic situation now nearly days is, however, enough time to subsequent months, when made completely depends on us, so af- be able to say that the new gov- public, is likely to be even gloom- ter surviving a brief period of ernment is moving in the right ier but can already be seen in the hardship, we will be able to em- direction despite having to over- industry’s performance. For ex- bark on a trajectory of steady eco- come big hurdles and making ample, Ukrainian producers of nomic growth. multiple mistakes. These laud- freight wagons, most of which go Second, industrial statistics able efforts are the reason why to Russia, reported March figures reflect transformations that have Ukraine’s economy, which is not that were just one-fifth of the pro- taken place due to the replace- in the best of shapes now, is duction volume they had a year ment of the government. For ex- showing the first signs of growth. ago. They have experienced de- ample, coal production slightly These are only the first harbin- cline for many months due to the rose in February (by 0.9% year- gers of change, but they give reas- hostile Russian policy. on-year) but fell 9.9% in March. surance that if Ukrainians keep In March and April, the On the one hand, this drop-off in the government on its toes, their Kremlin greatly expanded the list a key industry may lead to higher hopes may come true this time of Ukrainian goods banned for unemployment in some of the around. import, which now included pota- most depressed regions in the toes, dairy products, confection- country. On the other hand, the Real sector The new government The volume of industrial produc- Good as it is is moving in the right tion in the first quarter of 2014 In Q1 2014, despite a complicated sociopolitical situation in the country, direction despite having to overcome fell five% year-on-year (see the indu ry decline rate was not much different from la year’s figures. big hurdles and mak- Good as it is). This negative in- Reassuringly, the downturn slowed down in the con ruion and transport ing multiple mistakes dicator might seem to be merely a indu ries, which are a ep ahead of the overall economy. continuation of the last year’s Dynamics in Q1 2014 as compared to 2013 trend when industry lost 4.3%. As a matter of fact, it is an expres- Agriculture sion of a number of trends that will persist in the future. March Transport data is telling, because this is the first full month under the new government: the decline rate rose Commerce to 6.8% from 3.7% in February due to certain factors. Con ruion First, the Russian blockade of Ukrainian-made goods is gaining Manufauring 2013 momentum, causing Ukraine’s indu ry Q1 2014 industry to lose its positions in a number of areas. In January -15% -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% 15% through February, Ukrainian ex- Source: State Stati ics Committee 16|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 underlying cause may the discon- finding resources to finance the tinuation of shadow schemes in huge budget deficitleft behind by which charcoal was produced in the previous government. The large quantities in small illegal situation was further aggravated makeshift coalmines and “pits” by the panic over deposits and and then sold for peanuts to currency fluctuations, which un- coalmines and intermediaries dermined the banking system. On who made millions on these the other hand, the new govern- transactions. This “business” pro- ment fairly promptly reacted to vided jobs to many people, saving financial challenges and rushed them from financial distress, but to fill the gaps. The methods used also wrecked or took numerous were not always optimal, but lives. The new government has to what we have today is a stable fi- put an end to these kinds of nancial system. A number of re- schemes in the coalmining indus- forms that are now at an early try and elsewhere, which will stage will determine the parame- postpose economic recovery and ters of macroeconomic balance in require offering alternative em- the future. ployment opportunities. The Ukrainian Week has Third, the decline in some in- already reported the first steps dustries is of a purely seasonal taken by the new governor of the nature or started long before National Bank, including a fully power changed hands in Ukraine. flexible exchange rate, temporary For example, the metallurgical administrations in problem banks industry fell 11.1% in March and and light constraints on refinanc- 10.7% over the first quarter of ing. These measures have already 2014, while it lost 5.3% over the yielded a number of results wor- previous year. This serious drop- thy of closer inspection. off is caused by external factors, The key change in the finan- primarily the lower global de- cial sector has been the devalua- mand for steel which has brought tion of the national currency. iron ore prices down by 18% since Even though it dropped to around December 2013. The production UAH 13 per USD 1 by mid-April, of electrical energy, gas and water triggering some apocalyptic fore- in March dropped by 8.3% only casts, it regained, with equal ease, because the first spring month some ground by going back up to was much warmer in 2014 than UAH 11.5/USD and has every last year. These kinds of factors chance of advancing even more. will eventually have no effect on Most important, these fluctua- industrial output. tions took place against the back- Construction and transport drop of record-high balances on are two industries that offer hope. banks’ correspondent and transit The construction industry posted accounts: UAH 29-34bn through- a double-digit declinerate out nearly all of April as com- throughout 2013, dropped by pared to UAH 25.3bn in the past 10% in January and February year. In other words, financial in- each but slowed down to 5% in stitutions, which once were the March. Freight turnover in trans- chief currency speculators and portation companies fell 3.1% but now have excess liquidity, are not the volume of goods carried rose directing it to the currency mar- by 2.6% in Q1 2014. These two ket. And this is the first step to- sectors are growing faster than wards restoring the crediting of the rest of the economy and per- the economy. In fact, the result mit discerning economic growth came quickly. Loan interest rates where it is still hard to see. That spiked in February but went the decline is slowing down and down in March (see Inflation growth is seen in certain areas up, interest rates down) and suggests that the economy may kept falling in April. leave from the bottom earlier It is too early to say that the than the end of 2014, as predicted financial sector, primarily banks, by the government. is ready to pour money into the economy rather than milk it as Financial sector was the case in the past years. The situation in the finance de- The withdrawal of deposits is still partment is ambiguous. On the continuing. Deposits in Ukrai- one hand, a month or two ago nian banks were at UAH 380bn Ukraine was having a hard time and US $26.5bn by the end of Economics|Signs of improvement March, having shed 10.1 and Inflation up, intere rates down 14.0%, respectively, over the first The devaluation of hryvnia drove up the inflation rate, while at the same time quarter. This made banks reduce opening the way for foreign capital . Intere rates initially shot up due to a bank lending volumes. However, due run and then began to gradually go down to large-scale refinancing (the National Bank provided a total of UAH 24.2bn in refinancing for 25% periods from one week to six Intere rate on loans months), this trend was essen- 20% in hryvnias tially set off in March. By the end of April, the loan portfolio may 15% grow. The devaluation of hryvnia, which brought the exchange rate 10% Intere rate on deposits closer to the market figure, also in hryvnias opened the door to Ukraine, par- 5% ticularly to its financial sectors, Consumer inflation, year-on-year for foreign investors. They are so 0% far waiting for a signal in the form of loans to the Ukrainian -5% government from the IMF and 01. 2013 04. 2013 07. 2013 10.2013 01. 2014 other large international organi- Source: State Statiics Committee zations and foreign governments, but as soon as they arrive, money richer life. Now the economic sys- Reassuring result will be poured into Ukraine’s tem has restored justice as the in- On balance, we have a fairly com- banking sector at a higher rate, come level remains unchanged, plicated but in no way hopeless sit- interest rates will go down even while the prices of imported uation. On the one hand, Russia’s more and the economy will re- products have skyrocketed. (For actions and the need to destroy the ceive a reliable and relatively example, petrol is 44% more ex- old shadow schemes are aggravat- cheap resource for growth. pensive than it was in early ing the crisis in the real sector and Ukraine’s state budget has 2014.). The prices of domestic pushing producers to seek new also benefited from the hryvnia’s productsare steadily growing, markets. On the other hand, devaluation. Initially facing huge too, and will soon compensate for Ukraine is drawing close to macro- problems with filling it, the gov- the devaluation. People feel hurt, economic stabilization as it expects ernment reported having some and Yanukovych, acting like a to receive significant financial and UAH 88.7bn (up by 5.8% year- buffoon in Russia, has even found trade support from the developed on-year) in receipts for the first evidence to accuse the new gov- countries and international organi- quarter. However, even the ernment of unprofessionalism. zations. Most of this money will go spending cuts undertaken by the But here is a strange thing. How towards refinancing old debts and newly appointed Cabinet are not could Ukrainians, whose nominal will simply buy time for the gov- enough to reduce the budget defi- salaries and pensions grew, while ernment. Sweeping economic re- cit to a minimum. Therefore, the the prices remained almost the form will take a year or two to im- government has resorted to the plement. If it succeeds, foreign tried and tested option – sale of If Ukrainians keep the capital will start flowing, because it internal government bonds to the government on its toes, is hard to put it to good use else- National Bank. In less than two where in the world, considering re- months, the NBU purchased their hopes may come true cord-high prices on the financial more than UAH 10bn worth of this time around markets. In that case, the GDP bonds, while foreign entities drop-off may turn out to be much spent an additional UAH 2bn. In smaller than is currently projected 2013, the NBU bought bonds same, rise and carry out a revolu- by the government. If, however, worth a total of UAH 42bn. This tion? And what for? For the sake the Ukrainian oligarchic monster approach will be effective if used of a lower purchasing power of of the past gets the upper hand only as a temporary measure. As their own income which resulted and the reform is a debacle, the soon as foreign money enters from this? This is the crux of the consequences will be ruinous for Ukraine, there will be no need to matter – the nominally increas- many years to come. As long as the continue with it and additional ing income level was coupled government is taking the right inflationary pressure will be with severe curtailment of per- steps and is ready for drastic avoided. sonal freedoms and opportuni- changes and a shift away from the The only players who lost, ties for growth. So ordinary state’s paternalism, which has rather than gained, from the Ukrainians essentially swapped never been a fitting paradigm for hryvnia’s devaluation are, as is rotting in prosperity for an op- Ukraine’s politico-economic sys- often the case in such situations, portunity to grow and actually tem throughout the independence ordinary citizens. Initially, their have a life but suffer from hard- period, there is hope. For this hope income rose by 35-50% under ships for a while. This step is to turn into achievements, all Viktor Yanukovych with the econ- worthy of respect; it offers hope Ukrainians will have to work hard omy staying almost flat, thus cre- and negates the drawbacks of and relentlessly keep tabs on politi- ating an illusion of a somewhat revolutionary time. cians. 18|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Linguistic imperialism|neighbours based on shared cultural values for which they are famous. A unified Arabia would The World stretch from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. There might be the odd squabble between Sun- nis, Shias, Christians and adher- ents of archaic notions of nation; According to Putin but united by a common tongue, the Arabs would be sure to get along fine, especially if they Why should the Russian president’s innovative teamed up to smite the Persian- attitude towards borders be restricted speakers on the other side of the Gulf. The two Koreas would be- to Eastern Europe? come one, which might be a good thing—or not, depending on which system prevailed. hen Vladimir Putin according to Mr. Putin’s princi- Since Hindi and Urdu are justified his annexa- ples. We think readers will agree both a mutually intelligible mix- tion of Crimea on the that the resulting map has con- ture of Sanskrit and Persian, In- Wground that he owed siderable appeal. dia could make a claim for Paki- protection to Russian speakers Under Mr. Putin’s dispensa- stan—and vice versa. The exis- everywhere, this newspaper took tion, things look up for the old tence of nuclear weapons on a dim view of his line of argu- colonial powers. Portugal gets to either side would bring added ment, pointing out that since lin- reclaim Brazil, Spain most of the spark to the debate over linguis- guistic borders do not match rest of Central and South Amer- tic precedence. those of states, it would lead to ica and France most of west Af- Best of all, Britain would re- chaos. We now recognise that rica, which would probably be gain its empire, including—since this approach to international fine by the locals, since many of it spoke English first—the United relations betrayed a deplorable their current governments are States. It would, obviously, give conservatism. Since we pride not much cop. A mighty Scandi- Barack Obama a prestigious po- ourselves on pushing the bound- navian kingdom comes into be- sition—Keeper of the Woolsack, aries in search of a way to clam- ing—including Finland, although say—and a nice uniform. Britain ber out of the box and reach the Finnish is very different from the might, however, have to surren- summit of blue-sky thinking, we © 2014 The Scandinavian tongues. Since der some of London’s oligarch- reckoned we should grasp the Economist Swedish is Finland’s second lan- dominated streets, as well as nettle of radical Putinism and Newspaper guage, the Vikings would have Chelsea Football Club, to Russia. run with it. We have, therefore, Limited. All strong grounds for bringing A sizeable minority of The redrawn the world’s boundaries rights reserved about the sort of peaceful merger Economist’s staff also speaks Russian and would like to claim Brave new world Mr. Putin’s protection in ad- vance of the next pay ne- gotiations. There is, however a hitch. Consolidation would be undermined by linguistic indepen- dence movements. Dozens of segments would peel away from Mandarin- speaking China. Maya- land would agitate for autonomy in Central America. Swahililand would demand inde- pendence in Africa. The world’s 7 billion people speak more than 7,000 lan- guages; in Russia alone there are more than 100. Perhaps, on sec- Sources: CIA World Fabook; Ethnologue; The Economi ond thoughts, English Nueva Portugal Vikingland Arabia La Greater Indo-Paki an Korea Mr. Putin should Empire España Maior Francophonie Russia quit while he is ahead. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|19 Neighbours|Russia & the West Restraining Putin, not Russians Western strategy is to try to focus especially on Putin himself and his entourage without arousing the blanket hostility and fear of ordinary Russians

Author: he deepening crisis in Ukraine – Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corpo- no longer the sharp ideological con- Michael is swiftly opening up a new ration and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubi- frontation between Soviet commu- Binyon gulf between Russia and the shi UFJ – stepping back from Rus- nism and Western capitalism. But TWest. NATO is urgently reas- sia. Western government credit in many other ways elements of the sessing its capabilities, reviving old lines to firms wishing to export to long confrontation between Mos- arrangements for collective security Russia will become harder to ob- cow and the West have returned. and mounting large exercises in tain. And recently two members of Firstly, the Kremlin, and especially Eastern Europe. Sanctions have al- the US Senate said it was time to President Putin, regards East-West ready been imposed on a range of target industries critical to Russia’s relations as a zero-sum game, and is Russian economic and political tar- economy. therefore determined to deny any gets and more are being prepared. All this underlines the most im- political or strategic advantage to Western investment in Russia has portant change that has occurred in the West, believing this will inevita- stalled. Cultural, political and offi- the past two months: Western gov- bly be at Moscow’s expense. Sec- cial contacts have been sharply cut ernments no longer see Russia as a ondly, the harsh authoritarian na- back. And Western leaders are talk- global partner, and now regard it as ture of Putin’s rule and his intoler- ing about years of strained relations a hostile power. Of course there is ance of dissent, especially by with Moscow. Is the world embark- ing on a new Cold War? Hangover after Crimea Russia today is particularly vulner- able to further Western sanctions. Its economy is slowing down, falling to lower growth rates than seen for more than a decade. It is more de- pendent now on exports of energy than during Soviet times, with these accounting for more than 70% of Russia’s income. And Russia’s econ- omy is far more intertwined with global trade than it was 30 years ago. Any loss of international confi- dence in Russia would lead to a massive withdrawal of funds: al- ready investors have dumped USD 70bn in Russian assets. Further withdrawal of investment and any moves to reduce Western depen- dence on Russian gas and oil could push the Russian economy into re- cession very quickly. Already there has been a head- long retreat from the Russian mar- ket. Renault, the French car maker, has frozen plans to produce vans with ZIL, the Russian truck manu- facturer as the weakening rouble has dampened consumer confi- dence. Japanese banks have with- drawn from deals and suspended credit lines, with two of the biggest 20|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Russia & the West|Neighbours non-governmental organisations, capitals that Putin is not to be than it was 70 years ago. The West, begin to resemble the totalitarian trusted and is now actively working and especially America, have be- atmosphere of Soviet communism. against Western interests – not only come war-weary, disillusioned Thirdly, Russian nationalism is re- in Europe but in other key areas with intervention overseas and un- asserting itself in aggressive ways, such as the Middle East. This is the willing to spend more of their na- especially in Moscow’s dealings underlying reason why NATO has tional budgets on defence. The with smaller neighbouring coun- rediscovered its original purpose: to main countries in Western Europe tries. Fourthly, Russian espionage, prepare its members to act collec- do not feel directly threatened by both military and economic, against tively in the face of present or future Moscow as they did during the the West is as active as it was in So- threats. Cold War. Newer NATO members viet days. And finally, although Rus- in Eastern Europe will certainly sia has rejected militant atheism want NATO to demonstrate a ro- and again given the Church a pow- Putin risks strong bust defiance of Russia and will be erful role in society, it is clear from domestic opposition if the pressing for more military ma- both the Kremlin and from the pul- noeuvres and exercises close to the pits of the Orthodox Church that Russian economy plunges Russian borders. But no one ex- Russia has deliberately rejected into recession, if Western pects a full NATO mobilisation. what it sees as “decadent” Western Even Russian military intervention values (see p. 42). Indeed, senior nations make it harder in Ukraine is unlikely to provoke Russian clergy taking part in West- for Russian tourists to get an armed NATO response. ern conferences regularly denounce Although some hawks in the the European 18th century enlight- visas or if Russian United States are actively encour- enment, which is still the basic of businessmen are no longer aging a return to a harsh confron- secular values and society in West- tation with Russia, few people in ern Europe and America. welcome in the West Europe relish a return to the Cold War. There are hundreds of thou- The soft iron curtain This Western suspicion goes sands of Russians living and work- The West is therefore turning back back a long way: even in tsarist ing in Western capitals – more to two key strategies it used to deal times Britain saw Russia as its main than 150,000 in London alone – with the Soviet Union: suspicion rival, especially in Asia, when both and many millions more tourists and containment. The first results governments were competing for spend large sums while on visits to in a general assumption in Western influence in Afghanistan and cen- the West. For the past two decades tral Asia. The French diplomat Tall- Western governments have been The most important eyrand once said something to the encouraging more cultural and change that has occurred effect that the problem with Russia people-to-people contacts: school in the past two months: is that it is both too strong and too visits, language exchanges, visits of Western governments weak at the same time. Recent musicians, artists and education- no longer see Russia as a events seem to show this is still true. ists. The British Council, Britain’s global partner The policy of containment was main international cultural organi- first devised by the American sation, has just launched a year of statesmen George Kennan to deal Russia-Britain culture and is with Stalin’s expansionist policies deeply reluctant to curtail its pro- immediately after the Second gramme because of worsening po- World War. In many ways contain- litical relations. ment is easier now. Stalin was not Western strategy, therefore, is to dependent on global trade, had try to focus especially on Putin him- many more allies and ideological self and his senior advisers, who are supporters around the world and seen as the main drivers of Russia’s did not have to worry about public aggressive new nationalism. The aim opinion at home. He could take of all measures is to increase political global risks in confronting the and economic pressure on Putin’s West without risking domestic un- entourage without arousing the popularity. But although Putin can blanket hostility and fear of ordinary count on strong support from Rus- Russians – who have long memories sian nationalists at home for his of European invasions and Western policies over Ukraine, he risks military superiority. The West will strong domestic opposition if the therefore keep talking to Moscow as Russian economy plunges into re- much as it can, using Sergei Lavrov cession, if Western nations make it as an intermediary. Even during the harder for Russian tourists to get dying days of the Cold War, Soviet visas or if Russian businessmen, and American leaders kept their oligarchs and cultural figures are communications open. If there is to no longer welcome in London, New be a return to that chilly atmo- York or Paris. sphere, the West is determined that Military containment will also this will not mean a new Iron Cur- play a role – though here it may be tain separating Russians from the

