www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Photographer Sywenkyj wins $30,000 grant – page 4 l Acting Surgeon General Lushniak on Ebola – page 5 l Babylon ’13 films screened in New York – page 9 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXII No. 44 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014 $2.00 U.S. hails Ukraine’s Parliamentary elections mark parliamentary elections Following is President Barack turning point in Ukraine’s history Obama’s statement on the parliamenta- by Zenon Zawada reached a historic low of 52.4 percent. to be among the few genuinely committed ry elections in Ukraine released on Meanwhile, the Russian occupation of to conducting the radical reforms needed. October 27 by the White House, Office of KYIV – He said after the Euro-Maidan Ukraine prevented elections from being held In all, six parties qualified for Parliament, the Press Secretary. that he would be leading a kamikaze gov- in Crimea, as well as in 56 percent of the dis- five of which are committed to Ukraine’s On behalf of the American people, I ernment because of the unpopular reforms tricts in the Donetsk region and 70 percent integration into the European Union. The congratulate the people of Ukraine on it would have to undertake. of the districts in the Luhansk region. Opposition Bloc – a collection of former holding successful parliamentary elec- Instead, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk Euro-Maidan activists such as Ruslana Party of Regions members and eastern tions on October 26. Despite a challeng- emerged as the winner of the October 26 were disappointed that the Civic Position Ukrainian oligarchs – pulled off one of the ing security environment in certain early parliamentary elections, leading his led by former Defense Minister Anatoliy elections’ surprises, qualifying with an unex- regions, millions of Ukrainians turned People’s Front party to an unexpected first- Grytsenko fell far short of the 5 percent bar- pectedly strong 9.4 percent result. out across the country to cast their bal- place finish that observers said will serve rier needed to qualify, earning only 3.1 per- lots in an orderly and peaceful manner. as a counterbalance to the ambitions of cent. The party was considered by experts (Continued on page 13) I commend the government of Ukraine Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, for the conduct of the campaign and whose party finished a close second. VERKHOVNA RADA ELECTION RESULTS election day vote, which international But what is more significant than any particular party’s performance is that the % support No. of single- No. of deputies/ monitoring organizations assess to Party October 26 vote proved to be a historic for party list mandate seats % of total have been largely in line with interna- milestone for independent Ukraine. For the Poroshenko Bloc 21.8% 69 132/31.2% tional standards. first time, pro-Western parties collectively At the same time, it is clear that People’s Front 22.2% 18 82/19.4% gained more votes in the southeastern Russian authorities occupying Crimea Self-Reliance 11.0% 1 33/7.8% oblasts, with the exception of Kharkiv and Opposition Bloc 9.4% 2 29/6.9% and Russian-backed separatists in partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk. parts of eastern Ukraine prevented Radical Party 7.4% 0 22/5.2% And for the first time in independent Batkivshchyna 5.7% 2 19/4.5% many Ukrainian citizens from exercis- Ukraine, the Communist Party won’t be Independents 96/22.7% ing their democratic rights to partici- represented in the Ukrainian Parliament. Other parties 10/2.4% pate in national elections and cast their “Colossal changes have occurred in the votes. I call on Russia to ensure that its consciousness of Ukrainians,” said Olexiy Total *423/100.0% proxies in eastern Ukraine allow voters Haran, a political science professor at the Source: Central Election Commission of Ukraine in the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy. Yet the parliamentary elections had a *Due to the ongoing Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory, elections were not (Continued on page 8) negative side as well, as voter turnout held in certain districts and 27 of the 450 seats in the Verkhovna Rada were not filled. New Ukrainian organization transports critical supplies directly to volunteer battalions by Borys Klymenko when recollecting the situations in which they’ve found themselves. KYIV – At least once a week, Viktoriia “One time we heard explosions nearby Voronovych and Yurii Mosin pack two mini- and dove into a trench, explained Ms. buses with winter clothing, medical supplies Voronovych. “When the bombing stopped, and basic foodstuffs and make the 10-hour the four of us crawled out only to find our trip to the Donbas region. Much as they have driver had somehow managed to don a done nine times previously, this trip they are flack jacket and helmet. It turned out that carrying a load of portable solar panels, while we hurtled our bodies into the ravine, thermal underclothing, U.S.