INSIDE:  Ukrainian Australian photographer wins Pulitzer – page 3  Ukrainian MPs bring message of determination to D.C. – page 4  Dnipropetrovsk Dnipro advances to UEFA Europa fi nal – page 9

ThePublished U by thekrainian Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationeekly Vol. LXXXIII No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 $2.00 ANALYSIS: Donetsk and Luhansk propose Crimean Tatars of Ukraine mark amendments to Ukraine’s Constitution 71st anniversary of deportations by Vladimir Socor the Minsk II agreement’s letter, attempting Eurasia Daily Monitor to usurp the Ukrainian state’s competen- cies on foreign policy and defense. The On May 12, the Russian-controlled Russian side, however, will undoubtedly try Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” to justify this demand by invoking the goal (DPR and LPR) jointly presented their pro- of “decentralizing” Ukraine. The Minsk posals for changing Ukraine’s Constitution. agreement and subsequent documents Their documents avoid using the terms envisage decentralization as part of “DPR” and “LPR,” even as they rapidly con- Ukraine’s constitutional reforms, above solidate their state structures and armies and beyond the special status for Donetsk- under Russia’s protec- Luhansk. tion. Russia will While Ukraine is From that position drafting a decentraliza- of strength they have undoubtedly use tion policy of its own as a now forwarded their the Minsk process sovereign matter, unre- proposed amendments lated to the Minsk pro- to the Verkhovna to insert itself and cess, the Russian side Rada’s constitutional the Donetsk and interprets “decentraliza- reform commission Luhansk “people’s tion” as potentially and to the participants involving Ukraine’s fed- in the Minsk Contact republics” into eralization, confederal- Group (Donetskoye Ukraine’s debates ization, or even some Agentstvo Novostey, “common political LuganskInformTsentr, on decentralization. space” – none of them Sergey Nuzhnenko/UNIAN May 12, 13). defined as yet. The com- Participants at the rally of mourning held on May 18 on Kyiv’s Independence Square The Minsk II armistice agreement of ponents of such a construct, Moscow looks to mark the 71st anniversary of Stalin’s deportation of the Crimean Tatar people. February 12 had opened the way for this set to argue, should be entitled to blocking move. The launch of the Contact Group’s powers on whatever remains of the central RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service Am A Crimean Tatar,” in Holosiyivskiy Park Working Groups on May 6 and 12, at government’s prerogatives. Russia will in Kyiv on May 18 to remember the depor- Russian and German conjoint insistence undoubtedly use the Minsk process to KYIV – Crimean Tatars in Ukraine marked tation victims. The commemoration was (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, May 15), ensures insert itself and Donetsk-Luhansk into the 71st anniversary of the mass deporta- organized by Crimean Tatar activists and a forum for discussing the DPR-LPR’s Ukraine’s debates on decentralization. tion ordered by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, the Institute for Civil Society and amendments to Ukraine’s Constitution, as Donetsk and Luhansk propose supple- which displaced around 200,000 people Democracy Development. long as the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv declines menting the Constitution of Ukraine with a and cost tens of thousands of lives. to consider them. new section on “certain areas with a spe- Organizers held a special event, called “I (Continued on page 15) Officially, the “Minsk process” is sup- cial status.” The Minsk agreements envis- posed to define some “special status” for age a “special status for certain areas of the those territories by negotiations between Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts,” meaning Kyiv and Donetsk-Luhansk. Unofficially, explicitly the DPR/LPR-controlled areas. however, it was predictable all along that The amendments just presented, however, Moscow and its main Western European are no longer limited to (parts of) the IT lawyer leaves Cabinet, partners would use this process to build Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, nor tied to constitutional obstacles against Ukraine’s any particular territory. This elastic re- citing lack of strategy Euro-Atlantic and European aspirations. wording seems designed for potential Indeed, Donetsk and Luhansk propose a application to other Ukrainian oblasts also. by Zenon Zawada constitutional amendment to stipulate Any such special status would apply “with- KYIV – An unprecedented wave of pro- both nonalignment and neutrality at the out time limitations.” fessionals from the corporate sector joined same time: “Ukraine does not join military Under the proposed amendments, the the Ukrainian government following the blocs or alliances, maintains neutrality, Donetsk and Luhansk entities reserve the Euro-Maidan, some of whom have been [and] refrains from participating in military right to unite into a single territorial entity, activities beyond its territory.” hailed as top reformers. Among them is under a common administrative structure Economic Development and Trade Minister That would rule out even mere prepara- of their own. Aivaras Abromavicius, a lifelong investment tions for joining the North Atlantic Treaty Any “areas with a special status” would banker who trimmed his ministry by a Organization (NATO) in the future (e.g., a negotiate with Ukraine’s central govern- third and is pursuing harsh deregulation. Ukrainian membership action plan or ment to conclude agreements about the Yet his first vice-minister, Sasha Borovik, some equivalent programs), would pre- delimitation of their respective competen- didn’t think he and other ministers were clude Ukraine’s participation in NATO-led cies. These areas would be deemed “inalien- doing enough. The Lviv-born lawyer for top peacekeeping missions or military exercis- able component parts of Ukraine.” As such, IT companies, who has lived extensively in es abroad, and make it difficult if not the government shall guarantee an (as yet the U.S., announced on May 13 that he was impossible for Ukraine to contribute to the unspecified) quota of financial transfers leaving the Economy Ministry, citing a lack European Union’s common security and from the annual state budget, for the socio- of strategy in the government and the need defense policies. economic development of these territories. for deeper reforms. He also cited a lack of Such restrictions have nothing to do To that end, the authorities of special-status consensus among employees and inertia. Facebook/Sasha Borovik with a “special status” for Donetsk-Luhansk Sasha Borovik, who has resigned as self-government. They clearly go beyond (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page 8) Ukraine’s first vice-minister of the economy. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21

ANALYSIS

Ukraine’s Information Ministry: $1 B loan guarantee signed to any write-down on the principal owed. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Reuters KYIV – The United States and Ukraine on and Agence-France-Presse) underfunded or misconceived? May 18 signed a $1 billion loan guarantee agreement in Kyiv, paving the way for a loan Russia demands repayment of debts by Oleksandr Gavrylyuk (Mip.gov.ua, March 17, 18) to be completed guarantee that will make it more affordable Eurasia Daily Monitor by May, which would be followed by public discussions until September, when it may for the government of Ukraine to borrow MOSCOW – Russia has demanded that Informational warfare has been a critical be finally approved by the legislature. money from international capital markets. Ukraine repays all debts on time and part of Russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine. Compared to the Ukrainian government’s A loan guarantee under this agreement will accused Kyiv of effectively setting the stage for default with a new law. It threatened to As Russian military reporter and veteran of slow process in conceiving new ideas with help the Government of Ukraine continue take the issue to international courts if nec- Russia’s two wars in Chechnya, Arkadiy which to confront Russian information war- critical spending to protect and provide for essary. The law, approved by Ukraine’s Babchenko, argues, “I believe this [the fare, Ukraine’s volunteer sector has long ago the most vulnerable Ukrainians as it contin- Parliament on May 19, gives the govern- ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war] is the first taken the initiative, just like in the case of ues to implement its ambitious program of ment the right to miss payments to its war in the entire history triggered solely by the shooting war. Even the Information economic reforms. Today’s agreement dem- international creditors as it negotiates the Goebbels-style propaganda. Had it not Ministry’s website has been designed and onstrates the United States’ ongoing dedica- terms for restructuring $23 billion worth of been for Russian TV, this war would never hosted entirely by unpaid volunteers tion and support to Ukraine. A press release foreign debt. Russia holds a $3 billion have happened” (Openrussia.org, April 15). (Slovoidilo.ua, March 16). Tapping into the noted: “The United States remains commit- Faced by such a formidable challenge, the Ukrainian Eurobond whose full repayment wide pool of ready volunteers and the entire ted to working together with international Ukrainian government’s solution to the nation’s patriotic sentiments, Mr. Stets’ is due by the end of the year. President partners to ensure Ukraine has the support problem – the formation of a Cabinet-level agency launched the so-called Ukrainian Vladimir Putin on May 20 told a meeting it needs as it continues to move forward Information Ministry – fails both in form Information Army (I-army.org), a volunteer with government ministers he found the with reforms to restore economic stability and in fact. force of Internet commentators tasked with new law “strange.” He said, “To effectively and lay the groundwork for the full realiza- On December 2, 2014, many months spreading government-approved content announce an impending default shows a tion of Ukraine’s economic potential. We since the start of Russian aggression and and combating Russian trolls. poor level of professional responsibility, all welcome the significant steps Ukraine has after many years of tolerating Russian pro- Though lacking funds, Minister Stets also things considered,” noting that the taken in recent weeks to advance its reform paganda in the Ukrainian media space, announced plans to found Ukraine International Monetary Fund does not lend agenda in line with its new IMF program. If Ukraine’s Parliament gave the green light Tomorrow, a worldwide TV channel to to countries in default. (RFE/RL, based on Ukraine continues making concrete prog- to the formation of the Ministry of “counter Russia’s formidable propaganda reporting by Reuters and Interfax) Information Politics. The new ministry will machine” (Mip.gov.ua, March 16; Deutsche ress on its economic reform agenda and “assist communication among state bodies, Welle Russian service, February 22). Yet, conditions warrant, we will also be willing, Militants deny access to OSCE observers create the country’s information strategy the Information Ministry has, until recently, working with Congress, to consider provid- KYIV – Pro-Russian militants of the so- and respond to foreign information been unable to even secure the broadcast- ing up to an additional $1 billion loan guar- called Luhansk People’s Republic have attacks” (Mip.gov.ua, accessed April 17). ing of domestic TV networks over the coun- antee in late 2015, for a total potential loan The vote on the new agency – buried try’s entire territory, to let alone the globe. guarantee of up to $2 billion in 2015.” (U.S. denied access to monitors from the within a larger bill – was pushed through Thus, Moscow-backed rebels in Luhansk Embassy Kyiv) Organization on Security and Cooperation the legislature with little public notice and and Donetsk used Ukrainian equipment in Europe (OSCE) to the two-kilometer even less debate, immediately sparking and state funding to transmit Kremlin pro- Step toward debt-payment freeze zone on the border with the Russian criticism. Yuriy Stets, the would-be infor- paganda (Sprotyv.info, December 25, Federation, according to the Presidential mation minister, who had earlier produced KYIV – Ukraine’s cash-starved govern- Administration’s spokesman on issues 2014). Mr. Stets declared only in mid-March ment asked the Verkhovna Rada to approve TV Channel 5 (controlled by President that Ukraine’s TV channels were finally related to the anti-terrorist operation. The Petro Poroshenko) and was the president’s a law granting the Cabinet “the right, if nec- “LPR Cossack” commander in Sverdlovsk again being broadcast to the occupied east- essary, to stop payments to foreign debt close personal friend (Pravda.com.ua, April ern regions thanks to transmitters donated has announced that all border checkpoints 10, 2013), did not even speak before the holders.” In a statement on May 19, the gov- between Ukraine and Russia have been by Poland. He also noted plans to restore ernment said, “In case of an attack by vote – unlike his colleagues. radio broadcasts to Russian-annexed transferred to the hands of the LPR mem- unscrupulous creditors on Ukraine, this Mr. Stets made public the new ministry’s Crimea (Radiosvoboda.org, March 21). bers, while the freedom of movement for moratorium will protect state assets and regulations only a day after the vote. He Creating one more TV channel – like the observers will be limited to the territo- the state sector.” The law was passed that said his ministry’s activities will be Ukraine Tomorrow – would be useless, ries 15 kilometers away from the border, same day. The move comes as Kyiv is trying informed by the experience of Great Britain believes Iaroslav Kovalchuk, from the Kyiv- said Col. Oleksandr Motuzyanyk during a and France after World War I, as well as based International Center for Policy to reach a deal with creditors by next press briefing on May 16. He reported that that of Israel. According to him, the minis- Studies (Apostrophe.com.ua, March 11). month that would save it $15.3 billion over Russia-backed militants continued to use try was going to “develop and implement Critically, it would compete with pre-exist- the coming four years and avoid default. A heavy arms banned by the Minsk agree- professional standards in the media ing UTR Worldwide Service and Ukraine successful agreement would guarantee the ments. Most ceasefire violations occurred sphere,” “ensure freedom of speech” and Today, English-language channels launched release of the next installment of a $17.5 in the area of the Donetsk airport and in the prevent personal harm caused by “incom- by Ukraine’s state-run broadcasting compa- billion International Monetary Fund loan. outskirts of Horlivka, as well as in the areas plete, outdated or unreal information” (Kyiv ny and Igor Kolomoisky’s 1+1 Media group, But the talks have soured over the past Post, December 4, 2014). respectively (Deutsche Welle Russian ser- week, as bondholders repeated objections (Continued on page 12) However, journalists and watchdog vice, February 27). groups broadly consider the new ministry an Grygoriy Shverk, the deputy chairman of ill-conceived idea, fearing it will try to regu- Ukraine’s National TV and Radio Council, late the media, restrict free speech and inhib- estimates the new TV channel would cost it reporters’ work (Kyiv Post, December 4, he krainian eekly FOUNDED 1933 $5 million to $10 million a year in just main- T U W 2014). Many also believe the information tenance fees, compared to the Information ministry will be a waste of money. “The An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., country is now collecting money for bullet- Ministry’s entire annual budget of $180,000 a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. proof vests, but we found [state] money for and would be trying to compete with the Yearly subscription rate: $90; for UNA members — $80. billions of dollars Russia pumps into its TV the ministry,” complained Nastya Stanko, Periodicals postage paid at Caldwell, NJ 07006 and additional mailing offices. from Hromadske TV (Facebook.com/ propaganda effort each year (Apostrophe. (ISSN — 0273-9348) nastya.stanko, accessed April 17). com.ua, March 11). Whereas Oksana Romaniuk, the director of the Kyiv-based The Weekly: UNA: Mr. Stets assured that his ministry was Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 going to use 4 million hrv (about $180,000) media watchdog Institute of Mass Information and Ukraine’s representative out of 2015 budget funds for salaries for its Postmaster, send address changes to: 30 officials and to rely on foreign donors or for Reporters Without Borders, criticizes the Ukrainian government’s unproductive, The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz grant money for other expenses (Pravda. 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas com.ua, February 17, 2015; December 3, symmetric attempts at “battling propagan- da with propaganda” (Deutsche Welle P.O. Box 280 2014). But when commenting on his first Parsippany, NJ 07054 e-mail: [email protected] 100 days in office, the minister complained Russian service, February 27). “There is no place for creativity in the present-day that he had not been able to accomplish The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com anything, as he had no access to state funds bureaucratic machine,” Mr. Kovalchuk main- (Zik.ua, February 22). According to Mr. tains, arguing that the state should have The Ukrainian Weekly, May 24, 2015, No. 21, Vol. LXXXIII Stets, his agency has been working on instead backed existing private ventures. Copyright © 2015 The Ukrainian Weekly drafting a Concept of Information Security Even anonymous officials from the pres- idential administration asserted that “the way to fight Russian propaganda is with Correction honesty and transparency, not trying to ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA In the story “Chicago museum exhibits beat Russia at its own game” (Mashable. Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 works of Australian artists from Ukraine” com, December 2, 2014). and advertising manager fax: (973) 644-9510 (May 17), the last name of Australia’s According to Ms. Romaniuk, Ukraine e-mail: [email protected] Prime Minister Tony Abbott was mis- should do more to “integrate Ukraine into Subscription Department (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 spelled as Abbot. The error has been cor- e-mail: [email protected] rected in our online edition. (Continued on page 16) No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 3 NEWS ANALYSIS: Dubious outcomes of Kerry’s meeting with Putin in Sochi

