InsIde: • Independent media in Ukraine: its prospects – page 4. • Construction of Ukrainian Orthodox Museum begins – page 5. • Interview with writer Alexander Motyl – page 11.

hePublished bykra the Ukrainian Nationalin Associationian Inc., a fraternal non-profit associationeekly Vol. LXXVIIT UNo.6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY W 8, 2009 $1/$2 in Ukraine Communist back at the helm Security Service of Ukraine to release of Ukraine’s State Archives documents on Soviet-era repressions by Zenon Zawada by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – Olha Ginzburg is back at the KYIV – By the end of the year, the helm of Ukraine’s archives. Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) will The Cabinet of Ministers voted on make publicly accessible all the govern- January 21 to reinstate the lifelong ment’s classified documents on Soviet-era Communist functionary and ideologue, repressions, a collection that encompasses who filed a complaint that she had been about 800,000 items that range from perse- unfairly dismissed in April 2008 as direc- cution campaigns in western Ukraine to files tor of the State Archives Committee of kept on rock music enthusiasts. Ukraine. A January 23 decree issued by President While the Cabinet of Ministers press Viktor Yushchenko ordered all government service cited a Kyiv district court ruling organs to disclose all the remaining Soviet as the basis for her reinstatement, it was repression-related documents issued obvious to political observers that Prime between 1917 and 1991 that were classified Minister Yulia Tymoshenko had struck a as secret or top secret. deal with the Communist Party of President Yushchenko issued the decree Ukraine to give back the archives’ reins just two days after Prime Minister Yulia Zenon Zawada in exchange for political favors. Tymoshenko led the Cabinet of Ministers in Zenon Zawada “We all know that here most court Olha Ginzburg, who has been reap- voting to approve the return of Communist Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) decisions related to personnel issues are pointed as director of Ukraine’s State Olha Ginzburg as chair of the State Archives Chair Valentyn Nalyvaichenko discuss- made to order, with a political or corrupt Archives. Committee of Ukraine. es the January 23 presidential decree component,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, However, SBU Acting Chair Valentyn declassifying all documents related to board chairman of the Penta Center for secret Soviet repressions. Applied Political Research, a consulting Nalyvaichenko didn’t draw a connection between the two events, stressing the decree UNA surpasses firm that serves various political clients. crimes against people’s freedoms and rights, “We can suspect a certain political is the latest step in a three-year campaign to and the criminal actions of government $10 million goal component here. From time to time, situ- make Ukraine’s archived Soviet documents organs, shouldn’t be and can’t be concealed ational alliances arise between the more accessible to Ukrainians and foreign- behind a classification of secrecy,” he said at ers alike. for annuities in 2008 (Continued on page 5) “The president’s position lies in that (Continued on page 12) PARSIPPANY, N.J. – The Ukrainian National Association Inc. reached a major milestone, surpassing its $10 mil- lion goal for annuity sales in 2008. Lviv’s Dzherelo Center serves disabled children “We are very proud of this achieve- by Oksana Zakydalsky ment and celebrate this historic accom- plishment, said Christine E. Kozak, UNA TORONTO – The Dzherelo national secretary. Rehabilitation Center and School in Lviv The steady growth of annuity sales, traces its beginnings to Nadiya (Hope), according to Ms. Kozak, was due to a an association of parents of children with greater sales efforts by the UNA Home cerebral palsy. In 1993 the Dzherelo Office sales staff, branch secretaries and Center was opened to provide rehabilita- independent sales agents. Another con- tion for children with physical and intel- tributing factor to the success of the lectual disabilities. Today, more than 240 annuity sales was the favorable rates children with special needs and their par- offered by the UNA versus certificate of ents take part, free of charge, in the daily deposit (CD) rates offered by other finan- programs offered by Dzherelo. cial institutions, she added. During the recent fund-raising art The UNA has been selling annuities exhibit organized in Toronto by Friends since 1992 and offers very competitive of Dzherelo, Zenia Kushpeta, a Dzherelo interest rates. Additionally, the UNA board member, gave a presentation about offers qualified (traditional IRAs), Roth, the development and work of this unique Simplified Employee Pension Plan center in Ukraine. (SEPs) and non-qualified plans (after tax Ms. Kushpeta, a native of Thunder dollars) which can be set up with a Bay, Ontario, received a music education $1,000 deposit. A Coverdell Educational (in piano performance) at the Toronto