THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXXIX No. 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 $2.00 Blasts at arms depots in Bulgaria, Czech Republic Russia military threat remains as Zelenskyy part of Russian plot to thwart Ukraine says Ukraine ‘must always be ready’ Office of the President of Ukraine Armed Forces of Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits the southern Kherson region near A U.S. military (left) and Ukrainian officer greet each other at Kyiv’s Boryspil the administrative border of occupied Crimea on April 27. Airport on April 28 upon the delivery of $7.85 billion worth of U.S. security assis- tance to Ukraine. She said the “purpose of the actions of by Mark Raczkiewycz by Mark Raczkiewycz While visiting Ukrainian military fortifi- the Russian citizens was to cut off the sup- cations near Crimea on April 27, Mr. KYIV – A secretive Russian military intel- ply of special products to Georgia and KYIV – After Russia announced that Zelenskyy said the country remains on ligence unit has been implicated in a series Ukraine.” more than 100,000 soldiers were ordered alert because Russia’s troops could return of explosions at munitions depots in Three Russian suspects who are “most back to their permanent bases on April 23 “at any moment.” Bulgaria and the Czech Republic as part of likely” agents of the Russian military intelli- following military drills near Ukraine’s “The fact the troops are withdrawing a long-term clandestine operation to crip- gence directorate (GRU) are also sought state borders and in occupied Crimea, doesn’t mean the army should not be ready ple the supply of weapons for Ukraine’s over two poisoning attempts of Bulgarian Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the possibility that troops could return war effort. arms trader Emilian Gebrev, who has sold said the threat of a full-scale war has not to our borders any moment,” he added. A spokeswoman for the Bulgarian millions of dollars’ worth of weapons to dissipated. “We must always be ready.” Prosecutor-General’s Office, Silka Mileva, Ukraine in the past, Ms. Mileva added. Moreover, much of the military hard- Russia’s display of military might during said on April 28 that six Russian nationals The news follows a report from two days ware that had been shifted toward the recent drills near Ukraine “was nothing are being investigated for their alleged role earlier by open-source research group Ukraine’s state borders stayed behind and less than a dress rehearsal for the full-scale in blasts at four weapons and armament Bellingcat that linked the GRU unit to sabo- Russia’s sizable naval force remains in the invasion of Ukraine,” wrote Vadym Deny- facilities between 2011 and 2020, Radio tage and assassination operations in Black Sea and is larger than what it was senko, executive director of the Ukrainian Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported in one month ago, experts noted over the past Institute for the Future, together with (Continued on page 9) Sofia. week. experts Ihor Popov, Ihor Tyshkevych and Ilya Kusa. They added that “much of this potential future invasion force remains in position Ukraine elected to Executive Council of United Nations Women and poised for action.” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu by Roman Tymotsko The last time Ukraine was represented “Ukraine having been elected to the in particular ordered that “weapons and in the Executive Council of U.N. Women U.N. Women Executive Council for 2022- equipment” are to remain at a military KYIV – The United Nations Economic was in 2011-2013. 2024 means that the international com- training base 250 kilometers (155 miles) and Social Council elected Ukraine to the “As part of the Executive Council, the munity is paying attention to Ukraine and north of Luhansk Oblast leading up to and Executive Council of U.N. Women for Ukrainian side will continue to strengthen wants us to have a seat at the table in through the September Zapad 2021 large- 2022-2024. Beginning on January 1, 2022, women’s leadership and promote wom- coordinating equality and human rights scale military drills, an analysis by the Ukraine will be among 17 states leading en’s participation in political processes, protection efforts in Eastern Europe and Center for Strategic and International the United Nations Entity for Gender particularly in the context of the imple- the world,” Maryna Prykhodko, the U.N. Studies said this week. Equality and the Empowerment of mentation of the ‘Women. Peace. Security’. representative for the World Federation of This development unsettles Viktor Women (U.N. Women). program,” the foreign affairs ministry Ukrainian Women’s Organizations said. Muzhenko, who was the chief of the gener- “The election of Ukraine to the govern- statement said. Ms. Prykhodko, who is also a board al staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in ing body of U.N. Women was a confirma- Ukrainian diplomats also said that the member of Razom for Ukraine, said that 2014-2019. In an interview with local tion of our state’s consistent adherence to main goal of Ukraine’s membership in the for Ukraine the news also comes with an media, he said Russia held drills and left the strategic course on ensuring equal organization will be to improve the effi- added sense of authority on behalf of dif- behind hardware, which takes longer to rights and opportunities for women and ciency of the U.N. development system’s ferent U.N. structures in the region. transport than troops, just weeks before men at the national and international lev- operational activities and provide assis- “U.N. Women solidifies its relationship the five-day war with Georgia in 2008. The els,” the press service of Ukraine’s Ministry tance to member states for recovery after outcome was that Tbilisi lost its South of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. the COVID-19 pandemic. (Continued on page 6) (Continued on page 5) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 No. 18 ANALYSIS Russia’s bluffing, huffing and Head of Naftogaz replaced bility that troops could return to our bor- ders any moment,” Mr. Zelenskyy said while Ukraine’s government has replaced the visiting Ukrainian military positions near puffing: where do things stand? head of Naftogaz, the country’s largest oil Crimea on April 27. In Moscow, Russian and gas company, after it posted a loss of longer the Soviet stronghold, but neverthe- Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the by Bohdan Nahaylo nearly $700 million last year. The govern- less the capital of a Russia with its tradi- troop pullback had nothing to do with ment’s press service said on April 28 that Western pressure, adding that Moscow will While the tensions created by Russian tional imperialistic and authoritarian traits. Andriy Kobolyev was dismissed from the President Vladimir Putin’s massing of mili- Mr. Zelenskyy’s impressive legal advisor continue doing what is necessary to protect post and acting Energy Minister Yuriy itself. Mr. Shoigu also voiced concern about tary forces on Ukraine’s eastern border and the official dealing directly with the Vitrenko will take over the state-owned have temporarily abated, the uncertainty Russian aggressors, Deputy Prime Minister the presence of NATO forces near Russia. giant due to “unsatisfactory” results of the “Some even warned us that our activities on and apprehension continue. Where do and Minister for Reintegration of the company’s operations in 2020. Deputy things stand at present? Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine our own territory will have consequences,” Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko will replace Mr. Shoigu said on April 27. “I would like to Behind the intensive diplomatic activity Oleksiy Reznikov, told Ukrainska Pravda the Mr. Vitrenko, the press service said. Earlier of recent weeks, posturing and probing by following on April 22: “For Russia it was emphasize that we don’t see such warnings in the day, a lawmaker representing the rul- as acceptable and will do everything that is all the actors involved have continued. On important to get attention, that they be ing Servant of the People party, Olha the surface no visible changes in the status taken into account and spoken to as equals… necessary to ensure the security of our bor- Vasylevska-Smahlyuk, wrote on Telegram ders.” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby quo have occurred, but in fact there are We understand that we are at war with that the government fired Mr. Kobolyev “at signs that new nuances and dynamics have Russia. But Russians in their mind are not said recently that Washington had regis- last.” Mr. Kobolyev, who led the energy tered movements of some Russian troops been introduced with potentially signifi- fighting Ukrainians; they are fighting with giant for seven years, wrote on Facebook away from Ukraine’s borders, but added cant implications. the U.S. and NATO…Because they believe that he learned about his dismissal from that it was “too soon to tell” whether Russia Mr. Putin, confronted by a resolute they are fighting for their influence over us; the media and therefore could not com- was pulling back all forces. A cease-fire that Ukraine and expressions of strong “concern” they’re still stuck in that Soviet paradigm.” ment on the situation. Naftogaz, one of the took hold in July has been unravelling from its closest friends and the West gener- In Mr. Reznikov’s view, Mr. Putin has for country’s largest companies by revenue, recently, with clashes sharply increasing ally, may have blinked. Though, in the mean- the moment achieved what he wanted – a has long been the object of corrupt between Ukrainian forces and separatists.