by Pavel K. Baev swore a commitment to implementing the NATO takes this threat seriously, and pour out of the country. And the elliptical Eurasia Daily Monitor Minsk II agreements, they knew perfectly Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg detailed talks about a possible lifting of some sanc- well that the deal could not be implemented the alliance’s efforts at building collective tions fail to induce any improvement in the Russia is slowly recovering from this in its key parameters and that the ceasefire deterrence to Russian aggression. investment climate (Rbc.ru, May 15). month’s (May 9) celebrations of the Soviet was non-existent (Carnegie.ru, May 12). Furthermore, he emphasized the risks of Mr. Putin may not be aware that the Union’s victory over Nazi Germany 70 years From Sochi, Mr. Kerry traveled a short militarization of the illegally occupied industrial behemoth Uralvagonzavod – the ago, but remains reluctant to take stock of distance to Antalya, Turkey, for a ministeri- Crimea and the irresponsibility of producer of the prototype T-14 tanks and the problems that are looming large over the al session of the North Atlantic Treaty Moscow’s experiments with nuclear weap- T-15 infantry fighting vehicles on the immediate future (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, Organization (NATO). There, he briefed his ons (Ezhednevny Zhurnal, May 14). NATO Armata platform, which were the stars of May 11). The propaganda story is typically allied counterparts on the long discussions also expanded its cooperation with the this year’s Victory Day parade on Red self-serving: Russia has allegedly succeeded he had in Russia, which had yet to yield any European Union aimed at countering the Square – is facing bankruptcy (Gazeta.ru, in re-asserting its major role on the interna- real fruit and left open the key question particular threat of “hybrid wars” – increas- May 15). He must know, however, that tional arena, and the wavering West was so about whether Mr. Putin’s promise to keep ingly Russia’s instrument of choice in Russia’s Proton rocket had yet another fail- impressed with the glorious parade on the the conflict “frozen” can be trusted (Slon.ru, exploiting the presumed weaknesses in ure last week, just days after the failure of Red Square two weeks ago that Russian- May 14). Western unity (Rbc.ru, May 14). the Progress space vehicle to deliver sup- Western dialogue has resumed. Responding to Moscow’s concerns, Mr. Putin’s garrulousness, meanwhile, plies to the International Space Station German Chancellor Angela Merkel did, Secretary Kerry and Chancellor Merkel betrays his apparent uncertainty about (RIA Novosti, May 16). It is possible to indeed, pay a visit to Moscow, but she warned Ukrainian President Petro confronting the West. Some of the most ignore the chains of accidents and to focus showed no doubt: Her words about the Poroshenko against breaking the “pseudo- serious doubts are being raised by Russia’s on good news, like the relative stabilization annexation of Crimea and Russia’s aggres- peace,” but Mr. Poroshenko’s main fear is, in economic performance. Thus, Mr. Putin is of the oil prices and the ruble, but no sion in eastern Ukraine, which she fact, the West failing to provide Ukraine trying to convince every interlocutor that a amount of pep talk can dispel the specter of described as “criminal” and “unlawful,” with any effective support against the recovery is under way (Forbes.ru, May 14). stagnation. were carefully edited out in the official expected Russian summer offensive The government puts out conveniently Russian translation of her speech (Moscow (Newsru.com, May 14). improved statistics, but capital continues to (Continued on page 9) Echo, May 12). The ensuing visit of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to Sochi brought no open disagreements of this kind, but neither did it produce any break- throughs (Novaya Gazeta, May 13). In fact, FOR THE RECORD: U.S. on anniversary of Crimean Tatars’ deportation it remains rather unclear what has trans- pired from his talks. The following press statement was deliv- Those deported by Stalin’s USSR suf- trary detentions, and police raids on their The very fact of Mr. Kerry’s trip remained ered on May 18 by Jeff Rathke, director of the fered unspeakable misery, hunger, death homes and mosques. These brutalities and in doubt until his landing in Sochi (plans for Office of Press Relations at the U.S. and disease on the long journey to the human rights abuses must end. such a visit were canceled several times in Department of State. Urals, Central Asia, and Siberia, which was We join the Crimean Tatars and all the the last two years). And it was not certain followed by decades of persecution and people of Ukraine in commemorating this whether President Vladimir Putin would Today, Crimean Tatars mark the 71st false accusations by Soviet authorities. solemn anniversary, and we remember find a moment for a meeting. In the end he anniversary of the Soviet government’s While their grandparents were forced to those who lost their lives or who suffered did, and their discussion actually lasted forcible deportation of more than 230,000 live in exile and repression, many of their under repression, whether in 1944 or in more than four hours – on top of Secretary Tatars from their homeland. The event has descendants never to return, today’s 2015. We condemn Russia’s illegal attempt Kerry’s earlier four-and-a-half-hour meet- been marked in Crimea every year since Crimean Tatars also face repression and to annex Crimea, which we do not recog- ing with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister the 50th anniversary was commemorated discrimination in Russian-occupied Crimea, nize, and call for an end to Russia’s occupa- Sergei Lavrov (Kommersant, May 12). It is in Symferopol in 1994. This year, however, with no representation and no recourse. tion. We also reaffirm our support for safe to assume that Mr. Putin did most of under Russian occupation, the Tatars have Almost 10,000 Crimean Tatars have been Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integ- the talking. A wide range of issues was been banned from marking the occasion forced to flee their homeland. Those who rity and our deep commitment to the touched upon, but the topic of Ukraine with their traditional memorial demonstra- remain have been subjected to abuses, human rights of all the people of Ukraine, dominated. And while both sides solemnly tion. including interrogations, beatings, arbi- including those in Crimea.

Ukrainian Australian wins Pulitzer for photography during Ebola crisis PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Daniel Berehulak, a while he traveled as a college volleyball ened for her support of Ukraine. Mr. freelance Australian photographer and player. After college, following the death of Ponomarev, a Russian national, was on photojournalist, was awarded the Pulitzer his sister when she was 23, he seriously Independence Square since late 2013, liv- Prize on April 20 for his feature photogra- pursued a career as a photographer, ing in tents or in hotel rooms, within ear- phy work on the Ebola breakout in West shooting sporting events for a man who shot of the protest that ousted former Africa for The New York Times. ran his business from his garage. president Viktor Yanukovych. Mr. Sinai, an “This award makes me think of all the Continuing in sports photography, in Israeli, captured a photo of militant leader people that shared their lives with me so 2002 Mr. Berehulak began freelance work Pavel Gubaryev, as he attempted to pass that I was able to document this ghastly for Getty Images in Sydney, and in 2005- himself off as a serious leader, following and horrible virus,” Mr. Berehulak told 2009 he worked from London as a staff the forceful take-over of the Donetsk The New York Times. “It preys on our photographer for Getty. After London, he administration buildings. humanity – on everything that makes us moved to New Delhi, where he worked for On May 5, Mr. Berehulak reported for human. People can’t hold their loved ones Getty providing coverage of the Indian The Times from Nepal and his photographs in their last dying moments because that’s subcontinent, focusing on the social and from the areas devastated by the recent when the virus is the most potent.” political instability of Pakistan and its earthquakes have been seen worldwide. From doctors to gravediggers, Mr. neighbors. Mr. Berehulak stated: “I met the sol- Berehulak captured images of those on “You need to spend time and treat peo- diers when I arrived here by helicopter the front lines of the disease for 67 ple you photograph with the utmost Tuesday, having hitched a tide from straight days before taking a break. To respect and show them in the most digni- Pokhkara with the Indian military on one cover the story, Mr. Berehulak had to take fied way possible,” Mr. Berehulak of its aid runs. The only other way to get extreme precautions, often encasing him- Facebook/Daniel Berehulak explained to The Times. “Everyone is to Barpak, 100 miles northwest of the self from head to toe in protective gear, Daniel Berehulak human and I don’t see any hierarchy. capital, Kathmandu, is to hike for six while confronting extreme physical and That’s a fundamental part of portraying hours up a narrow mountain trail popular emotional hardships. tries, including Iraq, India, Japan and people and people’s lives.” among visiting trekkers, but now ren- “Covering the spread and devastating Ukraine. He was a 2011 Pulitzer Prize Other Pulitzer Prize finalists (for break- dered mostly inaccessible by fallen rocks impact of the Ebola virus in West Africa is finalist for his coverage of the 2010 floods ing news photography) included docu- and made more dangerous by persistent by far the most challenging and important in Pakistan, and his work has been award- mentary photographer Mauricio Lima, aftershocks. I quickly learned how to tell assignment of my career,” he told The ed three World Press Photo awards, the and freelance photographers Sergey when a new tremor was coming: All of the Times. “It was not war in the conventional John Faber award from the Overseas Press Ponomarev and Uriel Sinai, for their cov- dogs in the village started barking. Then sense, it was not a conflict that was wholly Club, and last year, Pictures of the Year erage of the events in Ukraine since the the earth shook.” visible. But it was in so many ways a battle International named him the Freelance/ Euro-Maidan protests for The New York Examples of Mr. Berehulak’s work in that captivated and frightened the world. Agency Photographer of the Year. Times. (http://www.pulitzer.org/2015_ Nepal can be viewed at http://www. And I would be lying to say I was not also Growing up in a Ukrainian household breaking_news_photography_finalist_1). nytimes.com/interactive/2015/world/ afraid at times.” to post-second world war immigrant par- Mr. Lima, a Brazilian, was responsible asia/nepal-earthquake-photos.html, and Mr. Berehulak, 39, a native of Sydney, ents, Mr. Berehulak worked on the family for taking a photo of Irina Dovgan, a beau- more information about his Pulitzer Prize Australia who is based in Barcelona and farm and at his father’s refrigeration com- ty salon manager in Donetsk, who was can be found at www.pulitzer.org/ New Delhi, has visited more than 60 coun- pany. He honed his photography skills being publicly shamed and her life threat- citation/2015-Feature-Photography. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21 New Ukrainian MPs bring message of determination to D.C.

by Borys Potapenko In Congress, meetings were held with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), member of W aSHINGTON – Four first-time the Committee on Appropriations and Ukrainian national deputies from the civil Committee on Foreign Relations; Rep. Dana society movement and the Euro-Maidan Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), member of the Revolution of Dignity, joined by officials House Committee on Foreign Affairs and from Ukrainian government agencies and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, think tanks, brought their message of Eurasia and Emerging Threats; Rep. Rodney determination and hope to the Obama Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), member of the administration, Congress, and academic House Appropriations Committee and and research centers in the U.S. capital dur- chairman of the House Defense ing the week of April 21. Appropriations Subcommittee; and Rep. The delegation included National Danny Davis (D-Ill.), senior member of the Deputies Victor Galasiuk, chair of the Committee on Ways and Means. Committee on Industrial Policy and Among the most substantive and produc- Entrepreneurship and co-chair of the USA- tive meetings were separate extended ses- Ukraine Inter-Parliamentary Group; Ivanna sions with senior professional staff of the Klympush-Tsintsadze, vice-chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Committee on Foreign Relations; Oleksiy Senate Ukraine Caucus and the Commission Skrypnyk, vice-chair of the Committee on on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Science and Education; and Oleksandr Briefings were conducted at the Atlantic At a meeting with former Sen. Richard Lugar (from left) are: Taras Oliinyk, Oleksiy Dubinin, chair of the Subcommittee on Council, hosted by John Herbst, former U.S. Gridin, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the former senator, Oleksiy Skrypnyk, Mykola Industrial and Investment Policy of the Ambassador to Ukraine and current direc- Hryckowian, Anatoli Pinchuk and Borys Potapenko. Committee on Industrial Policy and tor of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center; Entrepreneurship. American Foreign Policy Council, hosted by Washington. Support was provided also by in need of military equipment, such as Also part of the delegation were: Taras President Herman Pirchner Jr.; Jamestown the Illinois Division of the Ukrainian advanced systems like the Javelin anti-tank Oliinyk, first deputy head of the State Foundation, hosted by President Glen Congress Committee of America and the shoulder-fired missiles. However, the Agency for E-Governance in Ukraine; Howard; National Democratic Institute Organization for the Defense of Four troops also need basics, such as bullets for Oleksiy Gridin, advisor to the Minister of (NDI), hosted by President Kenneth Freedoms for Ukraine (ODFFU), and facili- their Soviet-era rifles and shells for artil- Defense; Maj. Yuriy Moshkavets (ret.), Wollack; and the Woodrow Wilson tated by Mykola Hryckowian, Washington lery, as well as training. Senior professional director of the Center for Military Reform; International Center for Scholars, hosted by bureau director of the CUSUR and AHCU congressional staffers who recently trav- and Anatoli Pinchuk, president of Ukraine Kennan Institute Chairman Matthew Executive Committee chair, and Borys eled to the war zone confirmed that they Strategy, a Kyiv-based think tank. Rojansky and attended by prominent Potapenko of the AHCU and ODFFU. witnessed how Ukrainian troops are in The national deputies represent three friends of Ukraine, including two former The new Ukrainian legislators came to short supply of all forms of ammunition. new political parties in Parliament: ambassadors to Ukraine, William Miller Washington determined to convince mem- Nonetheless, observers say it appears that Poroshenko Bloc, Self-Reliance Party and and Roman Popadiuk. bers of Congress and officials of the admin- the White House is not only reluctant to Radical Party. All three belong to the major- A reception for the delegation was held istration that the situation in the areas of agree to provide modern lethal defensive ity coalition. at the Capital Club, hosted by leading corpo- the Donbas occupied by the Russian mili- weapons, but that there also may be an Meetings and consultations were held at rations in the LNG industry, including LNG tary is deteriorating rapidly; the Minsk I and unofficial embargo on U.S. allies selling the White House, Senate, House of Alliance. A working dinner at the Cosmos II agreements are being violated on a daily even rifles and bullets to Ukraine. Representatives, Department of State, Club for members of the delegation engaged basis; and a new Russian offensive is immi- As noted by some officials, the adminis- Department of Defense, Department of in defense reform was hosted by Dr. Michael nent. The Ukrainian government has com- tration’s contention that it supports Ukraine Treasury and the World Bank, as well as Pillbury, consultant at the U.S. Department plied with its obligations under the Minsk while standing by as Ukraine’s capacity to with the news media and think tanks. The of Defense and senior fellow at the Hudson agreements, including withdrawal of heavy resist Russia’s military diminishes, is pusil- itinerary took into account not only the Institute. A lunch at the American Foreign artillery and other conditions, including not lanimous in the extreme. Frustration has many friends of Ukraine who support pro- Policy Council with leading libertarian initiating hostile fire, the delegation noted. reached a point where they openly speak of viding additional aid to Ukraine – including political activists was convened by Mr. Nonetheless, 75 Ukrainian service mem- two or three people in the White House who defensive lethal weapons, stronger sanc- Perchner, president of the AFPC. bers have been killed and many more are guiding the president. Rather than con- tions against Russia, and more economic The delegation also met with Richard wounded since the second Minsk agree- tinuing to call for a reversal, some officials and technical assistance – but also those Lugar, former senator, president of the ment was signed two months ago. are now urging a final decision. They con- who are less forthcoming with support. Lugar Center and co-author of the Nunn According to official observers from the tend that even a negative decision is better Meetings with administration officials Lugar Act that paved the way for the elimi- Organization for Security and Cooperation than continuing the canard that a policy on took the delegation to the White House, nation of over 7,000 nuclear warheads in in Europe (OSCE), Russia is not removing providing weapons is still under review. The where the Ukrainian officials met with Dr. the USSR; Ambassador William Miller, its tanks and heavy artillery. Instead, mili- conclusion seems to be that either the Michael Carpenter, special advisor for Wilson Center scholar and former U.S. tary units under the Russian Federation administration policy is simply fatuous or it Europe and Eurasia at the Office of Vice- ambassador to Ukraine, and Ambassador Armed Forces Command continue shelling expects the Ukrainians to stop fighting. In President Joe Biden; the Department of Temuri Yakobashvili, president of the New the positions of the armed forces of sum, Ukrainians are being denied the means State, where they spoke with Eric Rubin, International Leadership Institute and for- Ukraine and are increasing their numbers to defend themselves. deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of mer ambassador of Georgia to the U.S. in military personnel and advanced weap- The delegation responded that Ukraine European and Eurasian Affairs; and the The itinerary was prepared by the ons systems. These attacks are mainly car- will not stop fighting. Even without outside Department of Treasury, where they con- Center for U.S.-Ukrainian Relations ried out with 120mm and 82mm mortars, assistance, they will continue to resist in ferred with Brian O’Toole, senior sanctions (CUSUR) and the Ad Hoc Committee for anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) and by a this existential struggle. Citizens will mobi- policy advisor of the Office of Foreign Ukraine (AHCU), in cooperation and with new automatic grenade launcher – the AGS lize and form a home guard to fight behind Assets Control (OFAC). assistance from the Embassy of Ukraine in 40, stated Maj. Moshkavets, who had enemy lines. The only question is the returned from the front lines the day before amount of casualties on both sides. departing for Washington. Without support from the West, the casual- He added that there are now 720 mod- ties will be higher and the war longer. The ern Russian tanks in the occupied Donbas, 1.2 million internal refugees will multiply as well as 595 armored fighting vehicles, and millions will seek refuge in member 393 multiple-launch rocket systems, 694 countries of the European Union. The mili- artillery systems, 66 air defense systems, tary threat to other countries, especially the two submarines, four OTR-21 Tochka (SS- Baltic states, will increase. According to the 21) short-range tactical ballistic missile national deputies, Russia’s goal is not just systems, eight TOS-1 Byratino 220mm mul- to dismember Ukraine, but to eliminate tiple rocket launcher systems, and 40,940 Ukrainians as a political nation and re- military personnel, consisting of 8,910 sol- establish the “Great Russian” empire. diers of the Russian Federation armed forc- It was noted in the delegation’s meetings es and 32,030 of illegal military formations. that after a year of war waged by a seem- What is more, a Russian joint command ingly invincible army, the Russians have and a system of army corps for Russian occupied Crimea and only a sliver of forces were created between the Luhansk Donbas, while suffering significant losses in and Donetsk regions in Debaltsevo. This men and equipment. A year ago when does not even include the immense concen- Russian troops took over Crimea, Ukraine tration of troops and offensive military practically had no army at all. Today, the equipment massed on the Russian side of national deputies said, Ukraine has built an the border, Maj. Moshkaavets noted. The delegation from Ukraine with Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (center) of New Jersey. The delegation stressed that Ukraine is (Continued on page 5) No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 5 Sen. Durbin briefs Chicago community aft er conference in Berlin by Andriy Matyukha Sen. Durbin added that it is yet to be seen what the reaction of the U.S. government, CHICAGO – Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) as well as the European Union, would be if recently briefed representatives of the the Kremlin crossed the line and moved Ukrainian, Polish and Baltic communities in into a NATO country. However, Sen. Durbin Chicago on his participation in a five-day stated that, in his view, the advancement of international conference held by the Aspen the so-called rebel forces into Mariupol Institute in Berlin. would constitute “crossing the line” – this Six senators and nine House members would clearly be a breach of ceasefire and from the Republican and Democratic par- the Minsk II Protocol would be nullified, ties, alongside members of the Bundestag, therefore, it would require immediate as well as the Ukrainian and Russian delega- action by the United States. tions, contributed to a dialogue on the state Over all, Sen. Durbin emphasized the of affairs of the Minsk II ceasefire protocol. peculiarity of the issues at stake. Despite The Minsk II ceasefire was signed on clear opposition from the West, the impact February 11 with the participation of of the imposed sanctions on Russia’s econo- Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. It was my, the effect of falling oil prices on Russia’s as a response to the failure of the initial revenues, the skyrocketing exchange rate Minsk I protocol agreed upon on September against the U.S. dollar, and the increase in 5, 2014, over the self-proclaimed Donetsk the price of consumer products, polls shows and Luhansk people’s republics’ lines of con- Yuriy George Zaveryukha that President Putin’s popularity in Russia trol that collapsed in January of this year. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) addresses a gathering of Ukrainian, Polish and Baltic com- remains very high. According to Sen. Speaking at the April 9 briefing for the munity members in Chicago. Chicago community, Sen. Durbin said the Durbin, people support the arguments that Minsk II agreement is “nominally in place” (R-Ariz.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Rob Russian Federation, as well as the foreign “Russia has to stand up to the West” and and designed to “stop the killings.” Ukraine’s Portman (R-Ohio), among others, are affairs minister from and the chancellor of that the country “should not continually be Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the actively pushing the White House and are to Germany, Sen. Durbin stated that Angela kicked around.” Consequently, any potential nation’s chief representative at the confer- make a formal request to legislate the provi- Merkel is the foremost leader who is trying negligent step by the West could be consid- ence, underscored that, in spite of the cease- sion of nonlethal defense systems to the to “make the ceasefire work” through diplo- ered a provocation and it could result in fire, “people are still dying” and “many are still Ukrainian government. matic discussions with the Kremlin. Given unforeseen consequences. being displaced within Ukraine due to fear.” Sen. Durbin accentuated the need to their territorial proximity, Sen. Durbin Ultimately, Sen. Durbin underlined that, Sen. Durbin ascertained that Prime deliver this weaponry immediately. An expressed profound skepticism and con- even if the Ukrainian military possessed all Minister Yatsenyuk is deeply concerned arsenal of unmanned drones would signifi- cern regarding the Minsk II ceasefire, as the the defense weaponry it desired, Ukraine’s over the current issue, yet he is hopeful it cantly reduce the risks of losing military Baltic states, Poland and Moldova are defense forces, consciously diminished by will be soon resolved diplomatically with lives while tracing the rebels’ troop move- potential easy targets for Russia. If Russia the regime of Viktor Yanukovych, would not assistance from the West. The senator also ments. Furthermore, a precision missile decides to use its full force, it will over- be able to counter a full-scale attack by stated that after the report titled “What the tracking system would greatly ameliorate whelm the capacity of the Ukrainian mili- Russia. The senator encouraged the commu- United States Must Do,” issued in February the risks to innocent civilians in the Donbas tary, and advance through the entire coun- nity to continue its efforts to promote further by the Atlantic Council, Brookings Institute caught in the crossfire between Russian- try within days, he noted. support of Ukraine by the U.S. government. and the Chicago Council on Foreign backed forces and the Ukrainian army. Considering that Russia’s military is one The meeting was facilitated by the Relations, Democrats, along with Having discussed the ceasefire issue of the strongest in the world and that Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Republicans, such as Sens. John McCain with ambassadors from Ukraine and the President Vladimir Putin is unpredictable, Illinois Division.

