The Fascists of the Future Will Be Called Anti-Fascists

Calls in the opposition for greater Janusz Bugajski on Russian-German Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky coordination could collapse strategic competition and project Ukraine in internecine warfare

№ 10 (52) june 2013 The fascists of the future will be called anti-fascists

www.ukrainianweek.com Featuring selected content from The Economist for free distribution

|contents BRIEFING FOCUS The Thousand and Anti-Fascism and the One Integrations: The Yanukovych Regime: The consequences of the latest government is imposing agreements between bandit rules under the Yanukovych and Putin guise of a struggle 4 against fascism 6 POLITICS Thugs for Hire: An army of street The Primaries Kick Off: How the opposition’s fighters is being established under declaration of deeper coordination could collapse the supervision of law enforcement into internecine warfare agencies

10 12 SECURITY Ukraine Incognita: Ukrainian politicians use NATO’s Dirk Brengelmann on the European platform to suit their own cooperation with Ukraine as a narrow personal interests non-aligned state, Smart Defence and the impact of financial crises on defence policies 14 16 NEIGHBOURS New Old Rivalry: Janusz Bugajski The Kremlin Plot Thickens: on Russian-German strategic A spy scandal that points to competition and its impact on the rising anti-Americanism in continent Russia

18 20 ECONOMICS United again whom? Exports to Russia fall despite a positive trend of the Russian economy and arguments in favor of joining the CU Good News, Bad Anders Aslund: Yanukovych’s 6 10

5 8 News, New News: presidency is essentially finished in 4 6 Exports to the EU, the terms of reforms. It is now a matter of 3 4 owth, % Customs Union and, muddling through and survival eal gr R USD bn 2 2 surprisingly, Africa 1 0

0 -2 I II III IV I II III IV I 2011 2012 2013 22 24 GDP, Russia (right-hand scale) Russia’s indu rial output (right-hand scale) Imports of goods from Ukraine HISTORSources: State ati ics committees ofY Ukraine and Russia Pavlo Skoropadsky: The Hetmanate: A Ukrainian hetman torn Accomplishments and failures between two loyalties of the 1918 reforms

26 28 CULTURE & ARTS Esthetic Education: Musician, photographer and film director Louis Franck talks about his experience as a foreigner in Ukraine and the limitless talent possessed by all human beings

E-mail [email protected] Tel. (044) 351-13-87 www.ukrainianweek.com The Ukrainian Week № 10 (52) June 2013 Editors address 37 Mashynobudivna str., Kyiv, 03067, Ukraine Founder ECEM Media GmbH Print Novy Druk LLC, 1 Mahnitohorska str., Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine Publisher ECEM Media GmbH Ordering number 13-6522 . Sent to print on 30 May 2013 Address Austria, Am Gestade,1, 1010 Vienna Print run 15 000. Free distribution State registration certificate КВ № 19823-9623ПР 19.03.2013 Head of editorial board Roman Tsupryk Our partner Editors Anna Korbut, Natalia Romaneс, Shaun Williams № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|3 briefing| 16-29 May Lviv imposes a Journalists are injured in The Czech Republic complete ban on clashes between par- starts issuing multiple any advertising of ticipants of the opposition’s entry Schengen visas to alcohol Rise Ukraine! rally and the Ukrainians who travel anti-fascist march.The police there as tourists or for does not intervene (see p. 6) recreational purposes The Thousand and One Integrations

Author: he government continues to that the signing of the relevant Current arrangements do not Oleksandr boast about the President’s memorandum will take place at bind anyone to anything though. Kramar successful foreign policy the CIS leaders’ summit on May 31 Their present status does not suit Tstrategy leading to “west- in Minsk, along with the declara- Moscow’s interests, therefore they ward and eastward successes”. tion of Ukraine’s intent to join the will not protect Ukrainian produc- The “accomplishments” in Euro- EEU, once established, as an ob- ers from obstacles in the export of pean integration advertised in server. their products to Russia and other mid-May were followed by those Similar to the CIS FTZ Agree- Customs Union member-states in cooperation with the Customs ment signed eighteen months ago, without further concessions to Rus- Union and Eurasian Economic this ritual move will have no practi- sia on the part of Ukraine. Community (EurAsEC) last week. cal consequences. After Ukraine Meanwhile, another crucial as- On May 26, Yanukovych and Pu- signed the CIS FTZ Agreement pect of Ukraine-Russia relations is tin had a secret meeting in Sochi. which was supposed to have facili- being kept a deep secret. Four years Ukraine’s President then partici- tated bilateral trade, Ukrainian ex- into his presidency, Yanukovych pated in the Supreme Eurasian ports to Russia shrank by USD has made zero progress in solving Economic Council meeting in As- 2.2bn (read more in Good News, the gas problem. Naftogaz’s finan- tana on May 29, where the presi- Bad News, New News on p. cial difficulties have been hidden by dents of Russia, Kazakhstan and 22). Its only possible impact is to buying hardly any gas in the last few Belarus approved the project for serve as a transition to the further months. It has now returned to the transforming the current integra- dragging of Ukraine into the Eur- idea of buying gas on credit from tion entities – the Customs Union asian Union. Sergei Glaziev, post- Gazprom. Energy and Coal Industry first and foremost – into the new Soviet integration advisor to the Minister, Eduard Stavytskyi, stated Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) Russian president, confirmed this that he is expecting an advance pay- as of January 1, 2015. It entails right after the meeting in Astana: “It ment from Gazprom for the transit deeper economic integration, sim- is important for the Ukrainian pub- of its gas through Ukraine to Eu- ilar to that in the EU. In post-So- lic to realize that signing the Associ- rope in 2013, and gas purchase will viet reality, this is yet another step ation Agreement with the EU and be resumed with this money. Ac- towards the reincarnation of the participating in the Customs Union cording to the mass media, at their Soviet Union. The result of Yanu- simultaneously is impossible… the May 26 meeting, Yanukovych and kovych’s official visit with respect fact that we agreed to provide Putin talked about the transfer of to Ukraine, is observer status at Ukraine with observer status in the control over the main gas pipelines the Eurasian Economic Commis- Eurasian Economic Union which is in Ukraine to Russia, and the trans- sion (EEC), a standing body of currently being formed, signals fer of control over distribution pipe- EurAsEC within which the Cus- Ukraine’s intent to join the EEU, lines to one or several companies toms Union formally operates. Po- since observer status is only granted close to the Ukrainian government litical agreements have been to states that want to join our inte- – for instance, to Dmytro Firtash or reached and it was announced gration entities.” Serhiy Kurchenko’s VETEK (sources link him to the Family). The future of the GTS 15.2% 12.3% 9.8% 2.7% 0.2% Legislation is already being drafted A survey by the Razumkov Centre in May 2013 revealed public opinion GTS should be GTS should No GTS Other on what Ukraine should do if Russia commits to give Ukraine transferred to be leased answer should options to implement this. Draft law 2937 a gas discount in exchange for its GTS a consortium or transfer- be from April 26, entails amendments of Ukraine, red to Rus- priva- 59.9% Russia and EU sia tized to a number of laws and allow the GTS should remain ate-owned privatization of Naftogaz and its subsidiaries. On May 27, Eduard Stavytskyi stated that Ukraine’s gas transit system (GTS) had been The month in history 15 May 1873 23 May 1948 26 May 1953 Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky Stalin’s regime deports The Norilsk uprising of is born (see p. 26) 40,000 family members political inmates, most of the anti-communist of them Ukrainians, resistance movement begins. It lasts until 4 participants in Lithuania in August operation Spring 4|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 |briefing

The Vatican’s Fi- Vladimir Andreyev, the Rus- Lithuania’s Minister of nancial Information sian Consul General in Crimea, Foreign Affairs,L inas Authority releases its resigns after the scandal Linkevičius, states that the first annual financial caused by his discriminating EU is not ready to sign the report statement against Crimean Association Agreement with Tatars (see p. 32) Ukraine at the present time

would plummet, contributing to the economic decolonization of Ukraine. Instead, with the GTS handed over to Russia, the latter will gain even more influence and power to drag Ukraine into its Russo-centric project. The surrender of the GTS will end projects to diversify the gas supply, which will be economically redundant, thus increasing Ukraine’s energy de- pendence on Russia. The Ukrainian GTS includes several main pipelines, gas storage facilities, and distribution pipelines. If worse came to worst, Ukraine could lease or sell one or two main pipelines, not the whole GTS. This would leave some options for Ukraine, such as the construction of additional branches to import gas from alternative sources or the transit of non-Russian gas, and shale gas in the future. The complete surrender of the GTS will evaluated by Baker Tilly, and the close to those in power will benefit leave Ukraine with minimal oppor- results would be published once from the surrender of the GTS. On tunity to use it for its own benefit in the reform of Naftogaz Ukraine is May 23, the Cabinet of Ministers the future, while Russia will end up completed. Meanwhile, some me- approved the projected balance of with extra leverage to block dia have already launched propa- the supply of natural gas to The Ukrainian GTS Ukraine’s energy diversification ef- ganda campaigns to persuade the Ukraine and its distribution in includes several forts. Gazprom’s control over the main pipelines, gas public that the Ukrainian gas tran- 2013. It is planning to import storage facilities, and GTS is a move towards the revival sit system (GTS) might end up 27.3bn cu m overall, including distribution of the common “union gas transit idling if it is not transferred to 18bn bought by Naftogaz and 8bn pipelines. If worse system”, probably followed by that came to worst, Russia. Meanwhile, a scenario has by Dmytro Firtash’s Ostchem – Ukraine could lease of a common economic complex been discussed since winter, both from Gazprom. There are or sell one or two through the Eurasian Economic main pipelines, not whereby for a period of three to plans for RWE Supply & Trading the whole GTS. This Union, and the reincarnation of the four years, Russia will cut the gas to supply another 1.3bn, but ru- would leave some empire in the future. price for Ukraine to USD 260 per mour has it that entities close to options for Ukraine, Valeriy Yazev, President of the such as the 1,000 cu m in exchange for a 50% the Family already have their eye construction of Russian Gas Society, recently ad- share of the GTS. on this niche. additional branches mitted that Gazprom would be to import gas from The surrender of the GTS for a After all, even if Ukraine alternative sources forced to cut the gas price in order temporary discount from a rate stopped transiting Russian gas al- or the transit of non- not to lose the effective contract Russian gas, and that was clearly artificially over- together, this would strategically shale gas in the with Ukraine, should the need priced to begin with, also illus- be less painful than giving up the future. The complete arise. This should urge the govern- trates the reasoning of the current GTS. With the transit of Russian surrender of the GTS ment to look at alternative options will leave Ukraine government in other sectors: After gas stopped and Ukraine’s energy with minimal in revising gas deals. But this us the deluge. This move will not sources diversified, the interde- opportunity to use it should be a government capable of for its own benefit in make gas cheaper for domestic pendence between the two coun- the future achieving real rather than imi- consumers, but business entities tries inherited from Soviet times tated success. ukrinform Photo:

1 June 1903 3 June 1863 4 June 1775 Vasyl Velychkovsky, the martyr Yevhen Petrushevych, the Catherine the bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Cath- President of the West Ukrai- Great’s army olic Church and one of the leaders nian People’s Republic, ZUNR, destroys the of the Greek Catholic catacomb is born Cossacks’ church in the 1950-60s, is born Zaporizhian Sich № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|5 Focus|Anti-Fascism Anti-Fascism & the Yanukovych Regime The government is establishing bandit rules under the guise of the struggle against “fascism”