hoto: ар P hoto: harder to rally Western opinion rest of the world. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|21 Neighbours|Opinion UW: Is the language something that fuels a divide in society? How strong is it now, if any? Inside the country, there is a big Jukka Rislakki: problem with that. We have big mi- norities – 27% are ethnic Russians. Almost 40% are Russian-speakers. “It may be more difficult to They essentially use only Russian in- formation, watching Russian or Russian-language TV channels lie about Ukraine compared which often spread misleading in- formation about Latvia and the world in general. If they read any- to the Baltic States” thing, it is Russian newspapers. These people include different generations. Some are part of the ukka Rislakki is a Finnish-born Interviewed just has to learn a little of the offi- old Russian, Jewish or Tatar com- journalist who now lives in Lat- by Anna cial language. munities - and they are better inte- via. The fall of 1988 was the first Korbut As the official language require- grated. Others Russians, Ukrainians Jtime he came to Latvia, at the ments, they vary based on the job and Belarusians sent to Latvia by the center of Europe. “I knew little about one has. Someone who wants to Soviet authorities. The third group Latvia then, except that it was situ- work in the service sphere, for in- includes nouveau riches from St. Pe- ated between Estonia and Lithuania, stance, has to speak Latvian fairly tersburg and Moscow. They are buy- that its capital was Riga, and that well. Those who want Latvian citi- ing real estate in Latvia and getting many of its words ended oddly with zenship have to know the elemen- residence permits. They, too, are not the letter “s”,” he writes in his book tary, everyday language. I took that very friendly, nor do they under- The Case for Latvia. Disinforma- language test in Estonia and it didn’t stand Latvia well. tion Campaigns Against a Small seem too difficult. I’m a Finn and Latvian government speaks Nation. The book offers answers to our languages have many similari- much of their integration into soci- the most widespread myths used in ties, but I passed that test and al- ety, however it has not had much propaganda against Latvia, some of most every Russian in my group did. success to that end. Almost 300,000 them strikingly similar to those Rus- sia applies in its anti-Ukrainian in- formational war. The Ukrainian Week talks to Jukka Rislakki about the image of the Baltic States in Rus- sian propaganda, the internal divide it fuels in Latvia, and ways for a small nation to resist it. UW: What myths has the Russian propaganda created about the Baltic States, and Latvia in particular, in Latvia and abroad? Do they have anything in common with what we hear about Ukraine today? Indeed, there are many. One is that the Baltic States were not oc- cupied but joined the Soviet Union voluntarily. Another one I men- tioned in my book is that Latvians are violent people who killed all Jews in their country before the Germans came and during the war. A myth that is particularly spread in the West is that the Russian mi- nority is oppressed, has no human or political rights, and cannot choose its language. However, Rus- sian is the language that can be used – and is being used – every- where in Latvia. Those Russians and others that have no Latvian citizenship cannot vote in elections, but getting Lat- vian citizenship is not difficult: one 22|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Opinion|Neighbours in the small country are non-citi- Russian speakers mainly live in BIO zens, and many are Russian citi- big cities and in Eastern Latvia. Jukka Rislakki is a Finnish journalist and non-fiction writer focusing on history, intelligence and pop culture. He studied zens. Many still don’t speak Latvian They are not farmers. Many are in political science at the University of Helsinki and reported for although they have lived in Latvia businesses. The biggest ones that Helsingin Sanomat, the biggest newspaper in Finland, cover- for a long time. What bothers me is are doing well are real estate and ing the Baltic States. In 2007, his book The Case for Latvia: that even many schoolchildren who banking. They are very dependent Disinformation Campaigns Against a Small Nation was pub- speak Latvian fairly well feel closer and Russia and Russians. lished in Finnish, then translated into English in 2008. In to Russia than Latvia. They say that 2009, he was awarded the Latvian Cross of Recognition for they are not Latvian patriots. UW: In your book, you wrote selfless promotion of the Latvian image abroad and national “Europe will not understand us”, patriotic education of youth. His latest book Vorkuta! focuses UW: When you think about quoting a line from a popular song on the 1953 uprising in the Vorkuta GULAG. It will be pub- Ukraine, many say that the played on Latvian radio in 2004. lished in Ukrainian soon. language problem would be hard Ukrainians had the same feeling tablish a new objective TV channel in to manipulate so much if Ukraine when the Maidan started and the the Russian language. It would be a were better-off economically, and Western media mostly wrote about joint project of the Baltic States to Russian-speakers would feel more radicals and right forces while share the cost. When the Russian loyal to it. Is that an issue in Latvia? missing the actual point of that channels were closed, Russia imme- The Russians keep saying that protest.I s that line still accurate, diately said this was a violation of the they could feel closer to Latvia if after Russia’s blatantly misleading freedom of speech. Inside Latvia, they had a good government there. propaganda in the West and the people who used to watch it were an- If Latvia were richer and not such Maidan that urged many Western gry about it since that’s their trusted a “failed state” as Russia puts it, journalists to come toU kraine and source of information – and that they would feel more comfortable see the situation on the ground? makes me sad. The reason for the in it. Plus, the biggest party in Lat- Could this be a chance for the Baltic closing was gross distortion of Baltic via is a Russian one. It says that States to uncover Russia’s history and Ukrainian crisis. we should forget history and lan- propaganda about them, too, on guage, and other things we dis- this wave of attention to post- UW: What can a country do to agree on, but focus on the econ- Soviet countries and realization improve its image abroad, omy and the future. But what will that Russia often lies? especially if it’s a small one? And Latvia have left if we forget history It may be more difficult to lie what is Latvian government doing and language? about Ukraine compared to the to improve the image of its Baltic States. They were completely No Home for Us country? unknown, people were not too in- Here: The Mass One way is through successful terested in them and all kinds of Annihilation brands. For instance, I have lived in lies were spread about them. Now, of the Finnish Estonia and Latvia. At some point, the world’s attention is focused on Border-Hoppers both countries were looking for in the Urals in Ukraine. Many good journalists 1938 (by Jukka their own Nokia, the local successful travel here. Now, the world also Rislakki and Eila brand. It would be a good idea for understands the Russian propa- Lahti-Argutina) the Baltic States to find one. Some ganda better. say that culture could be Latvia’s The Finnish press, for instance, Nokia. I agree. The country has fa- is doing a very good job of covering mous orchestras, conductors and everything in Ukraine. They are opera soloists. This year, Riga is the getting better at understanding cultural capital of Europe. It has al- Russian propaganda. One of the ready attracted many people, problems is that many Western mostly from Eastern Europe and journalists don’t know history, so Nordic countries. And these tourists they are unprepared to write about don’t just come to Latvia for a drink: countries like ours. they try to understand the local his- In fact, Russia is constantly wag- tory, architecture and culture. Rus- ing an information and psychologi- sian tourists mostly come to cal war. It has been that way in the Jūrmala which they remember Baltic States for a long time, now it The Case from before, while Western Europe- has reached Ukraine. Someone here for Latvia. ans prefer Riga. Another option for asked me whether Ukraine should Disinformation Latvia could be clean nature and Campaigns also use lies and propaganda to Against a food products. counter Russia’s. As a journalist, I Small Nation: When I think of a country – a still prefer truth. It will make its way Fourteen Hard post-Soviet one – that has managed some day. Even the Bible says, “You Questions to improve its image abroad, Esto- will know the truth and the truth will and Straight nia comes to my mind. It has gained set you free”. However, I’m rather Answers about a reputation of a small young de- pessimistic about opposing Russian a Baltic Country mocracy, an IT wonderland with propaganda machine which has so young, fresh and honest politicians. much money and people. In the Bal- Poland is another one. It must hurt tic States, some Russian TV channels the Russian elite to see a neighbour have been closed down temporarily. that is a democracy and has done so The authorities are planning to es- well in the EU and NATO. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|23 Society|Language The Myth of Russian- Speaking Regions If Russian becomes the second state language or even acquires official status in part of Ukraine’s territory, this will aggravate the discrimination of the Ukrainian-speaking majority and will ease the Kremlin’s expansion

Author: n 11 April, in the course of Why Ukraine will never majority of central and western Oleksandr his visit to Donetsk, be Belgium, Switzerland oblasts) speaks predominantly Kramar Prime Minister Arseniy or Canada Ukrainian as the native language OYatseniuk declared that a Proponents of having two state – over 80% (69-95% in individual referendum could be held about languages or granting Russian of- counties). the status of Russian. Negotia- ficial status in a number of oblasts A similar situation is in tions are continuing between usually point to Belgium, Canada northern parts of Luhansk members of the parliamentary and Switzerland as some of the Oblast. Nine of its counties, majority and Party of Regions countries whose experience which account for more than half MPs about granting Russian offi- Ukraine would need to emulate. of its territory (13,440 sq km, cial status in a number of oblasts. By doing so, they gloss over, ei- more than the area of Zakarpat- On 23 April, Donetsk Oblast Gov- ther ignorantly or deliberately, tia or Chernivtsi oblasts), also ernor Serhiy Taruta again called things that make the experience mostly speak Ukrainian – 80% for a referendum on this issue at a of these countries totally unac- overall and from 74 to 94% in in- regional meeting. ceptable to Ukraine. And these dividual counties. However, this The most recent opinion are not limited to the fact that large area does not have any sig- polls show that 59.5% of voters Belgium and Canada have been nificant effect on the entire would support Ukrainian as the teetering on the verge of a oblast in terms of the population only state language. However, it breakup for a long time now. The as it has 307,000 residents, or a will all depend on how the ques- primary reason is that the con- mere 13% of the total. tion will be phrased. And if the cept of a “Russian-speaking re- The same is true of the south- referendum is held, it will al- gion” in Ukraine is a myth, a fic- ern oblasts, which Vladimir Putin most certainly reveal a divide tion, a figment of imperial imagi- has taken the habit of calling between regions. The Rating so- nation. nothing else but “Novorossiya ciological group survey carried A good place to start is Slo- where our population lives” to out from September 26 to Octo- boda Ukraine (Slobozhan- suggest that these people found ber 6, 2013, showed that sup- shchyna), especially its parts in themselves in Ukraine by acci- porters of bilingualism ac- such southeastern oblasts as dent (see p. 19). For example, counted for 85% in the Donbas, Kharkiv and Luhansk. people living in nearly three- 69% in Southern Ukraine (in- In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian- quarters of Zaporizhia Oblast cluding Crimea) and 57% in speaking citizens predominate in speak mostly Ukrainian – over Eastern Ukraine (Dnipropetro- just 9% of its territory – a rela- 80%, with individual counties vsk, Zaporizhia and Kharkiv tively continuous area that in- ranging from 67 to 94%, accord- oblasts). Understandably, dif- cludes Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, ing to the 2001 census data. How- ferences of opinion in various Chuhuiv County and a larger part ever, the population of this area regions would be perceived to- of urban region around Kharkiv. (537,000 as of 1 March 2014) is day as another reason to step up However, the population of this just 30% of the oblast’s total, separatist activities. compact territory (less than while nearly two-thirds (1.1mn) At the same time, granting of- 3,000 sq km) is 1.71mn (62.5% of live in almost completely Rus- ficial status to Russian outside the oblast’s total population), sian-speaking cities (Zaporizhia, Donetsk Oblast is an unaccept- which is why the entire oblast is Melitopol, Berdiansk and Enerh- able step that would lead to the generally counted among Rus- odar) that account for 1.4% of the discrimination of the Ukrainian- sian-speaking regions. This is de- oblast’s territory. This creates an speaking population living in a spite the fact that the rest of illusion that the oblast is Russian- bigger part of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kharkiv Oblast (28,500 sq km, or speaking. A quarter of its terri- Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, 90%) with the population of over tory is taken up by Russian- Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa one million (which is similar to speaking counties near the Sea of oblasts. the number of people living in the Azov, but a significant proportion 24|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Language|Society Myth about Russian-speaking southea ern Ukraine The lingui ic landscape of southern and ea ern regions reveals that they are not as Russian-speaking as they are sometimes painted. Outside of Donetsk Obla and southern Luhansk Obla , as well 35.1 6 as the counties near the Sea of Azov in Zaporizhia Obla , Russian speakers dominate only 36.89 in large cities and some medium-sized cities 6 25.58 62.7 6 KHARKIV 63.88 TROITSKE Counties and cities where 70% or more of the residents are native speakers of Ukrainian COUNTY COUNTY

41.1 7 KUPIANSK Counties and cities where between 50 and 70% of the residents are native speakers of Ukrainian 58.1 LUHANSK

KHARKIV OBLA 69.28 ST Counties and cities where mo residents are native speakers of Russian 7 OBLAST PERVOMAISKY

COUNTY 35.60 Counties in Odesa Obla where Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Moldovan coexi and no language predominates 39.82 DONETSK POPASNA COUNTY 64.08 33.84 OBLAST 59.23

DNIPRODZERZHYNSK PAVLOHRAD .4 3 65.4 2 46.25 47 50.2 6 41.2 9

DNIPROPETROVSK 53.36 43.0 .1 7

27 OBLAST 56.01 31.37 56.52 .08 42.73

.70 SHAKHTARSK 7 40.36 SVERDLOVSK KRYVYI RIH VELYKA MARYINKA COUNTY 31.7 0 56.00 COUNTY NOVOSILKA COUNTY KOTOVSK COUNTY YUZHNOIKRAINSK COUNTY 58.45 71.35 66.52 MYKOLAIV OBLAST NIKOPOL VOLNOVAKHA COUNTY ORDZHONIKIDZE 31.8 2 0 72 6 7, 68.96 MYKHAILIVSK COUNTY 40.30 42.52 67 28.42 .7 5 27 56.2 2 58.84

42.43 ZAPORIZIA 46.0

ROZDILNA COUNTY 45.00 NOVA KAKHOVKA OBLAST 55.80 KHERSON BERDIANSK COUNTY .7 6 27 68.06 TEPLODAR KHERSON OBLAST 68.52 OVIDIOPOL COUNTY HENICHESK COUNTY