Ukrainian army troops in the near future. International Monetary Fund requirements, important measure of international senti- New Ukrainian MPs... The need for help in establishing a Ukrainian and stimulus for business development and ment that the reform process is working. Strategic Command was also raised, as was increased production, were major concerns Doubters brought up previous unsuc- (Continued from page 4) the need to continue and accelerate for the delegation. The new government cessful efforts at reform and asked why this army the hard way. A war-tested army of reforms in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and has had only a few months since the parlia- time it would be different. The Ukrainian motivated patriots is going into battle out- in the military industrial complex. mentary elections to start grappling with deputies responded that, following the gunned and undertrained, but consistently A second pressing issue for the delega- the economic crisis left by the Yanukovych Orange Revolution, civic activists shunned causing more and more casualties to the tion was government and economic regime. Simultaneously, the yearlong war government service; today patriotic young enemy. Vladimir Putin now knows that his reforms, including the fight against corrup- that shows no sign of abating continues to Ukrainian professionals are going into gov- quick and easy victories in Georgia’s tion. Among a host of legislative initiatives, sap the attention and energy of the people ernment, where they are taking on the Abkhazia and Ossetia and in Ukraine’s the Verkhovna Rada recently passed and government. bureaucrats and other corrupt officials. In Crimea have come to an end, they stressed. important legislation to professionalize and The national deputies called for all both, the war with Russia and against the In this regard as well, U.S. officials noted depoliticize the civil service. While head- forms of financial assistance to be highly old guard in government, there is no turn- the shift in emphasis. Last year many ques- way is being made and successes are being targeted and regulated, as well as for a free ing back for us – Ukraine will prevail. tioned Ukraine’s capacity and speculated registered every day in the struggle against trade agreement with the U.S. The about when the country would capitulate. corruption, it remains a daunting task. Conference on Investment in Ukraine to be Mykola Hryckowian contributed to this Now the talk is of how much Russia is suf- Concerted actions by both the executive held in Washington this summer will be an article. fering and how Mr. Putin needs to hide the and legislative branches, including estab- war’s economic cost and the losses in men lishing the Anti-Corruption Bureau, contin- and equipment. ues to gain momentum. Recently, President New initiatives to overcome White House Poroshenko appointed the first head of the FOR THE RECORD: resistance on providing weapons were dis- Bureau that is charged with ending endem- cussed extensively with administration and ic and widespread government corruption. UCC statement on the anniversary congressional officials and policy analysts. The delegation also spoke of the difficul- Veto-proof military appropriations legisla- ties in the Procurator General’s Office of of the Crimean Tatars’ deportation tion and the option of Ukraine purchasing Ukraine. Since May 2014 there have been weapons from countries that can resist three appointments to head the office. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) issued the following statement on the May pressure from the White House are some of There is significant concern over the slow 18 anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people. the approaches under review. Also noted pace of removing corrupt officials. No cor- was the capability of Ukraine’s military rupt officials have been put in jail, while May 18 marks the 71st anniversary of the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatar industry to produce its own weapons, others have been allowed to escape to people from their ancestral homeland by the totalitarian regime of Joseph Stalin. The including anti-tank missiles, but American Russia or the West. entire Crimean Tatar people, the indigenous people of Crimea, were exiled to the companies or other foreign partners would Bureaucratic infighting is yet another Soviet east in 1944. Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children were forci- be needed to provide targeting or other hurdle for many practical issues, including bly and violently deported – almost half lost their lives during the first year of exile – components. Some U.S. officials told the del- moving forward on establishing a system for no crime other than their language, culture and traditions. They were not allowed egation that another Russian offensive for e-governance. There are eight minis- to return to Crimea for almost 50 years. As Crimean Tatars mourn their ancestors, could trigger increased military assistance. tries involved in e-governance. A central- we join them in grief and solemn remembrance. The Ukrainian deputies and many U.S. ized super-authority is necessary to deal Today, the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine, which is the ancestral home of the officials and NGOs agreed that there can be with the turf wars between ministries. Crimean Tatar people has been invaded and illegally occupied by the Russian no let-up in seeking avenues to help the E-governance can become an efficient and Federation. Crimean Tatars are once again subject to brutal violence, repressions, Ukrainian military. In this regard, U.S., economical way to provide government arrests and attacks on their rights and freedoms by the ruthless dictatorship of Canadian and United Kingdom military per- services and a weapon in the fight against Vladimir Putin. We draw inspiration from their brave resistance to this cruel occupa- sonnel presently training the Ukrainian corruption by creating transparency and tion. We join all civilized nations in condemning the Russian Federation’s oppressive National Guards is seen as a positive devel- accountability. occupation of the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine. opment that can be replicated with regular Foreign debt relief, compliance with 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21

WINDOW ON EURASIA The Ukrainian Weekly It’s festival season As in 1939, Kremlin said to be mulling It’s May, and surely you know what that means: it’s festival season. Ukrainian fes- tivals are such a big part of our Ukrainian community life in North America that for “preventive occupation” of Baltic states the past couple of years we’ve felt it was fitting to lead off our annual supplement by Paul Goble as a threat from NATO; and second, she inter- called “A Ukrainian Summer” with a listing of all the Ukrainian festivals known to us. views former RISI analyst Aleksandr Sytin on (In case you missed it, that special 24-page supplement was part of our May 3 issue.) People of decency and good will around why Mr. Ishchenko’s words are more than These festivals, which begin in early May and go on through mid-October, are the world have been horrified by Vladimir the ravings of one man. great events for the entire family. The first ones we noted on our 2015 festival calen- Putin’s defense earlier this month of the According to Mr. Ishchenko, Moscow has dar were the Vesna Festival in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and the St. George 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact which a compelling interest in a preventive occu- Ukrainian Festival in New York City; the last ones of the season include one in made Hitler and Stalin allies, opened the pation of at least portions of the Baltic Whippany, N.J., at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center and another in way to World War II, and allowed the Soviet countries in order to counter NATO – an Jenkintown, Pa., at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center. In between are Union to occupy Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania interest he says exists even if there is no venues in Ontario, New York state, Alberta, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Ohio, and portions of Poland and Bessarabia for such threat, because such a move would Manitoba, Illinois, Quebec, Maryland and Connecticut. (One reader, looking for her half a century. allow for “the preservation of the line of local festival was disappointed it was not on the list. Folks, if you don’t let us know… ) But they should be even more horrified ‘the virtual front’” (newsbalt.ru/analyt- What’s more, festivals are a great way to share our uniquely beautiful Ukrainian by the fact that some near the Kremlin are ics/2015/04/iskupitelnyy-vykup/). culture with friends and neighbors. Think about it: these are fun events, there’s no once again thinking about “a preventive Specifically, he writes, “a preventive strike pressure, and many of them have free admission. Thus, they are the perfect vehicles occupation” of the Baltic countries, a step with the goal of liquidating the Baltic place to attract non-Ukrainians who would like to experience something different and that, as Kseniya Kirillova pointed out on des armes could become necessary from a learn a bit in the process. Many festival organizers bear this in mind and plan their May 12, could trigger the collapse of the military point of view not because someone activities wisely. (Some – we’ve got to say it – forget that their audience is probably West or a third world war (nr2.ru/blogs/ might expect an attack from this direction, not composed of all Ukrainians.) Ksenija_Kirillova/Rossiya-gotovitsya- but in order to preserve the line of the front From our vantage point, we see that more and more local communities are hold- okkupirovat-strany-Baltii-96466.html). (even virtual), to extend a land corridor to ing successful Ukrainian festivals. After all, who doesn’t like Ukrainian folk dancing Moreover, and just as in 1939, they the blockaded group of forces in and varenyky? And these are just two of the diverse features of our Ukrainian festi- should be disturbed by Moscow’s duplicity Kaliningrad, and to free up forces for actions vals. Then there are the wonderful presentations of Ukrainian music, cafés featuring and cynicism about such a move, one nomi- in other, more important directions.” Ukrainian baked goods, beer gardens offering Ukrainian brews, vendors selling a nally taken in the name of improving Not taking such actions in a timely man- variety of Ukrainian wares, etc. And, of course, each community has its own twist on Russia’s defense capability but in fact ner – and Mr. Ishchenko helpfully provides how a festival is presented to the public at large. threatened in order to advance Russian a map showing just what Russian forces Besides sharing our culture, our festivals succeed in telling the story of Ukraine – should seek to seize – could, he suggests, imperialism and to disorder and confuse past and present – to enthusiastic and responsive festival-goers. That story is partic- prove “fatal in the indefinite situation” the the Western powers. ularly important today, as Ukraine finds itself at war and in a struggle for its survival. world now finds itself in. Indeed, he argues, In her commentary, Ms. Kirillova does two Informative displays and booths set up by organizations focusing on aid to Ukraine “the rapid [Russian] occupation of the things: first, she points to a recent article by and its people can be especially useful at this time. Baltics could become the best choice” Another very important function of many of our festivals is fund-raising. Whether Moscow commentator Rostislav Ishchenko among those available. the goal is to raise money for a parish or an organization, or as in the case of the calling for a “preventive” strike against the annual festival at Soyuzivka, for a Ukrainian heritage center, you can be assured that Baltic littoral in order to block what he sees (Continued on page 15) your support will go far and will be genuinely appreciated. Indeed, the annual festi- val at Soyuzivka – now in its ninth straight year – is the main fund-raiser for this beloved hub of our community life. Finally, what festivals also offer us as members of a community, is connections – both Ukrainians “called us occupiers,” within the Ukrainian community and beyond. On one hand, staging a festival can effec- tively mobilize a community’s forces and creates a stronger bond among its members – one that can ensure success in other endeavors. On the other hand, a festival builds con- returning Russian fighters tell media sciousness in the local community and places the Ukrainian community on the map. by Paul Goble serious battles,” only occasional shooting Many festivals, in fact, have already developed a loyal following of repeat visitors, are and provocations. But the weather in the listed on calendars of local tourism boards and are highlighted in local news media. Many commentators have speculated Donbas was terrible and everyone suffered No matter your perspective, Ukrainian festivals are a win for the Ukrainian com- that Moscow faces a potentially serious with the flu, heart problems and lung infec- munity, which loves organizing them, attending them and sharing them with others. problem when those who have gone to tions. PS: Consider this: send us a few photos and a short story from your festival. Try to fight in Ukraine return to Russia with their He added that he and his men “had focus on what makes it unique, and send us your best photos. We’ll gladly share anger and their military skills: those become disappointed in the Donetsk People’s them with our readers! returning are undercutting Russian propa- Republic to which they had gone initially ganda about what is happening in Ukraine. because of its ‘duplicitous leadership’ and On April 15, Yekaterinburg’s indepen- the attitudes of the local population.” dent online news agency reported that “According to Kyiv law, we are terrorists. “about 180” volunteers from the Urals According to a Madrid court, we are also May Turning the pages back... returned from Ukraine that day and were terrorists. According to the law of the telling their families, friends and the media Luhansk [People’s] Republic, persons who Last year, on May 28, 2014, during the commencement ceremo- that “local people [in Ukraine] called us are not included on the lists of its armed 28 ny at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., occupiers,” an epithet that calls into ques- forces are also members of illegal armed President Barack Obama delivered a major foreign policy address. tion Moscow’s messages (e1.ru/news/ formations. And if one takes money for ser- 2014 President Obama stated: spool/news_id-422297.html). vice there, then we become mercenaries” “Today, according to self-described realists, conflicts in Syria The returnees were led by Vladimir under Russian law, Mr. Yefimov said. or Ukraine or the Central African Republic are not ours to solve. Yefimov, the Spetsnaz veteran who recruit- But it was the attitude of the local people And not surprisingly, after costly wars and continuing challenges here at home, that view ed them to go to Ukraine in the first place. in Luhansk, he said, that really repelled him. is shared by many Americans. When they left for Ukraine in March, he “They are clearly drawn to Ukraine. They pay “A different view, from interventionists from the left and right, says that we ignore these said, they formed “the largest official local taxes to it. And the local population in some conflicts at our own peril, that America’s willingness to apply force around the world is the group of volunteers” since the declaration places calls us occupiers. We simply lost the ultimate safeguard against chaos, and America’s failure to act in the face of Syrian brutality of the armistice. Only half returned today; desire to work in this republic and trans- or Russian provocations not only violates our conscience, but invites escalating aggression the rest continue to fight in the guard of the ferred to the Donetsk People’s Republic” in the future. so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. where the situation is “much better.” “And each side can point to history to support its claims, but I believe neither view fully “We worked in guard posts and went on Mr. Yefimov told the Yekaterinburg jour- speaks to the demands of this moment. It is absolutely true that in the 21st century, American patrol,” Mr. Yefimov said. “There were no nalists that he had had to pay for the train isolationism is not an option. We don’t have a choice to ignore what happens beyond our tickets of his men back home because of a borders. If nuclear materials are not secure, that poses a danger to American citizens. Paul Goble is a long-time specialist on quarrel he had with his original sponsor: that “…First, let me repeat a principle I put forward at the outset of my presidency: The ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia individual objected that he had named him United States will use military force, unilaterally if necessary, when our core interests who has served in various capacities in the during a media interview despite the fact that demand it – when our people are threatened; when our livelihoods are at stake; when the U.S. State Department, the Central he had wanted to remain anonymous. security of our allies is in danger. Intelligence Agency and the International Despite all this, Mr. Yefimov said, he “…On the other hand, when issues of global concern do not pose a direct threat to the Broadcasting Bureau, as well as at the Voice “plans to prepare a new group of volun- United States, when such issues are at stake, when crises arise that stir our conscience or teers” and has already found 40 who are push the world in a more dangerous direction but do not directly threaten us, then the of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio ready to go. But his words about how the threshold for military action must be higher. In such circumstances, we should not go it Liberty and the Carnegie Endowment for people of the Donbas really view “Russian alone. Instead, we must mobilize allies and partners to take collective action. We have to International Peace. Mr. Goble writes a blog volunteers” like himself are likely to have a broaden our tools to include diplomacy and development, sanctions and isolation, appeals called “Window on Eurasia” (http://windo- woneurasia2.blogspot.com/). The article bigger impact on future events than any- (Continued on page 14) above is reprinted with permission. thing he or they might do in Donetsk. No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 7