iktor Yanukovych’s term in THE MAIDAN SYNDROME office is coming to an end, The expectations of the Party of with 65% of Ukrainians op- Regions’ spin doctors have failed. Vposing his regime. His The “anti-fascism” concept proved chances of maintaining control secondary for Ukrainians who are over the vast electorate with primarily concerned with the “bread” only, are close to zero, as problems caused by the regime, the Party of Regions has failed to such as increasing hidden unem- fulfill its key election promise – to ployment, the shutdown of SMEs, ensure “improvement today”. On plummeting disposable income the contrary, the welfare of aver- against a backdrop of official talks age Ukrainians continues to of deflation, soaring corruption worsen. Thus, those in power must and the insolence of officials, po- have decided that the time of “cir- lice and judges who are growing cuses” and force has come. Appar- used to their impunity while carry- they were promised. Others left ently, favourable retirement sce- ing out the regime’s instructions. behind piles of garbage, broken narios are not an option for those Public reaction to this, strongly benches and lampposts. Mean- in power – too much is at stake af- present in social networks and sur- while, opposition supporters who ter what has happened, and will veys, proves that the government’s were coming to the Rise Ukraine! apparently happen in Ukraine be- attempts to fuel anti-fascist senti- rally from various regions, were re- fore Yanukovych’s presidency ments with orchestrated Soviet- moved from the trains; trains ar- ends. Nobody is willing to be held style rallies, such as its May 18 rived late; and the police did not responsible for abuse of legislation anti-fascist march, have discred- allow buses into Kyiv. Reports and state institutions, not to men- ited the initiative in the eyes of came in of young men attacking tion the brazen misappropriation most Ukrainians and irritated cars and vans carrying opposition of budget funds. In this situation, public sector employees, who were supporters trying to get to Kyiv. the government’s spin doctors forced to participate in the rally. The police stopped a car in which have obviously decided to focus on Another purpose of the gov- Yulia Tymoshenko’s aunt was trav- dividing Ukrainian society into ernment’s May 18 anti-fascist rally elling to Kyiv, while men from an- “neo-Nazi fascists and their sup- was to offset the effect of the oppo- other car that stopped nearby porters” and “anti-fascists” expect- sition’s Rise Ukraine! protest. It punctured the wheels of her car. ing this to play into their hands. was probably supposed to show The police did not interfere. Still, They probably expect to fuel mass how massive the “anti-fascist” an estimated 20,000-30,000 op- panic in the face of a “Banderite movement is compared to the poor position supporters made it to So- fascist threat”, thus diverting the support of the opposition. The fiyska Ploshcha, St. Sophia Square, attention of at least their core vot- Party of Regions’ 1.4 million mem- in downtown Kyiv. This was the ers from everyday problems. bers – or so state its official docu- opposition’s largest rally in the Overall, May 18 revealed sev- ments –would have been helpful. past year, while the government’s eral trends: the government Instead, the party in power used efforts to prevent people from go- showed that it will not allow a totalitarian tools: the estimated ing signaled its fear of the opposi- Maidan-2; anyone who is not with 20,000 to 30,000 participants of tion, even as inefficient as it is it will be considered a fascist; ban- its rally were mostly public sector now. dit rules are being imposed in employees brought to the venue by Ukraine under the guise of an their employers, students and INTIMIDATE AND DERAIL anti-fascist campaign; and the drifters. On the day of the rally, a The government’s numerous anti- government is coalescing with large number of them blocked fascist declarations do not match criminals. streets, demanding the UAH 100 its actions. While the Party of Re- 6|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Anti-Fascism|Focus the police to take note of the illegal actions of the most aggressive “anti-fascist” representatives. First, the fighters attacked peaceful protesters, spat in the faces of- journalistsand insulted them. Then, Vadym Titushko, an athlete from Bila Tserkva, a town near Kyiv, beat up Olha Snisartchuk, a Channel 5 journalist, and Vlad Sodel, a press photographer from the Kommerstant newspaper. Later, reports surfaced of another injured press photographer. It’s no wonder that government representatives immediately tried to distance themselves from the clashes, even blaming them on the opposition. According to Inte- rior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko and MP Hanna Herman, it was the opposition that “hired the fighters.” Vadym Titushko read out this version in his public video interview following the incident. It appears that the Party of Regions’ anti-fascists drew their inspiration from a quote by Joseph Goebbels: If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. But their excuses sounded absurd, especially with the videos, photos and evidence of eye-witnesses proving gions called on society to rise The police did summoned to police stations. that the journalists were beaten by against “neo-fascism”, with its in- not respond “Stay away from rallies,” the as- people hired by the organizers of at all to the tolerance, violence and discrimi- anti-fascist sailants warned. the anti-fascist rally and covered nation, it hired people who actu- assault against The beating of journalists and up by the police. ally demonstrated all of these journalists and the rearguard of the rally on May traits. The regime used fighters to activists 18 ultimately discredited the “anti- THE GANGS AND THE PARTY assault its opponents and the jour- fascist show” orchestrated by those ARE ONE nalists who provided uncensored in power. The athletes involved be- Photos and videos of the clashes reports of developments in Kyiv. came the symbolic face of Yanu- revealed that most “anti-fascists” On May 14, four days before the kovych’s “anti-fascism” and a in sweatsuits were athletes from rally, several opposition activists warning of the mayhem that could sports clubs in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv were attacked by men with brass become the norm in Ukraine if the and Kharkiv. Nina Moskalenko, a knuckles. One of the victims, regime continues to reinforce it- Kyiv-born school teacher whose Volodymyr Karas, has a broken self. The official reason for the con- family owns a house in one of Ky- jaw, cut face, and is missing sev- flict was the blocking of an ar- iv’s most expensive downtown ar- eral teeth. He thinks that the as- moured vehicle that “suddenly” eas and has long suffered raider sailants beat him by mistake, tak- appeared in the street next to Sofi- attacks for the land where her ing him for his brother, an activist yska Ploshcha where the opposi- home stands, recognized some of in street rallies. Yevhen Matsko tion rally was taking place. Accord- the fighters. The numerous pho- has concussion and a suspected ing to The Ukrainian Week‘s tos of eye-witnesses, showed that skull fracture. Svoboda activist sources, this was a provocation other athletes involved in the as- Volodymyr Nazarenko was se- against Arseniy Yatseniuk orches- sault had been standing by the verely beaten ten days earlier. An- trated by spin doctor Volodymyr stage of the anti-fascist march other activist, Andriy Medvedko, Petrov, who is known for political several hours before the incident. managed to fend off an attack, mudslinging. When Svoboda activ- One of them, Arsen Kapanskyi, caught one assailant and photo- ists blocked the vehicle, a group of wore an administrator’s badge. graphed another. It is now known “athletes” was sent to help the He is actually a member of the that at least one of the assailants – crew. They started beating activists Young Regions wing of the Party the one who beat opposition activ- and the journalists who were try- of Regions. He is also mentioned ists with brass knuckles – is a for- ing to record the assault. Indeed, as the one in charge of the raider mer police officer. Activists from there was reason for the “athletes” attacks against Nina Moskalenko previous rallies were also attacked to be concerned – all the video re- and her family. Another man no- and beaten after they had been cordings and photos would force ticed in the assaults looked very № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|7 Focus|Anti-Fascism much like Vasyl Boyko, head of the Bila Tserkva Young Regions wing. While denying this in a subsequent interview, he tried to avoid facing the camera at the same angle as the one shown on the videos and photos. On the video from Mykhaili- vska Ploshcha, St. Michael Square, where the fighters gathered after the assault, and VR Vice Speaker, Svoboda’s Ruslan Koshulynskyi tries to calm them down, the athletes clearly state that their actions were in response to the blocking of the armoured vehicle by Svoboda his rule, while they gained control Slobodan volved in the assault against oppo- Milosevic, activists. Ultimately, the fact that of shadow business and trade. Serbian social- sition activists and journalists the athletes were beating people The latest events signal that nationalist have not been arrested yet, while with Svoboda, UDAR and Bat- Yanukovych’s “anti-fascist” regime dictator of the Vadym Titushko was released on a kivshchyna flags and called them is testing this model. Proof lies in 1990s, also UAH 23,000 bail. “banderites” on camera, makes the way the police behaved during built a bandit subsequent claims that they were the incidents. Numerous photos hierarchy, THE OPPOSITE EFFECT hired by the opposition appear and videos show that it did not re- getting former After police watched the beating of completely absurd. One of the ath- act to the anti-fascists’ assault athletes and journalists or even contributed to letes involved in the assault finally against opposition activists and criminals onto provocations, the Interior Minister admitted in an interview for The journalists. Later, a blogger posted his side and Chief of Kyiv Interior Minister Ukrainian Week that the Party a photo of the anti-fascist athletes Headquarters should have re- of Regions had hired them and in the middle of a friendly chat signed, while the police officers that they had been promised UAH with the officers of Berkut, a spe- who allowed the armoured vehicle 400 for half a day’s work. cial-forces police unit, at Mariyin- to drive through the downtown pe- The coalescence of the govern- skyi Park in downtown Kyiv. Other destrian area should have been ment and street fighters, including eye-witnesses saw Berkut escort fired. The President, whose consti- former criminals, was one of the them to the funicular and let them tutional role is to guarantee the elements of Nazism, fascism and go. Shortly thereafter, a photo sur- protection of the rights and free- the extremist russocentric and xe- faced on the web where a man, doms of his citizens should have nophobic movement known as the looking very much like the Interior interfered. The Party of Regions Black Hundreds. In the 1990s, Ser- Minister, was observing the should have issued a public apol- bian authoritarian national-social- clashes from the rooftop of the In- ogy for the actions of the people it ist dictator Slobodan Milosevic tercontinental hotel, located on the hired for the “anti-fascist” rally. turned to criminals, essentially street where they took place. Last Instead, law enforcers are pre- making bandits the backbone of but not least, most of those in- tending to investigate police inac-

How it works “The Regions set us up really badly”

he Ukrainian Week talks to one UW: Who are your usual clients? UW: What caused the May 18 clash with of the athletes, who earn their liv- We have one person in charge of all ral- Svoboda activists? Who gave the order? ing at rallies and in raider attacks, lies, and he calls one of us. That was a spontaneous fight. Nobody Tabout May 18 and how the fighters was really going to fight, we hadn’t been end up in politics UW: You worked for a pro-government warned of this! This wasn’t our first time at candidate in constituency 223 (one of rallies, and we’d never had such unexpected the five disputed constituencies in the situations before. We could sometimes do a UW: How do the clients find and hire October 2012 parliamentary election – little pushing and shoving with our oppo- athletes to take part in rallies? Ed.)? nents to make a show for the client. But this Nobody looks for anyone. All athletes I worked with people there who hired us was unexpected and real. We had been know one another – we meet at competi- to create sort of a crowd. These people were mending the stage at this so-called anti-fas- tions and are constantly in touch. We know members of the Party of Regions. But none of cist rally until 2 p.m., making sure that no- others, even if not personally. When clients us signed up for serious fights – our job was to body got to the artists performing on stage hire us, nobody really knows where they are divert attention during possible vote rigging. or threw bottles at them… Then we were going until right before the actual event. told to go to the Intercontinental Hotel to We’re told how many people they need, UW: The police cover up for you. How get our pay. Svoboda activists were there. A and how much money we’ll be paid. On do you negotiate this? clash started. I don’t know who started it, or May 18, they paid us USD 50 to work until 2 The MPs who hire us negotiate with the why. I was in the middle of the crowd. We p.m. police. Yes, they do cover for us. didn’t expect it. Half of our guys turned to 8|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Anti-Fascism|Focus tivity on May 18, backpedalling on “You’ll get what’s coming to you” them, while the police and prose- proceedings against Vadym Ti- was scotch-taped to her door. Ac- cution turn a blind eye to what tushko and not bringing charges tivist Onysia Harai found a piece of looks like a planned operation. against other “anti-fascist” fighters paper listing her personal data and The legislative amendments involved in the clashes. Mean- party allegiance by her apartment passed last year, have essentially while, a campaign to stifle protests door. blocked any institutional means to is escalating, with the violation of The fact that assailants have resist the arbitrary conduct of the people’s rights by law enforcers activists’ personal data and use Yanukovych regime. Constitu- and the intimidation and assault of modern equipment to track them tional and judiciary “reform” has opposition activists. down signals that the Interior resulted in neither parliament nor On May 25, the police once Ministry, or even the SBU, could the courts being able to restrain it. again covered up the actions of be helping them. Other facts raise Street protests are now the only “athletes” beating activists and suspicions as well. When protest- way to resist, vent frustration and journalists at a protest against ers threw snowballs at several send signals to the government construction in a park in Brovary, Party of Regions’ MPs in April this about public sentiment. Now, it a town near Kyiv. The developer is year, the police found cell-phone seems that the Party of Regions linked to Serhiy Fedorenko, a pro- numbers of all the people present will try to block this way of ex- government candidate running in at the venue within one day, then pressing public dissent as well, as the latest parliamentary election, summoned them for interroga- they rightly see it as a growing known locally as “Azarov’s mas- tions. Meanwhile, they did not threat in the face of the upcoming seur”. The police once again ig- rush to arrest the thugs involved in presidential election. Until re- nored requests to arrest the crimi- cently, they were pushing through nals, while arresting two activists a law on peaceful assemblies, who tried to catch the fighters. The government drafted to suit them, through legis- On the very same day, Yevhen is probably trying to lature. It appears that the time has Parfionov, an activist in the cam- come for more decisive action paign to protect Hostynnyi Dvir in intimidate protesters and through intimidation and assaults. Podil, who called the police when a journalists, leaving them A popular saying in Soviet fire started there in February 2013, times was “Anything but war.” Per- was severely beaten in the street by reluctant to go to rallies haps those in power are now trying six “athletes” who approached him to make people appreciate “any- when he was speaking on the the May 18 clashes, although eye- thing but instability” as frustration phone in Ukrainian, and said witnesses provided plenty of photo with their economic and social fail- “Now what, cool nationalist?” and video evidence. Assaults ures mounts before the election. Yevhen has two skull fractures, against opposition and civil rights However, intimidation, violence concussion, a broken jaw, cut arm activists result in a similar lack of and the police assisting pro-gov- and cannot see through his left reaction from the police. Since the ernment fighters in rallies will eye. Another Hostynnyi Dvir activ- beginning of May, a dozen inci- push people to choose more radi- ist, Tamara Shevchuk, received a dents have been reported of ath- cal street resistance over reason- warning after visiting Yevhen in letes waiting for activists near their able parliamentary means of hospital. A piece of paper saying homes, beating and intimidating struggle.

How it works

JACK OF ALL TRADES: Politics and business are not the I think his interview was arranged by the only places where athletes are hired to help clients. organizers, the clients from the Party of Re- Average people get to meet with them as well. One is Nina gions. They will bail him out in the end – I guess Moskalenko, the Kyiv-born school teacher who refuses to they’ve already promised him this. He’ll get a give up her house in downtown Kyiv to raiders suspended sentence – although he may be in jail for a while, until the media buzz abates.