and Savings Account is also available. Dzherelo Center John Hopkins universities. She worked as For 2009 the UNA’s goals are to sur- The Dzherelo Center building in Lviv. a lecturer in piano performance at Queens pass the $10 million mark once again, by University and took part in concert tours offering very competitive interest rates Today l’Arche unites 132 communities in volunteer in a l’Arche community in for new business and a Loyal throughout Canada, the United States and 35 countries. In a world that often sees Richmond Hill, near Toronto, after which Membership Program for its existing Europe. But, when she became acquaint- the mentally disabled as being outside she decided to devote herself totally to members whose annuities will mature. ed with the work of the organization society, the organization’s charter says: social work. She asked the l’Arche com- For more information, readers may l’Arche (Ark), she found her true calling “... l’Arche attempts not to provide a munity to sponsor her as a volunteer in contact the UNA Home Office at and changed her life. solution but to show that society, to be Ukraine and went to Lviv in 1991, where 800-253-9862 and ask for the Annuity L’Arche is an international network of truly humane, should welcome and she still lives and works today. Department. communities for the mentally disabled, respect the weak and the oppressed...” founded in 1964 by Canadian Jean Vanier. For one year, Ms. Kushpeta lived as a (Continued on page 10) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS

Moscow-Kyiv gas dispute Conference on NATO-Ukraine cooperation most, about the economic situation in the country and regarding the [state] budget KYIV – A conference on Euro-Atlantic [for 2009].” The Rada chairman announced could redraw Europe’s energy map and European security opened in the Ivan a break in the Parliament’s session to hold Kozhedub Kharkiv University of Air a meeting of the conciliatory council. by Bruce Pannier that runs directly to Europe interrupted by Forces of Ukraine on February 4. (Ukrinform) RFE/RL potentially quarrelsome post-Soviet neigh- Participating in two-day meetings were bors. experts at the George C. Marshall Writer Pavlo Zahrebelny dies There is no quick way for the European For Moscow, the best possible conse- European Center for Security Studies, the Union to penalize Russia and Ukraine for quence of the gas fiasco with Ukraine could Department for Euro-Atlantic Integration KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko the gas dispute that led to a frosty two-week be a stepped-up commitment to its South of the General Staff of the Ukrainian expressed condolences on the death of cutoff in natural-gas supplies in January. So, Stream and Nord Stream pipeline projects. Armed Forces, teachers and cadets of the renowned Ukrainian writer Pavlo for the time being, the European Union con- South Stream is projected to run from university, officials of the U.S., German Zahrebelny, the presidential press-service tinues to receive one-quarter of its gas sup- Russia’s Black Sea coast to Italy via and Slovak embassies in Ukraine, repre- reported on February 3. “Pavlo Zahrebelny, plies from Russia – and four-fifths of that Bulgaria and Greece, crossing Ukraine’s sentatives of the NATO Information and the renowned Ukrainian writer, Hero of via pipelines in Ukraine – just as it did continental shelf but bypassing its soil. Documentation Center in Ukraine and oth- Ukraine, laureate of the State Prize of the before the feud began. Arguably greater hopes are invested in ers. A meeting of U.S. Ambassador to USSR, holder of the Shevchenko Prize, But the 27-member bloc has already sig- Nord Stream, which is designed to pipe gas Ukraine William Taylor and the head of national deputy of Ukraine of a great num- naled that it will neither forgive nor forget, directly from Russia to Germany via the the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, ber of convocations, has died at 84. His with EU officials exploring new energy Baltic Sea, and is already nearing comple- Arsen Avakov, was held on the premises outstanding works were the favorites of alternatives that circumvent Ukraine or tion. Combined, the South and Nord Stream of the university. The administration build- several generations,” Mr. Yushchenko said, Russia altogether. lines would have a capacity of under 90 bil- ing was picketed by activists of the adding that about 20 novels were written In that sense, said Federico Bordonaro, lion cubic meters (bcm) a year – far less Ukrainian Communist Party and the by Mr. Zahrebelny over 40 years of his lit- an energy-security analyst with the Italian- than the 280 bcm currently piped through Ukrainian Socialist Party carrying banners erary work. “His civic stand will always based group equilibre.net, both Moscow and Ukraine. with the slogan “NATO-Stop!” serve an example for the Ukrainians, while Kyiv lost something in the dispute. But Chris Weafer, a Moscow-based strat- (Ukrinform) his creative work will inspire action,” the Moreover, with