IN THE PRESS NEWS AND VIEWS From debt reduction for Ukraine The UPA’s fight for freedom: to Kerry’s “pointless diplomacy” An exhibit and lessons learned “The case for debt reduction,” by require fully withdrawing from Ukraine Lawrence Summers (professor and past and respecting its sovereignty and territo- president of Harvard University, former rial integrity), let them come to us. They U.S. treasury secretary and former eco- know what they need to do – they simply nomic adviser to President Barack refuse to do it. … Obama), Opinions, The Washington “Obama seems to have lost interest in Post, May 17: Ukraine and Europe more broadly, and “Soon Ukraine, its creditors and the Putin senses that. John Kerry’s visit to international community will have to Sochi isn’t going to fix that problem. It may decide how that nation’s debt is to be han- even create new ones.” dled in the context of its ongoing aid pro- gram. The case for debt reduction is as “Kerry is so very nice to Putin,” strong as any that I have encountered over Editorial, The Wall Street Journal, May the past quarter-century. How the issue is 13: resolved will say much about the extent of “NATO Secretary-General Jens the global community’s commitment to Stoltenberg warned Monday that the Ukraine and to resisting Russian aggres- Kremlin continues to provide heavy arms sion. Failure to achieve debt reduction and training to its proxy militias in eastern would also confirm the view of those who Ukraine – a ‘blatant violation,’ he says, of believe that private financial interests dis- the Minsk deal Russia signed in February to Christina Kotlar proportionately influence public policy. end the fighting. … A view of the “Exhibition of the Beginnings of UPA” curated by Christina Kotlar that “Ukraine is in a quasi state of war with “So what better time for John Kerry to is based on the Chronicles of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Litopys UPA) along with Russia, which has annexed Crimea and attempt to reconcile with Vladimir Putin?... the extensive Cade collection. achieved a significant measure of control “Following eight hours of discussions, over swaths of eastern Ukraine. Other Mr. Kerry suggested that ‘U.S. and EU sanc- by Christina Kotlar As Prof. Snyder indicated, by defending republics of the former Soviet Union and tions can begin to be rolled back’ if Russia the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact not only is Mr. even the nations of central Europe are abides by the Minsk deal. That deal is “I’m looking for my uncle who died rath- Putin rehabilitating Stalin, but he is rehabili- watching anxiously. How this episode is known as ‘Minsk II’ because the Kremlin er than be taken prisoner.” tating Hitler and trying to rewrite history ultimately regarded by history will depend had already violated September’s ‘Minsk I’ “My great aunt lived through the terror about the way the second world war began. as much on what is done for Ukraine as on accord, which was supposed to freeze the and tragedy of family executions.” That is why exhibits such as the one what is done to Russia. conflict in eastern Ukraine, bringing peace “My grandfather was in the UPA.” based on Volume I, Series 1 of the Litopys “This is especially true because Ukraine in return for securing Russia’s extensive These are familiar comments. We heard UPA, Chronicles of the Ukrainian Insurgent has its best, most-reform-oriented eco- territorial gains. So Mr. Putin may now be many similar ones over the weekend of St. Army, are ever important. The UPA exhibit nomic team since it became independent at rewarded with the lifting of economic sanc- Thomas Sunday (April 18-19), when an provides an extensive overview of the the beginning of the 1990s. Ukraine has tions simply by promising to abide by extensive collection of Ukrainian Insurgent structure of the UPA in 1942-1943 in Volyn shown real political courage in combating another deal he violated from the moment Army (known by its Ukrainian-based acro- and Polissia. It is primary source material corruption and especially in moving it was signed. nym as UPA) memorabilia, books, calen- in which, for example, a high-ranking offi- aggressively to curb energy subsidies that Mr. Kerry appears to have given up even dars, and storylines were on display at the cer, Lt. Col. Omeliusik, describes the posi- were generating vast waste, allowing the asking that Russia exit from eastern Ukrainian Cultural Center in South Bound tive and negative aspects of the UPA situa- domestic price of gas to rise tenfold in the Ukraine, much less reverse last year’s ille- Brook, N.J. tion, its organization based on international past year. Ukraine has done more in 12 gal seizure and annexation of Crimea. … Family members heard such personal military law, orders creating rank and file, months to reform such subsidies than most “The Ukrainians must be thrilled to see stories over and over from grandparents in keeping military secrets, as well as tactical nations do in 12 years. Mr. Kerry volunteering their territory for oral histories that beckon them to find and officer training. The UPA’s problems – “The moral, geopolitical and economic the sake of America’s Middle East interests. clues about what had happened during a no funds, no armaments, no supplies – had case for giving Ukraine strong support is Western Europeans will conclude that most terrible time in European and World to be overcome with much time spent on compelling. … Americans won’t object when they ease history, the World War II era. setting up underground headquarters and sanctions, while Estonians, Moldovans, Timothy Snyder, a well-respected histori- bunker sites, housing medical units and “John Kerry’s Sochi Misadventure,” by Poles and other Eastern Europeans will an and professor of Eastern European histo- finding solutions with civilian support. David J. Kramer (senior director for wonder if their territory is also negotiable. ry and the Holocaust at Yale University, said The UPA sent political information to human rights and democracy at the “As for Mr. Putin, the lesson is that he can in his recent lecture on “Ukraine, Russia and other nations in letters stating their objec- McCain Institute for International grab what he wants, wait out the faux out- the Future of Europe” (Columbia University, tives and urging unity. Many other nation- Leadership), The American Interest, rage and sanctions, and then consolidate April 13) that an especially significant state- alities joined the UPA. The Ukrainians May 14: his gains in return for more promises of ment by Russian President Vladimir Putin understood that by uniting with the other “…Putin has done nothing to merit a visit peace.” in October 2014, is troubling not only for nations they could all fight for a common by the U.S. secretary of state. As recently as Ukraine but for the European Union. Mr. cause – freedom from Soviet domination. Saturday, during the military parade mark- “Kerry’s pointless diplomacy in Putin “rehabilitated” the infamous Molotov- It should be noted that recently the ing the 70th anniversary of the end of Russia,” by Leon Aron (resident scholar Ribbentrop non-aggression pact between Ukrainian government officially recognized World War II in Europe, Putin slammed the and the director of Russian studies at Nazi Germany and Soviet Union at the start the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and U.S. for ‘attempts to establish a unipolar the American Enterprise Institute), of WWII in 1939. the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists world. We see the strong-arm bloc think- Opinion, cnn.com, May 14: Officially titled the Treaty of Non- (OUN) as fighters for Ukraine’s indepen- ing, gaining momentum. All that under- “…Isn’t it obvious that a U.S. secretary of Aggression between Germany and the Union dence entitled to receive the same benefits as other veterans of World War II. The new mines sustainable global development.’ state joining Putin at his vacation palace of Soviet Socialist Republics, the pact was law is a direct affront to Mr. Putin’s version And that is mild compared to most of during one of the most strident confronta- signed in Moscow by Foreign Ministers of world history. This recent legislation has Putin’s attacks against the U.S. tions between a post-Soviet Russia and the Vyacheslav Molotov and Joachim Von Mr. Putin and the Kremlin activating a mas- “Worse, Putin has continued supporting West will only bolster Putin’s image of a Ribbentrop. The pact renounced warfare sive campaign to discredit the UPA and the forces fighting in eastern Ukraine in viola- feared and thus respected or, better yet, between the two countries and each signa- veterans still living. tion of a ceasefire agreement struck in ‘indispensable’ Russia? Apparently deaf to tory promised not to join any grouping of Having curated several UPA exhibits February and has built up Russian forces the public implications of this kind of diplo- powers that was “directly or indirectly along the border with Ukraine in prepara- aimed at the other party.” The pact also con- since my first in 2005, I can say that the macy, John Kerry did not seem to notice – highlight of this latest exhibit at the tion for a possible full-scale invasion. …Putin tained secret protocols that divided Eastern or care. ... Ukrainian Cultural Center was the Cade col- and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, have Europe into German and Soviet “spheres of “…the apotheosis of pandering was lection that began 10 years ago, starting offered no solutions for the Ukraine crisis influence.” reached when Kerry talked [during the with one book and one calendar, and now and demand that the West, not Russia, As a result of this pact, Nazi Germany press conference] about Russia’s war on includes a significant assembly and assort- change its policies and lift sanctions. … and the Soviet Union had reasonably strong Ukraine. Happy to acknowledge that he, ment of World War II and UPA artifacts and “Kerry …offered platitudes, saying he diplomatic relations and were important Lavrov and Putin were of one mind when it memorabilia. Bob and Maria Cade have was ‘privileged to spend many hours’ with trading partners. The Soviet Union supplied came to seeking ‘peace’ in Ukraine, Kerry spent endless hours collecting, organizing, Putin and Lavrov... His trip to Sochi makes oil and raw materials to Germany, while glossed over ‘challenges’ such as ceasefire coordinating and driving long distances to the Obama administration look weak and Germany provided technology to the Soviet violations and ‘whoever has instigated’ set up and show their priceless displays. Union. Despite the pact, the two sides desperate and will likely trigger a stream of them. …Kerry continued the charade of the After perusing the entire exhibit, many visi- Western visitors to seek a meeting with remained strongly suspicious of each oth- Minsk-1 and Minsk-2 negotiations, in tors – in awe of the volume of information Putin, completely ending the isolation of which an aggressor (Russia) was treated as er’s intentions, and as they began colliding – dove into specifics. Russia. If Russian officials are serious about with each other in Eastern Europe it solving the Ukraine crisis (and that would (Continued on page 9) appeared that conflict was inevitable. (Continued on page 14) 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21

ANALYSIS Minsk armistice in Ukraine advances to political phase by Vladimir Socor would supposedly regain control of its side The force-withdrawal and border-con- DPR- and LPR-flagged forces, which are Eurasia Daily Monitor of the internationally recognized Ukraine- trol clauses are un-implementable as writ- under no obligation to disarm, and are, Russia border, which is currently controlled ten and as currently negotiated. President indeed, currently strengthening their mili- Moscow, Berlin, some other Western by Russian and proxy forces on both sides Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials tary organizations. Moreover, under the European capitals, and most recently, U.S. in that zone. deny with utmost finality that any Russian armistice as written, Ukraine would have to Secretary of State John Kerry are growing While Ukraine incurs multiple political forces are present in that conflict zone (see negotiate with Donetsk and Luhansk about eager to see the Minsk II agreement’s polit- “obligations” under this armistice, however, EDM, April 23, 24). In other words, no deal: controlling the Ukrainian side of the ical phase starting in Ukraine. The Minsk Russia incurs no military or other obligations; Russia has nothing to withdraw. This may Ukraine-Russia border, where secessionist Contact Group’s Working Groups have been Russia is not even mentioned in the armistice be sheer mendacity, but it is unchallenge- forces are entrenched. They will undoubt- launched, inaugurating that political phase or in follow-up documents as a party to this able in practical terms on the ground by edly propose some “shared” control of the (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, May 15). The conflict. Instead, the Working Groups’ Ukraine or the West. border with Russia. Kremlin has encouraged the Donetsk and launching has consolidated Russia’s status It is, however, a fact that Russian military Thus, the basic proposition that “for- Luhansk “people’s republics” (DPR and as some kind of a mediator or facilitator personnel and large quantities of heavy LPR) to present their political proposals to between Kyiv and the DPR-LPR. weaponry have been integrated into the (Continued on page 9) Kyiv (Interfax, May 12, 13). The Minsk II armistice agreement, signed on February 12, is a particularly unusual the chief prosecutors would be appointed of the semi-official, mediated discussions armistice, in that its military clauses are not Donetsk and Luhansk... or dismissed jointly with the authorities of held until now in the Contact Group. Even if the main focus. Most of the document’s special-status areas. the constitutional negotiations do not pro- (Continued from page 1) content entails far-reaching political claus- Those areas shall have the right to call duce results, such negotiations would signi- es to debilitate the Ukrainian state as such. areas shall participate in working out and conduct local referendums (hitherto an fy political acceptance of the DPR-LPR by This is a masterfully complex product of Ukraine’s state budget. Thus, lip service to exclusive prerogative of Ukraine’s central Kyiv as well as by the participants in the Russian diplomacy. Many Western officials, Ukraine’s territorial integrity is conditional government, on a country-wide basis only). Minsk and Normandy processes. lacking prior experience with Russia’s con- on Kyiv subsidizing (at this stage) Donetsk The areas with special status shall have the The DPR-LPR state structures, their flict management in Europe’s East, and and Luhansk. This resembles the position right to make agreements with foreign armed forces and Russian personnel on impatient to see Minsk II “fully implement- of Russia’s diplomacy. Russia challenges countries or their administrative-territorial those territories are unaffected by the pro- ed,” find it hard to comprehend the Minsk Ukraine to substantiate its territorial integ- units; and they shall also be responsible for posed constitutional amendments. Those process fully in their remarks on the sub- rity by means of financing the DPR-LPR. “trans-border cooperation” (i.e., with “facts on the ground” will continue for the ject. This armistice is often presented as The special-status areas shall regulate Russia), which Ukraine’s central govern- foreseeable future to exist and develop out- involving a tradeoff whereby Ukraine the management and use of their natural ment should “facilitate” (i.e., not interfere). side any negotiations between Kyiv and would comply with the political clauses resources (coal is not singled out in the On those issues and on those founda- Donetsk-Luhansk. The Minsk and first, in return for which Russia would text). They shall form their own police forc- tions, Ukraine’s central government would Normandy processes and the Organization carry out the main military clauses later. es (“people’s militias”), with the right to negotiate to conclude agreements with the for Security and Cooperation in Europe That conditionality and that time sequence appoint and dismiss the commanders (all special-status areas regarding the delimita- (OSCE), with Russia in the driver’s seat, are are rigorously set in the Minsk agreement. independently of Ukraine’s central govern- tion of competencies. not the instruments to deconstruct the DPR- The basic deal has Ukraine awarding the ment). They shall administer justice, within This whole process seems designed to LPR and Russia’s military presence therein. Donetsk and Luhansk authorities a “special competencies to be delegated from the cen- draw Kyiv more deeply into legitimizing the status” in Ukraine’s political system, poten- ter to these areas (under a special law to be DPR-LPR authorities through negotiations The article above is reprinted from tially with blocking powers; whereupon negotiated by the center with the special- with them. Moscow has pressed all along for Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from “foreign” forces would presumably with- status areas). Their procuracy would form direct official negotiations on an equal foot- its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, draw from the conflict zone, and Ukraine a part of Ukraine’s procuracy system, but ing between Kyiv and the DPR-LPR, instead www.jamestown.org.