UW: Some claim that you took part in the raider attack of the home of teacher Nina Moskalenko… I wasn’t there, but yes, the same people are used everywhere. They do what they are told to do. But there is sort of a hierarchy. If something takes place in Kyiv – say the Regions pay to take Nina Moskalenko’s house from her – the athletes come from elsewhere, Bila Tserkva for instance. If UDAR has business interests in Bila Tserkva and has paid to take over a hotel, they hire athletes from some other town. run away, no-one intended to join the clash UW: Can you comment on Vadym You don’t sh..t, beg your pardon, where you – we had no idea what was going on. I think Titushko’s interview, in which he live. Overall, this is a huge pyramid. the Regions (Party of Regions – Ed.) set us said that he worked for the up really badly. opposition? Interviewer: Valeria Burlakova № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|9

focus|Anti-Fascism Thugs for Hire In Ukraine, an army of street fighters is being established under the supervision of law enforcers

Authors: he assault against Channel 5 Oleksandr journalist Olha Snisartchuk Mykhelson, by a security guard at an Ruslana T “anti-fascist” rally on May 18 Velychko caused a great political scandal that came as a bitter surprise for the Party of Regions. Its members, in- UNDER PROTECTION. “Berkut” police forces detain cluding Interior Minister Vitaliy a gang of street fighters for the cameras. According Zakharchenko issued clumsy ex- to eyewitnesses, they then led the thugs to the Kyiv cuses that further confirmed that Funicular and released them the attack – if in fact planned by the Party of Regions – was a political election. On May 8, similar groups The youngest participants in DIRECTOR AT provocation gone wrong. attacked a march in Dnipropetrovsk such fights are called “bonas”. The WORK? In Meanwhile, Svoboda party ac- initiated by a group of locals to group as a whole is referred to as this photo tivists blocked an armoured vehicle commemorate WWII victims as “meat”, while the elite are known published on transporting anti-Yatseniuk provo- an alternative to the Victory Day as “warriors”. The groups are run the Internet, cateurs in front of the Interior Min- celebration. Similar to the events by “cores” comprised of leaders a person resembling istry headquarters in Kyiv, and were of May 18, police were present and ideologues. Internal Affairs then attacked by “anti-fascist” fight- during the incident but stood idly Street fighting is not simply chief Vitaliy ers. The clashes highlighted the role and did nothing to end the vio- business; for some, it is a life phi- Zakharchenko and place of youth subcultures and lence. losophy. “Before simple clashes are watches from criminals in Ukrainian politics. Second, these thugs receive carried out between different the roof of a Two alarming facts emerged police protection in exchange for groups for training, the ‘cores’ ar- hotel for an from these events. First, these “anti- their services (see the interview rive at the venue in advance to attack by “anti- fascist” skinhead thugs are conduct- with one of the fighters in- check for police patrols, video cam- fascist athletes” ing raids against the political oppo- volved in the May 18 assault eras and to determine the distance against opposition rally sition and others who oppose the on p. 8) and are often members to police stations in the area,” one participants and government’s initiatives on an in- of neo-fascist and neo-Nazi orga- group member stated off-record. journalists creasingly regular basis. In the lat- nizations. Thus, it turns out that “Sometimes, these clashes take est parliamentary election in Octo- the government is actually sup- place in the middle of the day or at a ber 2012, the young men, pretend- ports racist groups, masking this lunch break. The purpose is to dem- ing to be journalists, disrupted as an “anti-fascist” campaign onstrate strength. The guys are all elections and vote counts in constit- aimed at its political opponents. trained fighters; the clashes are a uencies where the opposition was test of their endurance and strength. winning the vote. Demand for their A SECRET NOMENCLATURE Nobody takes pity on others, even services remained high after the According to experienced street inside their own group. The clash clash participants, police records continues until blood is shed or a in Kyiv alone list nearly 5,000 bone is broken.” young men involved in various “fight clubs”. Some are also mem- SERVING BUSINESS AND bers of football hooligan groups, POLITICS and others belong to ideological Ideally, the core runs everything. movements. Many are members of The groups live off of their own entities officially known as “secu- membership fees (generally around rity agencies” or sports clubs UAH 50 paid weekly to a sort of funded by big business that essen- trade union treasury) and orders tially serve as combat units when from clients. Even when orders are called upon. available, membership fees are still 10|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Anti-Fascism |focus The fighters interviewed by SOCIAL DEJA VU? The Ukrainian Week During Stalin’s reign, punitive au- claim that law thorities distinguished between enforcers control all informal fight “normal” and political criminals. clubs in one way or Law enforcers could remain in con- another tact and cooperate with the former, using them against the latter as the regime’s political opponents. The fighters interviewed byThe Ukrainian Week claim that law enforcers control all informal fight clubs in one way or another. They turn a blind eye to some crimes of their “subjects” (including assaults against representatives of ethnic minorities), while the fighters exe- cute some orders in exchange. It is difficult to say how close the police and the criminals are ideo- May 18 clashes in front of the Interior Ministry headquarters in Kyiv achuk highlighted the role and place of criminals

hoto: arthem sli p p hoto: in Ukrainian politics paid, although the orders are the ideologies that determine their po- logically. For example, the investi- main source of income. litical preferences or lead them to gator who questioned journalist Orders vary depending on the work for a specific party. Some are Olha Snisartchuk following her as- clients that place them. Many average athletes training in sports sault asked her whether she shares groups take part in showcase fights clubs with no specific ideology. “Banderite” ideas (i.e. those of Ste- for Ukrainian VIPs. These shows They often serve opposite political pan Bandera, one of the leaders of normally pay well. Still, nobody parties. For instance, the Party of the Ukrainian national movement fights to the death simply to enter- Regions and UDAR are known to – Ed.). This may be an effort to tain oligarchs, sources claim. have used the same people as secu- show that Snisartchuk attended the Business projects are a different rity guards at their events. rally as a participant rather than a matter. Sometimes, business own- The core is the only one who journalist so that the prosecution ers order assaults against their com- knows every detail of the political can qualify the assault as hooligan- petitors. This is not contract killing, orders. The down payment is nor- ism. our sources insist. However, the mally 60%, and the rest is wired af- “Most mobs (mobs include sev- fighters may intimidate, injure or ter the work is done. The groups eral cores and are often run by more kidnap the victim. Very often, their work with familiar clients and dis- than one person) in Ukraine are es- task is to exert psychological pres- cuss scenarios in detail in advance. sentially fascist”, The Ukrainian sure. Each scenario involves thor- “Of course, some act on their own – Week’s source claims. The fighters, ough preparation: the fighters track say, kill someone when he’s drunk he states, no longer wear specific the “target”, learning his contacts in a bar”, a fighter shares. “But the clothing to show their status. Ear- and routes, etc. This is a well-paid core is not responsible for this, and lier, white shoelaces identified a business. The core gets the money nobody will negotiate softer verdicts fighter who had killed a person, and distributes it to those involved for the fighters unless they’re work- while white suspenders stood for a in the deal. Sometimes, the reward ing for law enforcement authorities. dozen murders. Now, only ignorant is the raided company itself. It’s the SBU, not the police, that fighters and show-offs dress that Rumour has it that there is even deals with individual cases.” way. Small waist bags are still a a female group of fighters in Kyiv – On election day, the fighters popular accessory though – the it is easier for women to get the vic- that disrupted work at polling fighter can quickly pull out a knife if tim to the chosen spot. Meanwhile, places were paid UAH 500 each. necessary. members of the average male Even the “bonas” and “meat” were Nobody knows how many of groups often racketeer small busi- involved for crowd effect. Security these fighters are average mobsters, nesses or market kiosks, while also services at the Party of Regions’ as- and how many are actual fascists. taking part in raider attacks against sembly paid UAH 1,000 per fighter. “We are destroying the system in larger enterprises. They admit that this is fairly little which whites work for ethnic mi- In politics, the thug-for-hire compared to “commercial orders” – norities,” one young man claims. business also varies from client to slang for raider attacks – but the job Clearly, some of them do have a client. Some groups have specific is easy. goal. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|11 Politics|Opposition The Primaries Kick Off n 18 May, Kyiv hosted the They agreed to coordinate actions regardless of whether there is one rally that was initially an- at all levels of the presidential round or two. nounced as the final, then campaign and established that It is possibly easier for him to Osimply as a significant should the current procedure for say this in the current situation part of the Rise Ukraine! cam- the presidential election remain, than for his colleagues; if Ty- paign. It brought together the each of their three political forces moshenko is not freed from jail biggest number of participants will support the candidate from by the election, her political party ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 their parties that makes it to the will simply not have a candidate people under different estimates second round. And if the govern- that could make it to the top post. despite efforts of the police and ment manages to amend the leg- The question now is whether Yat- local authorities to prevent pro- islation to hold the election in seniuk shares this opinion. So far, testers from going to Kyiv from just one round, then UDAR, Bat- he and his Front Zmin (Front of the regions. However, the expec- kivshchyna and Svoboda will de- Change) have not integrated into tations of opposition-minded citi- cide on a single candidate. “The Batkivshchyna in full, because ac- zens were not met. opposition will announce a single cording to sources he is demand- A brief summary is as follows: candidate when the election being support for his candidacy in Arseniy Yatseniuk, Vitaliy gins” in order to ensure that the presidential election if he de- Klitschko and Oleh Tyahnybok “there is no threat,” Turchynov cides on full integration, and pre- signed a declaration On the Coor- tried to wriggle out of this later, paring to join Batkivshchyna as dination of Actions in the Battle and added that Batkivshchyna its leader. This will convert at against the Yanukovych Regime. will insist on a single candidate, least some of the party’s rating

12|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 into his own. Both Klitschko and by pro-government spin doctors) Tyahnybok have stated on several signal the start of the “big prima- occasions that if it is not abso- ries” among the three leaders of lutely necessary, they do not in- the current parliamentary oppo- tend to withdraw from running in sition. It would be a shame if, in the first round of the election. In the near future, this were to truth, the recent rapid increase in transform into a backstage battle Klitschko’s rating may well have to destroy opposition partners. If urged him and his entourage to all three go too far in this conflict, hope that he could become the the chances of any of them to win single candidate, particularly if the second round could plummet. the current electoral trend con- This is because society is still sick tinues. Even his rhetoric has and tired of the bickering in the changed after May 18. “I am con- opposition from the Orange Rev- fident that these are the first steps olution. But these may not be the and the time will come, so that by only problems for the opposition. spring of next year, we will be According to The Ukrainian able to nominate a single presi- Week's sources, opposition repre- dential candidate from the oppo- sentatives asked Yulia Tymosh- sition forces in the first round,” enko to record an address to the stated Klitschko. rally participants on the eve of In any case, a decision to the May 18 meeting, which she nominate a single candidate at ostensibly refused to do. She may the right time, as well as signs of suspect that her comrades-in- the escalating war for popularity arms have already “written her in the media (possibly provoked off” and are merely imitating a battle. If the cooling of relations between her and the current opposition triumvirate goes too far, and the confrontation between her and Yatseniuk’s supporters deepens, the government could conceivably risk releasing her from prison closer to the start of the presidential election campaign. Should this be the case, reaching an agreement between what will then be four leaders, will be much more complex and could become the prologue to a savage internal battle. This will create a favourable foundation for the party in power to have another victory in the election – whether for Yanukovych or any other member. Eventually, Yuriy Lutsenko could come out of the shadows closer to the onset of the presidential race, taking advantage of the novelty effect. Some- thing similar was seen in 2009, when, having begun his presidential campaign, Serhiy Tihipko soon nullified the “new face” effect of Yatseniuk. As a result, he overtook Yatseniuk and landed third after Yanukovych and Ty- moshenko. Meanwhile, Lutsenko is already criticizing the current parliamentary opposition, duly noting that their priority should be the presentation of a programme of “clear actions, based on a well thought-out joint plan”, rather than multiple declarations or the determination of single

hoto: unian p hoto: candidates. Politics|Ukraine & EU Ukraine Incognita A poor understanding of the domestic situation in Ukraine prevents the EU from developing an efficient policy regarding official Kyiv. The numerous events dedicated to Ukraine that are taking place in Europe do not help Authors: Milan Lelich, Alla Lazareva, Brussels