ODESA OBLAST 69.6 4

Native speakers of Ukrainian, % Native speakers of Russian, % Source: 2001 All-Ukrainian census of their residents are also Ukrai- In Mykolaiv Oblast, the cen- speech) indeed predominates According to a survey nian-speaking. tral city is, again, most populous carried out by the there outside large cities and ur- This kind of linguistic land- (42.5% of the region’s popula- Rating Sociological ban zones. Most of this territory Group in 26 scape is also found in Dniprope- tion) and mostly Russian-speak- September to 6 is populated by Ukrainian-speak- trovsk Oblast: the proportion of ing, which leads some people to October 2013, official ing people who, if the functions of bilingualism was Ukrainian speakers exceeds 80%, put the entire oblast in the cate- supported by Russian are preserved or, even sometimes reaching 90-95%, in gory of “Russian-speaking”. How- worse, expanded, will be doomed each of its counties, while the ever, the proportion of Ukrainian 85% to discrimination and essentially of the respondents Russian-speaking population is speakers in all the counties out- in the Donbas, forced Russification. concentrated (and predominates) side Mykolaiv is 80-97%. In The paradox is that, accord- in a handful of large and medium- Kherson Oblast, predominantly 69% ing to a recent KMIS survey, the in southern Ukraine size cities. They are home to a Russian-speaking Kherson, Nova (including the majority of those who believe that majority of the oblast’s popula- Kakhovka and Henichesk County Crimea) and the rights of Russian-speaking tion but account for a mere 3% of occupy a mere 12% of the oblast’s 57% citizens are violated in Ukraine its territory and are scattered like area but account for 42% of its in Dnipropetrovsk, live precisely in those oblasts dots across the map of the region. population. This fosters a percep- Zaporizhia and where the Ukrainian-speaking In Odesa Oblast, more than tion that the entire oblast is Rus- Kharkiv oblasts population has been discrimi- half of its residents (1.23mn out sian-speaking, even though 80- nated and Russification has con- of 2.4mn) live in Odesa and four 95% of the residents in 88% of its tinued throughout the indepen- portside cities (Yuzhne, Illichivsk, territory speak Ukrainian. dence period: 40% in Donetsk Izmail and Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky) Thus, there is no reason to la- Oblast, 30% in Luhansk Oblast, where the Russian-speaking pop- bel territories outside of Donetsk 25% in Kharkiv Oblast and 20% ulation is in the absolute major- Oblast and parts of Luhansk and in Odesa Oblast. This is not just a ity. But, again, these cities to- Zaporizhia oblasts as Russian- result of many years of Russian gether occupy just 2% of the total speaking. The rest of southern propaganda – these people want area. The linguistic situation else- and eastern oblasts only have a not so much more room for Rus- where in the oblast is different: dozen or so medium and large sian as no room for Ukrainian in Ukrainian prevails in northern Russian-speaking cities. Those all spheres of life, at least in their and central counties; Ukrainian, who have travelled to these re- regions. This is in line with what Russian, Bulgarian and Moldovan gions know that it is not a matter Mykola Levchenko, the current coexist in settlements along the of declaration: Ukrainian (with leader of the Party of Regions in Danube. some Russian inclusions in Donetsk Oblast, once said: Rus- № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|25 Society|Language sian should be the only state lan- FICTITIOUS PROBLEM A mere fra ion of the population in southern and eaern regions Proportion of the respondents who believes that the introdu ion of the second ate language should guage and Ukrainian only the be the top priority for the central government language of folklore. They are de- positively answered the queion: “Have you experienced cases of discrimination?” Proportion of the respondents who believe that the introduion of the manding the status of a state lan- Ukrainians second ate language is a key ep to be taken by the central government guage (in their understanding, Russians in order to preserve the unity of the country the only state language) for Rus- sian precisely to achieve this goal. 6.8% 8.6% What the “defenders of Russian” are actually 4% 4% 7.4% 8.1% 6.4% 4.4% Dnipropetrovsk Mykolaiv Odesa Zaporizhia defending 8.4% 3.7% Obla Obla Obla Obla The domination of Russian in 1994 2004 2012 Source: Annual national monitoring surveys by the NANU large cities of what is nearly ex- In itute of Sociology clusively a Ukrainian-speaking In your opinion, do your children (grandchildren) state is an obvious consequence need to udy Ukrainian? of the colonial policy pursued by Southern and yes – 88.3% 11.6% 12.9% 17.1% 17.1% the Russian Empire and the eaern regions no – 4% Kherson Kharkiv Donetsk Luhansk USSR. In different proportions it Obla Obla Obla Obla Donbas yes – 82.6% can be observed across the terri- and Crimea no – 7% tory that was under the Russians Source: Survey by the NANU In itute of Sociology Source: Survey “Thoughts and opinions of the population of southea ern Ukraine. April 2014” and Soviets for an extended pe- and SOCIS in April 2007 carried out by the Kyiv International In itute of Sociology in 8-16 April 2014 riod of time. (This is why cities in Galicia are an exception here.) As a matter of historical back- peasants who had just been re- mixed marriages played a crucial ground, cities were small in the leased from serfdom, so the Rus- part in the process. 18th century, when active Russifi- sian Empire had to step up its as- In a situation when most cation was launched. In 1742, similation efforts and stimulate schools in oblast centres and Kyiv had the population of settlers from ethnic Russian gu- other large cities, even in Central 20,000, including 129 Russian bernias to colonize Ukraine. Ukraine, were forced to switch to merchants (0.7%), and it was not Ukrainian was completely banned Russian as the language of in- exceedingly difficult to increase from public use and education by struction and when it totally their numbers by 5,000-10,000. the Valuev Circular of 1863 and dominated in the public sphere Given their privileged status and the Ems Ukase of 1876. At the and mass culture, all these people targeted state support, they were same time, unskilled Russian of mixed Ukrainian-Russian ori- able to gradually Russify the city. workers came in thousands to the gin became Russian-speaking. In Odesa Oblast, Cities in Left-Bank Ukraine, east- more than half of its newly created coalmines and And then urbanization and sub- ern regions and especially south- residents (1.23mn plants in the industrial area along urbanization forced Ukrainian- out of 2.4mn) live in ern Ukraine had even smaller cit- Odesa and four the Dnieper and in the Donbas. speaking people to adopt Russian ies or none at all, which made the portside cities In the totalitarian Soviet era, as the language of communica- mission even easier. (Yuzhne, Illichivsk, this process was drastically tion in a seemingly “natural” way. th Izmail and Bilhorod- In late 19 century, the al- Dnistrovsky) where scaled up. Moreover, the 1920s Their rapidly increasing numbers ready Russified cities were facing the Russian-speaking saw the emergence of the infa- in cities did not Ukrainianize the population is in the an influx of hundreds of thou- absolute majority. mous theory of the “fight be- latter, because as soon as they sands of Ukrainian-speaking But these cities tween two cultures” in the Ukrai- stepped outside of their homes, together occupy just nian SSR: “progressive proletar- Ukrainian speakers would imme- How should Ukrainian and 2% ian” Russian culture and diately switch to Russian, which Russian coexi in Ukraine? of the region’s area “reactionary petit bourgeois” was already predominant there. Ukrainian culture. The totalitar- For example, opinion surveys ian empire tried every possible among the residents of the capital way to break the neck of the lat- and most other large cities con- 59.5% 36.5% 4.0% ter. In 1926, there were a mere tinue to show, even now, the huge 3.2mn Russians in Soviet gap between the numbers of Ukraine (without western oblasts those who speak Ukrainian at which were annexed later) and home and those who use it at the Russians-to-Ukrainians ratio work and in public. was 1:8.7, while in 1989, close to In public communication, the breakup of the USSR, the Russian is still being used by de- proportion was 1:3.3. In 1959-65, fault. Here is a situation familiar Ukrainian Ukrainian and Undecided should be the Russian should some three million people (al- to most Ukrainians: when they only ate both be ate most exclusively Russians) mi- first call a mobile network opera- language and languages Russian freely in Ukraine grated to Ukraine from other tor, enter a store or an eatery in used in all parts of the Soviet Union. These Kyiv or any oblast centre in spheres of life were mostly young people who Southern, Eastern or even Cen- Source: Survey carried out by the Sociological Service of the Razumkov Centre jointly with the Rating Sociological had children when they were al- tral Ukraine, they usually hear Group from 28 March to 2 April 2014. The results refle the ready in Ukraine and some were something like “Such and such attitudes of the respondents who intend to participate in a linguiic referendum married to ethnic Ukrainians, so company is happy to welcome the multiplication effect and you…” – in Russian. Only if the 26|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Language|Society client insists – and even then not conducted by the NANU Institute Prote ion of Russian? always – the operator or the staff of Sociology and SOCIS in April No, deru ion of Ukrainian will make a concession and switch 2007, 57% of citizens speak The proportion of citizens that complain that the rights of the Russian- to Ukrainian, which is, in fact, the Ukrainian at home and 54% in speaking population are violated is the highe in the regions where only official language. This is, of public. The corresponding figures Ukrainian, not Russian, has the lea opportunities to develop. What these people want is not so much to expand the use of Russian as completely course, if a native speaker of are 78 and 74% in the central re- de roy Ukrainian, at lea in these regions Ukrainian does not switch to Rus- gions and 41 and 34% in the Proportion of the respondents who believe that the rights sian for reasons of tolerance or southern and eastern oblasts (ex- of Russian-speaking citizens are violated

some other motives, as is often cept Crimea and the Donbas). In in Ukraine % the case. Kyiv, 44% of the people speak % As a result, a public linguistic Ukrainian (or surzhyk, a mixture 20.0 12.8% 12.4 environment is formed in which of Ukrainian and Russian) at 9.9% the Russian is overrepresented as home and a mere 35% in public; Dnipropetrovsk Mykolaiv Odesa ZaporizhiaObla compared to how many people in other cities with the population Obla Obla Obla use it in the family circle. The In- over 250,000, the figures are 38% stitute of Social and Political Psy- and 33%, respectively. This in- % 39.9% chology carried out a survey in cludes county capitals in Western August 2006, just before Viktor Ukraine without which the gap 29.5 24.8% Yanukovych took over the gov- would be much bigger. Tellingly, ernment and Dmytro Tabachnyk in Crimea and the Donbas, where % the education sector, and found Ukrainian speakers experience 11.4 that 45% of Ukrainians believed the worst discrimination, there Kherson Kharkiv Donetsk Luhansk Obla Obla Obla Obla that Ukrainian required state was a drop-off, relative to other protection and 25% thought the regions, in the proportion of same about Russian. those who “speak primarily Rus- nian; 2) psychological and ideo- Sociological surveys clearly sian but sometimes also Ukrai- logical stubbornness, i.e., ideo- show that Ukrainian is much less nian” in public (see Consequences logical preferences and resistance frequently used in public than in of centuries of discrimination). to pressure; 3) a lack of a Ukrai- the family, which is a direct result The Institute of Social and nian-speaking environment and and compelling evidence of its Political Psychology has studied the need to speak Ukrainian (“ev- continued discrimination in the why students avoid actively using eryone understands Russian any- public sphere. It shows especially Ukrainian and found the follow- way”). This hierarchy of factors when different regions and types ing: 1) unwillingness to stand out was especially prominent in cen- In Mykolaiv Oblast, of settlements are contrasted. For from the crowd and a lack of the central city is the tral regions. Remarkably, Rus- example, according to a survey prestige associated with Ukrai- most populous sian-speaking students, especially (42.5% of the in southern and eastern regions, region’s Consequences of centuries of discrimination population) and proved to be more stubborn in Discrimination of Ukraine in the public sphere has greatly reduced its use in public mostly Russian- their unwillingness to switch communication in comparison to family intera ion speaking, which prompts its when addressed in Ukrainian Language Ukrainian or surzhyk (a mixture categorization as than Ukrainian-speaking youths, of communication involving both Ukrainian and Russian mostly Russian- .5% % words) of whom 90% would switch to by region % speaking. However, 4.2 Largely Russian but sometimes the proportion of Russian if it was first used by Ukrainian Ukrainian speakers their interlocutor.

.2% Exclusively Russian in all the Counties outside Mykolaiv is In the course of generation shift, a large part of those who 80-97% spoke Ukrainian with their par- % ents and Russian in college or at 12.5%

0.5% work gradually abandon Ukrai-

34.0 26.8% 39.3% 1 9.5% 41.0% 23.1% 35.7%

.2% nian altogether when they grow 53.6% 15.6% 30.7% 57 14.3% 28% 8.6% 77 13.9% 11.8% 17 70.2 78.1% 15.2% 7 up. Launched in this way, the Ukraine Central regions Southern and ea ern regions Crimea and Donbas process of Russification may ap- (except the Donbas and Crimea) pear to be objective to an outside Language In family observer. This mechanism, when of communication In the reet, ores and public places it gains full momentum, erodes by type of settlement Ukrainians as a nation, at least in a large part of the state’s terri- tory. This is what “fighters against forced Ukrainization” are, in fact, % fighting for. Consciously or un- % % .7

% consciously, all supporters of the %

% “rights of the Russian language” % 35.4 39.6% 25 11.5% %

% In Kharkiv Oblast, 1% in the post-colonial Ukraine are 79.1% 9.0% 43.7% 32.3 24.0 .9% 82.3% 7. 9.6% 33.3% 17 49.7% Russian-speaking 37 17 44.0 lobbying for the Russian World 52.3% 16.7 31.8%

53.6% 14.9% 31.1 citizens predominate in just which is based on idea that the Villages Small and medium cities Kyiv Cities with population Kremlin has a legitimate claim to over 250,000 9% of the territory lands where Russian is used or Source: Survey carried out by the NANU Initute of Sociology and SOCIS in April 2007 dominates. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|27 Politics|Language A Dangerous Compromise If Ukraine’s top officials are unable to adequately assess the fatal outcome of their efforts in compromise seeking with Russia for Ukraine, they have no right to head the country. If they do realize the danger of the linguistic concession they are about to make, they should be treated as actors in the Russian cultural and language expansion in Ukraine who intentionally undermine its constitutional order and national statehood

Author: ussia’s persistent yet un- unity and statehood if imple- Western states refused to get Volodymyr grounded demands to make mented. The demand to recognize involved in the anti-Ukrainian Vasylenko Russian the second state Russian as the second state lan- game imposed on them by Russia. Rlanguage in Ukraine con- guage in Ukraine was one of its Then, the leaders of Russian-in- tinue to accompany its military points. Later, Lavrov’s plan was structed and armed separatist aggression here. Moreover, Rus- outlined in the March 17 state- groups in Donetsk and Luhansk sian leadership has attempted to ment by the Russian Foreign Min- Oblasts, echoed by their inspirers get Western countries involved in istry proposing to set up an inter- and ideological proponents from making Ukraine cede to these de- national “support group” to medi- the ranks of the Communist Party mands. ate in the crisis. Among other and the Party of Regions, set about In negotiations with the US things, the statement said that articulating Russia’s demand. Secretary of State John Kerry in “Russian will be granted the status Subsequently, Ukraine’s lead- early March 2014, Russia’s For- of the second state language ership claimed ready to meet Rus- eign Minister Sergey Lavrov of- alongside Ukrainian while other sia’s illegitimate demands half- fered a plan to regulate the languages will have the status en- way. In a joint statement from Ukraine-Russian conflict that visaged by the European Conven- April 18, 2014, Acting President would be ruinous for Ukraine’s tion for Regional Languages”. Oleksandr Turchynov and Pre-

28|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Language|Politics mier Arseniy Yatseniuk an- convincing, even if it is a strategic Another is Article 3 of the Constitu- nounced that “oblast, city and concession to Russia, runs counter tion of Turkey which defines Turk- county councils will be empow- to the Constitution and under- ish as the language of the state. ered to decide on granting an offi- mines Ukraine’s political unity Constitutions of some coun- cial status to Russian or other lan- and statehood? tries do not mention the status of guages spoken by the majority in Article 10 of the Constitution their language. These include uni- the given area alongside Ukrai- of Ukraine defines Ukrainian as nian as the state language in order the only state language. No other to accomplish peace and under- languages have any state or official The introduction of standing”. “This statement was statuses in Ukraine under the Russian as the state dictated by the agreement reached Constitution or Ukrainian laws. at the Geneva meeting between The terms “official language” and langauge will cause Ukraine, US, Europe and Russia,” “state language” are identical. It is the decline of Ukrainian Yatseniuk noted. When analyzed for this reason that European con- closely, however, the document stitutions use one of the terms, but and gradually oust it from entitled the Joint Geneva State- never both in one law. all public spheres ment on Ukraine from April 17, 2014, adopted by the parties to the Why multilingualism tary monarchies, such as Den- Geneva meeting outlines only the is not an option mark, the Netherlands, Norway, initial steps to deescalate tensions, The constitutions of Switzerland, Sweden and the UK, the latter pointing only at the need to imple- Ireland or Malta have the term having no written Constitution. ment the constitutional process in “national language” alongside The population in these countries Ukraine transparently, account- their “official language” to refer to is mostly comprised of one nation ably, and based on a wide national one or more languages of their in- and the use of its language – Dan- dialogue that involves representa- digenous titular nations. The Con- ish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish tives of all regions and political stitution and laws of Finland only and English respectively as their forces and accounts for opinions have the term “national language” official (state) language is a tradi- and amendments offered by the which can be interpreted as the of- tion that goes deep in history and community. The document does ficial (state) language. is an obvious fact. not hint at, or mention any con- The constitutions of states like SHOW-OFF The authentic versions (Eng- crete provisions of the future Con- Serbia and Croatia have “the lan- PATRIOTS lish and French) of the European stitution of Ukraine, including guage of official use”. Constitutions Most Ukrainian Charter for Regional or Minority politicians those concerning the status and of some other countries say that see Ukrainian Languages and the Framework the use of languages. the language of the state is the lan- identity concept Convention for the Protection of Why, then, do Ukraine’s lead- guage of the titular nation without as something National Minorities use the term ers refer to the Geneva agreements qualifying it as official or state lan- limited to “official language” to define the to justify their approach to the guage. One example is Article 2 of exterior state language. Ruling language issue? Are they thus try- the French Constitution: “The lan- ethnographic No10-рп/99 of the Constitutional ing to make their stance look more guage of the Republic is French”. symbols Court of Ukraine dated December фото: уніан фото:

№ 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|29 Politics|Language 14, 1999, concerning the interpre- tation of Article 10 of the Ukrai- nian Constitution (The state lan- guage of Ukraine is Ukrainian – Ed.) also deems the “state” and “official” language as identical. Item 3 of the Ruling rationale says that “The state (official) lan- guage shall mean the language provided with the legal status of a mandatory means of communica- tion in public spheres by the state”. Thus, making Russian or other languages official ones as sug- gested by Ukraine’s Acting Presi- dent Turchynov and Premier Yat- seniuk will be equal in status to making them state languages. This runs counter to Article 10 of the framework component of the Russians or Russian-speakers Ukrainian Constitution. So does constitutional order of Ukraine in Ukraine face no discrimination their intention to allow oblast, city as a European-type national for the language they speak what- and county councils decide on the state. Therefore, any attempts to soever, so there are no grounds status and use of languages lo- implement other languages as for granting Russian the official cally, since under Article 92.4 of official ones in Ukraine violate status here. In fact, it is the the Ukrainian Constitution it is the Constitution, thus being an Ukrainian majority that faces lin- the legislation exclusively that reg- attempt on the constitutional or- guistic discrimination in many ulates that. der of Ukraine as an indepen- regions of Ukraine (see p. 24). The stance of Ukrainian leg- dent, self-sufficient, democratic This discrimination manifests it- islators obviously deviates from national state. self in the scarcity of Ukrainian- the practice of most European language schools and colleges, states whose Constitutions and Ukrainian language media, books or songs on the ra- Russia is demanding laws entail the functioning of an official status for and statehood dio in places where they live. just one official (state) language Russian in Ukraine to Unlike the languages of national The argument about the nec- fragment it into in the state. Linguistic situations linguistically minorities, Ukrainian is an ele- essary official status for Russian in in countries with multiple offi- separated regions ment of state building. The use Ukraine in order to accomplish and split the country cial languages, such as Switzer- apart in the future of it in all spheres throughout peace and understanding among land, Belgium and Finland where Ukraine is aimed at ensuring ef- its citizens does not hold up ei- two or more state (official) lan- ficient operation of state institu- ther. Despite the ongoing specula- guages are allowed, are com- tions, control over mechanisms tion on the language issue by the pletely different from the situa- to guarantee national security, Russian “fifth column” and pro- tion in Ukraine. and political unity. The status of Russian Ukrainian politicians, The Constitutional Court’s Ukrainian as the only state lan- Ukraine has never witnessed any Ruling No10 stresses out that the guage does not deny the rights of massive civil disorders or unrest provision on Ukrainian as the national minorities to freely use on the language ground. Sociolog- only state language in Ukraine is any other language in social and ical surveys reveal that most in Section 1 of the Constitution, private life. This is envisaged by Ukrainians are primarily con- the General Provisions. This sec- cerned about personal safety, the tion fixes the basics of the consti- Minority languages in poor quality of health care, and tutional order in Ukraine. There- Ukraine, just like any weak protection of their social, fore, the status of the Ukrainian economic and environmental language as the state language is other country, are not, rights, not the status of the Rus- an integral component of cannot and should not be sian language. The introduction of Ukraine’s constitutional order, Russian as the official language and an important element in the state-building elements and ruining of the country’s con- organization of regulated state stitutional order cannot improve governance in all spheres of pub- Article 10.3 of the Constitution the quality of life in Eastern lic life throughout Ukraine. Re- of Ukraine which requires the Ukraine. spectively, Article 156 of the state to guarantee unrestricted The real goal of Russia’s Constitution defines a special development, use and protection claims for granting Russian and procedure for amending Section of minority languages. However, other languages the official status 1 thereof to enhance protection minority languages in Ukraine, in Ukraine is to create a legitimate of Ukraine’s constitutional order just like any other country, are platform for total ousting of from opportunistic and arbitrary not, cannot and should not be Ukrainian from use, not to protect political decisions. state-building elements, there- linguistic rights of minorities. It The status of Ukrainian as fore they should not claim an of- aims at fragmenting Ukraine into the official language is the key ficial status in the country. linguistically separated regions 30|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Language|Politics and splitting the country apart in language, yet the striking gap be- the language situation in Ukraine the future. tween English and Irish is grow- is still far better compared to Ire- Ireland’s historical experience ing, not shrinking every year. land or Belarus. However, the in- can serve as a warning to Ukraine This was caused by the fact that, troduction of Russian as the to that end. At one point, Irish when the Irish national language state language will create the The stance of was the official language there, and cultural space was destroyed, Ukrainian legislators ground for the critical decline of spoken by the entire population. it passed the critical point after obviously deviates Ukrainian to the level of Irish, from the practice of Today, 1,656,790 out of 4mn Irish which the country found itself most European leading inevitably to the gradual believe that they can speak Irish with continuing domination of states whose ousting of the language from all Constitutions and public spheres. Ukraine will sub- since they have studied it in English in public, daily and pri- laws entail the schools. Only 380,000 are fluent vate lives. In this situation, even functioning of just sequently turn into the Russified in it, and just 20,000 of them list formal recognition of Irish as the one official (state) territory, easy prey for the con- it as their mother tongue – they first official language and English language in the state structors of the Russian World. live in small northeastern parts of as second does not help. With two Therefore, any concessions to the country. This is the result of state languages throughout Ire- Russia on the status of Ukrainian the radical political changes and land and English dominating as the only state language gener- tragic events of the 19th century in there, Irish will face nothing but ate a threat to the existence of the Irish history, after it became stagnation. Ukraine as an independent na- part of the United Kingdom in Ever since Russian was intro- tional state and are unacceptable. 1801 and the Irish Potato Famine duced as a state language in Be- If Ukraine’s top officials are of 1846-1851, the disaster that larus in 1996 alongside Belaru- unable to adequately assess the fa- killed 1mn Irish and forced an- sian, the range of spheres where tal outcome of their efforts in other 2mn to flee the country. Belarusian was used has shrunk compromise seeking with Russia The domination of English as the abruptly, pushing it into decline for Ukraine, they have no right to official language in Ireland, cou- and potentially complete vanish- head the country. If they do realize pled with the decline in the num- ing from the European linguistic the danger of the linguistic con- bers of Irish-speakers, ousted map. cession they are about to make, their national language from the Despite massive killings of they should be treated as actors in public sector as well as daily life Ukrainian-speakers in Holodo- the Russian cultural and language in most parts of Ireland. After it mors (Famines), deportations expansion in Ukraine who inten- regained independence in 1921, and wars, and after lengthy Rus- tionally undermine its constitu- the Irish authorities have been sification when Ukraine was part tional order and national state- taking efforts to support the Irish of the tsarist and Soviet empires, hood. Society|Language Ukrainization: a bogeyman or a must?

he Ukrainian government Author: all the consequences of the Rus- tity and its components as some- has taken insipid steps to Ihor Losev sification policy pursued by the thing existentially important. put a Ukrainian façade on Russian and Communist empires Under Yanukovych, de- Tthe social life in the coun- should be inviolable; Ukraine Ukrainization has assumed mon- try – a process that was dictated should be divided into different strous proportions as it was by the official status of a formally linguistic-cultural zones with clearly incited by the Kremlin. independent state. This triggered special, officially recognized sta- The ostentatious outrage over a Russian propaganda onslaught tus; Russian expansion should “forced Ukrainization” con- launched by Moscow and its be welcome and Ukrainian ex- cealed, in fact, the restoration of creatures inside Ukraine. Oppo- pansion deprecated. This idea is Russification, creeping to begin nents to an independent Ukraine with and later increasingly ag- started calling Kyiv’s extremely gressive and defiant. The pro- weak steps “forced Ukrainiza- Ukrainization is not just tests were the loudest precisely tion”. The permanent and deaf- a matter of language – in places where there are hardly eningly loud anti-Ukrainian any signs of Ukrainian linguistic campaign hit the target when the it is much broader. and cultural presence: the top government officials, who Today, it means turning Crimea, the Donbas, Odesa, Dni- had never shown much of patri- propetrovsk, etc. otic enthusiasm, got scared. a Homo sovieticus into If layers of propaganda are Ukraine’s internal integration a Ukrainian peeled off the concept of Ukrain- and its mental unification were ization, its meaning becomes first suspended and then re- clear – creating a national-cul- versed. We are now witnessing Nearly tural environment in the inter- its consequences as Eastern now coupled in practice with the ests of the majority. Nearly 80% Ukraine has fallen victim to the 80% regions’ defiance of the central of Ukrainian citizens are ethnic of Ukrainian citizens steamroller of Russian propa- are ethnic Ukrainians government, and the project has Ukrainians and 67% con- ganda. and been dubbed “federalization”. A sider Ukrainian their conducive circumstance here is native language. 67% Masked Russification consider Ukrainian that the bureaucratic and busi- However, this is pre- Couched in comprehensible their native language ness elite which is now ruling in cisely what Russian terms, the claims of the fighters Ukraine is utterly denationalized and pro-Russian against “forced Ukrainization” and cynical and has never per- boil down to the statement that ceived Ukrainian national iden-

32|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 propaganda has interpreted as lized European state and, in this violence against Russians and sense, a European. Russia’s re- Russified Ukrainians aimed at cent military aggression shows divorcing them from the Russian that the two countries are poles language and culture. It is hard apart in civilizational terms and to point to specific examples of that the Russian political order this alleged persecution, but this and political philosophy is in- has never stopped the propagan- compatible with European stan- dists in the Kremlin. dards. Ukrainization is a key ele- ment of Europeanization. The Ukrainization = more Ukrainian a region is, the Europeanization more its residents lean towards In reality, Ukrainization today the European path of develop- means offering everyone inter- ment. Understanding this, the ested a genuine opportunity to Kremlin’s Cheka officers are learn the Ukrainian language, frenziedly vilifying even the soft- culture, history and traditions est forms of Ukrainization. This and live in this cultural space. is also why they are removing This opportunity must be ex- any traces of Ukrainian presence tended to everyone regardless of from the occupied Crimea, such the region, and there should be as destroying Ukrainian monu- no off-limits zones for the Ukrai- ments there. nian language and culture. How- ever, such zones existed and con- No alternative tinue to exist. Crimea is the leader It can be argued whether Ukrain- here, a dubious distinction it has ization should be rapid or grad- achieved with the silent conniv- ual, soft or strict, but there is no ance of official Kyiv. It was hard alternative to it if Ukraine wants to find even Russian-language to stay together. Numerous dis- newspapers from Kyiv there, cussions focus on how the Euro- while the press from Russia was pean and Russian orientations in abundance. Was this due to can be reconciled. However, in- market factors? Not really. News- compatible positions, such as papers from Moscow lay in yellow European vs. Asian and demo- heaps; people were not really ea- cratic vs. despotic, cannot be ger to buy them, but the press ki- combined into a coherent whole. osks had to have them. If this is a Only one of the two opposites market, it is a highly politicized can win. Likewise, to abandon one. Ukrainization is to take a step to- Ukrainization is also an op- wards total, irreversible and portunity to obtain education merciless Russification. It is ei- that is Ukrainian in terms of the ther Ukrainization or Russifica- language of instruction and the tion. Tertium non datur. cultural component – from the Ukraine’s history since 1991 fur- kindergarten all the way to PhD nishes plenty of evidence in this studies. This is something that respect. Figuratively speaking, if pro-Russian bureaucrats have you don’t want to be the ham- sabotaged in Southern and East- mer, you will be the anvil. ern Ukraine and in Crimea, while If Ukrainian citizens are not the central authorities preferred Ukrainianized, they will become to look away and do nothing to targets of Russification, totally unite the country mentally and defenceless in the face of the culturally. Worse still, they ex- Russian World, the Kremlin’s ploited differences between re- propaganda vehicle. gions to get an edge in elections. If a Ukrainian citizen has at The idea of having two official least elementary knowledge of languages was introduced and Ukraine’s history, culture and legitimized in public discourse language, he will be able to resist by Leonid Kuchma as he brought and see Moscow’s propaganda up this dangerous topic again for what it is. In contrast, those and again while already in the who have remained alien to the president’s office. Ukrainian cultural environment Ukrainization is not just a in the past 23 years are patho- matter of language – it is much logically susceptible to the Krem- broader. Today, it means turning lin’s fabrications. Anyone with a Homo sovieticus into a Ukrai- even passing knowledge of the nian, a dignified citizen of a civi- history of the Ukrainian national Society|Language liberation movement can easily The situation is clearly such no positive results to official expose Russian lies and histori- that everyone who supports the Kyiv. Ukrainian leaders are al- cal distortions. Unfortunately, cult of the “Great Patriotic War” ready accepting federalization, the Ukrainian government has automatically becomes an ideo- promising to do away with state done very little to promote his- Russian should not logical henchman of the Kremlin. administrations and hand over be granted any torical knowledge among its citi- official status in And Moscow is fully convinced authority to the local councils. In zens, and the leaders of an inde- Ukraine, because this that the “liberation mission of the this case, problem regions may will drive Ukrainian pendent Ukraine have often ex- out from at least half Red Army in Europe” gives it spe- multiply. “Instead of one Crimea, ploited historical ignorance. of Ukraine’s territory cial geopolitical authority which we will have 26,” an MP quipped. Ukrainization is dangerous to and establish two violates the boundaries of gener- Russian may not be granted linguistic-cultural Ukraine’s enemies, because it zones that will ally accepted norms of interna- any official status in Ukraine, turns all citizens, regardless of quickly distance tional law. because this will drive Ukrai- themselves from their ethnic background, into each other, both Ukrainization involves a nian out from at least half of members of one huge nation, im- politically and Ukraine-centred view on the Sec- Ukraine’s territory and establish parting a sense of unity and administratively ond World War instead of the two linguistic-cultural zones membership in one family. With- Kremlin’s ideological proclama- that will quickly distance them- out it, many people in Ukraine tions. Otherwise, Ukraine would selves from each other, both po- feel they are strangers, internal come across as Russia’s satellite litically and administratively. migrants who are present in the country, a part of the Russian For obvious reasons, the Krem- country physically but are else- empire, and Ukrainian national lin wants not so much free de- where spiritually. history would be interpreted as a velopment of Russian in Ukraine Without Ukrainization, anti- special case of the latter. Ukraine (which is already a fact) but the Ukrainian forces will be able to has no choice here if it wants to official and political institution- keep masses of people under be an independent country. alization of Russian. Moscow control, isolating them from the wants to have a Russian-speak- rest of the nation and putting Pleasing Putin ing state inside the state of them into a kind of cultural and The current leadership of Ukraine, Ukraine so that it could con- informational ghetto. which represents the business stantly “protect” the former with elite, is reacting inadequately to its tanks (see p. 19). Vassals of the Kremlin the challenges posed by Russia However, Putin’s aggression Ukrainization is the easiest to and proposes solutions that are, in and annexation of the Crimea implement in the government have led to spontaneous Ukrain- apparatus, primarily in such Moscow wants to have a ization and a surge of patriotism power structures as the army, in Eastern and Southern Ukraine the Security Service and the In- Russian-speaking state with millions of people suddenly terior Ministry. There is no need inside the state of Ukraine sensing how valuable the Ukrai- for agitation or persuasion there nian state is for them personally. – just orders and strict disci- so that it could constantly They have realized that, for the pline. However, even this has not “protect” the former with past 20 odd years, they have been done. As the recent events lived in a poor but relatively free have shown, the situation is its tanks country, enjoying much more much worse and the problems go freedom than Russian citizens do deeper than a poor command of fact, recipes for disaster. The pro- under Putin. Some of Ukrainian Ukrainian. Quite a few people posals basically involve meeting citizens who have found them- there are still under the influ- the demands of Putin and his reb- selves in the clutches of the ence of Soviet ideology and sup- els in eastern Ukraine, including Kremlin’s “sovereign democracy” port pro-Russian forces in elec- legitimizing a zone without the in Crimea already feel duped – tions. The army was in a better Ukrainian language and culture in the promised paradise has not shape than the Security Service Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts for come, while freedom, which they and the police, but it also suf- starters. Oleksandr Turchynov, took for granted in Ukraine, is fered from the predominance of The idea of having Arseniy Yatseniuk, Yulia Tymosh- gone. two official Russian, Soviet military tradi- languages was enko and Petro Poroshenko have When Russian gunmen be- tions and imperial history. Edu- introduced and already bought into this idea. They gan to tear down Ukrainian flags legitimized in public cation activities in the Ukrainian discourse by Leonid want to exchange the Ukrainian from the building of the army have been based on the cult Kuchma as he language for peace in eastern re- Crimean Tatar Mejlis in Simfer- of the “Great Patriotic War” brought up this gions. A very naïve idea which, by opol, its leader Mustafa Jemilev dangerous topic which remains the Kremlin’s again and again the way, shows that to them, said: “Under the Ukrainian gov- most powerful ideological myth while already in the Ukrainian national identity is a ernment, no-one monitored who and the foundation of its great- president’s office bargaining chip rather than a raised which flags. Now these power delusions. Moscow con- cherished value. Businessmen- [Russians] want to have their siders itself one and only propri- turned- politicians still firmly be- way in everything. This is a de- etor of the “bank of war glory” lieve that any issues can be re- mocracy of the Fascist kind.” and allows no competitors. Vlad- solved through negotiations, bar- The Prosecutor’s Office of the imir Putin once said that Russia gaining and agreements. But this Russian Federation has inter- would have been able to defeat is not so. preted a Ukrainian flag over the Germany without Ukraine’s in- Concessions to Putin’s agents Mejlis as “extremism and fuel- volvement. in Ukraine will only losses and ling interethnic hatred”. 34|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 T rely on in its fight against the ag the against fight its in on rely to no-one has Ukraine, Eastern in foster a pro-Ukrainian environment state, Ukrainianwhich hasdone virtually nothing the to present, At naturalallies thetoUkrainian idea. be would intellectuals who of lack significant the a experiences reasons, Donbas mental and torical aretheinminority. Forcertain his activists these that out turned creative, also – Donbas young and ofengaged. However, it kind has ent sud denlyrealized differthattherea is and banners Ukrainian der there Regions” haveseen oflarge demonstrations Partyun the and “orcs,onlydrunkenarecoalminers there that believed yesterday only Donbas.theThosewhoUkraine in the middleclassandareinneedoforganizationgovernmentsupport Pro-Ukrainian forcesintheDonbasneatlyfallwithinboundariesof Intelligent, C Pro-Ukrainian Donbas: n lcl eiet lyl to loyal residents local any whetherarethereofissue ful Ukraine Easternhaveraisedpainthe in events recent he ------on 17April2014 rally inDonetsk Pro-Ukrainian Butkevych Bohdan Bohdan A uthor: uthor: line. tenput their health and lives on the andenthusiasm activistsof effortswhoof the by only driven is tivity pro-Ukrainiantheirall ac soport, andlack adequate government sup PatrioticDonbasdisjointedtheare forcesin purposes. expansionist itssuits Russiautilizedbeingto by gressivedéclasséareelements that This was the first pro-Ukrainianprevimonth.Thepast the inrally first the was This commotion. this to over again, and time “Glory time ringing, slogan was wieldingUkraine!” The and shields. policemen helmets 1,000 wearing about by nied Park in Donetsk and were accompa Peremohyeveningin the ingether nationalwithple flags gathered to On17April, largea number ofpeo defending itself T reative, C he middle class № 8 (74) ------may eldesd uiese who expensivecamein cars. a Thatwas businessmen well-dressed anotherconsistedgroupYetetc. of engineers, departments, of heads typicaluniversity teachers, doctors, ofthem with wives, who looked like most40, overincludedgroup large men Another specialists. IT and ativeclass: designers, media people so-called cre the of members and students many were There faces. bersof young people and intelligent numhugetheAprilwas 17 on eye ganization. or (Freedom) Svoboda partylocal the representativeCherniavsky, of Dmytro killing and beating cruelly several hundred support, Ukrainian police’s at activists, the with supporterstacked, pro-Russian bid impunity,maliceanddrivenbyra tragedy: a in Donetsk, ended town ous one, held on 13 March in down 2014 The first thing that caught the caught that thing first The haotic | the ukrainian week ukrainian the L anguage | S ociety | 35 ------