“When I came to Ukraine, I thought that emerging, the goal of which is to entirely granted Ukrainian citizenship. Some news IT lawyer... I’d be joining a team of people who were ruin the poll ratings of the prime minister reports said he was an American citizen, thinking the same as I was, who are open to and ideally, foment a demand in society for while others said he had German citizenship. (Continued from page 1) intellectual discussions and know what his replacement.” He previously worked with the Saakashvili “I don’t doubt there are intellectually needs to be done with the country,” he said. Indeed Mr. Borovik wrote on his Facebook government in Georgia and consulted with strong people in the Ukrainian govern- “I expected to meet a team of reformers that page on May 15 that he had no personal Slovakia’s former Finance Minister Ivan ment,” he told the Focus magazine in an we saw in Georgia, where everyone was on issues with Mr. Abromavicius. Instead, they Miklos, who led his own campaign of interview published on May 15. a single wave, in a single rhythm, where had an “intellectual conflict,” in which he reforms. He followed his advice that a risky “Unfortunately, I don’t see one thing – everyone was passionate.” argued for a coherent economic strategy and plan of reforms is better worth pursuing the eye of the tiger, as with the Georgian Mr. Borovik said he had conflicts with a liberal agenda that involves “moving out of than going down a hopeless economic path. team in its day. You can hardly say they Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. He told the economy as soon as possible.” His first impressions of the Ukrainian gov- were smarter. They simply worked as like- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that he He said Mr. Abromavicius’s deregulation ernment weren’t inspiring. He described minded people. And the strength of their had a conversation with Mr. Yatsenyuk in campaign, which aims to eliminate 177 reg- pointless meetings and hours wasted chas- leader [Mikheil Saakashvili] was that he which he said that he was a technocrat who ulatory restrictions at the first stage, needs ing after bureaucratic signatures. surrounded himself with strong individuals is supposed to honestly state what he sees. some design behind it. Already this year, Mr. “It became apparent that the scale of state and gave them the chance to have a go at Mr. Borovik said he was supposed to Abromavicius claims to have led the elimina- interference in the Ukrainian economy was what they know how to do. There’s nothing organize a donor conference and told Mr. tion of 7 percent of licenses and permits. enormous, wasteful and all-encompassing,” like that in Ukraine at the moment.” Yatsenyuk that European organizations “We also were disagreeing on the speed of Mr. Borovik wrote in a May 12 blog pub- Mr. Borovik’s insight into the inner were anticipating reports on how their reforms,” Mr. Borovik wrote on his Facebook lished on the Ukrayinska Pravda news site. workings of the Cabinet of Ministers con- funds were being spent. The RFE/RL report page. “I argued that they should run faster “Moreover, the country lacked a complex firmed widespread criticism that the gov- didn’t offer more details on this exchange. and go deeper. He thought that we were strategy of implementing economic reforms. ernment is doing too little, and moving too After Mr. Borovik’s resignation, Mr. doing just fine. I didn’t claim to be right but I Numerous approaches and measures have slowly, to trim the bureaucracy and liberal- Yatsenyuk told Novoye Vremia Chief Editor insisted and continue to insist that such been developed to ease doing business in ize the economy in order to better cope Vitaly Sych that he had nothing to do with intellectual debates should be encouraged at Ukraine. Yet it wasn’t understood what type with the war with the Russian Federation the resignation, which was initiated by Mr. the ministry and among its leadership.” of economy we’re building in Ukraine.” and avoid looming financial insolvency. Abromavicius. According to his own biography, Mr. “Ideally, to achieve success, what’s need- As recently as May 15, former Georgian In its turn, the ministry released a state- Borovik was born in Lviv, lived in the Czech ed first is to completely reform the person- President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is living ment on May 14 that Mr. Borovik was never Republic, and eventually attended and grad- nel policy of the state sector. We still are ful- in exile in New York, told reporters at a Kyiv officially approved, working only as an uated from Harvard Law School, where he filling many old functions from the times of conference that Ukraine’s political estab- advisor, and that his work was not con- served as editor of the Harvard Law Journal. state planning,” he noted. lishment has no desire to conduct reforms. structive, requiring his dismissal. Yet Mr. In the U.S., he launched a start-up compa- Mr. Borovik is not the first private-sector Moreover, the very structure of Ukrainian Borovik maintains it was Mr. Yatsenyuk ny that digitized brain signals and produced hire to become frustrated with the Ukrainian government makes conducting reforms dif- who decided to pull the plug. medical equipment based on that technolo- government. Another Lviv native, Pavlo ficult, he said. And as with any conflict in Ukrainian gy. He later joined Microsoft, where he Sheremeta, the founder of the Kyiv-Mohyla “The problem is that a state official thinks government, observers saw a power strug- served as lead counsel in government affairs Business School, served as economy minister he will work for forever, regardless of the gle. In this case, Serhii Liamets, the editor of and worked closely with the United Nations, in the interim government last year before change in governments prompted by the the Ekonomichna Pravda news site, the European Union and NATO. quitting in September after just six months. maidans,” said Mr. Saaskashvili, as reported claimed that Messrs. Abromavicius and He then worked for Akamai Technologies, “I don’t know what was going on behind by the Ukrayinska Pravda news site. Borovik, who are aligned with Ukrainian where he served as head legal counsel on those walls before me,” he told the Such bureaucrats are resisting reform, Mr. President Petro Poroshenko, hatched the Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Ekonomichna Pravda news site in November. Borovik said in the Focus interview. And that’s resignation scandal in order to discredit Mr. company operates one of the largest net- “I’m not saying everyone, but most feared to even after Mr. Abromavicius had cut 30 per- Yatsenyuk before the public. works of servers around the world and rents look me in the eye. Also, I often noticed moist cent of the ministry’s workers. The friction “Borovik’s departure has already become capacity on them to customers. palms when I shook hands. As with a shaky between a high-tech lawyer and a post-Soviet an element of the struggle for power Mr. Borovik came to work for the voice, that reveals stress. These were signs bureaucracy was so frequent that he said he between Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk,” he Economy Ministry in February, leaving a of the general tone that has ruled there since considered leaving his post on a weekly basis. wrote on May 18. “New scandals are $500,000-a-year job in London and being the days of Stalin.” No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 9 Dnipro advances to Europa fi nal, Dynamo returns to Champions League PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk won 1-0 against Italian club Napoli in the second-leg semifinal of the UEFA Europa League on May 14 at Olympic Stadium in Kyiv to advance to the final against Seville on May 27 in Warsaw. Yevhen Seleznyov scored the lone goal of the match in the 58th minute off a cross by Yevhen Konoplyanka. This is the first time Dnipro will have advanced past the quarterfinal, semifinal and to the final of the Europa League. The match was played during a steady rainfall, and Ukraine was handed six yellow cards, including one to Dnipro goal- keeper Denys Boyko. Napoli received three yellow cards. Dnipro tied 1-1 in the first-leg semifinal with Napoli on May 7 in Naples, with David Lopez scoring for Napoli in the 50th minute, thanks to an assist from Lorenzo Insigne on the corner kick. Fresh substitute Seleznyov scored in the 81st minute after replacing Nikola Kalinic in the 80th min- ute, after Artem Fedetskiy sent in a low cross that was missed by Roman Bezus, but Selezyov tapped it in to level the score for Dnipro. Ukraine was handed the only two yellow cards of the match – one to Jaba Kankava in the seventh minute, and another to Fedetskiy in the 44th minute. During the second-leg quarterfinal match, Dnipro won 1-0 Facebook/FC Dnipro against Club Brugge of Belgium on April 23 at Olympic Stadium The Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk team at the May 14 game against Italian club Napoli, which the Ukrainians won 1-0 to in Kyiv. The lone goal was scored in the 82nd minute by Yevhen advance to the UEFA Europa League final. Shakhov (a substitute for Bezus in the 46th minute). Dnipro tied 0-0 with Club Brugge on April 16 at Jan Breydelstadion 36th minute, and a late equalizer by Khouma Babacar for be joined by Zorya Luhansk (fourth place) in the UEFA in Bruges, Belgium, in the first-leg quarterfinal match. Fiorentina tied things up. Europa League. This was the 10th time that Dynamo Kyiv In the Round of 16, Dnipro won 1-0 against Dutch club In the Round of 16, Dynamo won 2-1 against Everton on had won the Ukrainian Premier League title. Ajax on March 12 at Olympic Stadium in Kyiv and Dynamo March 12 at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, and won Dynamo and Shakhtar advance to the Ukrainian Cup lost 2-1 against Ajax on March 19. 5-2 in the second-leg match in Kyiv. final on June 4 at Olympic Stadium in Kyiv. Dynamo won In the Round of 32, Dnipro won 2-0 against Greek club In the Round of 32, Dynamo lost 2-1 against French club 4-1 against Olimpik Donetsk at Olympic Stadium in Kyiv on Olympiacos on February 19, and tied 2-2 on February 26 in Guingamp on February 19 in the first-leg match at May 20 in the second-leg match of the Ukrainian Cup semi- the second-leg match. Roudourour in Guingamp, France, and Dynamo won 3-1 final (with Miguel Veloso 4th minute, Andriy Yarmolenko Dynamo Kyiv was eliminated from the tournament after against Guingamp on February 26 in the second-leg match 37th minute, Veloso 53rd minute, and Lens in the 90+2 Dynamo lost 0-2 against Italy’s Fiorentina in its second-leg at Olympic Stadium in Kyiv. minute scoring for Dynamo; and Oleksii Dytaliatyev scor- ing in the 76th minute for Olimpik), while Shakhtar tied quarterfinal match on April 23 in Florence. Dynamo was Ukrainian Premier League down to 10 men after Jermain Lens was handed his second 1-1 with Dnipro (for Shakhtar, Luiz Adriano in the 77th yellow card in the 40th minute of the match. The Italian Dynamo Kyiv topped the Ukrainian Premier League minute off a penalty kick, and for Dnipro, Kalinic in the club’s goals came at the 43rd minute by Mario Gomez and (UPL) standings, with 19 wins, zero losses and five draws, 30th minute) at Arena Lviv. in extra time by Juan Manuel Vargas. with 62 goals for and 10 against. Dynamo will join Dnipro lost 0-1 against Shakhtar on April 29 in the first- Dynamo tied 1-1 with Fiorentina in the first-leg quarter- Shakhtar Donetsk, in second place in the UPL, in the 2015- leg semifinal, and Olimpik tied 0-0 with Dynamo. The UPL final on April 16 in Kyiv. Lens scored for Dynamo in the 2016 UEFA Champions League. Dnipro, in third place, will has two more match days – May 23/24 and May 30.

about the costs of the aggression against not been pressured to change their consti- Dubious outcomes... Ukraine, which keep climbing as Russia has Minsk armistice... tutions in Russia’s interest or legitimize to pay the bills for sustaining the “rump secessionist authorities in those conflicts. (Continued from page 3) Novorossiya” and for deploying new troops (Continued from page 8) Some proposals to that effect (“federaliza- Mr. Putin can fake confidence in Russia’s into the war zone (Vedomosti, May 12). eign” forces would withdraw, and Ukraine tion,” “common state”) were made occa- Mr. Putin refuses to discuss the parame- sionally but went nowhere, nor did they resilience, but he also has been trying to would regain border control, provided that ters and prospects of this intervention, and receive any serious Western support. stimulate it with mobilization rhetoric. Kyiv acts first to empower the DPR and LPR is probably disinclined to acknowledge cal- Georgia, Moldova or Azerbaijan were never Anti-Americanism remains his most reli- in Ukraine’s political system, is a mislead- culations of these costs. But the facts on the asked to subsidize the secessionist territo- able means of keeping the masses firmly ing, if wishful, proposition. No such quid- ground are growing to a critical mass that ries’ budgets. No Western power or inter- behind his policies. Therefore, he cannot be pro-quo inheres in the armistice agree- will make further denials and procrastina- ment; and any faint hope for Russian con- national organization ever accepted the completely satisfied with the results of a tions impossible. If Mr. Kerry succeeded in sent to such a quid-pro-quo died when validity of Transnistrian, Abkhaz, South recent Russian poll in which only 19 per- dissuading Russia’s mistrustful and deceit- Putin repudiated the idea. Ossetian or Karabakh “elections.” cent firmly answer “yes” to the question ful ruler from launching a summer offen- Under the February 12 Minsk II agree- Ukraine, however, is being asked to change about whether the United States poses a sive in the war, his visit was worth the time. ment, Ukraine is supposed to enact a “spe- its Constitution in the interest of Russia’s local threat to Russia; 40 percent say “probably, It is, however, entirely possible Mr. Putin cial status” for “certain areas” (i.e., Russian- proxies; to negotiate portions of Ukraine’s yes,” while 31 percent of Russians report- may conclude that the secretary of state’s controlled) in the Donetsk and Luhansk sovereignty away; politically, to legitimize the edly see little or no such threat (Levada.ru, attempted dissuasion was a cover-up for oblasts by negotiation with those de facto armed secessionist authorities, and transfer May 12). It is also remarkable that nearly the U.S. and NATO’s inability to stop his authorities. That status would be a “perma- certain budgetary resources to them; and, as half of those who admit the existence of offensive – such a calculation could compel nent” one, enshrined in Ukraine’s a first move, to accept an international valida- this threat believe it is mainly manifested another forward push by the Kremlin. Constitution. Ukraine is further supposed to tion of DPR-LPR’s upcoming local elections. in “creating obstacles for Russia’s develop- Deterrence works when the potential accept the holding of local elections in those Russia has written these terms into the Minsk ment.” And this points again to Russia’s posi- aggressor can live with the status quo, but Russian-controlled territories, where the II agreement; and it capitalizes on Germany’s tion of weakness in international economic Mr. Putin cannot know how fast economic secessionists are pre-programmed to win support for the Minsk process through the competition, which more than two decades corrosion will eat away at the pillars of his unopposed. And, beyond those territories, parallel “Normandy” process, which multi- ago determined the fate of the Soviet Union power. His choices are rational, but the the Minsk agreement demands of Ukraine to plies the pressures on Ukraine to concede and is a key parameter of the new confron- quality of his rationality is suspect. “decentralize” its administrative-territorial (see EDM, March 13, 17). tation (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, May 15). system by changing the Constitution, again “Freezing” the conflict might not be the In this context, the most striking data in The article above is reprinted from by negotiation with the Donetsk-Luhansk worst possible option for Ukraine at this the report “Putin. War,” prepared by the late Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from authorities (osce.org, February 12; see EDM, stage. Russia, instead of freezing the conflict, Boris Nemtsov and published last week by its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, February 13, 19, 20). prefers conserving it in a fluid or semi-fluid his comrades (see EDM, May 14, 15), is www.jamestown.org. Donetsk and Luhansk, however, would state. Moscow threatens with another push simply be fronting for Moscow in any such of its proxies beyond the armistice line, at a negotiations. Moscow, not they, would judge place and time of Moscow’s choosing, as it neighbor for the first time since the end of whether Kyiv has complied with the Minsk did after the Minsk I armistice and again From debt... World War II, I doubt most Europeans (and agreement on “decentralization” and after the Minsk II. These tactics are certainly most European leaders) would designed, first, to divert Kyiv’s attention and (Continued from page 7) empowering the Donetsk-Luhansk “people’s agree with this threat assessment. … republics.” The same agreement demands of resources from the agenda of reforms, and a peacemaker. …Kerry re-affirmed the cha- “Worse than pointless diplomacy, worse Ukraine to pay into the social budget of those second, to induce Ukraine-fatigued Western rade rules by stating, very firmly, that he even than the wasted prestige of his office, Russian-controlled territories. The Minsk diplomats to continue moving toward a would demand that ‘everybody’ abide by Kerry’s meeting was shot through with a agreement stipulates the completion of this compromise with Russia over Ukraine. Minsk-2. Kerry was courageously holding moral obtuseness that always comes to process by the end of the current year. both the aggressor and his victim to the haunt those who erode the key strength Those are among Russia’s bold innova- The article above is reprinted from same unbending standard! … and appeal of the liberal democratic West: tions in the present conflict, compared with Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from “Having just seen the borders of one of its ability to stand by and defend its values the conflicts in Europe’s East from 1992 to its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, Europe’s largest states violated by its in the face of aggression and tyranny.” date. Georgia, Moldova or Azerbaijan had www.jamestown.org. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21 No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 11 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21