14|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Ukraine & EU|Politics n May 15, the European will make the signing much more The organizers apparently Commission approved a likely. “Tymoshenko in jail is a consider writer Andriy Kurkov to draft EU Council resolu- vivid and visible manifestation of be an expert on the reality of Otion on signing the Asso- selective justice in Ukraine,” Ukraine and its relations with Eu- ciation Agreement with Ukraine, comments an EC official who rope, since he was chosen to rep- but specified that the signing among other things, deals with resent the Ukrainian intelligen- should not be expected unless Ukrainian issues. “We do not de- tsia. “Europe has Ukraine to Ukraine fulfills the necessary po- mand her release because she is thank for two worldviews - anar- litical preconditions. During his Tymoshenko or because we like chism and masochism. That’s latest visit to Brussels, The her. You are a sovereign state. If why you don’t always like what Ukrainian Week’s reporter she is accused of anything, by all we are constantly doing in poli- found that there are fewer sup- means try her, but in a fair and tics,” he said. Unfortunately, this porters and more skeptics re- honest court.” was arguably the key phrase in garding Ukraine in the European Still, it seems that the EU his speech. community. European officials does not have a clear under- The obvious shortcoming of often avoid talking about standing of the actual situation such events is that they do not in- Ukraine, even in private conver- in Ukraine. Numerous events on volve the true opinion leaders in sations. In fact, only Poland and Ukraine held in Europe and in- Ukraine who actually know what Lithuania are currently ongoing volving Ukrainian and European the local problems are and can promoters of Ukraine’s Euro- politicians and experts should explain to Europe what Ukraini- pean integration, even if Kyiv solve this problem, but they ans need at this time (see The fails to comply with the EU’s re- don’t. The Ukraine Day seminar Ukrainian Week 8/2013). quirements. The opinion in Po- organized by the ALDE Group on Instead, both pro-govern- land is that the signing of the As- the day when the EC approved ment and opposition politicians sociation Agreement can prevent the EU Council’s draft resolution often use – and finance - Euro- Ukraine from being dragged into regarding the Association Agree- pean conferences, debates and Russian integration projects, ment proved this. It confirmed seminars on Ukraine, to fit their since the latter could well result that various workshops, confer- own narrow personal interests. in Moscow’s increased influence ences and panel discussions on Poor understanding in Europe of on Warsaw. Lithuania, as the Ukraine and Europe of this kind the situation in Ukraine helps host of the Vilnius Summit are important, but that the exist- them in this. For instance, Nata- would like to see a positive out- ing ones are largely inefficient, lia Korolevska visited Europe become of the summit. often used only to promote fore the October 2012 parlia- Other member-states are Ukrainian politicians seeking a mentary election, presenting keeping mum, hoping to push Ya- more European image for them- nukovych into fulfilling as many selves. Ukrainian politicians use requirements as possible. “So far, The speeches at Ukraine Day, we can say for sure that Ukraine’s for instance, varied from inspira- European platforms to fit current steps are not sufficient to tional to proactive, biased and their narrow personal ensure a positive decision on the self-promoting. Political analyst part of the EU,” an EC official Olga Shumylo-Tapiola focused interests commented, noting the long- on the disparities between Ukrai- awaited release of Yuriy Lutsenko nian and European political herself as an opposition politi- as one of the most important practices, fueling the opinion can. She was actually acting per steps that Ukraine has already that Kyiv is not ready to draw instructions from the Presiden- taken. If Lutsenko had remained closer to the EU. Ukrainian MP tial Administration, as proven by in prison, there could have been a Mykola Katerynchuk presented her appointment as a minister in risk that the EU would not sign himself as the major promoter of Azarov’s Cabinet immediately af- the Association Agreement. the European idea in Ukraine ter the election. Petro Poroshen- Meanwhile, the list of require- and made the audience laugh, ko’s foundation often arranges ments remains unchanged. Ac- saying that his “European Party similar events in Europe as well. cording to officials interviewed in is the only Ukrainian party that The experts it invites and their Brussels, a clear list was neces- influences the policy of the Euro- cliché statements leave the im- sary to make sure that the Ukrai- pean Parliament through its Lib- pression that the opportunist oli- nian government cannot pretend eral faction”. “That’s some influ- garch uses these events for his to misunderstand the EU’s de- ence - 85 of 754 MPs!” a French personal political and business mands. It also ensures that the journalists commented. Appar- interests only. This overshadows EU member-states, critical of ently, Katerynchuk’s formal Ukraine’s actual problems, in- Ukraine, do not bring forth addi- partners in Europe (his party is a cluding the unfinished process of tional requirements at the last member of ALDE, the Alliance of establishing a national state, the moment. The current formula, Liberals and Democrats for Eu- oligarch-controlled economy, put simply, is “No Association rope – Ed.) appear not to oppose Russian influence, discrimina- Agreement as long as Tymosh- these statements by the politi- tion against the majority of enko is in jail”, but even if this is cian, who sees himself as the Ukrainians, and the fake “fas- fulfilled, it is still no guarantee next Kyiv Mayor and, rumour cist” rhetoric, to name but a few, that the Agreement will be signed, has it, is supported by the Fam- and prevents the accurate under- although Tymoshenko’s release ily. standing thereof. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|15 Security|NATO & Ukraine Dirk Brengelmann: “The key thing is to maintain the level of interoperability which we have reached between NATO and Ukraine” he fact that Ukrainian peace- engaged in NATO-Ukraine coopera- as James Sherr said, “more Interviewer: keepers participate in virtually tion for 13 years. I worked in the of- technical and formal” and “lack Hanna Trehub all NATO missions and opera- fice of Lord George Robertson, who spirit, warmth and persuasion”? Ttions in global hot spots has was the Secretary General from How would you assess the contributed to Ukraine’s positive 1999 to 2003, and even then I was present state of NATO-Ukraine image in the world. Yet, Ukrainian already working on NATO-Ukraine relations? top pro-government politicians and relations. Now in my present func- There was no meeting of the diplomats view the declaration of tion, I visit yearly for political con- NATO-Ukraine Commission at the Ukraine’s non-aligned status as one sultations with the government. last summit in Chicago, but your of the key foreign policy events in And there is one more particular president was there like many the two decades of independence. reason – we are currently engaged other heads of state and govern- The Ukrainian Week talks to in a defence reform programme ments, and he attended the meet- Dirk Brengelmann, NATO's Assis- with the Ukrainians. We had a ing of the International Security tant Secretary General for Political meeting of defence ministers in Assistance Force (ISAF) because Affairs and Security Policy, about February, and the Joint Working Ukraine is a long-standing and present and future NATO-Ukraine Group on Defence Reform recently important contributor to that op- relations after the recent working where we have discussed how we eration. group meeting in Kyiv. can support Ukrainian efforts in In February, we had a meeting this area. of defence ministers in the NATO- UW: What was the goal of your Ukraine Commission. A little visit to Ukraine and how do you UW: Ukraine was not engaged in while ago, in April 2011, we had a assess the results? the last three NATO summits. meeting of foreign ministers in There are three main reasons Does this mean that NATO- Berlin. So, as you see, there is a for my visit to Ukraine. I have been Ukraine relations are becoming, constant level of engagement. hoto: andriy lomakin p hoto:

16|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 NATO & Ukraine|Security Maybe there have been more BIO and the fact that Germany has just UW: Regulation of the frozen meetings in the past, but let me also Dirk Brengel- done this itself, I can tell you that conflict in Transnistria is one of mann has served say that we have established Annual as NATO's Assis- you need to spend some money, Ukraine's priorities as chair of the National Programme, a regular tant Secretary time and energy to pull through OSCE. Can this area see a clash of work programme with Ukraine. It General for Politi- the defence reform in the begin- Ukrainian and NATO interests? lays out a wide range of activities. I cal Affairs and ning. We have been engaged in should stress that our cooperation Security Policy When we discuss our support some political dialogue on that with Ukraine in areas like defence since 2010. He is for defence reform with our Ukrai- with our Ukrainian friends. It’s reform, military cooperation, and responsible for nian colleagues, it also has to do true that it is an ongoing situation, political dialogue on regional secu- advising the Sec- with the difficult consequences of we call it a protracted conflict. And rity issues and the progress of dem- retary General on things like retraining military per- so far we haven’t seen any light at political issues sonnel. We have extended an ex- ocratic reforms in Ukraine are more affecting the -se the end of the tunnel, so in this intensive than with practically any curity of the Alli- isting trust fund that helps to re- sense, actually, I think we would other partner nation. Ukraine par- ance, including train retired servicemen, provid- like to see more progress. Ukraine, ticipates in almost all NATO led NATO’s partner- ing them with professional skills now in particular as chair of the missions and operations, so there is ship relations they can use in the civilian job OSCE, but even before, has always a lot of activity going on. I do not and its interac- market. taken a strong interest in this is- think it would be fair to describe tion with other sue. We have had meetings in these relations as cool. international or- UW: Most post-Soviet states Brussels, where the 28 member- ganisations; joined NATO first, and theEU states had a chance to discuss the UW: How can Ukraine use the chairing the later. Ukraine has chosen a issue with Ukrainian representa- Alliance’s new Smart Defence meetings of Se- different way. Is the concept of nior Political Ad- tives. We have the feeling Ukraine strategy, which envisions the visers of the Al- the Euro-Atlantic integration still is engaged in this process. But the future development of lied Delegations in line with the realities of the truth is that at the end of the day it international cooperation in the at NATO Head- post-Soviet bloc states? What is needs the Moldovans, the security sphere and the USA as a quarters; and di- NATO’s role in promoting Transnistrians, the Russians and regional security systems’ recting the Politi- Ukraine’s European development everybody to agree. Ukraine can- multiplier, rather than a “global cal Affairs and vector today? not single-handedly solve this pro- policeman”? Security Policy There is no one rule. In the cess. This is a 5+2 dialogue, as we We have been working on two Division of the past, the experience was indeed see. We have a dialogue on that major initiatives in NATO since NATO Interna- that most countries in Eastern Eu- with Ukraine, as I mentioned, as tional Staff. the Chicago Summit. One of them Ambassador rope first joined NATO and later well as with Moldova and Russia. is smart defence. It envisions mul- Brengelmann on became members of the EU. And, again, I would have preferred tinational cooperation of allies entered the Ger- That has been the common way. to see more progress on that front and partners to rebalance the fi- man Foreign Ser- But we also have seen other exam- by now. nancial burden of security spend- vice in 1984. ples like Sweden, Finland and ing between the USA and Europe. From 2000 to Austria. They have become mem- UW: How are the economic crisis We also have what we call the 2003, he served bers of the EU, but not yet joined and cutbacks in NATO members’ Connected Forces Initiative. This as Deputy Direc- NATO. The bottom line is that we defence expenditures influencing is about training and conducting tor in the Private have 28 member states, and 21 out the architecture of Western exercises together, so that we stay Office of NATO of those member states in NATO security? Secretary Gen- in close contact with each other. eral Lord Robert- are also member states of the EU. There have been two or three The key thing here is to maintain son. After serving I think that gives you a picture of things coming in at the same time. the level of interoperability which as Director and the closeness of these two pro- One is the budget crisis you just we have reached between NATO Head of the De- cesses. referred to, which has hit most and Ukraine, but not just Ukraine. fence and Secu- Let me give you one example. countries in Europe. So, we now rity Policy Divi- There are many aspects in the have the smart defence pro- UW: Some Ukrainian experts call sion at the Fed- Annual National Programme we gramme envisioning working to- the reforms within the Ukrainian eral Foreign have with Ukraine that are not gether on an aircraft, a ship, etc. It defence sector “the self Office, he -re just on defence reform, but on is not everybody for himself. That destruction of the National turned to Brus- political reforms as well. At first may be one way. sels in 2008 as Armed Forces”. How, in your Minister Plenipo- glance, you might ask why would The other thing is that the opinion, does reducing the tentiary in the a military organization be con- Americans took the Libya situa- Ukrainian army — which is being German Delega- cerned with such things? But you tion and told the Europeans: “You done without ensuring any tion to NATO. know that we are not just a mili- can’t always rely on us to take the appropriate conditions for its tary organization, we are also a first front line role, you need to be transfer to a contract army political organization - and there in a position to do more things service — correspond to modern are issues of importance to us like from the European side.” concepts of armed forces the rule of law, democracy, free- All of that is happening at the reforms? dom of the media, and so on. So, same time. The Europeans need to Nations approach that in dif- the political dialogue we are hav- increase their role within all secu- ferent ways. Some still keep large ing with Ukraine is also about rity and defence policies of Euro- armies with conscripts, and that is these issues. Take a look at the peans within NATO, while having a national decision. But it is also NATO Chicago statement and to deal with budget problems. I true to say that most countries you’ll see all of that in it. The EU don’t expect there to be negative moved to a professional army. also helps our work in these areas consequences in the end, because Given my German background and vice versa. we have smart defence. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|17 neighbours|Russian-German Strategic Competition New Old Rivalry The emerging strategic competition between Germany and Russia will be based on contrasting principles of governance, rule of law, human rights, and economic discipline that will impact on the entire continent