photo: unian Society|Language picture of 3,000 typical middle- that there is a different opinion,” appeared here, especially in large class citizens who were not afraid to Anatoliy, a university teacher in cities.” come to a rally. These people simply Donetsk, says. “Of course, there is a The pro-Ukrainian citizens here could not fail to come, because they great struggle ahead. And we don’t are plagued by a complete lack of had a gut feeling that this was about believe Kyiv is really supporting us. coordination or a forum for interac- not only territorial integrity or na- We don’t believe the majority of po- tion. Pro-Ukrainian political parties tional identification but also the de- litical parties which have simply have never put in any consistent sire of the lumpen, who have noth- struck deals with the Party of Re- work here. Moreover, the central ing to lose, to seek revenge on their gions here for the past decade. And government has always given the most talented fellow countrymen. now this same party wants to drag Donbas into the hands of political People came to the rally despite us into Russia’s hands. But this will adventurists who were unable to the police’s warning telling them to not happen.” find a place for themselves even in refrain from any night-time assem- A similar situation is in Lu- the Party of Regions. The results blies when the negotiations on the hansk. The only difference is that were predictable. Add to this the conflict in Eastern Ukraine began in complete domination of the Ukrai- Geneva. The police expected provo- nian Orthodox Church (Moscow cations from the separatists. How- In cities and coalminers’ Patriarchate), which has prevented ever, the degree of aggression settlements, the lumpen other denominations from develop- against all things Ukrainian is so ing, especially the Ukrainian Ortho- high in this group that they are are the most fertile soil dox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) and ready to attack anyone even without for Russia’s separatist the Ukrainian Greek Catholic orders from the Russian master- Church, which are the traditional minds. sabotage activities bulwarks for the Ukrainian project. The most interesting things The events of the Maidan finally could be observed not on the stage for the past 20 years this oblast has forced the local political players to but in the crowd: almost everyone been controlled by an even closer al- step up their activities. Serhiy Taru- had something in national colours. liance of the party nomenklatura ta’s appointment as Donetsk Oblast This may already be unsurprising to and criminal elements. There is also governor did not lead to any signifi- Kyiv residents, but here in Donetsk much less money here than in cant breakthroughs and, in all fair- a person can be beaten up for wear- Donetsk. ness, could not do so in the present ing a blue-and-yellow ribbon. This conditions. However, the Commit- is not to mention speaking Ukrai- Ukrainian structure tee of Patriotic Forces of the Donbas nian in the street: passers-by would All pro-Ukrainian activities in the (CPFD) has been set up as a forum cast sidelong glances, some with cu- Donbas are centred around a hand- uniting the pro-Ukrainian forces. riosity similar to that with which ful of political parties that barely All political parties, except the BYuT people stare at roof jumpers, others have any life in them. “Cultural life (Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko), are with a concealed threat or fear. At in the Donetsk region has always re- represented there, as well as several the end of the rally, the participants sembled sad official ceremonies NGOs and journalists. Remarkably, stretched out a huge, several-dozen- that no-one can fully understand,” patriotically minded Afghan war Opposition parties metre-long flag. polled activist Denys Kaplunov says. “A veterans and ex-military men, espe- These people who were brave 25% Maria Oliynyk, the leader of the lo- cially those who had been partici- enough to come out into the streets in the 2012 election cal Prosvita society, speaks at every pated in the Maidan, started joining risking to be shot, stabbed or beaten in Kramatosk. Many Ukrainian holiday celebration, al- the CPFD. It was this committee up are worthy of every bit of respect. experts believe that ways after the local officials. In fact, that organized the rally on 17 April, Russia decided to “We can no longer be silent,” An- start its aggression the government’s Ukrainian policy and its members say they are going driy, a 25-year IT specialist, says. “I precisely there has been limited to this much all to do more. The number of sponta- because it recognized am a Donetsk native, and my grand- that it would hardly this time.” In Luhansk, a more pro- neous pro-Ukrainian rallies in the father worked in a coalmine. Now, be able to swing this Russian region, the situation is even Donbas is growing. For example, my Fatherland is being stolen by region without worse. activists raised the Ukrainian flag military intervention some orcs who have drunk 200 In reality, the Party of Regions, on the highest spoil bank in hryvnias worth of vodka and which decidedly seized power here Donetsk. Rallies to support the grabbed submachine guns, feeling in 2002 after crushing the Commu- unity of Ukraine are taking place in they are big boys for the first time in nists, has intentionally fostered dozens of cities and settlements, but their lives.” Ukrainophobia in the Donbas, and all these processes are not consoli- “We are defending our country the results are now in plain view. dated. The initiative to set up the here,” Oleksiy Mitasov, an entrepre- However, the number of people CPFD has great prospects but re- neur from Druzhkivka and a politi- supporting the Ukrainian idea has quires government support. In Lu- cal activist, says. “Heck, how can doubled in the region in the past hansk, Ukrainian activists hold pro- you surrender your city to people years. “This has to do with genera- Ukrainian meetings in front of the who are dreaming not so much tion change,” social scientist Serhiy oblast administration building on a about Russia as about robbing a Strutynsky explains. “In the past daily basis in an effort to steer pub- neighbour who has a car or a flat? years, the first generation that had lic opinion in the right direction. This group of losers and marginal studied in Ukrainian schools en- Paramilitary pro-Ukrainian elements predominates among tered active life. Of course, the Don- units composed of volunteers, such those who favour Russia.” bas has a problem in that the Soviet as the Luhansk and Donetsk territo- “We have already won by genetic code continues to regener- rial defence battalions, are also be- merely coming here and showing ate, but new Ukrainians have finally ing set up. They have, at the time of 36|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Language|Society writing, only several hundred peo- nian sentiments in the region but position parties polled 25 per cent ple in their ranks and their combat accounts for a mere 3-5% of the to- in the 2012 election in Kramatorsk. readiness is dubious, but the very tal population. Entrepreneurs are in Many experts believe that Russia fact of their existence is important, a similar situation – most of them decided to start its aggression pre- suggesting that the situation in the are interested in keeping the Don- cisely there because it recognized Donbas is nothing like that in the bas within Ukraine. In contrast, the that it would hardly be able to Crimea, where the pro-Ukrainian lumpen and the dregs of society swing this region without military minority turned out to be totally in- whose standard of living dropped intervention. This is not to mention capable of action. after the breakup of the USSR asso- the advantageous geographical lo- ciate Ukraine with hardship and cation of Sloviansk, which stands Donbas zones poverty. In cities and coalminers’ on the Rostov-Kharkiv highway, The Donbas’ greatest problem is settlements, they are the most fer- essentially at the juncture of three that it has not experienced the full tile soil for Russia’s separatist sabo- eastern oblasts. And then there was cycle of urbanization, even though tage activities. Remarkably, the a need to immediately deliver a its official urbanization level is the countryside does not harbour sepa- blow to a region that could put up highest in Ukraine – over 90% of ratist sentiments in the least. For the population live in cities and set- example, seven village councils in tlements. All of the region’s cities, Donetsk oblast asked to be joined to The situation in the Donbas except Kramatorsk and Mariupol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. is nothing like grew out of industrial settlements. The Donbas can be tentatively Typically, a coalmine or a plant divided into four mental-electoral that in Crimea, where would be opened and a settlement zones depending on their economic the pro-Ukrainian minority would spring up around it, popu- structure. The first one is the classic lated by its workers. When such set- central coalmining Donbas which turned out to be totally tlements greatly increased in num- begins in Krasnoarmiisk County incapable of action ber, they were gradually joined to and stretches all the way to the Rus- form cities. However, the original sian border in southeastern Lu- resistance against Russian expan- settlements continue to determine hansk Oblast. “This is a region of sion. the mentality of their residents and coalmines, spoil banks and un- The third zone is Pryazovia, i.e., the structure of the resulting cities. skilled labour that consumes all of regions along the Sea of Azov and “The true proletariat has never one’s strength and time,” Strutyn- near Mariupol, largely agricultural emerged in the Donbas,” historian sky says. “Hence, this region is and very poor. Despite horrible re- Volodymyr Nikolsky of the Donetsk ready to revolt over the price of sau- pressions in Stalin times, there re- National University says. “From the sage, as was actually the case close mains a very high proportion of very beginning, there were certain to the end of the Soviet era. This is Greeks and Ukrainians here. Sepa- anomalies in the way peasants were why coalminers show no significant ratism finds almost no support in urbanized – instead of permanently support for separatists, understand- this zone thanks not so much to the staying in cities, they worked in ing that in Russia their coalmines patriotism as to the indifference of coalmines from autumn to spring would simply be closed as unprofit- the local population which only and then returned to the country- able as in the Russian part of the thinks about its own survival. side to sow crops. In other words, Donbas where only one active The fourth region is the agri- most workers here were of the sea- coalmine remains. The question of cultural belt of the Donbas which sonal variety. In essence, this pro- patriotism or national identity is not is both mentally and geographi- cess started only after the Second key to them.” However, there are The pro-Ukrainian cally closer to Sloboda Ukraine World War. Prior to that, this kind large numbers of the obvious citizens here are and includes Krasnyi Lyman and plagued by a of settlement nature of the cities al- lumpen here who are the main com- complete lack of all northern counties of Luhansk lowed each coalminer or plant ponent of the crowds at separatist coordination or a Oblast. It is predominantly popu- forum for interaction. worker to still keep a kitchen garden rallies. Pro-Ukrainian lated by ethnic and, importantly, and never lose connection with the The second zone is the indus- political parties have nationally-conscious Ukrainians, land. Hence, a large number of trial Donbas, including Sloviansk never put in any and any annexation to Russia is consistent work here Donbas residents stopped being and Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast out of the question for these peo- peasants but never turned into ur- and Stakhanov, Severodonetsk, Ly- ple. In fact, there has been no sep- ban dwellers in the full sense of the sychansk and Rubizhne in Luhansk aratist activity here. Moreover, ac- word.” Oblast. Its key feature is the near cording to recent communica- Later, this circumstance led to complete lack of coalmines and the tions, this is where the bulk of some very negative consequences. presence, instead, of large indus- Ukrainian troops defending the The intellectual class – not engi- trial enterprises, such as NKMZ in Donbas are located. The locals are neers or technical specialists but the Kramatorsk or Azot in Severodo- very loyal to the military and con- liberal arts intelligentsia – can only netsk. “Unlike a coalminer, who sider them protectors. emerge in full-fledged cities. But does unskilled manual labour, a The Donbas is now in a state of there were just a handful of them in plant worker has a higher level of uncertainty, but the distinct Ukrai- the Donbas with its population of thinking,” Nikolsky says. “More- nian wave requires clear-cut gov- seven million. Therefore, the cre- over, there is a significant propor- ernment policy and an understand- ative class as such began to take tion of the technical intelligentsia ing, finally, of the need to work hard shape here only after Ukraine re- here.” Interestingly, this region to create Ukrainian environment in gained its independence. Naturally, shows the greatest support for the the complicated and uneven region this class is the core of pro-Ukrai- opposition forces. For example, op- of Eastern Ukraine. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|37 Society|Religion Ukraine’s Religious Diversity The split in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is ruining the authority of its official institutions and facilitates alternative trends Author: krainians are among the week did. For the UOC KP this pro- but also increased at a rapid rate. Oles most pious Europeans. Data portion constituted 28.7% and 19.1% The NANU Institute of Sociology Oleksiyenko from long-term monitoring respectively. found that while the increase in the Uconducted by the NANU UGCC was a leader in terms of share of active UOC MP parishio- [National Academy of Sciences of attendance by its followers. It en- ners constituted 32.8% in 2003 and Ukraine] Institute of Sociology from joyed 31.6% of support among pro- 33.6% in 2013, the same index for 1992 shows that the Church contin- active churchgoers, and 18.6% the UOC KP went from 31.5% to ues to enjoy the highest trust of the among all the faithful. Only the Ro- 39.4%, from 38.9% to 67.6% for the population. Most Ukrainians tradi- man Catholics (3% and 1.6%) and UAOC, and from 67.7% to 78.3%. tionally identify themselves with the Protestants (7.8% and 21.8%) had it for the UGCC. Christian traditions of the Eastern Rite, but at the same time, they are Do you tru the church? tolerant towards other confessions. % of those polled According to the poll conducted on 50 October 11–20, 2008, by the Kyiv In- Tru rather than di ru ternational Institute of Sociology and 40 the Social Indicators Centre, 61% of respondents completely or largely agreed with the assertion that differ- 30 ent religious groups have equal Tru completely rights in Ukraine, 75% – that it is 20 necessary to respect all denomina- Di ru rather than tru tions. 10 According to the poll conducted on Octo- Completely di ru Difficult to say ber 11–20, 2008, by Complete uncertainty the Kyiv Interna- 0 tional Institute of So- The only statistically recorded crite- 12. 2013 12. 2011 12. 2008 12. 2006 12. 2004 12. 2002 12. 2000 ciology and the So- rion for the correlation of different Source: Razumkov Centre cial Indicators Centre, churches and religions in Ukraine is 61% of respondents completely or largely the number of parishes. According Confessions in Ukraine agreed with the as- to the Committee of Ukraine for Na- by region We sertion that different Centre religious groups have tionalities and Religious Affairs, as equal rights in of the beginning of this year, there Ea Ukraine, 75% – that Chernihiv were 35,650. The Ukrainian Ortho- Volyn South it is necessary to re- Rivne Sumy spect all denomina- dox Church, Moscow Patriarchate Zhytomyr tions (UOC MP) had the most – 12,700, Kyiv City various Protestant Churches – more Poltava than 9,000, the Ukrainian Ortho- Lviv Ternopil Khmelnytsky Kyiv Kharkiv Cherkasy Luhansk dox Church, Kyiv Patriarchate Ivano- Vinnytsia Frankivsk (UOC KP) – 4,700, the Ukrainian Dnipropetrovsk Kirovohrad Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) – Zakarpattia hernivtsi 3,800, the Ukrainian Autocepha- C Donetsk Mykolayiv lous Orthodox Church (UAOC) and Odesa Zaporizhia Muslim communities – 1,200 each, and the Roman Catholic Church Kherson UGCC prevails (RCC) – 940. Over 2003-2013, the Source: 25.5% growth of the UOC MP is lag- UOC KP prevails Ukrainian Society Crimea 1992-2010. ging behind the 42.4% growth of the Similar numbers of Kyiv Sociological and Moscow Patriarchate followers Seva opol Monitoring UOC KP despite large-scale state UOC MP prevails support for the former, lobbied by regional, and in the last four years, higher, the latter landing second in Many confessions, many also by central authorities. the list of denominations with the minds The attendance of services var- most proactive churchgoers (attend- Similar disparities are seen between ies by denominations. Just a decade ing sermons at least once a week). ethnic groups and regions. The share ago, the Ukrainian Sociology Service Further sociological research of Ukrainians who stated that they revealed in a research that 37.8% of shows that the church activity of the believed in God (76.7% in 2013) in a all believers (belonging to any faithful of the UOC KP, UAOC and survey is significantly higher than group) supported the UOC MP, the UGCC did not simply remain that of Russians (65.3%). So is the while only 21.1% of those who at- significantly greater compared to number in the West (93.4%) com- tended the church at least once a the congregation of the UOC MP, pared to Central Ukraine (73.4%), 38|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Religion|Society If you consider yourself Why are there conflis The regions vary by their percep- to be religious, do you between the faithful tion of showoff devotion, which is belong to a specific of different Churches? particularly widespread among part of the former Soviet elites (see p. confession? (%) (%) 40). In Western and Central Yes Ukraine, only 12–13.7% of those .0 No polled see this as something positive, Difficult while 38.8–44.8% have a negative to say 34.8 29.5 23.5 view of this. Southern Ukrainians N/a have a completely different mental- Conflis are Because Conflis between ity: the share of those who look fa- generally over church Churches are property and hierarchs of a purely vourably on this phenomenon is buildings desire power political nature 31.7% compared to 24.2% of those who condemn such behaviour. The 17.7 13.9 attitude towards Easter is also inter- 6.4