that remain. The legislation applies the detained soldiers are Capt. Yevgeny sending U.S. arms to Ukraine. The Advisory NEWSBRIEFS same treatment to the Nazi regime, which Yerofeyev and Sgt. Aleksandr Aleksandrov, International Council of Reforms is to be occupied and controlled much of Ukraine of the 3rd Brigade, Special Forces, Armed headed by Mikheil Saakashvili, the former (Continued from page 2) during World War II. The measures drew Forces of the Russian Federation. The president of Georgia, and will also include around Shyrokyne, Shchastia and Stanytsia strong Russian criticism when they were detained soldiers were given medical treat- Elmar Brok, a member of the European Luhanska. (Ukraine Crisis Media Center) approved by the Verkhovna Rada last ment and are in a hospital in Kramatorsk, Parliament, and economist Anders Aslund. month. They are part of a shift away from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Agence Poroshenko signs ‘decommunization’ bill Soviet imagery, which Kyiv says the According to statements they made, the France-Presse and TASS) Kremlin is using to influence neighbors and two Russian soldiers entered Ukrainian ter- KYIV – President Petro Poroshenko has OSCE notes 25th Russian convoy signed into law legislation banning Soviet promote self-serving myths about World ritory in March, as part of a unit of their bri- symbols and Communist-era propaganda War II amid the conflict in eastern Ukraine. gade, and were tasked with carrying out DONETSK – Observers of the in Ukraine. Mr. Poroshenko’s office made (RFE/RL, based on reporting by TASS, reconnaissance and sabotage against Organization for Security and Cooperation the announcement on May 15. Under the Interfax and Agence France-Presse) Ukrainian forces. Ukraine’s Ministry of in Europe (OSCE) noted that the 25th Defense of Ukraine stated that once it was legislation, the Communist government Two Russian soldiers captured… Russian convoy crossed into Ukraine and that ruled between 1917 and 1991 is con- understood by Kremlin-backed terrorist returned back on May 14 The Russian con- demned as a criminal regime. Its symbols KYIV – Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense forces that “that Russian special forces sol- voy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing and propaganda are banned – a measure reported on May 18 that two Russian diers were captured, they opened fire with Point (BCP) at 6:52 a.m. (Moscow time). A that would require the demolition of monu- Special Forces soldiers were wounded and mortars [...] The militants aimed at the total of 50 vehicles were checked by the ments to Bolshevik Revolution leader captured in a battle with Ukrainian forces place where the special forces soldiers Russian border guard and customs servic- Vladimir Lenin and other Soviet-era icons near Shchastia, Luhansk Oblast. The were being held. It was obvious that they es. All the vehicles had crossed back into were trying to prevent having the Russian the Russian Federation by 2:45p.m. The soldiers be captured alive.” On May 19, convoy consisted of 44 cargo trucks and 6 Radio Svoboda reported that representa- support vehicles. All cargo trucks bore the tives of international organizations – the inscription “Humanitarian help from the European Union Advisory Mission, Russian Federation.” (OSCE) Amnesty International and OSCE Special TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL Walter Honcharyk (973) 292-9800 x3040 Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Russia to boost its military in Crimea or e-mail [email protected] Security and Cooperation in Europe – had BRUSSELS – Russia’s envoy to NATO visited the two hospitalized soldiers. says his country will boost its military pres- Doctors reported they were in satisfactory SERVICES PROFESSIONALS ence in Crimea given the alliance’s plans to condition. (Ukrainian Canadian Congress) expand in Eastern Europe. Russian news …charged with ‘terror activity’ agency quoted Aleksandr Grushko as say- ing on May 15 that Moscow sees NATO’s KYIV – Ukraine says it has charged two growing military presence in Poland and suspected Russian soldiers who had been the Baltic states as “unacceptable.” Mr. captured in the country’s east with involve- Grushko also called on the United States to ment in “terrorist activity.” An adviser for remove its nuclear weapons stationed in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Europe, saying such a move would be a Markiyan Lubkivsky, wrote on Facebook on “serious contribution to strategic stability May 20 that the two men were also allowed and security in Europe.” The comments to telephone their relatives in Russia. Kyiv come a day after Lithuania’s military said says it has captured the two men, identified the Baltic states would seek a permanent as Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Aleksandr presence of NATO troops on their territory Aleksandrov, in the eastern region of to counter increased Russian air and naval Luhansk on May 16. The men claimed in a activity. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia fear video that they were active Russian ser- they could become a target of Russian pres- vicemen, but Moscow said they were no sure after Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s longer employed by the state when they Crimean peninsula in March 2014 and a were captured. (RFE/RL, based on report- pro-Moscow rebellion in the country’s east. ing by Agence France-Presse and Interfax) (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Reuters, Poroshenko: Ukraine in ‘real war’ TASS and Interfax) HELP WANTED KYIV – President Petro Poroshenko has Kyiv open to hosting missile defense said Ukraine is now in a “real war” with KYIV – The head of Ukraine’s National Nova Restoration is hiring bricklayers, Russia, and that Ukrainians should prepare Security and Defense Council has said Kyiv roofers, sca old mechanics, helpers with for a Russian offensive. In an interview with is open to placing parts of a missile-defense licenses to work on Manhattan. English the BBC broadcast on May 20, President system on Ukrainian soil to ward off the or Polish speaking. Apply in person at 75 Poroshenko also said he did not trust his potential risk of attacks from Russia. Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, adding Oleksandr Turchynov told the Ukrinform Kent Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222, phone: that he had no option but to negotiate with 718 349 7770. news agency on May 20: “I do not rule out him. Mr. Poroshenko said he feared parts of that to defend ourselves from [Russia’s] eastern Ukraine could not be taken away nuclear threat, we will have to hold consul- HELP WANTED from separatists by military means alone, tations on deploying components of a mis- meaning diplomacy was the only answer. Caregiver for 95 year old sile-defense system on Ukrainian territory.” Russia denies accusations by Kyiv and the In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry woman in Wilmington, DE. West that it is providing weapons, training, Peskov said Russia would consider the Please call 302-764-2684 and personnel to rebels in eastern Ukraine, deployment of such components to Ukraine or email [email protected] which has killed more than 6,100 people “a threat to Russia’s security.” He added, since April 2014. Russia’s role has again “This will entail the need for taking retalia- come into question after the capture on tory measures.” Moscow has strongly criti- OPPORTUNITIES May 16 of two men Kyiv said were Russian cized plans to build a U.S.-led missile shield soldiers working in eastern Ukraine. (RFE/ in Europe, which NATO says is not directed RL, based on reporting by the BBC) Earn extra income! against Russia but rather an attack from a McCain turns down Ukraine post country like Iran. (RFE/RL, based on report- The Ukrainian Weekly is looking ing by the Associated Press and TASS) for advertising sales agents. WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. John McCain For additional information contact (R-Ariz.) has said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,” Brussels: Moscow drops opposition to DCFTA Walter Honcharyk, Advertising Manager, The Ukrainian Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext 3040. to a job offer from Ukrainian President BRUSSELS – The European Union says Petro Poroshenko. The Ukrainian leader Russia has dropped its demands for a fur- had asked Mr. McCain, among other leading ther delay in a landmark European Union- officials, to join an advisory council to help Ukraine trade deal, part of the broader Immigration Meeting - New York Ukraine craft reforms and secure global Immigration Attorney Andriy Semotiuk will give a free talk on immigration issues Association Agreement, and accepts that it support. But in a statement on his website, will now begin next year. Trade to help Ukrainians living in America as well as those overseas. Sunday, the senator said constitutional constraints Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem made May 31, 2015, 1 p.m. at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church, 30 East 7th St. prohibited him from accepting the offer. In the statement after talks with Russian and Free admission. For more information email: [email protected]. declining the offer, Sen. McCain said on May Ukrainian officials on May 18 in Brussels. 15 that he will “continue to do everything” “The reference that the [trade agreement] he can to stop what he called Russian enter into force on January 1, 2016, was not Run your advertisement here, President Vladimir Putin’s “unabated contested by the Russian delegation,” Ms. in The Ukrainian Weekly’s CLASSIFIEDS section. aggression” against Ukraine. Sen. McCain has been one of the most vocal backers for (Continued on page 13) No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 13

No visa liberalization for Ukraine, Georgia that Mr. Bilous failed to reform the cumber- journalists and their close relatives. On May NEWSBRIEFS some tax office and eliminate corrupt 14 the Verkhovna Rada amended the BRUSSELS – The EU Commission has schemes inside it. It said he failed to create Criminal Code increasing criminal respon- (Continued from page 12) said neither Georgia nor Ukraine would an internal security department tasked sibility for hindering journalists’ work. The Malmstroem said. Russia had said that the obtain visa-free travel to the European with fighting corruption, as required by amendments include sanctions for: threats EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Union’s Schengen zone at the Riga Eastern law. Illegal trade in excise goods continued of murder and violence; deliberate attacks; Trade Agreement (DCFTA) will damage its Partnership Summit later this month. to flourish, and frequently tax and customs deliberate destruction or damage to prop- own economic ties and interests in Ukraine. Speaking in Brussels on May 8 after the EU officials were complicit in the crimes, erty; murder or attempted murder; abduc- The deal was finally agreed in June 2014 Commission published its annual visa according to the report. It said that arbi- tion and detention. “I trust that these and was originally due to come into effect report on both countries, the spokeswom- trary decisions on the return of value-add- important legislative changes will contrib- in January. But in September 2014 the EU an for home affairs, Natasha Bertaud, said ed tax (VAT), a common problem for big ute to ensuring journalists’ safety in postponed implementation for a year to the commission was “aware” Georgia and business, has also persisted. “We observed - support peace efforts in eastern Ukraine. In Ukraine had expressed a desire for visa- the negative practice of previous periods as ties should spare no efforts in fully investi- return, Russia promised to abstain from free status at the summit, but this was to mechanisms of manual regulation of VAT gatingUkraine,” the Ms. circumstances Mijatović said. of all “The crimes authori com- retaliatory economic measures. (RFE/RL, “very ambitious in terms of timing.” She refunds,” the report said. Mr. Bilous stands mitted against members of the media, based on reporting by Agence France- said the commission was willing to move by his achievements and says his perfor- including the numerous attacks and killings Presse and Interfax) forward the next report to the end of 2015, mance was misjudged. “You have to look at in recent years. There must be no impunity provided progress is made. The report stat- the real results over the year. Many things for crimes committed against journalists.” Nuland discusses Ukraine in Moscow ed both Ukraine and Georgia need to do remained out of the limelight,” he told RFE/ In addition, amendments have been adopt- more to implement legislation in areas like RL on the eve of the parliament vote. MOSCOW – U.S. Assistant Secretary of ed to the “Law on State Support of Mass anti-corruption and human trafficking. (Katya Gorchinskaya for RFE/RL) State for Europe Victoria Nuland met on Media and Social Protection of Journalists,” Georgia was urged to do more to tackle the May 18 with senior Russian officials to dis- which enhance support to journalists or trafficking of drugs, whereas Brussels OSCE rep hails law on journalists’ safety cuss ways of “deepening our engagement” their families if a member of the media is urged Ukraine to step up laws concerning in implementing a shaky Ukraine cease- VIENNA – Speaking for the Organization killed or injured on the job. “The security organized crime and discrimination. fire, a senior department official said. She on Security and Cooperation in Europe, situation for journalists in different regions Moldova received visa liberalization in told reporters in Moscow that they dis- Representative on Freedom of the Media of Ukraine remains worrying,” Ms. 2014 and remains the only one of the six cussed “concrete steps” and “particularly Eastern Partnership countries to achieve dug in on how the United States might be adoption of a law in Ukraine that increases the media continue to pay a very high price this status. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by able to support the process” of implement- penaltiesDunja Mijatović for crimes on May committed 15 welcomed against the forMijatović doing theirsaid. job.”“Unfortunately, (OSCE) members of Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels) ing the cease-fire. (RFE/RL) Russia ready to take cash instead of Mistrals Night Wolves bikers gets Crimean gift On Monday, May 11, 2015, at the age of 93, MOSCOW – Russia says it is ready to take SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine – A Russian cash from France instead of two warships. nationalist biker gang has been awarded a MIROSLAVA TERSHAKOVEC Russia had ordered two Mistral helicopter free plot of the land taken from Ukraine. carriers from France, but Paris is under peacefully entered into eternal rest. According to a document seen by RFE/RL, pressure from Western allies not to turn the Night Wolves were given land in the them over due to Russian actions in Funeral services took place on May 17, 2015, at the Assumption of Crimean peninsula city of Sevastopol to Ukraine. French President Francois Holland Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Miami, FL, with burial build a “multipurpose patriotic center for and Russian President Vladimir Putin dis- at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery, Miami, FL. extreme sports.” The document, which bore cussed the contract when they met in the official city seal, gave no reason why the Armenia last month. Kremlin spokesman Miroslava was predeceased by her husband, the late George A. land was being gifted. Russian authorities Tershakovec. in Sevastopol have given the bikers six Dmitry Peskov responded on May 15 to a newspaper report that France had made a months to draw up plans for their center, She leaves behind her beloved family: and promised that there will be public formal proposal to scrap the deal. He said the issue was not a major headache in rela- sons George with wife Diana hearings on the planned construction. The Andrew with wife Christina land in question in the Black Sea port city tions between the two countries. “The prin- ciple is the following – either the goods or granddaughters Stephanie and Alexandra Tershakovec has a high market value, with a square grandsons Paul and Michael Tershakovec meter going for 96,000 rubles ($1,960), the money,” Mr. Peskov said. According to Russian business daily Kommersant, sister Lydia Ihnat according to a reporter with the Crimean nephew Peter Ihnat with wife Andrea and children Desk of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service. The Moscow has put its spending and losses niece Melanie Kudela with husband Roman and Night Wolves are backers of Russian over the contract at 1.16 billion euros but children President Vladimir Putin – who has ridden that Paris was offering to pay 785 million as well as extended family Bouadana. with them – and supported Russia’s contro- euros. Mr. Peskov did not comment on the versial annexation of Crimea in March details of the report. (RFE/RL, based on In lieu of Œ owers, the family requests that donations in memory of 2014. The Night Wolves are subject to U.S. reporting by TASS and Reuters) Miroslava Tershakovec be made to: sanctions for alleged active involvement in Ukraine gets new state property chief Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church Crimea and for helping recruit separatist 39 NW 57th Court, Miami, FL 33126-4709. fighters for Russian-backed rebels in east- KYIV – Ukraine’s Parliament has ern Ukraine. The biker gang sparked con- appointed Ihor Bilous to head the State troversy in Europe earlier this month when Property Fund despite a damning report on it set off from Moscow to Berlin to mark the his performance in his previous job as the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi nation’s chief tax man. Mr. Bilous, who was Ділимося сумною вісткою з приятелями і знайомими, Germany in World War II. (Crimean Desk, nominated by Prime Minister Arseniy що 8 травня 2015 року в Ню-Йорку відійшов у вічність RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) Yatsenyuk’s Cabinet, was confirmed with наш найдорожчий Чоловік, Тато, Дідусь і Брат 258 votes in favor in the 450-seat U.S. aid workers released in Donetsk Verkhovna Rada. A former investment св. п. DONETSK – Pro-Russian rebels in east- banker, Mr. Bilous is expected to oversee a ern Ukraine were reported on May 9 to have massive privatization this year as head of released two U.S. aid workers captured the State Property Fund. Eager to fill coffers Микола Стасів some 10 days earlier. The two were believed drained by political upheaval and a народжений в 1922 році в селі Володимирці, Львівська обл., Україна. to be among a group of some 30 staff of the 15-month-old war against Russian-backed International Rescue Committee (IRC) separatists in the east, the government Панахида була відправлена в похоронному заведенні Williams detained when separatists raided their plans to make 17 billion hrv ($805 million) Funeral Home в Бронксі, Н. Й. Donetsk offices. IRC head David Miliband from the sale of state assets. Mr. Bilous comes to the job clouded by questions over Заупокійна Служба Божа, яку відслужив о. Лавренюк, відбулася в said two of the seized aid workers “were Українській католицькій церкві Покрови Матері Божої в Бронксі. now in a safe location,” without elaborating. his stint as head of the State Financial “Every day, the world’s humanitarian work- Service, which oversees taxes and customs. Тлінні останки були похоронені на Українському католицькому ers show great courage, taking risks to help Appointed in June 2014, he resigned quiet- цвинтарі св. Духа в Гемптонбурґу, Н. Й. the most vulnerable in crisis situations. They ly in February after the end of a Cabinet should never be targeted,” Mr. Miliband said probe. According to the findings of the Залишилися у глибокому смутку: in the statement. Speaking to AFP, a U.S. probe, which have not been made public дружина - Анна Embassy spokesman in Kyiv could not con- but were obtained by RFE/RL, the perfor- дочка - Ліда з чоловіком Андрієм Павлишином firm the reported release. The leader of the mance of tax and customs offices did not Š Лариса з чоловіком Вораном Ровч separatists in the Donetsk region, Aleksandr improve – and in some ways deteriorated – син - Андрій Zakharchenko, said on May 9 the two had during his tenure. The report said that внуки - Леся, Мелася, Мелодія і Александер been freed after being detained for alleged administration of taxes became more com- сестра - Марія Пастернак з родиною spying. Mr. Zakharchenko claimed one of the plicated, not less. The commission created ближча і дальша родина в Україні. U.S. aid workers was a “CIA agent.” (RFE/RL, by the government to conduct the probe, based on reporting by Agence France-Presse which included representatives of business Вічна Йому пам’ять! and the BBC) associations, also came to the conclusion 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21