other transit countries like egist with UralSib bank, said growing inter- president said. (Ukrinform) Belarus at the ready, one party’s loss could est in the projects could prove profitable for PRU blocks Rada rostrum well prove another’s gain. Russia’s Gazpom monopoly. Reaction to alleged “selling” of orphans He said officials in Miensk are eager to KYIV – Verkhovna Rada Chairman “You could say that Gazprom is a long- Volodymyr Lytvyn on February 3 opened KYIV – The Family, Youth and Sports “enhance the role” of the Yamal-Europe term winner from this, because there should a morning meeting of the fourth session of Ministry has released a statement to the pipeline, a major route that stretches from be more momentum on the export pipelines western Siberia to Europe through Belarus, the Ukrainian Parliament. National depu- Ukrainian president, the Security Service like Nord Stream and South Stream, to get ties of the Party of Regions of Ukraine and adds that a second leg “could be carried of Ukraine and the Procurator General’s them done,” Mr. Weafer pointed out. “They (PRU) blocked the rostrum and the presid- out in a year or 18 months from now.” Office with regard to groundless state- will go on a fully commercial basis from ium of the Verkhovna Rada. The deputy “It remains to be seen if everyone agrees ments by politicians and journalists about 2010. And it should mean that if the deal is leader of the PRU faction, Anna Herman, with that,” Mr. Bordonaro said, “but it’s done properly, then they perhaps can avoid the allegedly continuing practice of “sell- said, “We will not allow the opening of a important to note that Belarus is trying to get this sort of annual dispute with Ukraine.” ing” orphaned children to foreign adoptive new session of the Verkhovna Rada until some benefit from the Ukraine-Russia row parents. Family, Youth and Sports Minister the president, the prime minister, the heads in order to try and enhance its role as a key Russia-free solution? Yurii Pavlenko told a press conference on of oblast councils and the chairman of the transit country, which could actually put it in February 3 that all channels have been If the EU were to proceed on work with National Bank of Ukraine come to competition with Ukraine.” completely blocked for structures engaged Russia on a Nord Stream-South Stream Parliament today to report to their people Belarus has proven to be a difficult transit in the international adoption of Ukrainian strategy, then Ukraine might emerge as the from the rostrum.” She added, “We will partner in its own right. During a pricing children. The minister expressed hope that, greatest loser from the recent dispute. But block the Parliament’s work until they dispute in January 2007, Russia briefly sus- jointly with the Security Service, the momentum is growing in Europe for the come to Parliament.” The Yulia pended oil shipments through Belarus’s Procurator General’s Office and the bloc to circumvent Russian gas altogether – Tymoshenko Bloc, part of the parliamen- Druzhba pipeline amid claims that Miensk Internal Affairs Ministry, the state will not meaning the long-stalled Nabucco project is tary coalition, asked the Verkhovna Rada was siphoning off shipments destined for permit the renewal of mediator schemes suddenly back in the spotlight. to consider a draft resolution on a vote of Europe. for international adoption. “The most Nabucco proposes to pipe gas from no confidence in the government at a That row was quickly resolved, but for important thing for us is ensuring the rights Parliament meeting on February 3. The Russia the ultimate goal remains a pipeline (Continued on page 20) of every child for an upbringing in his or PRU insisted that the government and the her native country and in a Ukrainian fam- president present a joint report, according ily,” Mr. Pavlenko noted. He said that by a to faction leader Viktor Yanukovych, in decision of the government and in accor- order to “hear the truth from the prime Nabucco conference in Budapest: minister and the president, first and fore- (Continued on page 14) twin sides of gas supply diversification FOUNDED 1933 by Vladimir Socor event (Financial Times Deutschland, THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY January 27). Eurasia Daily Monitor An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., RWE, a member of the six-party Nabucco The high-level conference in Budapest a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. consortium, seeks to open a trans-Caspian Yearly subscription rate: $55; for UNA members — $45. on the Nabucco gas project (see Eurasia outlet for Turkmen gas and supports diversi- Daily Monitor, January 20, 22, 23, 27, 29) fication of German supplies away from Periodicals postage paid at Parsippany, NJ 07054 and additional mailing offices. (ISSN — 0273-9348) underscored a reality that seems to slip from overdependence on Russia. It regards the the conceptual grasp of some influential Russia-Ukraine gas crisis as an “opportunity The Weekly: UNA: Western European circles. This reality