-manufactured he ran to the vehicles and put the stuff on work and hiking boots, medical tourniquets before diving in on top of us!” and blood-clotting medicines, bottled water, Ms. Voronovych and Mr. Mosin are the canned food and fresh fruits. founders and leaders of the International They are traveling with a Ministry of Alliance for Fraternal Assistance, one of sev- Internal Affairs Alpha Special Forces escort eral civil society organizations that have team, which allows them unimpeded sprung from the Euro-Maidan movement. access to all the conflict areas. Sometimes The IAFA is dedicated to supporting the vol- they are halted at the military posts that unteer battalions fighting the Russian sepa- mark the entry point into the Anti-Terrorist ratist forces in the east with the basic neces- Operation (ATO) zone. Most always they sities that the government of Ukraine has are allowed to enter and travel to most failed to supply. The IAFA is also providing points within the ATO – Sloviansk, general humanitarian aid to those affected by Debaltsevo, Popasne, Alchevsk, Artemivsk – the conflict, transporting internally displaced until they have handed over badly needed persons out of the ATO and – in response to supplies to the volunteer combatants. Too Viktoriia Voronovych (center) and Yurii Mosin (second from left) at a Debaltsevo a growing need – developing plans to mod- often in the past, they have come under checkpoint with members of the volunteer forces. The Ukrainian flag they are holding ernize amputee rehabilitation in Ukraine. enemy artillery or sniper fire. Undaunted, was signed by the soldiers for a Kyiv church that had donated supplies delivered by they carry on. Today they laugh uneasily the International Alliance for Fraternal Assistance. (Continued on page 14) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014 No. 44 ANALYSIS U.S. urges Russia to free Savchenko force in the elections to the Verkhovna Rada. What do Russian probes He is confident that prompt creation of a WASHINGTON – Washington has called coalition on its basis will finally allow intro- on Russia to immediately release Nadiya ducing reforms. “It is a pleasure that my in the Baltic portend? Savchenko, the Ukrainian pilot who was political force gained a convincing victory – captured in eastern Ukraine and later hand- gence officer (news.err.ee, September 5). the faction will have more than 130 national by Stephen Blank ed over to Russia, where she is charged with Meanwhile, Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian deputies. But today we should begin the Eurasia Daily Monitor killing two Russian journalists. U.S. State foreign ministry’s Special Representative for implementation of reforms, not celebrate,” Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Earlier this month (October 2014), he said at a meeting with members of the Scandinavian, and especially Swedish, Law, has publicly threatened the Baltic States on October 29 that 1st Lt. Savchenko’s pre- Judicial Reform Council on October 29. Mr. media have focused on Sweden’s apparent- with another Crimea-like operation for their trial detention in Russia, which was extend- Poroshenko emphasized that it was impor- ly abortive efforts to locate what was alleg- supposed “mistreatment” of Russian minori- ed this week by a Moscow court, was “an tant to immediately begin the work of the edly a disabled Russian reconnaissance ties (mid.ru, September 13). Therefore, this outrage” and violated Russia’s commit- newly elected Verkhovna Rada, form a coali- submarine off its shores near Stockholm month’s incident with the submarine off of ments under the Minsk agreements. Ms. tion and a new government. “We must work (thelocal.se, October 24). But beyond the Sweden’s coast needs to be seen as part of Psaki also said Washington was “deeply efficiently to solve all important issues,” he glaring evidence of the degradation of Russia’s regional and global policy. concerned about new criminal charges said. “I am confident that we will promptly Swedish military capabilities – a condition It appears that Moscow has several aims. expected to be filed” against Lt. Savchenko. form a coalition that will be united by com- it shares with most if not all of Europe – First, it may be trying to probe the nerves The pilot was captured by pro-Russian sep- of the new Swedish government and deter mon principles and values. In the nearest there is a larger story here. That story is not aratists on June 18 near the eastern just the intensification of Russian military Sweden from further military cooperation time, right after the formation of the coali- Ukrainian village of Metalist before turning adventurism, probes and harassment of for- with Finland and NATO.