dling numbers of veterans left to combat COMMUNITY CHRONICLE The UPA’s fight... the lies Mr. Putin and the Kremlin media machine continues to spew. (Continued from page 7) Prof. Snyder found similarities between I am accustomed to seeing someone what happened then and what is going on Ukrainians attend commemoration examine maps and printed material, intent- today and what it means for Ukraine, Russia ly looking for clues that might give them and the future of Europe. He remarked that of Armenian Genocide’s centennial the answers to their quest for closure. It it wouldn’t be surprising to see a spring happens often enough that I know where offensive against Mariupol and noted that someone can start finding connections by Mr. Putin’s rehabilitation of the Molotov- asking a for a few bits of information: Ribbentrop pact is a blatant rewriting of the name, rank, nom-de-guerre, year and terri- history of World War II. Mr. Putin’s success tory where a family member might have will depend upon Europe’s reaction. passed through. It’s getting better to cross- Prof. Snyder noted, “Whether European reference with the volumes (over 100) and voters understand what is happening in the series (three separate series and individual present day and what will happen in the biographies) coming out of the UPA’s lega- future for the European Union remains to cy. This was their final directive as soldiers, be seen. If it is not seen as such by the partisans and freedom fighters during the Europeans, elections and international war (which, by the way, did not end in 1945 debates on unity will be lost and, over time, for the UPA) and its aftermath to save their the European Union will disintegrate. … history for the world and future genera- What Europe is facing now is an actual live tions. That’s why they started publishing challenge on a scale of 1989. And what will the Litopys UPA – Chronicles of the be decisive: is it seen as such.” Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Whereas many academics theorize dif- Other displays came from my father’s ferently and some media outlets still refer to personal archives. Julian “Levko” Kotlar the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a Representatives of Ukrainian organizations that attended the rally in remembrance of was a sergeant, always on reconnaissance Ukrainian civil war, the reality is that the Armenian Genocide (from left): the Rev. Myron Panchuk, Paul Bandriwsky, patrol, formidable as a soldier, partisan and Moscow’s designs on Ukraine and its ability Nicholas Kocherha, Dr. Maria Korkatsch-Groszko, Ros Saciuk and Greg Kocko. a bodyguard for his commander. A dedicat- to spin propaganda while sending its paid ed veteran and active member of the provocateurs into the thick of things contin- to join and support the Armenian, Greek by Victor W. Groszko Former Soldiers of the UPA, he took his ue from seven decades ago. There is a rule and Assyrian communities on Armenian oath and final directives seriously, remain- of thumb that it takes 10 years for every one CHICAGO – On Friday, April 24, mem- Genocide Remembrance Day. They noted ing active to his dying day in organizing year to recover from the propaganda put bers of the Suburban Council of Ukrainian that Ukrainians know well what it is like to committees for cooperation among veter- out, so it will take Russia a long time to Voters-Illinois, Ukrainian Genocide Famine carry the deep and painful scars of geno- ans’ groups, social services for veterans left recover from Putin’s alternative reality. Foundation-USA and Ukrainian Congress cide, as the Holodomor engineered by behind in Poland and Ukraine, inaugurating In the meantime, more Litopys UPA Stalin in 1932-1933 murdered millions of Committee of America-Illinois Division an UPA memorial park section within St. exhibits are pivotal and needed in provid- people in Ukraine. gathered with Armenians, Greeks and Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, ing the world audience with archival docu- The memorial program included remarks Assyrians in Chicago to commemorate the N.J., and taking part in the planning and ments and information untwisted and in 100th anniversary of the Armenian by politicians who serve on the Congressional holding executive positions on the editorial context. There are many lessons to be Genocide. Ukrainian Caucus and Armenian Caucus: board of the Litopys UPA Publishing House. learned in these uncertain times. The Commemorative Rally and Memorial Reps. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Bob Dold (R-Ill.), What these efforts by him and his fellow * * * March was organized in remembrance of Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), veterans and Ukrainian patriots show is the For more information about having an the 1.5 million victims that perished by the as well as Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), co- incredible resilience, resourcefulness and UPA exhibit in your area, contact Christina brutal hand of Ottoman Turks beginning in chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus. All dedication UPA soldiers have in continuing Kotlar, curator, at christina@filmfestivalre- 1915. What was their crime? They were expressed their readiness to continue to their publishing despite the rapidly dwin- views.com. self-sufficient Christians in a land whose raise awareness of issues of interest to the rule was hostile to their beliefs. Their pun- communities they represent. The Office of ishment was starvation, torture and depor- Sen. Mark Kirk presented a written expres- tation. Over 500,000 Armenians were forci- sion of support and commitment. bly displaced. The ultimate goal was to Other notables present included Fritzie exterminate the Ottoman Armenians. Fritzshall, president, Illinois Holocaust To this day, the Turkish government Museum Board; Endy Zemenides, executive refuses to recognize the Armenian Genocide director, Hellenic American Leadership and denounces those who do recognize the Council; Joseph Danavi, president, GISHRU mass killings as an act of genocide. Bridge to Assyria; and Chris Bohjalian, Members of the Ukrainian community author of “The Sandcastle Girls,” a novel said they were honored to have been able about the Armenian Genocide. EuroMaidan Ottawa condemns Chrétien’s actions Euro-Maidan Ottawa sion of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk are not acceptable. What is a former Canadian Christina Kotlar OTTAWA – EuroMaidan Ottawa, an PM doing, having his own side-chats with a Bob Cade shows visitors a soldier’s wallet leather-tooled with a tryzub from the 1940s – Ottawa-based solidarity group with the pro- dangerous imperialist tyrant?” one of his extraordinary finds during 10 years of collecting UPA artifacts and memorabilia. Western and pro-democracy movement in EuroMaidan Ottawa’s Anton Sestritsyn, a Ukraine, on May 5 condemned the actions of native of Crimea who now resides in former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Ottawa, said “Ukraine is facing a humani- to stabilize Ukraine’s economy, OSCE moni- Chrétien for holding a secret meeting with tarian crisis, a refugee crisis, and an ongo- Turning... tors brought the eyes of the world to unsta- ble parts of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow ing low-boil war, and one person is respon- (Continued from page 6) on April 30, opening up what appears to be sible: Vladimir Putin. Renegade efforts by a “And this mobilization of world opinion a parallel track of dialogue around the offi- former Canadian politician to circumvent a to international law, and, if just, necessary and international institutions served as a cial voice of the government of Canada. united NATO-EU stance against Russia’s and effective, multilateral military action. In counterweight to Russian propaganda and The meeting was not sanctioned by the irredentist aggression cannot be tolerated. such circumstances, we have to work with Russian troops on the border and armed Department of Foreign Affairs or the Cabinet, We have been volunteering and running others because collective action in these militias in ski masks. and no details have come forth other than a fund-raisers to support refugees or send circumstances is more likely to succeed, “This weekend, Ukrainians voted by the Kremlin spokesperson saying that the two sleeping bags and first aid kits for volun- more likely to be sustained, less likely to millions. Yesterday, I spoke to their next men have “friendly relations,” a news teer soldiers, while a millionaire Canadian lead to costly mistakes. … president. We don’t know how the situation release from EuroMaidan Ottawa noted. politician is cozying up with the man “In Ukraine, Russia’s recent actions will play out, and there will remain grave “This is not a time for show-boating or responsible for all this carnage and strife – recall the days then Soviet tanks rolled into challenges ahead, but standing with our end-runs on Canadian foreign policy, which that is not acceptable.” Eastern Europe. But this isn’t the Cold War. allies on behalf of international order, work- has rightly condemned Russia’s imperialist The National Post, a Canadian newspa- Our ability to shape world opinion helped ing with international institutions, has given aggression in Ukraine,” said EuroMaidan per reported: “The meeting was a slap to isolate Russia right away. Because of a chance for the Ukrainian people to choose Ottawa co-founder Slava Bezverkhnyev. the government of Prime Minister Stephen American leadership, the world immediate- their future – without us firing a shot. …” “The government of Canada has been Harper, which has moved to politically iso- ly condemned Russian actions, Europe and standing up for the people of Ukraine and late the Russian leader, blaming him for the the G-7 joined with us to impose sanctions, Source: “For the Record: From Obama’s has constricted official dealings with the unrest in Ukraine and Russia’s annexation NATO reinforced our commitment to major foreign policy address,” The Ukrainian Kremlin to send a signal that Russia’s inva- of Crimea last year.” Eastern European allies, the IMF is helping Weekly, June 2014. No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 15

Crimean Tatars... (Continued from page 1) Mustafa Dzhemilev on attempts Organizers said the gathering’s goal was twofold: to commemorate Crimean to ban remembrance gatherings Tatars who died during the deportation to Ukrainian nationalists” had been arrested calling it an illiterate document put togeth- Central Asia that started on May 18, 1944, by Halya Coynash and were in custody. er hastily and without any real content. The and to honor those who lost their lives On the eve of the 71st anniversary of the The occupation authorities both in 2014 idea was, he suggesed, to produce such a during and after Crimea’s annexation by deportation of the Crimean Tatar people, and this year have shown total inability to document to prove that Russia had done Russia in March 2014. veteran Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa coordinate their excuses for bans. The head what Ukraine failed to do. Several tents were set up in the park Dzhemilev spoke to Radio Svoboda about of the Symferopol city administration He noted that the situation in all areas for people to gather and take part in the occupiers’ attempts for the second year announced at the same time that the city has worsened significantly. Although, in prayers and commemorations and hear running to prevent Crimean Tatars from would not be allowing the traditional theory, there are three official languages, the accounts of people who survived the honoring their own parents, grandparents remembrance gathering, but claimed that only Russian effectively remains. Crimean Stalin-era deportation and have been and other victims of the deportation that the square was not suited and that repair Tatar and Ukrainian have been pushed out. forced over the past year to flee Crimea began on May 18, 1944. Mr. Dzhemilev was work was planned. It was all just promises, he said, with the for other parts of Ukraine. speaking from Kyiv, since he was banned Two members of the Mejlis received for- reality being that even the only Crimean Also on May 18, a special concert to from his homeland soon after Russia’s inva- mal warnings that meetings are unaccept- Tatar channel – ATR – was closed (or mark the solemn anniversary was held in sion and annexation of Crimea in the spring able. forced off the air through the refusal to re- Kyiv’s National Opera House and a rally of of 2014. Asked whether this constitutes a ban on register it). Mr. Dzhemilev mentions that mourning, called “Light a Flame in My “Last year the occupation regime can- all meetings, Mr. Dzhemilev answered that, ATR was also the only channel that broad- Heart,” took place on Independence celled all mass events in Symferopol, claim- effectively, it does. He just had a call from cast information in Ukrainian, which riled Square (the Maidan). In Lviv, a solemn ing that they had information about some Sudak, he added, where the authorities are the occupiers. The State Crimea channel public meeting was held in the city center. ‘Ukrainian nationalists,’ who together with trying to get Crimean Tatars to lay flowers has a few minutes a week in Crimean Tatar, Events took place in other cities across ‘Crimean Tatar nationalists’ were going to together with them at the deportation he says, with the authorities dictating what the country, including Kherson and carry out some kind of terrorist acts. memorial. He believes that Crimean Tatars, goes on and those Crimean Tatars who Kharkiv. Nonsense, of course. And, to be on the safe certainly the Mejlis, will refuse to take part have chosen to collaborate with the author- President Petro Poroshenko, speaking side, they cordoned off the central square in any commemorative acts together with ities being given the main roles. at a memorial event that evening, spoke in Symferopol with armed vehicle carriers the occupation authorities, though he With respect to Ukrainian flags, the first also of the Crimean Tatars’ current strug- and soldiers, and didn’t let anybody in,” he added that the latter have a few collabora- thing that Mr. Dzhemilev noticed on April gle: “Ukraine will never agree with the said. tors they can turn to. 18 of last year, when he arrived in occupation of Crimea and will never give “Then the Mejlis [the Crimean Tatar rep- “In fact it would be possible, not taking Symferopol for the first time since Russia’s one of the indigenous people of our resentative assembly] decided to mark the into account bans or restrictions to just invasion, was that the Ukrainian flag over homeland to the wolves. We will struggle anniversary on the outskirts of the city. come out, and that probably is what will the Mejlis building had been removed. He for the rights, national and political free- Around 15,000 to 20,000 people gathered happen,” Mr. Dzhemilev said. “However I’m ordered it reinstated. doms of the Crimean Tatars. Crimea is not there. But to obstruct the meeting, helicop- afraid of any provocation. Because if they, There were various measures taken by a military base, not a ‘pride of Russian ters flew overhead, drowning out the say, send a person with a Russian flag into a the occupation government to get the flag place where a lot of people are gathered, it down. A week later, Risa Shevkiev, the head sailors.’ It is an integral part of Ukraine. It speakers. And FSB [Russian Security Service] people in plain clothes closely will be impossible to avoid confrontation. of the Crimea Foundation that owned the is a unique region, a jewel of world civili- watched, walked around, listening to who In short, the situation is pretty worrying. I Mejlis building (and himself a member of zation, a cradle of the Crimean Tatars. It is was saying what,” he continued. “They par- don’t know how it will develop.” the Mejlis) even received a warning over their legal and globally recognized ticularly homed in where they noticed Asked about people forced to leave such allegedly “extremist” behavior. By Homeland.” Ukrainian flags. They had somehow come Crimea, Mr. Dzhemilev explained that of September 2014, the authorities had Events commemorating the Crimean to terms with Crimean Tatar flags, but the the 35,000 Crimeans which the civic orga- unleashed an open offensive against the Tatar deportation have been held across Ukrainian flag arouses extremely sharp sei- nization Crimea SOS says left, just over Mejlis and eventually forced them out of Ukraine since May 16. On May 14, zures. The minor clashes were over 20,000 are Crimean Tatars. Although they the building. Ukrainian lawmakers adopted a bill Ukrainian flags.” have settled throughout Ukraine, the On leaving Crimea on April 22, 2014, Mr. making May 18 a national Day of He notes that this year the occupation majority went to western oblasts – Lviv Dzhemilev was handed a document Commemoration of the Crimean Tatar regime spread information several days in and Vinnytsia – because they were more informing him that he had been banned Deportation. advance of the anniversary, claiming that warmly greeted there. from entering his homeland. The Crimean Ukraine’s Education Ministry has rec- yet again some “Ukrainian terrorists,” He added that the Mejlis regularly asks Tatar leader had been briefly courted until ommended that schools across the coun- together with “Crimean terrorists,” fellow Crimean Tatars to be patient and not Mr. Putin understood that neither he, nor try devote a lesson on May 18 to the his- “according to information received,” want leave Crimea, since this is precisely what the Mejlis, would be taken in by empty tory of the deportation of Crimean Tatars to carry out some acts because of the num- the occupying regime wants. However, promises, and that they remained firmly and the peninsula’s other ethnic groups to ber of people. when there are mass searches and arrests, opposed to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Central Asia. The claims of a “mass provocation” came and when, most worryingly, people are dis- The Ukrainian flag was doubtless only one In May 1944, Stalin ordered the expul- just hours after threats from the prosecu- appearing, then you can hardly tell people of the factors, but a telling one, prompting sion of about 180,000 Crimean Tatars, tor, Natalya Poklonskaya, that Ukrainian that they should stay. A woman who had the ex-KGB officer now in charge of the who made up around one-fifth of the “nationalists and radicals” could expect to left answered him with one stark question: Kremlin to treat Mr. Dzhemilev, the Mejlis, Crimean population, ostensibly over be jailed in Russian-occupied Crimea. The Where is the guarantee that they won’t and eventually most Crimean Tatars as alleged collaboration with Nazi occupiers. “provocation” was supposedly being abduct and kill my child? enemies in their homeland. Tens of thousands of the deportees died planned by Ukrainian politicians and the Mr. Dzhemilev was scathing in his reac- during the journey or soon after their leaders of the Mejlis. It was also reported, tion to Vladimir Putin’s decree “On the Halya Coynash is a member of the arrival in Central Asia. without any detail, that a “group of Rehabilitation of the Peoples of Crimea,” Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group. Many deported Crimean Tatars or their children returned to Crimea in the late 1980s and the 1990s, after Ukraine re- face in countries during times of stress, and larations entirely and completely reflect the established its independence, but rights As in 1939... undoubtedly many people in the EU and foreign policy course of present-day Russia the United States will dismiss his notions as and, in particular, its striving to become a groups say they have faced discrimination (Continued from page 6) nothing more than that. But to do so would world center of power and to restore the and abuses since Russia seized the penin- be a serious mistake. configuration of the world as it was in 1945, sula from Ukraine in March 2014. Mr. Ishchenko suggests, as Ms. Kirillova puts it, that “the main goal of this operation Aleksandr Sytin, a former analyst for and also to ‘save’ the peoples at a minimum Several Crimean Tatars have turned up would be not ‘the defense’ of [Russia’s] bor- Russia’s SVR intelligence service and more of Eastern Europe and ideally all European dead since the internationally unrecog- ders from imagined enemies but the occa- recently for the now infamous Russian peoples from the ‘pernicious influence’ of nized annexation by Russia. More sion for the beginning of a trade with Institute for Strategic Research, argues that the U.S. by using the existing contradictions Crimean Tatars activists have been arrest- Europe about the shift of borders and Mr. Ishchenko is speaking for more than between them and the EU’s weakness.” ed, while Mustafa Dzhemilev, a veteran spheres of influence in which, of course, the himself and that his article is intended Mr. Sytin said that, despite proposals like Crimean Tatar leader and lawmaker, as sovereignty of other countries and the will simultaneously to test the waters of public Mr. Ishchenko’s, he is certain the Kremlin well as a Ukrainian presidential envoy, of the peoples living in them are not and opinion and expand the limits of what peo- does not really want to get into a military con- and Refat Chubarov, the chairman of cannot be taken into consideration.” ple consider permissible. frontation with Europe and NATO. Instead, it Crimean Tatars’ self-governing body, the As Mr. Ishchenko puts it, “a lightning-like He told Ms. Kirillova that Mr. Sytin now hopes for a compromise, one in which the Mejlis, have been barred from entering occupation of the Baltics would put the works closely with Russia Today and other West will make even more concessions to Crimea by the peninsula’s Russian- European Union in a situation when the res- Kremlin media outlets and that he and oth- Moscow in order to avoid such a conflict. installed leaders. toration of the status quo could be achieved ers so connected put out ideas Moscow “The more quickly the West recognizes only by means of negotiations.” That is wants to see spread through the population that the era of a ‘good’ agreeable Russia is With news service reports. because Paris and Berlin could not “fight” for so that the regime can act nominally in the now in the past the better,” Mr. Sytin argued, To read the full text of the RFE/RL story, the Baltic countries if they no longer existed. name of “the will of the people” even and he insisted that “the Kremlin’s current see http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine- It would be comforting to think that Mr. though the source of the ideas is the aggressiveness is creating a danger much crimean-tatars-deportation-anniversa- Ishchenko’s article is simply one more Kremlin itself. greater than that which came from ‘the evil ry/27022541.html. example of the absurdities that often sur- According to Mr. Sytin, “Ishchenko’s dec- empire’ operating under the name USSR.” 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21