is that to open a new chapter in the history of sup- Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 diversification of supply sources and trans- plying Germany and Europe with energy” in port routes are twin aspects of energy secu- both aspects of energy security – diversify- Postmaster, send address changes to: rity. The planned Southern Corridor, includ- ing sources and routes. The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz ing Nabucco, is the sole large-scale Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek of the 2200 Route 10 Editors: Matthew Dubas European project that would meet both cri- Czech Republic, the current holder of the P.O. Box 280 Zenon Zawada (Kyiv) teria. As a counterexample, the Russo- European Union presidency, delivered key Parsippany, NJ 07054 German Nord Stream meets only one of remarks to the Budapest conference. Noting those criteria and even this only half-way. that the Nabucco project was a test of the The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com; e-mail: [email protected] With regard to supplies for the Southern EU’s capacity for integration, Mr. Topolanek Corridor to Europe, a senior RWE company warned that the EU would risk its freedom The Ukrainian Weekly, February 8, 2009, No. 6, Vol. LXXVII executive in Germany noted the decisive unless it drew its energy supplies from a Copyright © 2009 The Ukrainian Weekly factor during the Budapest conference: variety of sources. Independence would Caspian and Middle Eastern gas reserves, become illusory without diversification of untapped, are almost twice the size of sources, Mr. Topolanek noted in his address Russia’s proven reserves. Thus, Nabucco to the conference and to the media on the ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA and related gas projects are amply justified sidelines. Nabucco would succeed only if in terms of resource back-up. To open access treated as an absolute priority by the EU and Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3041 to those reserves, Europe must build close as part of a common energy policy. Projects e-mail: [email protected] partnerships with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, such as Gazprom’s South Stream or Nord Maria Oscislawski, advertising manager (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 Kazakhstan and Iraq; and ultimately it can- Stream threatened Nabucco while reinforc- e-mail: [email protected] not afford to exclude Iran from energy part- ing the EU’s dependency on Russia, Mr. Mariyka Pendzola, subscriptions (973) 292-9800, ext. 3042 nerships, RWE executive Stefan Juedisch e-mail: [email protected] wrote in an article timed to the Budapest (Continued on page 16) No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 3 The Holodomor 75 years later: The Sumy Oblast by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau The Holodomor KYIV – Evidence of the Holodomor in in the Sumy Oblast the Sumy Oblast reveals that the Soviet government created a hell on earth, 48,006 established casualties* destroying even the most basic values 52,497 known survivors remaining that form healthy human societies – trust, cooperation, justice and love. 1,487 population centers affected Through systemic violence and 110 known mass graves imposed starvation, absurdity became logic and logic became absurdity; the truth became lies, and lies became truth; * This preliminary figure is incomplete good became evil, and evil became good. and will increase with ongoing research, In August 1932 the Soviets passed a said Hennadii Ivanuschenko, director of law criminalizing the possession of even the Sumy Oblast State Archives. a handful of grain, or “socialist property,” which was punishable by 10 years of hard labor or death. for example, demanded that collective At the same time, “party activists farmers fulfill the annual meat quota in a gained the legal – just ponder this word – single day, threatening them with arrest, right to confiscate grain from farms,” said according to an archived document. Liudmyla Pokydchenko, a state archivist The genocidal fervor left the in Sumy who in 2006 published “The Communist leaders bereft of even a basic Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Sumschyna.” sense of right and wrong. That is to say “common theft and rob- In March 1933 the Nedryhailiv District leaders charged their fellow Communists bery were legalized,” she pointed out, Zenon Zawada State archivist Liudmyla Pokydchenko while feeding oneself and one’s family for the “difficult state” of the village of Hennadii Ivanuschenko is director of compiled“Holodomor 1932-1933 in the was illegal. Rubanka, singling out Comrade the Sumy Oblast State Archives. Sumschyna,” published in 2006. A brief summary of what Ms. Yukhymenko for not informing them of massive deaths from “exhaustion.” Pokydchenko uncovered in her research They duly punished him, with a was compiled in a booklet organized by tial element of parenting, feeding one’s there was nothing, and the grain was rebuke. Sumy State Archives Director