he justification for NATO’s tin to highlight Russia’s abysmal Author: that key Russian oligarchs and top creation was once formu- failings in respecting human Janusz executives of state enterprises lated as “keeping the Ger- rights and developing a democ- Bugajski were able to withdraw their funds Tmans down, the Russians racy. in time and transfer them to other out, and the Americans in.” Given There are several drivers of es- safer tax havens. Harder hit were the dramatic geostrategic shifts calating Russo-German frictions, Russian medium and small busi- over the past two decades, Eu- evident in both the political and nesses that had set up accounts in rope’s new reality sees the Ger- economic realms. Underpinning Cyprus because of deep uncer- mans rising, the Russians infiltrat- them is the resurfacing of a his- tainty over Russia’s financial sys- ing, and the Americans leaving. In toric strategic rivalry for pre-emi- tem. this changing context, the Ger- nence on the European mainland. Beyond its financial bonanza man-Russian relationship will re- for wealthy Russians, Cyprus has main pivotal for Europe’s future. Europe’s House Cleaning played a useful geo-political role The Cyprus banking crisis raised for Moscow. The island has been a Strategic Devolution the specter of an economic war be- middleman for numerous Russian The banking crisis in Cyprus took tween Berlin and Moscow. While arms deals to countries such as the lid of the simmering disputes EU officials are frustrated with the Syria, Lebanon, and Iran, and dur- between Berlin and Moscow. A export of Russian corruption and ing disputes with other EU coun- rising Germany and an assertive how this infects a number of mem- tries the Kremlin was always able Russia in the midst of increasing ber states, officials in Moscow ac- to rely on Nikosia’s support. EU paralysis and steady U.S. with- cuse the EU of outright theft in its drawal from Europe foreshadows handling of depositors accounts in a coming decade of competition. Cyprus. The German-led bailout, However, this will not be a contest to prevent the country’s bank- for the conquest of territory but a ruptcy, resulted in heavy losses for struggle for the expansion of state foreign depositors. The majority influence. are Russians, estimated to have Russia’s relations with the EU held around €30 billion. About $4 have deteriorated following Vladi- billion will be appropriated and mir Putin’s return to the Kremlin the remaining deposits subject to last year. Putin once possessed rigorous capital controls. Much of three prominent friends in the this money is believed to be illicit Union: German Chancellor Ger- revenue laundered through Cy- hard Schröder, Italian Prime Min- prus. ister Silvio Berlusconi, and French Russian officials asserted that President Jacques Chirac. His per- they might punish the EU for the sonal relations with current EU Cyprus deal, for which Berlin is leaders, especially with Chancellor considered to be primarily respon- Angela Merkel, are poor and the sible. Some Kremlin advisors formerly “special relationship” wanted the assets of German com- with Germany looks increasingly panies operating in Russia, in- vulnerable. cluding Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Putin’s visit to Germany in Siemens, and Bosch, to be frozen early April took place against a or new taxes introduced on their background of rising bilateral po- assets. The German business litical tensions. Although German- lobby has been a keen supporter of Russian trade reached a new re- rapprochement with Moscow; if cord last year and energy ties are the government puts any squeeze likely to deepen with the planned on their operations bilateral trade expansion of the North Stream and investment will suffer and fur- natural gas pipeline under the Bal- ther undermine political ties. tic Sea, political tensions are Although the conditions of the mounting. Indeed, Chancellor Cyprus bailout were heavily criti- Merkel used the meeting with Pu- cized in Russia, analysts believe 18|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Russian-German Strategic Competition|neighbours One of Germany’s aims, and continue to view energy supplies gation. The former is closely that of other EU governments, in as a major tool of Russia’s expan- linked to Chancellor Merkel's bringing Cyprus into line finan- sionist foreign policy. Christian Democrats (CDU), while cially was to prevent Russia from the latter is related to Germany's expanding its strategic influences Human Rights and opposition Social Democrats. in the Eastern Mediterranean. Foreign Agents During the course of negotiations Berlin has also become more out- CDU general secretary Her- on a banking bailout, the Cypriot spoken about Russia’s deteriorat- mann Groehe responded that government offered the Kremlin ing human rights record. German the use of a military base in the officials and parliamentarians, to- port of Limassol as well as a major gether with several German Germany’s prominence stake in developing recently dis- NGOs, supported the anti-Putin will directly challenge covered offshore gas fields and par- protest movement that emerged in ticipation in constructing a natural Russia during 2012. In retaliation, Russian ambitions toward gas terminal. If realized, the former Russian police have targeted Ger- Europe would increase Moscow’s military man NGOs promoting democracy capabilities, while the latter could inside Russia for allegedly endan- significantly increase its role in Eu- gering the country’s sovereignty. “Germany’s political foundations rope's energy sector. Two German political NGOs were are making an important contri- In addition to cleaning Cyprus recently raided in Moscow and St. bution to the development of dem- and other countries from Russian Petersburg, and their operations ocratic structures, the building of financial maleficence, Berlin is paralyzed, prompting German a state based on law and the en- currently supporting investiga- Foreign Minister Guido Wester- couragement of civil society." Ger- tions of Gazprom by the EU Com- welle to issue a strong protest with man diplomats have warned that mission for stifling competition in the Russian authorities. hampering the activities of Ger- European markets. Gazprom’s use A Russian law passed last July man foundations could inflict last- of energy as a tool of political in- obliges foreign-funded NGOs in- ing damage on bilateral relations fluence and potential blackmail is volved in political activity to regis- with Russia. no longer tolerated in Berlin. Its ter as "foreign agents." Failure to Subsequent steps are very monopolistic control of supply comply is punishable by heavy much dependent on the Septem- and transportation of gas into Eu- fines or a prison sentence. Both ber Bundestag elections. The can- rope is increasingly challenged by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation didate for Chancellor for the So- EU officials. This has angered Pu- and the Friedrich Ebert Founda- cial Democrats, Peer Steinbrück, tin and his business oligarchs who tion are now under police investi- is a more traditional appeaser of Moscow and is expected to sup- Russia and Germany traded at around EU port steady ties with Russia regardless of its behavior. In recent 80bn in interviews, Steinbruck claimed that Western democratic stan- 2012, dards could not be applied to including Russia’s Russia, echoing the position of EUR 42bn with raw former Putin accomplice and materials accounting for 70% of exports, Nord Steam chairman Gerhard and Germany’s EUR Schröder. It is too early to predict 38bn. This is expected to increase the election winner, but Chancel- 10% in 2013 lor Merkel has the opportunity to outline a coherent strategic vision of Germany’s role in Europe to help retain power. German Self-Assertion Several factors are raising Ger- many’s stature and self-confidence in a Europe that has been devoid of leadership for many years. These revolve around a reasonably consistent economic performance despite the EU-wide recession; political fractures within the Union that raise Ger- man authority as a decision- maker; U.S. military downsizing and its diplomatic focus outside of Europe; and a more assertive German national identity that will become more competitive

Photo: ар Photo: with Russia. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|19 neighbours|Russian-German Strategic Competition One of the key objectives in Ready, eady… building Europe-wide institutions after World War Two was to sub- $39,456 5 6 due German nationalism. But in 15 13 the midst of Europe’s financial cri- 19 sis and economic slowdown, Ger- man society appears to be turning against the EU project. A recent opinion poll conducted by the ZDF television network indicates that 51 65% of Germans think the euro 55 currency damages the country, $22,408 67 and 49% think that Germany would be better off outside the EU altogether. One in four Germans may be willing to vote for a party that wants to quit the euro as an- ger with the costs of the financial crisis is escalating. A poll conducted for the weekly Focus magazine indicates 133 that 26% of citizens may back a 139 political party that would take Germany out of the eurozone. Tapping into growing Euro-opposition, a new movement styled as Alternative for Germany (AfD) recently held its founding conven- PPP GDP per capita, UN Human Index Global Global Corruption according Development of Economic Competitiveness Innovation Perceptions tion in Berlin. AfD demands Ger- to the World Bank, Index, 2013 Freedom, Index, Index, Index, man withdrawal from the euro 2011 Heritage World INSEAD, Transparency and return to the Deutschmark, or Foundation, Economic the World International, the creation of a separate currency 2012-2013 Forum, Intelle ual 2012 with Holland, Austria, Finland, 2012-2013 Property and other financially stable econo- Organization, mies. Germany Russia 2012-2013 Germany's mainstream parties remain pro-euro and pro-EU, despite some internal protests over which has been polling ahead of strategic interests or will remain bailouts for southern European other parties, also asserts that it neutral. states such as Greece and Portu- will refuse to pay back Athens’ The international arena will gal. Chancellor Merkel has tried to debts if it achieves power. As a witness more frequent political reassure her voting base by insist- result, the AfD sounds increas- battles between Berlin and Mos- ing that heavily indebted countries ingly credible when it declares cow. Conflicting interests in the must impose harsh austerity mea- that "whether countries can and Middle East, where Germany has sures and pay back their debts. will pay back their debts is de- lined up fully behind the U.S., Her position has increased anti- pendent on the unpredictable has already been a major factor German sentiments across Europe voting choices of their peoples." of tension. German officials re- and raised charges of German A combination of exasperation sent Russia’s support of authori- chauvinism. The Social Democrats by German taxpayers and public tarian regimes and may become and Greens have backed Merkel’s resentment against anti-Ger- increasingly critical of Moscow’s approach in dealing with Europe’s manism within the EU could attempts to establish a Eurasian financial problems, but the AfD is start to push the country beyond Union among the states of East- waiting for a significant boost if a the confines of the Union. ern Europe, the Caucasus, and new financial crisis materializes in Central Asia. Unlike the EU, the coming months. New Era of Competition such an alliance will be based on Inconclusive election results German self-assertion combined economic opaqueness, arbitrary in Italy have given fresh ammu- with escalating economic and government, and Russian over- nition to AfD, with indications political divisions between sight. that the next government in northern and southern Europe The emerging strategic compe- Rome may backtrack on its aus- can lead to the emergence of a tition between Germany and Russia terity pledges. AfD leader Bernd stronger sub-European core led will not be based on ideologies of Lucke has asserted that threats by Berlin and a subordinate EU ethnic exclusivity or imperial ex- to default on Italy's external debt periphery. Germany’s promi- pansion as during WWII, but on has demolished claims that Ger- nence will also directly challenge contrasting principles of gover- many's rescue pledges will not be Russian ambitions toward Eu- nance, rule of law, human rights, wasted. Similarly, the leftist rope. Moscow seeks pliant gov- and economic discipline that will Syriza movement in Greece, ernments that will support its impact on the entire continent. 20|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Spy wars in Russia|neighbours The Kremlin Plot Thickens A spy scandal that points to rising anti- Americanism

T FIRST sight it seemed a triumph for Russia’s spy- catchers and a humiliation Afor America’s CIA. A junior diplomat at the embassy in Mos- cow, Ryan Fogle, was caught red- handed and yellow-wigged trying to recruit a Russian official dealing with the troubled north Caucasus region. The young American was wrestled to the ground, filmed with his toys—wads of cash, a compass, knife, even a map of Moscow—and then handed over, plus a stern rebuke, to American officials summoned late at night to the headquarters of the FSB, Rus- sia’s internal-security service. The official Russian line is that this exemplifies American duplic- ity and incompetence. The administration claims to want better relations. Russia has co-operated with the investigation into Chechen links to the Boston bombings. And in return—a bum- containing transmitting equip- rope and America. America has bling spy trying to bribe his way to ment used by the British intelli- released videos of their activities— state secrets. A letter to “a dear gence service. (It was later con- ranging from clandestine encoun- friend” purportedly carried by Mr firmed by a former British- offi ters with colleagues to embarrass- Fogle offered “up to USD 1mn a cial.) President Vladimir Putin ing conversations with FBI agents. year for long-term co-operation” played that scandal as a joke, even But another answer may lie in and instructions on how to open a though he also used it to link non- Russian politics. As economic Gmail account. A tapped tele- governmental organisations with growth and support for Mr. Putin phone call released to the media foreign spies. have both declined, anti-Ameri- gave more details. A Russian offi- This time the instruments are canism has been ratcheted up. The cial spoke of a “serious crime” at a more primitive, the message more spy story coincides with a search time when “the presidents of two overt—and the implications more for enemies within, including the countries are trying to find ways of sinister. Public humiliations of arrests of protesters, raids on op- improving the relationship”. hapless foreign spies were a staple position politicians and unprece- American officialdom has qui- of the Soviet propaganda ma- dented pressure on civil organisa- etly shrugged off the episode. But chine—but have been rare since tions such as Memorial, a human- its gleeful reporting—which coin- the 1980s. Why did Russia choose rights group dealing with the cided to the minute with a Q&A to make such a big deal of Mr. Fo- Stalinist past, to register as “for- session on Twitter by the Ameri- gle’s arrest—and did it perhaps eign agents”. On television, news can ambassador—is fodder for the stage a sting operation to humili- reports about Mr. Fogle were fol- Kremlin’s servile media. And it ate America’s intelligence service? lowed by talk shows attacking op- also raises questions. Intelligence One answer may be the big re- position leaders as traitors and officers caught abroad are usually verses experienced by Russia’s in- calling Russian protests an Ameri- ushered out of the country quietly; telligence services in recent years, © 2013 The can operation, organised with the any negotiations then take place including the recruitment by Economist help of Georgian intermediaries. behind closed doors. A prelude to America of a senior spook who Newspaper Mr. Putin’s Russia may not be the the latest scandal came in 2006, gave away the identities of a slew Limited. All Soviet Union of the 1930s but its when the FSB exposed a fake rock of prized “sleeper” agents in Eu- rights reserved choice of style is still alarming. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|21 Economics|Foreign trade Good News, Bad News, New News Customs Union? Thanks, but no thanks. Free Trade Area with the EU? Yes, but not only.