An iconostasis painted by Wadym Dobrolige. Grave blessings in Hafford, Saskatchewan, in 2013. Researchers provide update on spiritual heritage documentation project painting icons and churches. Interestingly, there are a num- CIUS ber of beautiful icons and murals painted by artists with no EDMONTON, Alberta – Profs. John-Paul Himka and direct connection to Ukraine or Ukrainian culture, such as Natalie Kononenko gave a presentation series on the Karen Isbister and Steve Knight. Sanctuary Project (whose full name is Sanctuary: The A real character among iconographers, Prof. Himka said, Spiritual Heritage Documentation Project), whose main was Ignatius Sycz, who painted the interior of the first focus has been documenting sacral culture on the Canadian Ukrainian Catholic Church of Ss. Peter and Paul in prairies for the past six years. Their April 16 talk was part Mundare, Alberta, but mainly worked in Saskatchewan and of the lecture series of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Manitoba. He was known for his alcoholism and some- Studies (CIUS). times asked to be paid in liquor. If payment was delayed, he Work on this project comes at a crucial time, because the was said to have painted horns on some of the saints. A iconic onion-domed churches that have been an integral part man in Swan Plain, Saskatchewan, told Prof. Himka that of the prairie landscape are rapidly disappearing as their Sycz requested a gallon of wine a day as payment, claiming congregants move from farms to cities. The churches are an that he needed the alcohol to fortify his courage on the important part of Canadian history. They hold tremendous scaffolding. But clearly there was another side to the man, emotional significance for the people who attend them and for he was known to move skillfully on the high scaffolds. the many who now live far away but consider the rural Sycz may not have been a trained artist and he never churches emblematic of their Ukrainian Canadian identity. seemed to grasp the principles of anatomy, but his works Yet as important as the churches may be, they simply are striking for their original conceptions, strong colors, cannot be maintained. For this reason the Sanctuary team and emotional impact, Prof. Himka noted. has been travelling around the provinces of Alberta and Prof. Kononenko reported on some of her findings con- Saskatchewan and creating a record of prairie churches in cerning ritual practice. Her work has shown that, because digital form. They photograph not only church exteriors, Ukrainians who moved to Canada had to sever connections but also all church contents: icons, prayerbooks, banners, to their homeland, “linking objects,” items that served as a vestment, tetrapods. concrete focus for longing, became particularly important. The team also conducts interviews with parishioners, Those objects could be rural churches; but they could also recording information about ritual practice such as the cel- be items of clothing that linked generations, establishing a ebration of weddings and baptisms and important holidays sense of continuity in the new Canadian setting. such as Christmas, Easter and feast days of a church’s One aspect of ritual development that the Sanctuary patron saint. work has brought to light, Prof. Kononenko said, was the The work of the team has been funded by a number of fact that differences in ritual between Canada and Ukraine small grants, as well as many private donations. This past Icon of Ss. Cyril and Methodius by Ignatius Sycz. were not simply the product of gradual attrition. Tradition year, Sanctuary was recognized with a major grant award- is often viewed as something that is slowly modified or ed by the Kule Institute for Advanced Study. This award hit wonders” who painted icons for a single church only. lost. In Canada, however, because immigrant families were will go toward fieldwork expenses and the establishment Dobrolige could make a living from icon painting, but he primarily nuclear and grandparents were left behind, there of a database in the University of Alberta Library that will was in the minority and most artists needed to take on was an actual break in tradition in many cases. allow the public access to the work of the Sanctuary team. other projects to survive. A number of iconographers were No elders were available to teach pysanka-writing, or On April 16, two members of the team, Prof. Himka and parish priests. embroidery, or the baking of ritual breads, for example, Kononenko offered the public a glimpse into some of the Iconographers, especially in the early period, were and neighbors who might have shared such information findings that have emerged from their years of fieldwork. exclusively men. Women joined their ranks with time, and lived too far away. As a result, the church often took on the Prof. Himka spoke about icons, richly illustrating his talk current painter Vera Senchuk of Winnipeg is widely recog- role of tradition-bearer, with nuns instructing rural chil- with 85 slides. He underscored the diversity of icon paint- nized and sought-after, Prof. Himka continued. Most of the dren in Ukrainian folk arts and also teaching skills needed ers. Some, like Wadym Dobrolige and Theodore Baran, had earlier painters, like Lipinski, were Ukrainians who came for integration into Canada such as baseball, she explained. excellent training, the former at the Kyiv State Art Institute over in the first or second wave of immigration to Canada, The presentation of the two Sanctuary team members and the Academy of Arts in Leningrad and the latter at the but Canadian-born Ukrainians tried their hands at iconog- was followed by a lively question and discussion period. Studite monastery in Univ. Others were self-taught, with raphy as well. After World War II, professional artists came Profs. Himka and Kononenko said they look forward to some being complete amateurs who responded to a per- from Ukraine and worked in Canada. These included presenting more of their findings and to sharing the podi- sonal call to paint icons for their parish. Some iconogra- Baran, Dobrolige and Vasyl Zalutsky, among others. um with their colleague, Frances Swyripa. They also look phers, most notably Baran and Peter Lipinski, were very More recently, new Ukrainian immigrants such as Olena forward to an exhibit of some of the many photographs prolific while others, according to Prof. Himka, were “one- Zinchouk and Protodeacon Nazar Polataiko have been taken by their team.

press services, namely those of the defense including in the information field,” says But as experts and professional journalists Ukraine’s Information... and security agencies.” These agencies’ blun- Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign maintain, so far Kyiv has unwisely tried to ders, Ms. Romaniuk notes, “have been one of Affairs Ministry’s ambassador-at-large. “So reinvent the wheel or imitate the better- (Continued from page 2) the reasons for [Ukraine’s] defeats in the to secure Ukraine’s efficient information funded, more experienced Russian “infor- global news coverage, specifically by provid- information war” (Deutsche Welle Russian policy, it is necessary to synergize efforts of mation warriors.” ing access [to Ukraine] to foreign correspon- service, February 27). To this list, journalist our governmental agencies, civil society dents, by encouraging international broad- Oleksandr Kochetkov adds a need for involv- and international partners,” he concludes The article above is reprinted from casters to open their offices in Ukraine, as ing famous and respected global media per- (Apostrophe.com.ua, March 11). Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from well as by improving the operational pace sonalities (Obozrevatel.com, February 2). Ukraine clearly needs to adopt and fol- its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, and quality of the governmental bodies’ “This country was saved by volunteers, low a well-developed information policy. www.jamestown.org. No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 17 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 No. 21 Shelest Piano Duo to perform benefit concert for museum

Dmitri and Anna Shelest.

by Adriana Leshko prize at both the Bradshaw and Buono international piano competitions and made NEW YORK – In celebration and support their Carnegie Hall debut in 2011, where of the 10th anniversary of The Ukrainian they have appeared every year since. Their Museum’s transformative expansion to its debut album, “Tutti,” features transcrip- Sixth Street location, the museum and tions of orchestral works by Liszt, Ukrainian National Women’s League of Tchaikovsky, Ravel and Gershwin. America Branch 113 on May 30 will present Works by many of these artists will be a benefit concert whose proceeds go to sup- performed at the museum benefit concert, port the ambitious array of exhibitions, per- along with pieces by notable Ukrainian formances, programs and more that make composers such as Mykola Lysenko and up the current, critically heralded incarna- Oleksander Zhuk. The Shelests will per- tion of this East Village-based cultural gem. form surrounded by the compelling art col- The Shelest Piano Duo, generously lected in the museum’s current exhibition, donating its time and talent for the evening, “Staging the Ukrainian Avant-Garde of the has gone through its own artistic transfor- 1910s and 1920s,” honoring with their art- mation. Anna and Dmitri Shelest began istry an indefatigable institution that serves their lives as young prodigies in their native as the first and sometimes only introduc- Ukraine. Both made their debuts at age 11 tion to Ukrainian art and culture for many JACQUES HNIZDOVSKY – she at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, visitors. In addition to celebrating and he as the winner of a competition during fund-raising, the evening serves as an PRINTS DRAWINGS PAINTINGS his time at Ukraine’s prestigious Special opportunity to take pride in The Ukrainian Music School for Gifted Children, to which Museum’s ever-evolving ability to power- William Greenbaum Fine Prints has been in business now he had been accepted at age 6. fully showcase Ukraine’s myriad artistic for more than 50 years. We currently have 35 signed prints Despite successful solo careers of their assets within one of the world’s most by Mr. Hnizdovsky for sale and we are seeking to purchase own, the married couple eventually joined important cultural capitals. more of his prints as well as his drawings and paintings. forces as the Shelest Piano Duo, an experi- The Shelest Piano Duo concert takes ence they both credit as deepening their place at The Ukrainian Museum on appreciation for the complexity, nuance Saturday, May 30, at 7 p.m. Tickets are and creative possibilities of their chosen available online at www.ukrainianmuseum. instrument. As a duo they have won first org.

ALL PRINTS NOW ILLUSTRATED ONLINE AT: www.greenbaumprints.com Please email us at [email protected] or phone us at 508-284-7036. William Greenbaum Fine Prints 98 South Street Rockport, MA 01966 Open By Appointment Member: International Fine Print Dealers Association No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 19

May 29 Fund-raiser breakfast with Andrew Bennett, to assist June 12-14 Folklore Festival, featuring Lviv, Ukraine, Pavilion, Ottawa war-displaced families in Ukraine, Ottawa-Gatineau Kingston, ON Ukrainian Canadian Club of Kingston, Regiopolis Notre branch of the Ukrainian National Federation, Villa Dame Catholic High School, 613-549-5060 Marconi, www.cnewa.ca or 613-738-9666 June 12-14 KinoFilmFest Alberta 2015, Cosmopolitan Music May 30 Performance, “Sparks,” by the Svitanok Ukrainian Dance Edmonton, AB Society, 780-488-8558 or www.acuarts.ca/events.htm Ottawa Society, Centerpointe Studio Theater, 613-580-2700 June 13 Golf tournament, Ukrainian American Sports Center – May 31 Discussion with U.S. immigration attorney Andy Ambler, PA Tryzub, Limekiln Golf Club, www.tryzub.org New York Semotiuk, St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church, [email protected] June 13 Performance, “Jewish Musical Traditions in Ukraine and New York the Development of the ‘Nightsongs’ Project,” with May 31 Choral service, with Liturgy No. 3 by Roman Hurko, Michael Alpert and Julian Kytasty, The Ukrainian Washington Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, Museum, www.ukrainianmuseum.org or 212-228-0110 [email protected] or www.uncs-holyfamily.org June 13-14 44th annual Texas Folklife Festival, with performance by June 5 Concert, featuring soprano Sofia Soloviy with pianist San Antonio, TX the Ukrainian San Antonio Veselka Dancers, Institute of Washington Ella Andrea, The Washington Group Cultural Fund, Texan Cultures, 210-458-2300 or www.texancultures.com Embassy of Ukraine, 703-241-1817 or [email protected] June 14 Ukrainian Village BBQ, Ukrainian Canadian Care Center, June 6 Film screening, “Music of Survival,” with performance Toronto 647-725-0844 or www.stdemetrius.ca New York by bandurist Julian Kytasty, The Ukrainian Museum, 212-228-0110 or www.ukrainianmuseum.org June 14-19 Seniors’ Week, Ukrainian National Association, Kerhonkson, NY Soyuzivka Heritage Center, 845-626-5641 or June 7 Golf tournament, St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox 973-292-9800 ext. 3071 Carlisle, ON Church, Dragon’s Fire Golf Club, [email protected] Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events June 7 Film screening, “Music of Survival,” with performance advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions from Whippany, NJ by bandurist Julian Kytasty, Ukrainian American all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors and as Cultural Center of New Jersey, www.musicofsurvival.com space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected].

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PREVIEW OF EVENTS

Friday, June 5 Saturday, June 13 WASHINGTON, DC: The Washington NEW YORK: Join us at 7:30 p.m. for a lecture/ Group Cultural Fund will present soprano performance “Jewish Musical Traditions in Sofia Soloviy, accompanied by Elia Andrea Ukraine and the Development of the Corazza, in a wide-ranging program of ‘Nightsongs’ Project” with Michael Alpert and opera arias, chamber music for voice and Julian Kytasty. The artists combine talk, music piano, and Ukrainian folk songs. The con- and video in this Bandura Downtown special cert will be held at 6:30 p.m., at the presentation, bringing their audience into the Embassy of Ukraine, 3350 M St. NW. The process of their 20-year collaboration leading program will feature works by prominent to the release of their new CD “Nightsongs European and Ukrainian composers, From a Neighboring Village.” Order tickets in including Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, Delibes, advance online. The Ukrainian Museum is Dvorak, Moniuszko, Lysenko, Meitus, and located at 222 E. Sixth St., between Second Sonevytsky. Ms. Soloviy has studied in and Third avenue; telephone, 212-228-0110; Ukraine and in Italy, at the Music Academy website, www.ukrainianmuseum.org. in Osimo and at the Accademia Chigiana in Sunday-Friday, June 14-19 Siena. Her career has taken her to France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Poland, the KERHONKSON, N.Y.: The Ukrainian National Netherlands, Belgium and her native Association hosts Seniors’ Week at the Ukraine. Dr. Corazza is a conductor, com- Soyuzivka Heritage Center. The program fea- poser, pianist and musicologist. He is a tures fun and games, good food, a wine and Kluge Fellow at the John W. Kluge Center of cheese reception, a banquet (Thursday eve- the Library of Congress. A reception to ning, June 18) and two prominent speakers meet the artists will follow the perfor- daily. Cost for single occupancy begins at $590 mance. For more information: events@ per person. For reservations or information call twgculturalfund.org or twgculturalfund@ Soyuzivka, 845-626-5641 (space is limited). gmail.com. RSVP by June 4 to cwsony@ For information call 973-292-9800, ext. 3071. yahoo.com or 703-241-1817. Come one, come all. Guests are welcome.

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