Hennadii children, into a crime, for which 26-year- taken.” The incident epitomized the Ivanuschenko, “Prychyna Smerti: old Paraska Hvozdetska was sentenced to He was levied a 57-ruble bazaar tax, Communists’ absurd attempts to enforce Ukrayinets” (Cause of Death: Ukrainian), five years because she stole a cow and though he sold nothing at the bazaar, a moral system amidst an amoral geno- which can be viewed on the Sumy State slaughtered it to feed her three children. where he had only bought a loaf of bread. cide – in committing the crime of follow- Archives website: http://daso.sumy.ua/ The Communists destroyed trust with- Furthermore, a 200-ruble income tax was ing genocidal orders too effectively, images/stories/books/reason_ua/book. in communities, rewarding starving vil- imposed, though Stadnyk stated he paid Yukhymenko was merely rebuked. pdf. lagers with bread for informing on those such taxes at work, as well as member- neighbors they knew had buried food in ship dues, cultural dues and loan pay- At the same, the Communist leadership After food was confiscated and stored of the Romenskyi District was tossed in silos, villagers like Musiya Shaposhnyk pits or hidden grain elsewhere. ments. Amidst the collectivization and hunger “I am left barefoot and naked, and the from the party for “insufficiently apply- of Budylka attempted to take it back to ing repressions.” of the summer of 1932, farmers such as children are swollen from hunger,” feed his family of nine, only to be arrested. Inevitably, the peasants themselves lost Ivan Stadnyk marveled at the absurd Stadnyk said. It was legal for authorities to confis- their sense of right and wrong. taxes still being imposed. In a statement As the government’s policies became cate food for the state, but illegal for When teacher Denys Bakhtin was exe- peasants to take it back to feed them- to district officials, he explained he more absurd and quotas unrealistic, so cuted for agitation and undermining col- selves. couldn’t pay a 90-ruble food rations tax did the officials’ demands and behavior. The Holodomor turned the most essen- because “the land isn’t sown, because The Svatkivsk Village Council Chair, (Continued on page 16) NEWS ANALYSIS: Ukraine’s chief banker in legal limbo by Pavel Korduban Stelmakh because he opposes her plan to be formally steered by Mr. Stelmakh’s first (Kommersant Ukraine, January 12). Eurasia Daily Monitor sell government bonds to the NBU in deputy, Anatolii Shapovalov, as long as Several other large banks are on the brink order to cover a huge budget deficit in Mr. Stelmakh’s status is unclear; but Ms. of disaster. The Ukrainian Parliament has exacer- 2009. Mr. Shlapak warned that if the Tymoshenko also wants Mr. Shapovalov Tycoon Dmytro Firtash has reportedly bated both the political and economic cri- NBU started printing money in order to out. Justice Minister Mykola Onyschuk, lost interest in the Nadra Bank after ses in Ukraine by voting to dismiss eliminate the deficit, Ukraine’s economy who is loyal to Mr. Yushchenko, said that RosUkrEnergo, his joint venture with National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) chair- would be thrown back into the 1990s Parliament’s vote on Mr. Stelmakh had no Russia’s Gazprom, was eliminated from man Volodymyr Stelmakh. Consequently, (Kommersant Ukraine, January 27). In legal basis (UNIAN, January 27). Mr. the gas trade between Ukraine and Russia it is not clear who is running the central the 1990s Ukraine’s GDP shrank dramati- Yushchenko’s legal adviser Ihor Pukshyn under the recent agreements between bank in a country that has been among the cally, and inflation reached five-digit fig- said that the president would appeal Prime Ministers Tymoshenko and Putin. hardest hit by the global financial crisis. ures by 1994. Parliament’s decision to the Constitutional Mr. Firtash declared his interest in Nadra The move was orchestrated by Prime The Verkhovna Rada, which has been Court (Ukrayinska Pravda, January 26). last November (Segodnya, January 27). Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who has been dominated by a pro-Tymoshenko coalition Arseniy Yatsenyuk, a former deputy of Nadra is seriously short of cash, and the demanding Mr. Stelmakh’s removal for since late last year, voted no-confidence in Mr. Tyhypko and Rada chairman in 2007 Fitch international rating agency recently months. President Viktor Yushchenko, her Mr. Stelmakh twice – in December 2008 and 2008, suggested that if one accepts gave it the lowest rating among post- main rival, has refused to recognize Mr. and January. That did not impress Mr. Parliament’s logic on Mr. Stelmakh’s dis- Soviet banks (Kommersant Ukraine, Stelmakh’s dismissal, and the law is appar- Yushchenko, who flatly refused to dismiss missal, one should also accept the possibil- January 21). ently on his side. Mr. Stelmakh, his ally since the 1990s ity that Parliament could replace Ms. Mr. Shapovalov, speaking in Parliament, Ms. Tymoshenko holds Mr. Stelmakh when Mr. Yushchenko himself chaired the Tymoshenko with one