ometimes it just happens Author: Still, at the beginning of Q2’ to have the upper edge. Except that the essence of a prob- Lyubomyr 2013, the situation is looking that last year, exports to Russia lem really is on the surface. Shavalyuk somewhat different. Although in- fell by US $2.2bn or 11%, al- STo see it doesn’t require dustrial output has continued to though the Russian economy con- you to bury yourself in details, let fall in the European Union six tinued to show a positive trend, alone to be a specialist of some quarters in a row now, and reces- albeit slower than before (see kind. This is particularly true of sion has continued to dampen its United against whom?) If the the choice between the Customs economies four quarters in a row, Russian market is saturated with Union (CU) with Russia and the imports from Ukraine to the EU Ukrainian goods, that means the Free Trade Area (FTA) with the continue to rise for the second minute Russia goes into reces- European Union. At least that’s quarter. Moreover, the biggest sion, then the volume of trade what a simple look at the dynam- rise can be seen in those coun- with Ukraine could fall further ics of exports from Ukraine to the tries that are leading in GDP de- and faster, something that joining member countries of these two cline in Europe. For instance, in the CU will not help. unions would suggest. Q1’2013, Ukrainian imports to The shutdown of the Ly- Greece, Italy and Spain grew 91%, sychansk petroleum processing Surprising news from 42% and 8%, while their GDPs plant in Luhansk Oblast, which the EU declined 5.3%, 2.3% and 2.0% processed petroleum for the Rus- The EU dove into the second This is the most obvious evi- sian market, and the Odesa pe- wave of its crisis back in 2010, dence of economic integration troleum processing plant idling but at that point, the problems that, as it turns out, can even take since 2010 – both originally in were strictly financial because place during a crisis and does not Russian ownership (Lukoil re- they involved the public debt of depend on politics, because it recently sold Odesa plant to certain countries and the banks flects the common interests of the Kharkiv’s newest tycoon, Serhiy that were holding it. At that two sides. Indeed, during Kurchenko, who is considered point, the EU crisis had little Q1’2013, total exports of goods part of the Yanukovych Family) impact on Ukraine, and what from Ukraine to the EU grew 19% reveals a disturbing trend: The impact it did have was very indi- compared to the same period of Russian government, together rect. Ukrainian exports to EU 2012, and services grew 26%. In with Russian owners of Ukrai- countries continued to recover, short, Europeans are importing nian enterprises, can leave 33% albeit slowly. more and more from Ukraine as of the country’s petroleum pro- When the trouble in the finan- money gets tighter for them— cessing industry unemployed at cial sector began to spread to without even the need of a signed the snap of their fingers and is trade markets and began to cause and sealed Deep Free Trade more than happy to do so. This industrial output to slow down Agreement. How much more means the fate of Ukrainian ex- and then to affect the entire econ- might exports then rise, once the ports to the Russian market is omy of a united Europe, demand crisis is over? very insecure and the prospects for Ukrainian commodities began for Ukrainian assets in the hands to fall as well (see Integration, Diminishing prospects in of Russian owners equally so. indeed). This is in line with the Russia These two examples clearly dem- theory that a reduction in busi- Russia’s economy, where 80% of onstrate that Ukrainian com- ness activity led to a reduction in all Ukrainian exports to the Cus- modities do not have a reliable incomes, which in turn caused toms Union go, continued to grow market in Russia, something that imports to go down. And Ukraine, after the crisis of 2008-2009. The joining the CU is unlikely to im- as a partner of the European benefit to Ukraine was clear: in prove. Union, was no exception. By 2011, exports of goods hit US Russia long ago chose a pol- 2012, its exports to EU countries $19.8bn, which was 26% more icy of setting up as many verti- had shrunk by US $900 million than prior to the crisis—and the calized production cycles on its or 5%, compared to the previous first time in more than a decade own territory as possible. In the year, leaving them 10% down that it surpassed total exports to last 10-15 years, it has estab- from the pre-crisis and early cri- the EU. At that point, arguments lished capacities that allow it to sis years, 2008-2009. in favor of joining the CU seemed almost entirely satisfy domestic 22|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Foreign trade|Economics demand for piping, for freight politics of the worst kind is a ma- trade in. Secondly, Ukrainian and passenger rail cars, for cer- jor factor determining the vol- companies took good advantage tain kinds of military hardware, umes of Ukrainian export on the of the Arab Spring in order to en- and for heavy machinery for the Russian market. This brings with ter North African markets in power engineering sector. Al- it overly-high risks for the devel- Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, though the quality of the prod- opment of Ukraine’s export in- and Tunis, who are now the coun- ucts being manufactured at dustries and makes it strategi- try’s main trading partners in Af- these new factories is often cally pointless to integrate with rica. With expanding trade rela- lower than that produced by the Customs Union. tions, Ukraine was able to move their Ukrainian counterparts, The result of such policies has beyond foodstuffs into selling domestic buyers in Russia pre- already led to considerable losses metal products in these countries. fer the domestic product on a of exports to Russia, and not only This can become the launching forced-voluntary basis. in 2012. Exports to Russia contin- pad for deeper cooperation with The freight car market offers ued to fall in Q1’2013 at a growing African markets in other product a clear example of this: at the end pace. If industrial growth begins categories. of 2012, the share of Russian rail to slow down in Russia, then the Seasonal factors caused ex- car builders on the CIS market problems with the Russian mar- ports in Q1’2013 to decline 16%, grew, despite declining invest- ket will become serious for but “have grain, will trade” with ment in a restricted market. As a Ukraine’s exporters. Nor will Be- the continent. This means that result, Ukrainian exports in the larus and Kazakhstan be of any the gradual, steady growth of the category “railway locomotives” help because their share of CU shrank by nearly US $500mn by trade with Ukraine grew only the end of 2012. Clearly, Russia from 16% to 21% in 2012 and re- While exports of Ukrainian plans to strategically increase its mained at this relatively modest commodities to both the EU own economic independence, level in Q1’2013. meaning that Ukrainian exports and the CU declined in 2012, to that country will continue to A third way in Africa? volumes traded with see this kind of performance, es- While exports of Ukrainian com- pecially as Russia’s economic cy- modities to both the EU and the Africa grew US $2.3bn cle slows down. CU declined in 2012, volumes Another example is the traded with Africa grew US farm sector in Ukraine is the only “cheese wars” between Ukraine $2.3bn and completely covered factor necessary for the gateway and Russia, with the latter se- the gaps created in the CU and to Africa to remain open. lectively banning the import of EU. Not surprisingly, African In short, Ukrainian business Ukrainian cheeses, ostensibly countries are mostly interested in should not get hung up on the because of poor quality. Ukrainian grains, fats and oils, DFTA agreement with the EU, Ukraine’s losses from such wars which overall add up to more which is clearly much more con- in the overall economic picture than half of their imports from venient for the development of are not huge, at about US $87mn Ukraine. the country’s economy than join- in the category “Milk and dairy But that’s not the most inter- ing the more political than eco- products, poultry eggs; natural esting point. nomic Customs Union, where honey” in 2012—although the Firstly, the expansion of Russia intends to keep playing losses to cheese makers them- Ukraine’s agro-industrial com- first fiddle. While the numbers selves are estimated at around plex (AIC) has opened the door clearly show the advantage of Eu- US $300mn. But the very fact into Africa, where the potential ropean integration over Eurasian that Russia as a state is turning for selling foodstuffs and raw ma- integration, the sun does not rise entire branches of the economy terials is the greatest. For and set in Europe. Diversified of one of its main trading part- Ukraine, this is a very strategic markets have always proved to ners upside down shows that direction to expand its foreign have a positive effect.

United again whom? Integration, indeed Exports to Russia fall despite a positive trend of the Russian economy and arguments While indu rial output has continued to fall in the EU, and recession dampens its economies, in favor of joining the CU imports from Ukraine to the EU continue to rise

6 10 6 8

5 8 5 6

4 6 4 4 owth, % 3 4 owth, % 3 2 eal gr eal gr R R USD bn USD bn 2 2 2 0

1 0 1 -2

0 -2 0 -4 I II III IV I II III IV I I II III IV I II III IV I 2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 GDP, Russia (right-hand scale) Russia’s indu rial output (right-hand scale) Imports of goods from Ukraine GDP, EU (right-hand scale) EU’s indu rial output (right-hand scale) Imports of goods from Ukraine

Sources: State ati ics committees of Ukraine and Russia Sources: States ati ics committee of Ukraine, Euro at

№ 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|23 Economics|Opinion Anders Aslund: “Yanukovych’s presidency is essentially finished in terms of reforms. It is now a matter of muddling through and survival”

Interviewer: wedish economist and a se- Oleksandr nior fellow at the Washing- Pahiria ton-based Peterson Insti- Stute for International Eco- nomics, Andres Aslund believes that the time of financial crisis is the best time for Ukraine to implement economic reforms. Scan- dinavian states did this in the early 1990s. Eventually, they grew into some of the most devel- oped and socially-oriented countries in the world. However, the Yankovych regime has exhausted its potential for reforms, Mr. Aslund suggests. At his lecture at the Shevchenko University in Kyiv arranged by the Embassy of Sweden and The Ukrainian Week, Mr. Aslund shared his so- lutions to the problems of Ukrai- nian economy. UW: Ukrainian economy is growing less and less competitive, and Ukraine is

24|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Opinion|Economics losing financial stability. comprised of one thousand BIO Meanwhile, the government pages, and it took four years to Andres Aslund is a senior fellow at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics focusing on prefers Soviet command tools to negotiate. If signed, it would give market reforms and post-communist transformations in control the situation. What are Ukraine four big things. One is Ukraine, Russia and other Eastern European countries. He the biggest challenges for the access to a vast European was the founding director of the Stockholm Institute of Ukraine’s economy today? market for Ukraine, and that is East European Economic. In the 1990s, Mr. Aslund served If you take the general chal- what got Eastern European coun- as economic advisor for the governments of Russia, lenges, corruption is the biggest tries that joined the EU lately go- Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, and as Swedish diplomat in Ku- one. The current system is working. Secondly, it entails many leg- wait, Poland, Switzerland and Russia. He wrote a number ing for the enrichment of the islative changes to adopt the of books, including The Last Shall Be the First: The East Eu- narrow elite rather than the good parts of the common Euro- ropean Financial Crisis in 2010, How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy in 2009, Russia's Capi- country. More specifically, we pean legislation. This would re- talist Revolution: Why Market Reform Succeeded and De- now see economic stagnation ally transform Ukrainian state mocracy Failed in 2007, Building Capitalism: The Transfor- and any growth is unlikely. In institutions. The third aspect of mation of the Former Soviet Bloc in 2001 and more. this situation, Ukraine risks fac- the package is substantial assis- ing a new economic crisis. The tance, particularly in terms of the limited for that as yet. It is out- fundamental problem is that state reform. The fourth element right retrograde, with a severe Ukraine has high current ac- is extensive education exchange destruction of rule of law and count deficit. It was 8% of GDP allowing tens of thousands of property rights. Institutionally last year, and will probably be Ukrainians to study at the EU Ukraine seems to have reversed the same this year; limited re- universities. This could really be- to 1993. serves at barely USD 25bn, and come the pivot that could change We see that national wealth is that is falling, and pegged ex- Ukraine. The only reason to say concentrated in one hands, and change rate. So, Ukraine can ex- no to this is that President Yanu- those who are on friendlier terms perience steep domestic devalu- kovych prefers to keep Yulia Ty- with the government pay less ation because its currency mar- moshenko in prison. As long as taxes. Privatization was very se- ket is totally illiquid. The he insists on that, the EU will lective with most economically government’s response to this hardly sign the Association attractive objects privatized at has been through very high in- Agreement. peanuts. Corruption has flooded terest rates which, on the one many sectors of the national hand, keep money in the coun- UW: How has Ukraine’s oligarch economy. try and inflation down, while system transformed after the minimizing investment on the Family rose? How competitive is UW: Are the oligarchs close to other hand. Another tool is in- this model in the current the government interested in creasing currency regulation. economic environment? the signing of the Association This results in the currency The oligarchy is a conse- Agreement and FTA? Don’t these market drying up. There are quence of late liberalization of two weaknesses in this situ- foreign trade that offered ex- Ukraine risks facing a new ation. One is that Ukraine traordinary privileges in the for- economic crisis may be hit by an external eign trade with gas and steel to shock. The price of steel, an just a few people. Ideally, an oli- important element of garchy should include more and documents contradict their Ukraine’s exports, can fall more big businessmen until it be- “rules” in doing business? sharply. This is quite likely comes a normal market economy This has two sides to it. In the to happen. The other is that and democracy. However, an op- short-term prospect, they are in- bond yields, now 7.5%, can posite trend was first seen in terested in getting more assets. soar because Ukraine has no Russia, and is now seen in However, they are also interested confidence in the market. Ukraine. More and more power in obtaining market access. Then, Ukraine will lose its and assets are consolidated in the These two goals contradict each reserves more quickly and hands of the ruling families who other. can eventually end up in a fi- do not want to share them. nancial crisis. This looks If we compare the situation in UW: What could Ukraine borrow pretty bad and nobody ex- Ukraine and Russia under Presi- from the Nordic economic pects any reforms now. Yan- dent Putin today, we can see that model? ukovych’s presidency is es- the concentration of power and This first thing to learn is the sentially finished in terms of property in the hands of the rul- experience of state institutions. reforms. It is now a matter of ing family is moving much faster Nordic countries do not have the muddling through and sur- in Ukraine compared to Russia. problem of corruption, their vival. And the government’s It appears that Ukraine’s Presi- state institutions function effec- only goal is to stay in power – it dent is ousting disloyal oligarchs tively. But if you go down to de- has no higher goals. one after another, and we see tails, Ukraine could learn much them leaving the country. The from their deregulation, privati- UW: How could the signing of former oligarchic model is going. zation, pension reform, public the Association Agreement and Yankovych's capitalism in one service reform, and more. The FTA in November change this? family is reminiscent of what EU would also have a very posi- This is a very important Karl Marx called oriental despo- tive impact on reforms in agreement. It is also a big one, tism, only that his power is too Ukraine. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|25 history|Hetmanate Pavlo Skoropadskyi: Torn Between Dual Loyalties Becoming Ukrainian was as difficult and controversial for Pavlo Skoropadskyi as it was for the Ukrainian nation