5.8

esting. In every region, the absolute 50.7 41.0 2.5 Source: 57 36.5 0.2 The essence Because a true Razumkov majority (from 82.8% in the East to of conflis – Church mu Centre data 97.6% in the West) consider this to 2009 2013 the national prove its from a survey Source: Ukrainian Society 1992-2010. issue superiority over held on 18-22 be a truly major holiday. However, Sociological Monitoring the others November 2010 the share of people who say that this is a regular holiday or simply a day Not all congregations are the same off in the West (0.8%) is 21 times Frequency of church attendance by the parishioners of different 37.8 lower than in the East (16.7%) and Churches, % Share of the faithful citizens 13–16 times lower than in the Centre of Ukraine that belong to

7 a specific confession In every region, the (10.9%) and the South (12.9%). absolute majority Share of the faithful (from 82.8% in the From split to unity? citizens that attend church East to 97.6% in the services at lea once West) consider Easter The split in the Ukrainian Orthodox a week 21.1 to be a truly major Church and the absence of a single holiday. The share of people who say that local church have led to the preva- this is a regular holi- lence of “independent Orthodox

0 day or simply a day

9 Churches”. According to the Razum- 6 6 off in the West 0 0 7.8 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. kov Centre, in March last year, 40.8% (0.8%) is 21 times lower than in the 3. of citizens responded that they were UOC MP UOC KP UGCC UAOC RCC Proteants Muslims East (16.7%) and 13– and Jehovah’s 16 times lower than simply Orthodox when asked “Which Source: Ukrainian Sociology Service Witnesses in the Centre (10.9%) specific Orthodox Church do you 5-21 November 2003 and the South 18.6 identify yourself with?” Only 27.7% 19.1 (12.9%) specified that they belonged to the Deep disparities 21.8 The outcomes of opinion polls differs to the extent that it is almo impossible UOC MP, 25.9% to the UOC KP, 1.2% to see the aual proportions of groups 28. to the UAOC and 0.7% to the ROC. Most of the people surveyed by the

Which confession do you belong31.6 to, Which specific Orthodox Church if any? (%) do you identify with? (%) Razumkov Centre in 2010 were con- UOC MP vinced that the reason for the inter- UOC KP 27.7 25.9 church conflicts in Ukraine was the UAOC struggle for property and buildings

40.8 1.2

UGCC UOC MP UOC KP UAOC (34.8%) and power for hierarchs (29.5%). The vast majority of citizens .5 1 have little concept of the essence of 27 inter-church relations.

4 Thus, the long-drawn-out battle 17 40.8 with the “opium for the people” in the 4.7 16. 44.7 26. USSR and the conflicts among differ- 2.3 0.7 3.8 ent Orthodox Churches, which are I am simply Russian Difficult Orthodox Orthodox to say, did not really understood by the vast ma- 2009 2013 Church (ROC) not respond jority, have led to most Ukrainians Source: Source: Ukrainian Society 1992-2010. Source: Razumkov Centre survey of March 1-6, 2013 having very superficial contact with Sociological Monitoring the Church. This has made the Ukrai- Eastern Ukraine (71.4%) and particu- Western Ukraine (54.9% in 2003 nian Greek Catholic Church and vari- larly Southern Ukraine (67.1%). At and 57.1% in 2013) and Central ous Protestant communities the most the same time, in the last decade, the Ukraine (20.7% and 21.9% respec- attended churches by the truly active most rapid growth of religiousness tively). In Southern (29% and 16%) followers who regularly attend can be seen in the southern and east- and Eastern (21.5% and 13.1%) church, make contact with the clergy, ern regions. However, this was Ukraine, the percentage of such and are under their influence. Thus, largely formal. For example, an in- faithful was not only significantly Ukraine, traditional Orthodox in pre- crease in the share of the faithful, lower (4.4 and 3.6 times lower, com- Soviet times, is becoming ever more who attend church services at least pared to the West), but has also seen multi-confessional after gaining in- several times a month, was seen in a sharp decline in the last decade. dependence in 1991. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|39 Society|Religion Oleh Pokalchuk: "The piety of today's rich is an old criminal tradition" A sociopsychological analysis of the "nomenclature continuity" and top officials depicted on icons

igh on every year television Interviewer by officials are depicted on icons as UW: Can this be considered a photo: phl photo: and photo reports in Ukrai- Stanislav saints, what is this indicative of? Is certain "nomenclature nian media are brimming Kozliuk this a kind of narcissism? inheritance"? Nwith faces of domestic politi- – I don’t think the politicians – Only in case this person dem- cians and important businessmen are the ones depicting themselves onstrates allegiance to the system, as they attend churches of various like that. I'd say, it is a certain and declares succession while tak- denominations. The Ukrainian kind of perversion and servility. A ing the throne. The versed in knew: Week talked to social psychologist person given such an icon cannot the Donetsk mob will first put Oleh Pokalchuk about the origins of refuse the present. There'll al- "Papa" on the throne and then Sa- the habit to publicize the allegiance ways be a few asinine clerics to sha, and life will be peachy (Oleh to a religion shared by many politi- consecrate it and provide a certif- Pokalchuk is referring to former cians and officials, as well as their icate. It's a kind of a bribe, or an president of Ukraine Viktor Yanu- penchant for being depicted on addition to one, for which "we kovych and his older son, the entre- icons. were treated nicely". The psyche preneur Oleksandr (Sasha) Yanu- behind the acceptance of these is kovych who made a notable fortune UW: Why are the rich of the '00s so in the pleasure from seeing your during his father's term – Ed.). religious? Some donate to churches, others build cathedrals or UW: Today's oligarchs, the likes of buy icons. What do they need all A Christian is supposed Akhmetov and Kolomoyskyi, are that for? to be a member of a they practicingC hristians? – I'd say, it's an old criminal tra- – No. First of all the term "prac- dition. It has nothing to do with communion, and then ticing" itself cannot be used to de- Christianity. They think that it's a practice that scribe a Christian. One can practice through formal activity for the ben- yoga or diving. But a Christian is efit of the church they accomplish a pervades you 24/7. supposed to be a member of a com- certain act of clemency. Moreover What we have in 98% cases munion, and then it's a practice that the extent of each particular crime pervades you 24/7. That's Christi- has to be compensated by the pro- in the society is ritualism anity. What we have in 98% cases in portionate contribution into the the society in general is ritualism, church business. For instance, you subordinates bend over back- namely the compliance with certain murder someone, you give part of wards. The fact that they're lack- rituals and the public expression of the money to the church. You steal ing a morsel of morality or sense allegiance to certain cultural tradi- something, you donate the church, goes without saying, otherwise tions. The majority has no clue what say, an icon. So it's the tradition of they wouldn't be who they are in Christianity is and probably never paying a tithe from the particular the fist place. opened a bible. crime committed. At the same time it doesn't preclude the existence of UW: Is this a part of their UW: Is it a tribute to tradition? those that steal from the church. I worldview? – It appeared as a protest be- think when the rich are donating – The worldview in which they havioral model in USSR, a legal something to the church, they are are in the centre of the universe, the kind of dissidence. "I'm a commu- stealing from it on a higher level. gods of the world. And their entou- nist, but I do go to church to com- rage by basking in the sunshine of memorate my relatives once every UW: As far as politicians and icons this vanity and delusion is making three years and to realize my inner are concerned, when top state this worldview a reality. resistance". When it comes to the 40|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Religion|Society rich, they need to label themselves religious to belong with the major- ity. Realizing that it really is com- plete bull from the standpoint of the paradigm in which they made their fortune, they'd be happy not to do this. But they keep practicing the ritual just like the red leaders fol- lowed all the communist rituals, at- tended meetings, the May Day, party plenums, reading the Pravda newspaper. It's a quasi-religion of a kind. Except it has more formal fea- tures that, of course, discredit the religion itself. It's an element of mimicry, if you will. Like a camou- flage denoting an allegiance to a cer- tain security force. Now there's a parallel of clear-cut idiocy in both cases. Take green camouflage, for example. It's complete nonsense to e n chybuk e vg photo: use it for disguise in urban environ- ment where the coloring of the sur- PROSECUTOR’S VALUES: The roundings is completely different. luxurious Yet people are steadfast about put- mansion of ting it on and calling it "camo wear". ex-Prosecutor But they're actually un-disguising General Viktor themselves! And now every man Pshonka had and his dog are wearing it to show quite a few how super militant they are. It's the valuable icons. same with the religious types. They The regime’s furnish themselves with icons, build functionary churches, some even do that right seems to have fancied some inside their mansions to save them- showy piety selves some walking, they buy own priests. Now that an old Russian upper-class tradition, where they don't become a part of a Christian communion and instead put on this religious camouflage to show that they are closer to God than every- one else. Like they have a master key, a back door or some kind of a special access code. photo: Ye v He n chubuk photo: UW: So the politicians and top officials shouldn't declare their to a certain church, as someone who and politicians in the same basket religious allegiance? studies religion I assure you: any with celebrities. The latter made it – I'd say it is impermissible for question about the perception of the their trade. They expose certain politicians to publicly display their world would confound that politi- parts of their body, tell the stories allegiance to any denomination or cian in a matter of seconds. There of their divorce and marriage, it's religion. That is western standard of are questionable areas in every reli- a kind of business. That's what behavior. In the USA for example, gion that require additional expla- they sell, and people buy that. It's state officials, in particular judges, nation and special knowledge. a separate area of public life. And are not allowed to give interviews, That's why when a person pledges we're putting politicians on the as they are functionaries and any allegiance to a certain denomina- same plane as the personalities of kind of publicity demands opinion- tion or a religion even out of best of the aforementioned segment of ated statements, bias. Which is im- intentions, any journalist or a pro- public life, which is unacceptable permissible as it would disrupt their vocative person would be able to because it devaluates the entire area of responsibility. Same goes for make that person look stupid in no essence of statehood and civil ser- Ukrainian society, as the religion time. It's a vulnerable position, es- vice. And believe me, the celebri- and church are in a state of com- pecially from the PR standpoint. ties are gaining from not hiding plete chaos, and God help us main- So if some public figure is at- anything and exposing all their tain unity as we get through it and tending church, it is fine, as it is a good sides and bad sides. But of- not to arrive at a split. Declaring re- personal matter. Religion and ficeholders do have something to ligion may cause discord. Besides, family are absolutely private ar- hide and they have nothing to gain when a politician pledges allegiance eas. Unfortunately we put officials from exposing it, that's for sure. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|41

Society|Religion Heresies and Sects inR ussia Was the West really the source of deviance for Russian orthodoxy?

