INSIDE: l UCCA, UWC seek volunteer election observers – page 3 l Nova credit union distributes COVID-relief grants – page 5 l Vasyl Makhno wins inaugural Encounter prize – page 9 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXXVIII No. 40 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2020 $2.00 Kyiv police investigate Ukraine prepares for nationwide local elections deadly attack on worker from U.S. Embassy RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service KYIV – Police in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, have launched an investigation into a deadly attack on a U.S. Embassy worker. Police said in a statement on October 1 that a woman was found unconscious the previous day with a head wound in a park near a railway line in Kyiv’s Shevchenko district. The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was rushed to hospital, were she died hours later, the statement says, adding that documents found in the woman’s purse revealed that she was a worker for the U.S. Embassy. The statement also provided details describing a possible assailant. “[The attacker] may be a man of 30-40 years of age, 1.9-2.0 meters high, in black shorts, dark-blue Maxim Polishchuk/UNIAN sports shoes and a T-shirt, with dark hair,” the state- A billboard in Kyiv for a candidate from the Holos party, Serhiy Prytula, reads: “I live here.” ment said. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said on Twitter on by Roman Tymotsko and city councils, deputies to raion councils, and deputies September 30 that the victim of the attack was an to 22 oblast councils. American citizen. KYIV – On September 5, Ukraine officially entered the Due to the temporary occupation of Crimea and some “We are heartbroken to report the death of an electoral period during which candidates and parties are districts of the Donbas region, no elections will be held in American member of the U.S. Embassy Kyiv commu- allowed to campaign. Fifty days later, on October 25, local the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevasto pol, and the nity. Officials from U.S. Embassy Kyiv are currently elections will take place across the country. For the first temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. working with authorities to determine the circum- time, voters will choose leaders of united territorial com- The local elections of 2020 will be historic because of stances of the death,” said the statement, which also munities, a new form of the administrative cell created by many firsts. Decentraliza tion, gender quotas and budget appeared on the Embassy’s Facebook page. decentralization reform. As in previous local elections, Ukrainians will also elect deputies to village, settlement (Continued on page 4) A groundbreaking collaboration between Ukraine and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine Initiative funded by $250 M from Temerty Foundation University of Toronto TORONTO – An unprecedented $250 million gift from the Temerty Foundation to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine announced on September 24 marks an exciting new era in a long and distinguished history of leadership, discovery and collaboration at the university. For more than a century, U of T Medicine, along with its partner hospitals, has led the world in advancing human health and health care, from the discovery of insulin and stem cells to developing the first pacemaker and identify- ing the genes responsible for early-onset Alzheimer’s. Today, the faculty is ranked No. 1 in Canada and among the best globally in cutting-edge research and innovation. In addition to a new Center for AI Research and Education in Medicine, new funding for research and col- laboration across hospital partners and an iconic new medical building in downtown Toronto, U of T’s newly named Temerty Faculty of Medicine will establish the Education and Research Fund for Collaborations with Johnny Guatto Ukraine. The fund will support visiting fellows, professors, At the University of Toronto when the Temerty Foundation announced its gift of $250 million to the university’s scholars and students from Ukraine and encourage Faculty of Medicine are: (back row, from left) Hira Raheel, Trevor Young, Rose Patten, David Palmer, (front row) Mike Lord, Leah Temerty-Lord, Meric Gertler, Jim Temerty and Louise Temerty. (Continued on page 9) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2020 No. 40 ANALYSIS Ukraine’s new National Security Strategy: Military plane crash in Ukraine kills 26 More than 4,000 COVID cases in one day Twenty six people including air force Ukraine has registered more than 4,000 Wide scope, foggy implementation mechanisms cadets were killed when a military trans- new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours port plane crashed in eastern Ukraine on – the highest number registered in a day conflict “to ensure Ukraine’s national inter- by Ihor Kabanenko the evening of September 25, the military since the pandemic broke out in mid- ests, in particular, the cessation of Russian Eurasia Daily Monitor