avlo Skoropadskyi, Ukraine’s Author: and the Black Sea fleet, Skoropad- hetman in 1918 and descen- Ihor Losev skyi swiftly declared Crimea to be dant of an 18th century Cos- part of the Ukrainian State and be- Psack hetman, was a contro- gan negotiations to integrate it with versial figure in his own lifetime. its local government led by General The historical debate between sup- Suleyman Sulkiewicz. Skoropad- porters and opponents of Skoro- skyi helped transform the Black Sea padskyi and his policies continues fleet into a part of Ukraine’s mili- to this day. He built the Ukrainian tary force. In doing so, he proved state while simultaneously destroy- wiser and more efficient than ing it through various risky and un- Ukrainian President Leonid Krav- reasonable moves. He supported chuk in 1991. the establishment of the agrarian The hetman realized that the class promoted by historian and Central Council’s enchanting slo- politician Vyacheslav Lypynskyi gans were not enough to keep the (the ideologue of Ukrainian conser- state running properly. It needed vatism and the founder of the a government, thousands of pro- Ukrainian Democratic-Agrarian fessional officials, and dozens of Party) but failed to protect it from institutions and facilities – so he inevitable requisitions by Ukraine’s worked to develop these. How- Austro-German allies. Skoropad- ever, he had too few patriotic pro- skyi tried to preserve social stability fessional state-builders since the in Ukraine, yet the fear of radical tsarist administration made sure land reforms fuelled tension in ru- that such people were kept out of ral Ukraine, increasing the impact civil service, and those hired even- of Bolshevik “land to the peasants!” tually shed any views that might propaganda. Skoropadskyi was a stand in the way of career success. Ukrainian hetman and a Russian As a result, Skoropadskyi had to general close to Nicholas II. He rep- work under a harsh deficit of man- resented a Ukrainian aristocracy that had long considered itself to be Skoropadskyi supported part of the pan-empire elite. He the establishment of contributed to the development of a national state while failing to over- the national state while come pro-Russian sentiments, at failing to overcome his least during his brief reign from 1918-1920. pro-Russian sentiments As a military officer who fought in the Russo-Japanese War and agers. “Where are the Ukrainians? folk songs and complain about WWI, Skoropadskyi was eager to Give them to me! The ones I need, current problems. address the many issues neglected the ones I can talk to and work It took Skoropadskyi himself by the doctrinal and profoundly with. Where are they?” he la- much time and effort to become demagogic Tsentralna Rada (Cen- mented desperately. These would Ukrainian. Seven and a half months tral Council). This included the cre- have been people loyal to a patri- in power was obviously not enough ation of an efficient Ukrainian army otic ideology, yet pragmatic time given his upbringing in a Rus- with professional officers—he did enough to actually do their work, sian aristocratic environment, his not share the pacifism of UNR achieve specific objectives, and life in the tsarist establishment and (Ukrainian People’s Republic) lead- take charge of their respective service in the emperor’s army. At the ers who often did not think beyond tasks. Unfortunately, most Ukrai- time, very few Ukrainians were po- their desks or home libraries. While nians fit a very different profile at litically conscious. In fact, there was the Central Council had long de- that time: all they could do was la- not even agreement on what to call bated the fate of Crimea, Sevastopol ment Ukraine’s misfortune, sing Ukrainians—the term “Ukrainian” 26|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Hetmanate|history sia!” Even the Fourth Universal de- tonian Republic despite its signifi- claring Ukraine’s complete indepen- cant contribution to his military dence was a move forced by political accomplishments. Officer Pyotr and military circumstances: at that Vrangel refused to negotiate an al- time, Hrushevskyi, Vynnychenko liance with Poland and the UNR and other socialist leaders still be- against the Bolsheviks. How could lieved that Ukraine could be inde- Ukrainian political leaders have ex- pendent and remain part of the Rus- pected to create a federation with sian federation at the same time. unwilling partners? According to Some thought otherwise, but Hru- some historians, White general and shevshkyi, Skoropadskyi and others Ataman of the Don Cossack Host with pro-Russian illusions repre- Petro Krasnov supported the idea, sented the mainstream ideology. but he was known as a Cossack Skoropadskyi was forced to in- separatist in the White Movement, vite Russian and pro-Russian offi- therefore he did not represent cials to serve administrative roles in overall sentiments. the Ukrainian state – much like the Some wonder whether Skoro- Bolsheviks who appointed former padskyi could have become a Ukrai- tsar’s officers as commanders in the nian Mannerheim if luck had been Red Army, with a red commissar on his side. However, it is hardly supervising each of them. Skoro- possible to compare the two. Man- padskyi did not have pro-Ukrainian nerheim belonged to a different po- professionals to appoint as such litical culture based on deep West- “commissars”. This resulted in the ern traditions (Russia’s influence on domination of Russian chauvinist the Finnish mindset was strongly officials in the Ukrainian govern- countered by Sweden and Ger- ment and as officers in the het- many). Unlike many Ukrainian man’s army. leaders, he had no pro-Russian illu- Skoropadskyi should have been sions, although like Skoropadskyi, more cautious with the military. In he had been a loyal servant of the his eyes, the Russian commanders Russian Empire, fighting against in his army were just good profes- the Japanese and the army of the sionals and his brothers-in-arms German Kaiser. Finland also had from WWI. Meanwhile, he turned a Russian officers in its army in 1918- blind eye to their powerful anti- 1920, yet Mannerheim did not Ukrainian views. This caused ani- agree with them, especially when it mosity among patriotic Ukrainian came to matters of principle. Even if officers who often faced chauvinist not a Finn ethnically, Mannerheim bullying from their peers. They followed Finland’s national inter- were not the only ones who were ests in his every move. When Rus- frustrated. To please his pro-Rus- sian generals who stayed in per- sian officers, Skoropadskyi issued a sonal contact with him demanded decree on Ukraine’s federation with that the Finnish army go to Petro- non-Bolshevik Russia on Novem- grad to help revive the Russian Em- ber 14, 1918. Ukrainian patriots de- pire, Mannerheim found a polite yet nounced this as treason. harsh way to put them in their As a result, many Ukrainian of- place. ficers left the hetman’s army for Mannerheim became a Finn that of the UNR and contributed to faster than Skoropadskyi became a the anti-hetman coup of the UNR Ukrainian. It took the hetman Directorate. The idea of a federa- many years in exile to finally break tion with Russia was a utopian fan- his ties with the Russian Empire, tasy. Virtually all White Movement but it finally happened, and in re- had not yet become widespread. WAR GENERAL: leaders supported the revival of the cent years he has assumed his place Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Ukrainian Lieutenant “single undivided Russia”, i.e. a Ukraine’s history as a patriot and historian, academic and intellectual, General Pavlo unitary centralized state with no statesman without geopolitical shared Skoropadskyi’s illusions of Skoropadskyi as flirtation with “nationals”. General prejudice. The fact that in 1944 Commander of an autonomous Ukraine within a the 34th Army Denikin stated in public that the Skoropadskyi used his many con- federative Russia, even though the Corps, which first man he would hang after the nections to facilitate the release of two belonged to opposing political later became victory over the Bolsheviks was the Bandera, Mel’nyk and Stets’ko from enclaves. When, in 1917, a rallying the 1st Ukrainian “treacherous” Finnish military Nazi concentration camps shows crowd approached the Central Corps leader Carl Mannerheim. Admiral that at least these people were not Council building on Volodymyr the Kolchak rejected Finland’s inde- entirely alien to him in the ideologi- Great St. in Kyiv and greeted Hrys- pendence, while General Nikolai cal sense. Thus, Skoropadskyi’s hevskyi with “Long live independent Yudenich whose army dislocated at path to becoming Ukrainian was as Ukraine!”, the national leader re- the Baltic territory refused to ac- difficult and controversial as that of plied with “Long live federative Rus- knowledge independence of the Es- the entire Ukrainian nation. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|27 history|Hetmanate

28|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Hetmanate|history

№ 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|29 Culture & Arts|Music Esthetic Education A well-educated musician from an artistic family, Louis Franck came to Ukraine to become part of its culture. Split between the Western world and the local realm, he became a multicultural hybrid Interviewer: Bohdan Butkevych musicians work as waiters all photographer. His wife was Mar- their lives and play just four or tine Franck, another genius pho- he former lead singer of Es- five gigs in a lifetime. It’s also re- tographer. I got into photography thetic Education is cur- ally difficult there, although their when I was 18. Martine showed rently working on a new Albums problems are different. my photographs to her husband. Tmusic project titled Atlán- He looked at them and said that tida. Even backstage, he is a Ukrainian artists have no they were awful and sucked. He storm of emotions energizing ev- success in the West because told me to forget about photogra- eryone around him. In his inter- they don’t know how to work phy. I’m grateful for his criticism view with The Ukrainian in a competitive environ- because I eventually grew into a Week, he talks about his experiment. Every artist there knows good photographer. Actually, if ence in Ukraine as an artist and a Face Reading, that he will only be interesting as you want to achieve something, foreigner, and the limitless talent 2004 long as he keeps growing profes- you can’t think of yourself as ge- possessed by all human beings. sionally. If he stops for a moment, nius or loser; just be as light and all of his previous accomplish- authentic as you can be, like a cat It used to be more diffi- ments are gone for good. Look at or a dog – they don’t think why cult to come to Ukraine. I Alla Pugacheva [an iconic Soviet/ they are what they are. It’s the would get in trouble all the time. Russian singer-songwriter whose same in any art: you have to lose The road police would stop me career peaked in the 1970-80s] yourself in it and just be. and demand bribes. They often Leave Us Alone/ and her huge popularity in post- Machine, insulted me when they saw that 2005 Soviet countries. She composed Being on stage is like be- I’m a foreigner. Freaks and alco- her best songs back in the 1980s, ing a shaman. You have to be holics picked on me; even old la- and they still inspire me. Here in different from what you are in dies seemed to swear at me on the Ukraine, their effect will last for- real life, switch to a different real- subway. But as soon as I freed my ever. Meanwhile, Robert Plant is ity, feel your band and know what mind of all my Western stereo- nearly 70, yet he remains a god of you want to say, and constantly types and negative ideas, every- music because he continues to win the audience over. It’s like thing changed instantly. Now I make music and stay in shape as boxing – you dance around and keep telling myself, “stop being Live At Ring, an artist. hit people in the heart. I think paranoid!” 2006 Freddie Mercury was the best at Ukraine lacks good pro- it. The most important thing is to Kyiv is one of the greatest motion. The population and always remember that the audi- spiritual centres in the government have no idea how to ence is the best ever. A German world. You can really feel that promote themselves. Every coun- film director friend of mine once Slavic and Eastern European cul- try today – even the US – invests told me, “Louis, you’re a fool if ture were born here. Ukrainians huge amounts of money into tell- you talk to someone and think are a special people. There is Werewolf, ing the world, “We’re interesting, that he’s a fool”. He was right. Ev- something mythical about them— 2007 visit us!” You won’t find anything ery person and every audience in a good way. Of course, Ukraine, like that about Ukraine anywhere, has some gold inside that you can and the whole world, are in chaos even though the country has a lot bring out. right now. People just don’t have to offer. time to realize it. By contrast, Everyone is talented. Ev- Moscow is a huge shopping mall I’m used to working on eryone is born as talented as, or fair like Las Vegas or Dubai. many different projects at say, Picasso. In theory, every- Basket Case as Johnny Bardo, the same time. I direct films, one can learn anything until so- Being a musician in 2008 play music, write books, work as a cial stereotypes get to their brain. Ukraine is not much more photographer and producer. And Then, people hear “no”, “that’s difficult than being a musi- I feel comfortable in all of these bad”, “you can’t do it”, “stop”, and cian in the UK. Life slaps you in roles. It’s just that I’m short on start limiting their unlimited tal- the face at every turn. When I time; I wish I had five lives. The ents with social frameworks. This told British musicians about Es- only place where I feel bad is a leads to a kind of schizophrenia: thetic Education’s commercial ac- business office, harsh and cynical. some people get into self-humili- complishments in Ukraine – and ation repeating “I’m bad” over we didn’t earn much – they were I grew up in a family of and over again, while others put Sirenevyie sny jealous. Competition is enormous (Lilac Dreams), photographers. My uncle is their ego in the forefront and try there. As a result, most British 2013 Henry Cartier-Bresson, a genius to show the whole world how cool 30|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 Music|Culture & Arts BIO they are. Instead, you have to be Louis Franck is a Swiss-born musician, film director, actor, -pho tographer, screenwriter and singer. Born in Zürich in 1971, open to everything like a young Louis studied acting at Moscow Art Theatre and direct- child. ing at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. He composed music for Ensemble Sauvage Public, a It’s what you are trying to group he gathered with friends, worked as an say that matters, not what actor and director in Moscow theatres for you do. Your personal stance, three years, and directed a number of your vision and the desire to short films. After he shot a video for share it are important. It no Okean Elzy, he founded a band called longer matters where you’re Esthetic Education with ex-Okean from, what education you Elzy pianist Dmytro Shurov and gui- tarist Yuriy Khustochka in 2004. The have or how rich your par- band played until 2010. In 2012, ents are. If you’re a break- Louis started his own music project, through, even born in a Atlantida. tiny village, you’ll get no- ticed.