arrived at the tenets that were sur- prisingly close to the main ideas of western Protestantism: free and creative interpretation of the faith as the ability and the duty of its every bearer to satisfy own spiri- tual needs, to improve own spiri- tual world and behavior, the rejec- tion of official solemnity of the church in favor of the communion of like-minded people. Members of these communions gathered in small cells seeking to realize their social ideals of brotherhood, equality and justice. Christ-believers used to disre- gard the ritual nature of orthodoxy (while formally recognizing the of- ficial church) and believed in own religious self-improvement where a person "becomes Christ". The main form of Mass was "radeniye" (a syncretic activity consisting of Author: Ihor Losev Ethnographic Therefore looking for any kind singing, religious dances and sketches of of "transgressions" on behalf of the prophecies) during which the be- "radeniye", a West, all we find is the allure of lievers reached a point of ecstasy ack when Party of Regions ritual practiced "fought" for Ukraine's Euro- by the sect of protestant religious quests for perceived as the moment of "be- pean integration, one ortho- “jumpers” those residents of Russia that failed coming one with the Holy Spirit". Bdox priest from the Moscow to find their spiritual nourishment There were also uniquely Russian Patriarchy in Luhansk Oblast within the bounds of the their extremist cults among these "spiri- threatened in an interview to ex- country's official Christianity. It tual Christians". For example the communicate Oleksandr Yefremov, was those that sought to advance sect of "jumpers" founded by the head of Party or Regions parlia- beyond the ritualistic routine Maksim Rudomietkin in 1840s. mentary faction, for his very in- ended up becoming neophytes of Their gatherings presented a par- volvement in this "sinful" activity. western cults. In the late 19th cen- ticular exaltation where members According to the cleric, Europe and tury under the influence of foreign- would engage in furious jumping in the West are the "Sodom and Go- ers first Russian Baptist commu- attempt to achieve the "ascension morrah" from which all kinds of nions emerged. This protestant of the Holy Spirit". Another exam- heresies and sects are spreading church has its origins in 17th cen- ple of a purely Russian ethnic reli- eastward. tury England where it branched off gious sect was the Skoptsy. Adher- But was the West such an inex- from the Puritanism. Another ing to extreme asceticism they haustible source of religious devi- movement rather popular in the practiced self-castration in the ance for Russian orthodoxy any- Russian Empire was Pentecostal- name of ridding oneself of all way? To start with, let's clarify the ism that emerged in the United temptations. Their communions terms "heresy" and "sect", because States in the early 20th century. internally called "ships" were led very often protestant denomina- While Mennonites for example, by the so-called "elders". Skoptsy tions that gained popularity in came into being in the Netherlands communions chiefly consisted of Eastern Europe were merely re- as early as 16th century. wealthy people and since they ferred to as sects by their disgrun- However, Russian society didn't leave any offspring, for obvi- tled mainstream rivals. Sure, the proved perfectly capable of gener- ous reasons, after death all their West is indeed home to Protestant- ating various national religious belongings would become property ism. But the West is also home to groups without any external influ- of the state. For that reason state Catholicism which can hardly be ence. Way back in the 17th century authorities tolerated the cult for a called a sect. Secondly, denomina- communions of Christ-believers, while until it fell into disfavor after tional groups in Russia often Iconoclasts, Dukhobors (literally the Tambov Governor-General had emerged as a by-product of imma- Spirit-Wаrriors) and Molokans come to a conclusion that Skoptsy nent development of the official formed in Russia as opposition to had castrated themselves to skip church and their specific local eth- the official church. These denomi- military service. Curiously enough, nic rites. nations had quite independently Skoptsism never spread outside 42|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Religion|Society "On this foundation Russia, not even to the neighboring repressions, thousands of Old Be- of freely chosen saw Pact countries painted red Ukraine and Belarus, remaining a lievers were executed, tortured, unfreedom and with the rest of the world painted purely Russian expression of reli- jailed or exiled. The rest ended up despotism Russia has black. Illustrations of the Man- been built. gious fanaticism. having to look for ways of surviving Afterwards rural ichaeistic worldview don't get more In 1910–1912 a unique monas- under state oppression. Over time communities gained graphic than that… Soviet papers power and restored tic movement called Imiaslavie (lit- they formed clandestine structures the dictate of the loved to use headlines brimming erally "praising the name") and traditions of underground or- majority over the with political Manichaeism: "Two individual, the rigid emerged in Russian orthodox ganization, antagonistic to the Manichaean divide worlds – two truths" and others of monasteries on Mount Athos, state, the official church and with of the world onto the that ilk. In fact it still persists in Greece. Founded by Father An- its total rejection of the "sinful "ones of us" and Russia to this day. Moreover, it is "not ones of us" and thony (Bulatovic) the teachings of West". This highly explosive de- the appropriately becoming ever more grotesque. Imiaslavie were rooted in the tradi- mographic was quite abundant, double standards for The wild hatred of the Russian so- morality and norms tions of Hesychasm and Christian making 37 million in 1917. Among of coexistence (for ciety towards the "yanks", the Neoplatonism. The adepts of Imi- Old Believers were active mem- the "ones of us" and "banderites" (patriotic Ukrainians) aslavie believed that human beings bers of Narodnaya Volya: Alek- the rest). Therefore, is resurrecting those archaic sub- essentially, the due to their sinful nature are capa- sandr Mikhailov, the Finger sisters, amorality gradually conscious complexes of Russian ble of glorifying only God's name, Aleksandr Solovyov (participant of became one of the mentality brilliantly described by most striking traits of and not God himself. Tsar's gov- assassination attempt of Tsar Alek- the national historian Yevheniy Vozgrin: "On ernment and the Synod saw the sandr II), Sofia Pierovskaya and psychology, the traits this foundation of freely chosen that surely "cannot movement as rebellious and its Ekaterina Brieshko-Brieshkovs- be measured by unfreedom and despotism Russia teachings as heresy. Russian army kaya. Some authors even suggest common yardstick,” has been built. Afterwards rural has been deployed at Mount Athos that the "Soviet" (literally "coun- wrote Russian communities gained power and re- historian Yevheniy (the territory of another state, no cil") form of government has been Vozgrin stored the dictate of the majority less!) whereupon hundreds of borrowed from Old Believers as over the individual, the rigid Man- monks have been arrested and sent well. ichaean divide of the world onto to Russian monasteries as punish- At the dawn of the 20th cen- the "ones of us" and "not ones of ment. In 1912-1913 they were ex- tury Old Believers owned 60% of us" and the appropriately double communicated. This movement all industrial capital in Russia. standards for morality and norms gained support of such theologians Among the outstanding figures be- of coexistence (for the "ones of us" as Pavel Florensky, Sergei Bulga- longing to their circles were such and the rest). Therefore, essen- kov and Mikhail Novosiolov. And financiers and entrepreneurs as the tially, the amorality gradually be- yet again, no real western influence Riabushkins, the Morozovs, the to speak of. Tretiyakovs, the Mamontovs and The absolute majority of And surely the West cannot be many others. By 1917 a number of blamed for the uniquely Russian Old Believer communion members Russian shortcomings opposition religious phenomenon are embedded in the Russian gov- are very much of as Old Believers with its ethno- ernment: Guchkov, Sirotkin, manichaeistic worldview. The an- Kartashov. Old Believer youth be- indigenous origin cient middle-eastern religion of comes interested in Bolshevism Manichaeism with its clear-cut di- and some representatives of the came one of the most striking traits vision of the entire world on abso- cult such as Kurenin, Molotov, of the national psychology, the lute Evil and absolute Good, and Rykov, Suslov make brilliant ca- traits that surely "cannot be mea- people onto the "sons of light" and reers with the Bolsheviks. sured by common yardstick". "sons of darkness" indeed exerted That's where Russian ethnic The absolute majority of Rus- considerable influence on Russian Manichaeism doubled up with the sian shortcomings are very much of spirituality, all the way to extreme Manichaeism of Marxism-Lenin- indigenous origin. Europe and the fanaticism when it comes to Old ism with its ideas of antagonism Western civilization definitely have Believers with their rejection of the between the labor and capital, a nothing to do with that. Practically official Nikonian church. battle between two worlds: the all the sects and heresies in Russian Russian historian Igor Yak- bourgeois and the socialist. Ukrai- orthodoxy originated from own eth- ovenko wrote in his article "Criti- nian researcher Omelian Nestayko At the dawn of the nic and cultural background where cism of historical experience": wrote: "In Moscowian mindset the 20th century Old any western influence was minimal "Manichaeism of the Old Believers evil personified in the West is car- Believers owned and tangential at best. While naïve stemmed from Russia's everlasting ried as constant dominant through 60% desires for conservation and self- fight with the West. The Evil for the centuries. What also remained of all industrial isolation from the outside world them had a western origin while constant was the loathing of the capital in Russia within the shell of the Eurasian the society was the field for the pri- people that are the source of this kingdom or some kind of Customs mal battle between the rich and the evil and have to be fought until Union is hopeless and futile, espe- poor. Old Believers viewed as Evil their complete extermination". cially since the elites pushing these any elements of utilitarianism, af- agendas are quite happy to enjoy all fection for worldly goods, gluttony Political Manichaeism the benefits of the western civiliza- which became the embodiment of In early 1980s in the study of the tion. Any kind of autarchy, be it an vices". Weak attempts to Europe- head of social sciences department economical, a political or a religious anize Moscowia in the late 17th cen- of the Sevastopol Higher Naval En- one, is completely unworkable in tury were not embraced by Old Be- gineering College I saw a map of the modern world, unless of course lievers who opposed the official re- the world hanging on the wall. The one is willing to follow the "alluring" forms. The state responded with map had the USSR and the War- example of North Korea. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|43 history|Politics Modern Ukrainian Conservatism In 1918, Ukrainian conservatives tried to implement a reform agenda that was free of populism and relied on private property as the foundation of culture and civilization

Author: n 19th century, as a result of rev- Despite losing ground and in ies revolutionized by the ideol- Yuriy olutions and increasingly stron- the face of a seemingly total tri- ogy of the “liberal bourgeoisie”, Tereshchenko ger positions of liberal parties, umph of liberalism and social disconnected from land and left Iconservative governments in and national radicalism, the without binding dogmas and Delegates Europe stepped down or joined co- conservative parties and move- conservative social and political to the All- alitions with other political forces. ments in Europe were at the institutes are “the most fertile Ukrainian Liberalism was on the rise even in time seeking an answer to the ground for revolutionary efforts Grain Growers Germany and Russia where the question: Can man adequately of non-productive, non-settled Congress, Kyiv, monarchy recognized a number of react to the intrusion of indus- and nomadic elements”. Under 29 April 1918. liberal institutes. The advancement trial technology? Can man con- the slogans of communism and Viacheslav of modern industrialism also had trol his own creation of the in- fascism, they speak against the Lypynsky, an ideologue an important part in upsetting old dustrial era? ruling parliaments comprised of of Ukrainian conservatism as it supplanted the According to Viacheslav the fearful and profiteering conservatism, worldview based on a conservative Lypynsky, an ideologue of “bourgeoisie” which has freed 1926. perception of the world. Ukrainian conservatism, societ- these elements from “all moral

44|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Politics|history and political bonds” through its man king, even if he was a liberal ideology and the republi- brother-in-law to Emperor Wil- can-democratic system of gover- helm, despite the fact that the nance. foundation of the Hohen- Lypynsky emphasized that zollern’s throne was already agricultural ideology had a shaky”. prominent place in the post-war The traditional engine of Europe. It sharply differed from Ukrainian conservatism was the other strands of thought but countryside – a kind of a cell in was, at the time, viewed as a the national organism which vanquished and unimportant spontaneously preserved the ideology. A farmer attached to language, faith, customs and land is, according to Lypynsky, traditional forms of family and the most eminent representative public life. It included both of settled man. “Cooperating peasants and the nobility. Both and co-existing with nature, [he classes, despite complicated has] a distinct sense of differen- mutual relationships, laid the tiation and hierarchical organi- foundation for organized con- zation of the universe” and is servatism which had to be a guided by the irrational meta- conscious tool in preserving physical religiousness and faith Ukraine’s national identity. in God, Lypynsky said. It is the The close and enduring con- idealistic universalism of farm- nection between the Ukrainian ers, he believed, that has to nobility and peasantry and the stand in opposition to material- rich experience of joint eco- istic universalism in order to nomic activity gave Lypynsky save the European civilization. reasons for a belief that land- This way or another, conserva- owners big and small “were ca- tism tried to present itself as a pable, if they so desired, of turn- tool for preserving traditional ing into aristocracy by creating, spiritual values and social insti- at their own risk and expense, a tutes which were seriously en- political organization for their dangered by the radical social nation that would enable them upheavals of the early 20th cen- to rule the nation”. tury. The social radicalism es- In Germany, the reaction poused by most members of the took the form of the so-called Ukrainian movement pushed conservative revolution. Accord- the conservatively minded no- ing to its spokesman, Edgar Ju- bility, which never lost its na- lius Jung, it had to “restore re- tional instinct. It was within this Viacheslav This new development sug- Lypynsky, the gested that society was able to spect for all the elementary class that the worldview of Pavlo ideologue rights and values without which Skoropadsky, a future hetman, of Ukrainian adequately react to the chal- man loses connection to God was shaped. He had close blood Conservatism, lenges of the time and strove for and nature and is unable to relations among numerous aris- 1926 a balance of ideological and po- build a fair social order”. Unlike tocratic Ukrainian families trac- litical priorities. The numerous socialism or liberalism, conser- ing their origins to the old Het- slogans of a huge Ukrainian vatism did not offer mandatory man State: the Kochubeis, My- rally in Kyiv on 19 March 1917 political models to be applied loradovychs, Myklashevskys, included a call which caught the universally. On the contrary, Markovychs, Tarnovskys, Apos- conservatives relied on specific tols, Zakrevskys and so on. “De- historical traditions, experience, spite serving in the military in The emerging conservative inherited customs, religion and Petrograd, I constantly studied conception in the political social institutes which differed the history of Little Russia,” from country to country. (One Skoropadsky wrote. “I have al- life of the country meant example was the institute of the ways had affectionate love for that liberal democracy hetman in Ukraine.) Ukraine not only as a country of A number of European na- fertile fields and an excellent and socialist trends tions which were building their climate but also a land with the in the Ukrainian movement states on the ruins of empires glorious past and a people also intended to implement con- whose overall ideology was dif- lost their monopolistic servative monarchic concep- ferent from the Muscovite one.” position tions. Finland’s Ambassador to The emerging conservative con- Ukraine Herman Gummerus ception in the political life of the recollected that his country “was country meant that liberal de- leaders of the national move- moving along a previously cho- mocracy and socialist trends in ment by surprise: “Long live an sen direction with Finnish stub- the Ukrainian movement lost independent Ukraine headed by bornness. We had to have a Ger- their monopolistic position. a hetman!” № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|45 history|Politics Significant shifts in the con- that the union of Ukrainian con- servative circles of the country servatives with local progressives took place when Skoropadsky was to ‘rejuvenate’ the former, became involved in political revive the nation and restore the struggle. Contrary to the posi- Ukrainian state. “The Hetman tion of traditional Ukrainian po- government of 1918 was, in fact, litical parties, his goal wasto this kind of a heroic attempt to implement a programme of rejuvenate and consolidate local transformations that was free of conservatism,” Lypynsky wrote. populism and aimed at securing “It had to create one – common a socioeconomic order based on to both conservatives and pro- private property as the founda- gressives – local territorial gov- tion of culture and civilization. ernment and, jointly with this The proclamation of the Het- government, restore normal re- man State was just a beginning lationships between conserva- of the state-political practice of tives and progressives in Ukrainian conservatism which Ukraine.” still had to go a long way to ide- The proclamation of the ological and organizational per- Ukrainian State in 1918 marked fection. The hetman and his the restoration of Ukraine’s na- close circle were fully aware of tional state tradition, an end to the fact. It was for a reason that ruinous “socialist” experiments Skoropadsky declared: “The and the course on civilized re- Hetman State was the first shift formism and interclass coopera- towards a more moderate part tion. Moreover, the Hetman of the spectrum, more natural government was a natural reac- and thereby stronger.” tion of Ukrainian society to the The complexity of the socio- policy of fomenting interclass political and economic situation hatred and antagonism pursued of the time precluded a total vic- by the socialist leaders of the tory of the conservative revolu- Central Rada. Their efforts to tion. Ukrainian conservatism Hetman Pavlo liberation – well-to-do peasants, implement their class doctrine lacked sufficient organizational Skoropadsky, local council members, many of- at any cost, even against the in- resources or a clearly defined 1918 ficers, prosperous city residents, terests of the state, led to a deep ideology. The transformations the clergy and numerous repre- crisis of the state organism. In launched by Skoropadsky were sentatives of the scientific and this situation, the only solution not exclusively conservative and cultural intelligentsia – were la- was to set Ukrainian society on were, to a large extent, comple- belled “counterrevolutionaries” a new track by establishing class mented by liberal reforms. Dur- and were persecuted by Ukrai- cooperation and social partner- ing the liberation struggle, so- nian socialists. This was the rea- ship, consolidating the nation called revolutionary democracy son why Ukrainian conserva- and strengthening the indepen- in Ukraine was in fundamental tism, represented primarily by dence of the Ukrainian State. opposition to conservative and, landowners of various calibres, The restoration of the Het- in general, moderate represen- implemented its programmatic man State was an effort by tatives of the national move- theses in an alliance with the lib- Ukrainian conservatives aimed ment and viewed them as ob- eral bourgeoisie. Tellingly, many at ending the attempts to imple- jects of “class” hatred, barring ment the conception of Ukraine them access to state-building ef- as an autonomy within a federa- forts. Yevhen Chykalenko, a Unlike socialism or tion. Instead, the conservatives Ukrainian landowner and pa- liberalism, conservatism wanted Ukraine to resolutely triot, wrote in his memoirs re- and irreversibly separate itself ferring to this situation: “With did not offer mandatory from Russia. The 29 April 1918 the outbreak of the revolution of political models to be Act was, essentially, the first 1917, I as a bourgeois or even a state act that left no doubt about feudal lord was unable to take applied universally the question of Ukraine’s inde- part in the construction of the pendence and established the Ukrainian State.” Therefore, the Cadets were members of the Het- country’s complete and final Ukrainian conservatism of 1918 man’s government as they tried sovereignty. The legislative can be classified as liberal and to implement the liberal pro- sejm, which was to convene such that was opposed to the gramme of their party. More- later, would only have to estab- radical social experiments of over, Skoropadsky sought, with lish its internal order. For the Bolshevism and Ukrainian so- limited success, to involve in his first time in history, the princi- cialists in the Central Rada, government also the representa- ple of the unity of Ukrainian rather than to social transfor- tives of liberalism, primarily lands was clearly put forward mations in general from the Ukrainian Party of So- and fixed in the title of Ukraine’s The most important strata cialists-Federalists. Lypynsky state leader – the Hetman of all that gave top priority to national emphasized in this connection of Ukraine. 46|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Opinion|Culture & Arts The New Fascist International n his book of correspondence with the noted French tragedy of Eastern Europe: whereas the USSR has richly writer Michel Houellebecq, Public Enemies, the French deserved the immortal pen of Nikolai Gogol, Nikolai Les- journalist, activist and philosopher Bernard-Henri kov or Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin for its grotesque po- ILevy wrote on present Russia: “Not only does this Rus- litical life publicly depicted as genuine democracy and sia inspire no desire in me, it fills me with horror. I’d go so freedom, the geniuses of the 20th-century Russian cul- far as to say that it frightens me because I see in it a pos- ture, such as Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitry Shostakovich, sible destiny for the late-capitalist societies. Once upon a Grigory Kozintsev, and Andrei Tarkovsky, have become time, during your postwar ‘glory days,’ the middle class the best antidote against the portrayal of Soviet Russia as was terrorized by being told that Brezhnev’s communism a country of barbarians. It was a continuous tragedy of was not an archaism restricted to distant societies but the nation whose politics was sinister, devilish, posing an rather a picture of our own future. We were wrong: it was existential threat to the entire world, yet whose magnifi- not communism but postcommunism, Putinism, that cent culture was the best redeemer from the moral and may be the testing ground for our future.” political disaster created by the aforementioned state. How true! That Putinism is far from the madman’s Modern Russian culture appears to have been the best follies whose mention would suffice to prove the political antidote against the tyrannical state of Russia and its po- and moral superiority of European values, is obvious to litical barbarity. anyone not devoid of the sense of reality. Lion And now for something completely different: in Pu- Feuchtwanger, André Gide, or Jean-Paul Sartre, that is, tin’s Russia, we have a farce, instead of a tragedy. The European writers and thinkers, infatuated with the Soviet murderous and unbearable banality of corruption, clep- Union as a rival civilization to the West (as Ernest Gellner tocracy, mafia state and political gangsterism is concealed once put it so aptly), are all old news. And the real and hot there by a program of the defense of every single Russian news about the Kremlin’s new apprentices in Europe is soul all over the world as well as by a revisionist state not only about Gerhard Schroeder and what Edward Lu- which walks in the disguise of the supreme Russian politi- cas termed the schroederization of the European political cal agency that is bound to restore the unity and indivisi- classes, but rather about bility of all “historic” Rus- Author: the new disturbing phe- sian lands. This is far from Leonidas nomenon. To defeat the new Fascism plain nationalism and Donskis The former Soviet will take an immense chauvinism; Vladimir Pu- Union was a Shakespear- tin’s speech on the 18th of ean tragedy. The Second amount of the March in the Kremlin was a World War and the defeat concentration of courage, sheer copy-and-paste ver- of the Nazis unthinkable sion of the Sudetenland without heroism and sacri- political will speech of Adolf Hitler in fices of Russians, Ukraini- and commitment not only 1938: the concept of the ans, and other nations of Russian World (Third the former USSR provided in the West and Ukraine but Reich) went hand in hand the Kremlin with a histori- in Russia itself as well with the idea of the neces- cal-political narrative sity to restore Russia’s po- which partly softened the litical influence and pres- horrors of Bolshevism and ence everywhere where the Stalinism. After all, wasn’t it the USSR which dealt a mor- tiniest Russian minority lives. tal blow to the Nazis and which had the greatest burden The specter walks in Europe – the specter of Fascism. of WWII? After Stalin’s death, a certain modus vivendi No matter how difficult the political hangover will be for between the West and the USSR was worked out, and to the EU and all those pragmatic, cynical, banal and shame- equate Nazism or Fascism with the USSR, no matter how less ways with which it used to proceed with Russia for tempting it was to do after the Holodomor and all other the sake of its gas and oil interest, this is a fact that can no horrors of Stalinism, was the last thing that European or longer be denied. To defeat the new Fascism will take an American academics and journalist would have done. immense amount of the concentration of courage, politi- The USSR won much sympathy and support from cal will and commitment not only in the West and Europe’s and America’s Left in terms of their shared criti- Ukraine but in Russia itself as well. cal attitude to the iniquities in their societies, not to men- The most disturbing aspect of this horror story is the tion such core sensitivities of the Left as the working class Kremlin new useful idiots whom it has found in Europe people and their exploitation, down-and-out in big indus- successfully fishing among far Right and populist politi- trial cities, etc. Present Russia with its image in the West cians. Andrei Piontkovsky once made a joke describing as a country of tycoons with their luxurious mansions in the Kremlin’s apprentices before the Second World War France and Spain as well as its billionaires so admired in as a sort of collective Feuchtwanger. This time we need a London City as cash cows would have appeared in the old different metaphor, as the new apprentices of the Krem- days of the USSR as the worst kind of nightmare, if not as lin and its Master today happen to be the leaders of the a series of political cartoons in a Soviet magazine pub- United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Jobbik, le lished with the aim to poke fun on the bourgeoisie of the Front national (FN), and the like. This is the New Fascist West. International with its headquarters in Moscow. In addition, great Russian poets, actors, film and the- History repeats itself twice: first as a tragedy and then ater directors have greatly contributed to the sense of the as a farce. Q.E.D. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|47 Culture & Arts|Heritage Museums Under Occupation Museums holding over 917,000 exhibits are the price of Ukraine’s cultural loss in Crimea. While museum workers there try to adapt to the new circumstances, Ukraine is looking for ways to keep valuable objects