said. The Antonov An-26 aircraft carrying March. Health Minister Maksym Stepanov aggression, the full restoration of territorial 27 crew and cadets crashed during landing told reporters in Kyiv on September 30 that On September 14, Ukrainian President integrity, as well as the protection of the in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the of the 4,027 individuals who tested positive Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the coun- rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of Ukrainian Air Force said. Officials later said try’s new National Security Strategy, titled Ukrainian citizens and business entities. for the coronavirus, 276 are children and a pilot of the plane reported an engine “Human Security – the State’s Security” Ukraine will negotiate with the Russian 171 are medical personnel. According to (“Bezpeka Lyudyny – Bezpeka Krayiny”) Federation through the mediation of part- problem just before landing. Two men Mr. Stepanov, 733 individuals were hospi- (President.gov.ua, September 14). Generally ners from a number of EU and NATO mem- managed to survive the crash, and were talized. As of September 30, the total num- speaking, the document represents a broad ber states, as well as the OSCE [Organization hospitalized. Officials later said one had ber of coronavirus cases registered in view of national security concerns – encom- for Security and Cooperation in Europe]” died. The military said most of the dead Ukraine is 202,959, including 4,129 deaths. passing everything from responses to cli- (President.gov.ua, September 14). were cadets at the Kharkiv National Air (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) Force University. Video posted by Deputy mate change, demography and the COVID- At the same time, the document does not Zelenskyy fires Fokin from TCG delegation 19 pandemic, to hybrid warfare, military and clarify what to do in case the enemy openly Minister of Internal Affairs Anton cybersecurity. At the same time, however, it attacks Ukraine. Effective military security Gerashchenko on Facebook showed the Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelen skyy entirely omits a number of real internal must arguably be based not solely on deter- plane in flames lying near a road. An inves- has dismissed Vitold Fokin from his post as threats such as oligarchic political control, rence potential – including combat-capable tigation has started into what caused the deputy head of Ukraine’s delegation to the pro-Russian political forces and media, anti- armed forces, prepared and motivated mili- crash. “A state commission is set up to find Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), which reformist factions and corrupt government tary reserve and effective territorial defense out all the circumstances and causes of this encompasses Ukraine, Russia and the officials (Euromaidan Press, September 18). units, combined with the capabilities of catastrophe,” President Volodymyr Organization for Security and Cooperation in The strategy resolutely proclaims that other security and defense sector bodies. It Zelenskyy said in a statement. (RFE/RL, Europe (OSCE), the Office of the President Ukraine seeks peace, which it defines as key must additionally be based on an overall RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) reported on September 30. A day earlier, to the development of both the state and the readiness to fight an invading enemy, with a Zelenskyy declares day of mourning speaking at a committee hearing in the individual; and it identifies life and health, well-trained ability to defeat the encroach- Verkhovna Rada, Mr. Fokin claimed, “I have honor and dignity, as well as immunity and ing foreign forces and prevent their advance Ukrainian President Volodymyr not yet seen any confirmation, that there is a security as the highest social values that deep into the defending state’s territory. Zelenskyy declared September 26 to be a war there between Ukraine and Russia.” must be pursued. Ukraine’s prioritized It should be noted that Ukraine’s laws day of mourning for the crash victims and Following Mr. Fokin’s statements, the parlia- national interests are listed as upholding “About the Armed Forces of Ukraine” and ordered that flights of all Antonov-26 mentary committee at which he spoke independence and state sovereignty; restor- “On Peculiarities of State Policy on Ensuring planes be halted pending investigation into adopted a motion asking President ing peace, territorial integrity and state sov- State Sovereignty of Ukraine in the the cause of the crash that occurred on the Zelenskyy to dismiss Mr. Fokin from the TCG. ereignty in the temporarily occupied terri- Temporarily Occupied Territories of Donetsk evening of September 25 in the Kharkiv President Zelenskyy had appointed the tories; social development, especially the and Luhansk regions” (Zakon.rada.gov.ua, region. Mr. Zelenskyy visited the crash area 87-year-old Mr. Fokin, a former prime minis- development of human capital; and the pro- January 2, March 27), as well as NATO (Nato.