The world today lacks responsibility. Radiohead’s drummer once told me that they still play only for the audience. They have plenty of money and fame now, but they feel that mil- lions of people all over the world love them and are waiting for them, so they have no right to betray their fans. That’s what p o l i t i c i a n s — o t h e r than Barack Obama per- h a p s — a r e l a c k i n g . Just look at him: he has lost weight and grown older because he has been taking responsibility. Now, new computer technologies provide endless opportunities for creative artists. They can paint, make films or music without leaving their chair. The only limits that exist are the ones within us. But few dare to take a firm stance and take responsibility for their actions. Now my personal responsibility is my hoto: yulia p olunina p hoto: music project At- lántida. Esthetic Education rep- resents just a small part of what I have yet to accomplish. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|31

culture & arts|fine arts The History ofO ne People

n May 17, Haytarma, a film directed by Haytarma stands out from the mostly me- Akhtem Seytablayev, premiered with a diocre films shot in Ukraine lately. The script is scandal in Simferopol. Seytablayev written by screenwriter Mykola Rybalka. The Owas first to show the tragic mass de- project had private investment in the amount of portation of Crimean Tatars under Stalin’s 1944 USD 1.5mn. The cast included some of the best- order on the big screen. known actors in Ukraine, such as Oleksiy Horbu- The film is based on a widely-known histori- nov, Andriy Saminin, Yuriy Tsurilo and Dmytro cal fact, officially confirmed and acknowledged. Surzhykov. Akhtem Seytablayev, who is a However, the Kremlin seems to deny it, inter- Crimean Tatar himself, directed the film. For preting it as the twisting of historical truth. Two him, this project was as significant as Schil- hours before the premiere, the Russian Consul ndler’s List was to Steven Spielberg or Katyń to General in Crimea, Vladimir Andreyev recom- Andrzej Wajda. Akhtem succeeded in bringing mended nine war veterans and colleagues of his large-scale idea to life: In the film, featur- the main character, pilot Ametkhan Sultan, not ing a few days in the life of the brilliant pilot, to attend the premiere. The film “distorts the Ametkhan Sultan, everything is in its right history of the Great Patriotic War,” he com- place; the war history is clear and well- mented in a subsequent interview for the ATR thought-out; the dramatic moments of the he- channel, and suggested that Crimean Tatars ro’s time with his friends, family and the should not conceal the theme of treason. “All I woman he loves are emotional; and all this said is absolutely official,” Andreyev noted. comes to a powerful visual culmination. This is “You can record it and play it to any Crimean Ta- Akhtem’s undeniable victory as a director, espe- tar. My word and the word of Russia should be cially after Backstreet Champions, the weak film said, should be known – including my interview he directed previously. – so that the truth is told about the Great Patri- Haytarma, the Crimean Tatar word for a otic War… This is precisely the theme of trea- folk dance symbolizing return, is based on ac- son.” tual facts: On May 18-20, 1944, all Crimean Ta-

Events 1 June, 7 p.m. Until 7 June 8-9 June, 2 p.m. Green Grey Beautiful People Old City Stereo Plaza ArtPRYCHAL Gallery Ukraine Stadium (17, vul. Kikvidze, Kyiv) (Berth No2 at vul. Naberezhno- (5, vul. Stusa, Lviv) One of Ukraine’s brightest and most Khreshchatytska, Kyiv) Stare Misto or Old City is an annual talented rock bands will celebrate Beautiful People is a series rock festival held in Lviv since 2007. its 20th birthday with a major gig in of photographs by Slovak For the first time in six years, it will last Kyiv. Green Grey is referred to as a photographer Šymon Kliman who two days. Music lovers will have the culture and a social movement. At has already won many European chance to enjoy electrifying gigs from the peak of their career, the band awards. Kyivites will soon have the the top rock bands of Eastern Europe changed the format and perception opportunity to see it for themselves. and eighteen hours of live shows. of music in Ukraine through The show will present twenty Participants include Goran Bregovic, experiments with different genres photographs in which the artist DDT, IAMX, The Subways, Leningrad and styles. Guest stars will include offers his interpretation of Gypsies Cowboys, Che Sudaka, Feedler’s Green, some of the most popular bands in and dispels stereotypes about their Liapis Trubetskoy, Kaiser Chiefs, Archive Ukraine, including Gortchitza, TNMK, lifestyle and culture. In contrast to and many more. The warm-up part Skriabin, Awesomatic, S.K.A.Y., the usual images of their poverty will feature new bands selected in Diversanty and Four Phonica. and misery, Kliman invents a new a competition. Hopefully, the June way to reflect the weekend will life of these nomadic add some people, bringing good weather them closer to Slovak to the good society through his music so that artistic vision. the guests could walk around and actually see the old city before they hear it. 32|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013 fine arts|culture & arts tars, classified as traitors and adherents of fascists by the Soviet authorities, were kicked out of their homes, put on trains The Revelation of Nikifor The History of One People and taken to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and he repatriation of artists of Ukrainian origin who lived and worked abroad has been very the Ural. Almost 250,000 people were de- much in this spring. First, the National Art Museum opened a huge exhibition of Jacques ported. 46% of them died of starvation TChapiro, a representative of the School of Paris, educated in Kyiv and Kharkiv. Now, the and disease. This is four times more than National Museum of Folk Decorative Arts is exhibiting one hundred paintings by primitivist the number of Crimean Tatars killed in Epifaniusz Drowniak better known as Nikifor. A modest self-taught painter of Lemko origin, he WWII. 30,000 of the Crimean Tatars that won the hearts of the Paris artistic elite in the early years of his career: In 1932, Roman Turyn, returned home after fighting in the Red a Lviv-based painter, took Nikifor’s paintings to the Leon Marseille gallery. Since then, Nikifor Army were also deported after the war has been recognized as one of the greatest “naïve” painters in the world. ended. This is all official data recognized The exact number of Nikifor’s works is unknown. He painted day and night, and according by the Soviet Union’s parliament back in to his own estimates, painted nearly 30,000 canvases by the end of his life. Ukraine has very 1989. few of his paintings. Some are exhibited at the National Museum in Lviv, and some are in pri- Currently, Haytarma is only playing in vate collections. Nikifor lived all his life in a Polish resort town, Krynica. It is now home to the one movie theatre in the coun- Nikifor Museum, which has the largest collection of his works in try, the one in Simferopol. Large the world. Part of this collection will be brought to Kyiv. distributors in Kyiv have refused Nikifor lost his parents at an early age. He was almost illiter- to play it because of the low box- ate, but worked on what he was talented at – watercolour and office receipts generated by such graphic art. Art experts describe his works as sophisticated and in- films. Even the movie theatre in novative, even though painted with the cheapest paints on scrap Simferopol where the premiere paper. The artist lived in poverty and could not afford better mate- was scheduled, tried to cancel in rials. Most of the symbols and messages in his paintings have yet the last minute. And while the to be deciphered. Nikifor believed that creative work, including his film is expecting its debut on na- own, was a sacred mission, thus an artist was someone chosen by tion-wide big screens, pro-gov- God, sometimes even equal to the apostles. His given name, Epi- ernment politicians are asking faniusz, translates from Greek as “revealed”. His paintings are the State Film Agency, which cer- transcendental – a transmission rather than verbal expression. Re- tified Haytarma for distribution, ligious motifs, coupled with naïve realism as his painting tech- whether it could fuel ethnic ani- nique, leave the impression of an existential grotesque. Nikifor’s mosity. style was continued in a more superficial form by the Polish avant- th

he exhibition is open through June 30 he exhibition is open through garde painters of the late 20 century. T

8-9 June, 2 p.m. Until 11 June 13 June, 7 p.m. 13 - 16 June, 7.30 p.m. Restoration of Memory IL DIVO Alfa Jazz Fest 2013 Dream Museum Ukrayina Palace of Arts Khmelnytsky Park, Ploshcha (55, vul. Chyhorina, Kyiv) (105, vul. Velyka Vasylkivska, Rynok, Ploshcha Palatsu The project, which is part of the Kyiv) Pototskykh Visions international festival of Listed as one of the most acclaimed (downtown Lviv) visual culture, features photographs international operatic pop-project, Il The Lviv summer festival season of Kyiv from the 1970s and 1980s Divo is a quartet made up of Spanish continues with the grand Alfa Jazz and videos made in the same places baritone Carlos Marin, Swiss tenor Fest 2013 festival. For three days, Lviv and same angles today. Thanks Urs Buhler, French singer Sébastien will vibrate with jazz, played on three to the artists who worked on this Izambard and American tenor David open-air stages in the downtown project, Oleksandr Ranchukov and Miller. This will be the first time that Il part of the city. Headliners include Igor Belsky, the audience can travel Divo will be performing in Ukraine with American vocalist, conductor and in time from the places where they its The Greatest Hits show. Their debut ten-time Grammy award winner Bobby live in today, to the same places in album was released in 2004 and made McFerrin; Israeli jazz bassist Avishai old Kyiv. Twenty vintage images of No 1 on many national charts almost Cohen; one of the most popular jazz the old city and twenty multimedia overnight. Since that breakthrough, musicians of our time, Charlie Haden, videos – will we recognize the places the quartet has recorded seven more and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band with depicted in the albums that its fiery cocktail of photos? The were equally funk, bebop and gallery is open successful. So far, traditional New from 2 to 8 p.m. they have sold Orleans jazz. Also on Wed., Thu., more than 26 on the agenda are and Fri., and million albums experiments from from 1 to 5 p.m. worldwide. Il virtuoso musicians, on the weekend. Divo sings in wild improvisations Spanish, English, and the flavour Italian, French of Lviv chocolate and Latin. and coffee in the breaks. № 10 (52) june 2013|the ukrainian week|33 Culture & Arts|Reviews Trapped in Red

he Pinchuk Art Centre is opening a new revolution”. Ukrainians shared a similar ex- The first thing that comes to mind is an exhibition called China China created by perience in their homeland. Today, the instal- overthrown dictatorship. But the sculptor, Ta group of Chinese artists specifically for lations by eleven Chinese artists of different Zhao Zhao, says that this is the self-portrait this space. The Communist Party of China generations reflect the parallels between of an artist, helpless in a confrontation spent a decade in the 1960s and 1970s instill- Ukraine and China, the impact of the cultural with the government. Ai Weiwei’s Rooted ing its ideology in society, and physically de- traumas of the past on the present, and the Out and Fairytale installations depict bro- stroying the resisting intelligentsia. The cam- doubt-ridden choice of the future. ken ideas and senses. The opposition artist paign, which resulted in the death of at least The exhibition begins outside the art brought 32 tree trunks from various prov- 1 million people, was later called the “cultural centre with a broken statue of an officer. inces of China as an incarnation of a population deprived of its historical and cultural traditions. The photo portraits surrounding the installation speak about the illusions of our time. As part of his artistic experiment, Ai Weiwei brought a thousand of his com- patriots to live in a fairytale castle in Ger- many. After two weeks, they realized that the European fairytale is alien to them. Thus, yet another dream has died. Ai Wei- wei’s installations virtually scream the tragedy of crushed identity. Some artists search for a solution to this. Yang Fudong seeks cultural tradition through his video version of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, who did not wish to tolerate the insolence of their rulers and fled to a bamboo forest. There, they gained freedom of speech, but realized that they no longer needed it. Zhang Huan reconsiders relations between governments and traditional religion through a series of portraits of Communist leaders, made of the ashes of incense burned in shrines. Each project in the China China exhibition shows a truly humane story of the act of creation. The Ukrainian audience will find this show very familiar: the historical trap that both nations found themselves at one time makes their dialogue possible today.

The Earth

kean Elzy has released a new al- quality of sound and arrange- bum. The record is of great qual- ments is impeccable. Oity although many OE fans say It is hard to say how long the that it has too much pop music in it. hits from this album will survive – After its many transformations, party- only time will tell. The first two, ing with old musicians and new ones Z neyu (With Her) and Stina (The joining in, OE has grown into a good Wall) are a great start. Nezalezhnist professional band. It has lost the na- (Independence) sounds almost identi- ïve romantic mood it had nineteen cal to Queen’s early ballads. Actually, years back when it first came to- almost every song borrows something gether and started to perform. from the classics – the Rolling Stones, Zemlia or The Earth does have the Beatles… and early Okean Elzy, of some flaws that can be faulted. course. But OE’s new songs are better Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, lead singer and song- than the old ones they are similar to. The writer, uses an irritating English accent in the new songs way the album ends with subtle semi- songs sung in Ukrainian. By now, he could do not sound so similar to the tones and semiaccents reveals mature have evolved into a better lyricist and old ones. Still, the record has preserved the and experienced musicians who have good learned a few new keys to sing in so that band’s good old rock’n’roll spirit. And the taste. 34|the ukrainian week|№ 10 (52) june 2013

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