he majority of museums in Author: and have survived wars. We have case is the scandalous situation with the Crimea welcome, at least Oksana museums that were established as the exposition “The Crimea – Gold in official commentaries, the Khmeliovska far back as in 1811. The Kerch His- and Secrets of the Black Sea” which Tchanges with the hopes that torical-Archeological Museum was is now in Amsterdam. The collec- Russia will be financing them ade- founded in 1826 and the Yalta His- tion includes Scythian gold items, a quately rather than on the leftover torical-Literary Museum in 1892. ceremonial helmet, precious stones, principle as Ukraine has been do- There are a few new ones, including swords, armour and ancient Greek ing in the past years. To take just the Crimean Ethnographic Mu- and Scythian crockery. It is set to be one example, the Khersones Tavr- seum, which has collected 11,000 returned after 28 May, and the fight iisky National Preserve (Tauric exhibits in 20 years. And this collec- over where it should go continues. Chersonese National Preserve) re- tion was put together through the Russia’s State Duma Chairman Ser- ceived according to Ukraine’s efforts of people rather than at the gey Naryshkin insists it should go State Statistics Service, a mere government’s expense. These exhib- back to four museums in Crimea, UAH 217,000 in 2012, while no its must remain in the Crimean mu- while Ukraine’s Minister of Culture capital expenditures whatsoever were earmarked in the state bud- The Tauric Chersonese get for 2013. Meanwhile, the Rus- National sian mass media are keen to show Preserve is a how Kyiv “cared” as they flock to UNESCO World the Lesia Ukrainka Museum in Heritage site Yalta and take pictures of the cracks in the walls and report about its overall poor condition. The museum’s staff say they ap- plied to various government agen- cies in Ukraine in an effort to keep the building from decrepitude but never received any aid. Mean- while, the Association of Crimean Preserves and Museums empha- sizes that museums are outside of politics but admit that they are now subordinated to Russia. “The museums are apolitical and their main objectives are to col- lect, preserve and show. In any situ- ation, the main thing is to preserve history, whatever it may be,” the As- sociation’s Executive Director Ser- hiy Pushkarov said in a commen- seums. It is about the integrity of Yevhen Nyshchyk believes that the tary for The Ukrainian Week. this collection or another. If split, exhibits should be temporarily kept He says that the atmosphere inside they will lose their research value,” in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Foreign Min- the museums is calm and practical. he maintains. The majority of mu- ister Andriy Deshchytsia says he has New exhibitions are opening on the seum directors are satisfied with be- reached an agreement with his peninsula; the traditional confer- ing annexed to Russia but admit off Dutch counterpart about returning ence is taking place in the Chekhov the record that visitor numbers Scythian gold to mainland Ukraine. Museum; International Museum have sharply dropped in the past Experts are divided on the is- Day is going to be celebrated in months. sue. “I highly respect the principle Simferopol for the first time. At the of integrity and indivisibility of mu- same time, Pushkarov is critical of Museum wars seum collections. Information the idea of transferring any exhibits Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia about collections that have certain to mainland Ukraine or to Russia. have already engaged in a museum history (such as those gathered by “There are collections that were war, especially over exhibits that are the Khanenkos, the family of collec- formed even before the revolution luxury items. The highest-profile tors of ancient Ukrainian, Greek 48|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 Heritage|Culture & Arts and Oriental anqitues and art in the nian-Polish research activities in Russia pursues its occupation pol- 19th century. Their collection is now the territory of the Kerch Preserve, icy which includes ‘purging’ the displayed at the Bohdan and have been suspended. “I am not information space of Crimea, Varvara Khanenko National Mu- sure that all of the museum work- there is a real danger that unique seum of Arts in downtown Kyiv - ers in Crimea realize the complex- archival documents may disap- Ed.) or belong to one archaeologi- ity of the situation and what other pear from the State Archive of the cal complex, etc. is as precious as problems await them in the future. Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” the individual objects they are made In particular, we already know reads the letter the institute has of. Moreover, I am convinced that about the unjustified firing of The Russian sent to ICA President Martin collections should be kept and put Valeriy Naumenko, head of the mass media Berendse. on display as close as possible to the Bakhchysarai State Historical- have made the locality where the objects were used Cultural Preserve, who is a top- Lesia Ukrainka What to do next? and/or found. However, I believe flight professional. His dismissal Museum in The key question for the Ukrai- that in the present situation objects is, no doubt, a heavy blow to the Yalta hostage nian government is having access to their from Crimean museums that are preserve and to the cause of pro- propaganda to the valuable items and objects now on display in Amsterdam can- tecting historical specimens in the of cultural heritage in the Crimea. not be returned to where they are area. I am not certain that more There is no singular correct recipe permanently kept, because Crimea generous funding will come from for resolving conflicts like this. is an occupied territory now and no- the Russian budget, as some of Ostrovska-Liuta believes that the one can guarantee the safety of mu- our Crimean colleagues are hop- most important thing now is to seum objects,” Vladyslav Pioro, ing. What is certain, however, is constantly monitor the situation. Chairman of the Board of Directors, that the Crimean museums will at- “There is very important interna- the Ukrainian Centre for the Pro- tract fewer visitors, because the tional experience. A similar situa- motion of Museum Affairs, said to tourist season on the peninsula tion was in Cyprus, Kosovo and The Ukrainian Week. He be- appears to be completely de- Georgia. We are now talking to lieves that the decision to temporar- railed,” Pioro says. our colleagues in these countries. ily keep the exhibits in a museum in According to MP Oleksandr We are trying to stay in touch with Kyiv after the closure of the Amster- Bryhynets, Crimea is experiencing dam exhibition is quite acceptable, difficulties with preserving cul- because these objects are part of the tural objects that contradict Rus- Ukraine and Russia have state component of the museums’ sia’s ideology. “These are the tem- engaged in a museum war, funds and belong to the people of ples of the Muslims, the Crimean Ukraine. “However, after the situa- Tatars. I have doubts that Russia especially over exhibits tion in Crimea, which is an unalien- will be taking care of them,” he that are luxury items able part of Ukraine, stabilizes, said in a commentary for The these objects must, of course, be re- Ukrainian Week. Meanwhile, the museum workers in Crimea, turned to their museums,” he em- First Deputy Minister of Culture but our communication has been phasizes. Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta believes disrupted for a while now. They Ukrainian MP Volodymyr that the Crimean museum staff are afraid of making very pointed Ariev caused a stir when he re- are facing the same problems as statements, because it is an issue ported in late March that, accord- everyone else working on the pen- of personal security for them,” she ing to his sources, Ivan insula. “The Russian Federation explains. Aivazovsky’s paintings were being also has different kinds of muse- Bryhynets expects interna- moved from Feodosiia to the Her- ums: some are in a worse situa- tional lawsuits demanding that mitage. The press service of the tion, while others are doing better. Russia pay for its use of Ukrainian State Council of the Republic of However, the Crimean museums museums. “If Crimea is legally the Crimea denied this information, are definitely having a hard time territory of Ukraine, while the and the Aivazovsky Art Gallery, obtaining visas to take their exhib- Russians are using everything which hosts the biggest collection its to international exhibitions,” there, then there is, at least, a way of Aivazovky’s paintings (417 she adds. to force them to pay for using our items), said that all the paintings The Ukrainian Institute of Na- national property,” he believes. are in place. Ukraine’s Ministry of tional Memory has expressed its Experts believe that the crucial Culture still does not know concern over the future of the thing is to involve international whether Ariev’s report is true to State Archive of the Autonomous intermediaries – a Council of Eu- the fact. A similar report about the Republic of Crimea and asked the rope mission and UNESCO repre- closure of the Lesia Ukrainka Mu- International Council of Archives sentatives. There is also the Hague seum has been found false. (ICA), which has advisory status Convention signed in 1951 by Rus- in UNESCO, to protect the histori- sia which prohibits taking cultural Complications cal and cultural heritage of the valuables out from occupied terri- and injustice peninsula. According to Volody- tories. At the same time, Ukrai- There are real problems that the myr Viatrovych, the institute’s di- nian and Crimean museum work- Crimean museums are already rector, the Crimean archive funds ers are convinced that, despite po- facing. The Russian occupation of contain unique documents that litical issues, cultural cooperation the peninsula has had an adverse objectively describe Crimea’s first needs to be continues and experi- effect on their international coop- annexation by the Russian Empire ence shared, and if difficulties eration. International archaeolog- (in 1783), which led to a true trag- arise, the parties involve should sit ical expeditions, including Ukrai- edy for the Crimean Tatars. “As down and negotiate. № 8 (74) may 2014|the ukrainian week|49 Navigator|events 7 May – 8 June 14 May, 7 p.m. 15 May, 7 p.m. (R)Evolution Zemlya (Earth) by Ukraine in Ballads National Art Museum of DakhaBrakha Operetta Theatre Ukraine Kinopanorama Cinema (53/3 vul. Velyka Vasylkivska, (6, vul. Hryshevskoho, Kyiv) (19, vul. Shota Rustaveli, Kyiv) Kyiv)

A series of photographs by French Kyivans and guests to the city have photojournalist Eric Bouvet will be ex- the opportunity to hear the best Ukrai- hibited, dedicated to the revolutionary nian ballad classics. The gala concert will events in Ukraine from the end of 2013 feature folk songs arranged by world-re- until the beginning of 2014. The exhibi- nowned composers, such as Mykola Ly- tion will include photos from the Kyiv’s senko, Oleksandr Bilash and Platon Mai- Fatigue and Heroes of Maidan series, as boroda, arias and songs from operas – well as collages of pieces by the photog- Zaporozhets za Dunayem (A Zaporozhian rapher. The programme of the arts proj- Cossack Beyond the Danube) by Semen ect will also include a master class for One of the most famous films of Hulak-Artemovsky or Travneva Nich (May Ukrainian photographers and a meet- Ukrainian cinema, Zemlya (Earth) by Night) by Mykola Lysenko, the author of ing of the author with the public. In ad- Oleksandr Dovzhenko, will be shown the world-renowned arrangement to the dition to Ukraine, the list of hot spots in Kyiv. Filmed in 1930, it provoked a Carol of the Bells. In addition, the audi- where the photojournalist found him- wave of criticism on the part of the ence will have the opportunity to enjoy self includes Libya, Sudan, Somalia, authorities because of its excessive the best choreographic productions that Iraq, Israel, Afghanistan and Yugoslavia. “naturalism”. However the film was convey the entirety of Ukrainian colour enormously successful in Europe. and traditions. Confirmation of this success was a place on the list of the best films in the history of world cinema. The mu- sical accompaniment for the restored version of the black-and-white film will be the live performance of the Ukrainian ethno-chaos group, Da- khaBrakha. It has worked on compo- sitions for the film since 2012.

15–18 May 23 May, 9 p.m. 28 May – 1 June NEW VISION PIANOBOY Children’s Film Festival INTERNATIONAL SHORT Ocean Plaza Kyiv Cinema FILM FESTIVAL (176, vul. Horkoho, Kyiv) (19, vul. Velyka Vasylkivska, Zhovten Cinema Kyiv) (26, vul. Kostyantynivska, Kyiv) The magnetic sound of Dmytro Shurov’s (aka Pianoboy) voice and For the first time, Ukraine will The best short films will be shown mood-setting sounds of his piano are shortly host an international festi- in Kyiv within the framework of the bound to make the spring evening val of children’s films. Seven full New Vision International Short Film bright and full of unforgettable memo- length feature films will be partici- Festival. The competition programme ries. The renowned rock pianist will pating in the competition pro- will have more than 40 films, including gramme, the winner will be deter- the participants and winners of presti- mined through direct voting by the gious international film festivals in audience. Festival events will take Cannes, Berlin, Venice and elsewhere. place simultaneously in several cit- The programme will feature the French ies – Odesa, Lviv, Donetsk, Kharkiv melodrama Just Before Losing Every- and Dnipropetrovsk, with Kyiv as thing, the Spanish animated film She, the epicentre. Organisers consider the Indian comedy Almighty Allah and the retrospective of Charlie Chap- many more. lin’s films, Some direc- dedicated to tors will pres- perform the songs and hits, which have his 125th birth- ent their work already won him great popularity – Ve- day, to be one to the Ukrai- dma (Witch), Etazhi (Floors), Kozhura of the high- nian audience (Skin), Mertvye Zviozdy (Dead Stars), light of the in person. Prostie Veshchi (Simple Things), Uni- programme. versal (Vselennaya) and others. Having been a member of Okean Elzy, Esthetic Education and Zemfira, Shurov has now found himself in a solo career, for which his fans are eternally grateful. 50|the ukrainian week|№ 8 (74) may 2014 B OOKST ORES KYIV 3, vul. Lysenka tel: (044) 235-88-54; 5,vul. Spaska tel: (044) 351-13-38, 33/2, Povitroflotskiy Prospekt tel: (044) 275-67-42 LVIV 7, Prospekt Svobody tel: (032) 235-73-68 VINNYTSIA 89, Soborna tel: (0432) 52-9341 TERNOPIL 7-9, vul. Valova tel: (0352) 25-4459 KHARKIV 3, vul. Sumska tel: (057) 731-5949 IVANO-FRANKIVSK 31, vul. Nezalezhnosti tel: (0342) 72-2502 VOLODYMYR-VOLYNSKIY 6, vul. Kovelska tel: (03342) 2-1957 www.book-ye.com.ua

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