of her predecessors accused the Tymoshenko Cabinet of sink- responsible for the devaluation of the NBU and Mr. Stelmakh was his deputy. in the post of prime minister (UNIAN, ing Nadra, because at the Cabinet’s request national currency, the hryvnia, by some According to the Constitution of Ukraine, January 26). In a television interview, Ms. a court in Kyiv forbade the NBU to con- 60 percent against the dollar since sum- it is the president who has the authority to Tymoshenko conceded that Parliament had tinue refinancing the bank (Ukrayinska mer 2008. She also believes that the NBU dismiss the NBU head, and Parliament is no legal powers to dismiss Mr. Stelmakh Pravda, January 26). Prime Minister decision to issue loans worth billions of only able to reject or approve his decision. (ICTV, January 26). Tymoshenko insists that Nadra is being dollars to several ailing banks from Since the Verkhovna Rada cannot The uncertainty about the NBU leader- refinanced illegally on President November 2008 through January 2009 directly dismiss Mr. Stelmakh, it opted for ship may make matters worse for Yushchenko’s orders (Ukrayinska Pravda, was illegal. Ms. Tymoshenko is especially a bizarre alternative. On January 26 a Ukraine’s ailing banking sector. January 22). unhappy about the refinancing of majority voted to invalidate Parliament’s Prominvestbank, the country’s fifth largest The NBU has appointed a temporary Ukraine’s seventh-largest bank, Nadra, approval of Mr. Stelmakh’s appointment bank and the first to send out bad signals administrator for another large cash- which she accused of involvement in ille- as NBU chief in December 2004. Ms. last fall, has apparently been rescued as the strapped bank, Ukrprombank (RBK- gal currency speculations, an allegation Tymoshenko’s team tried at the same time NBU managed to find a buyer for it in Ukraine, January 21). Ukraine’s largest denied by the bank (see Eurasia Daily to replace Mr. Stelmakh with Serhii Moscow—Vneshekonombank, which is private bank, PrivatBank, denied rumors Monitor, December 17, 2008; UNIAN, Tyhypko, who led the NBU in 2004. The chaired by none other than Russian Prime that it was going to buy Ukrprombank January 24). Communists and defectors from Mr. Minister Vladimir Putin (Ekonomicheskie (www.finblog.com.ua, January 12). Mr. Yushchenko’s team views Ms. Yushchenko’s camp who voted to oust Mr. Izvestia, January 16). Rodovid, another Tymoshenko’s motives differently. Stelmakh refused, however, to back Ms. one of Ukraine’s top 20 banks seriously The article above is reprinted from Oleksander Shlapak, the president’s chief Tymoshenko’s choice for his replacement weakened by the financial crisis, is about Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission economic advisor, has claimed that Ms. (Ekonomicheskie Izvestia, January 27). to be sold to ISTIL, a company belonging from its publisher, the Jamestown Tymoshenko wants to eliminate Mr. This probably means that the NBU will to a British national, Mohammad Zahoor Foundation, www.jamestown.org. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6 Panel discusses development of independent media in Ukraine by Yaro Bihun case of Ukraine’s richest businessman, Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Rinat Akhmetov, who is suing the Kyiv Post not in Ukraine but in Great Britain. WASHINGTON – The development As for the public’s trust of journalists, of independent media in Ukraine and the Dr. Lylo noted that the results of a public prospects of its future development were opinion poll about the most trustworthy the subjects of a luncheon panel discus- professions in Ukraine placed teachers at sion here on January 29. the top of the list, prostitutes at the bot- Organized by the International Forum tom, and journalists in the middle. for Democratic Studies at the National Politicians came in just above the prosti- Endowment for Democracy (NED), the tutes on that list. panel featured Ihor Lylo, one of Ukraine’s Among Dr. Lylo’s suggestions for the leading political reporters and director of creation of an independent media in a two popular Lviv radio political talk democratic Ukraine were the creation of a shows. “viable” public broadcasting system, In his presentation, Mr. Lylo outlined expanding the use of the Internet “as an some of the problems faced by indepen- alternative to dependence on state and dent media and made some recommenda- media owners,” and developing universi- tions about how its future development ty-based media outlets. could be helped, among them with the Ms. Gongadze said she agreed with creation of a public broadcasting system. some of his recommendations but pointed He is currently in Washington as a out that past attempts to create public Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the broadcasting systems have failed. “The NED. reason for that is very simple: The big Yaro Bihun He was joined at the podium by political players prefer the status quo situ- Ihor Lylo discusses the future of the independent media in Ukraine. Next to him Myroslava Gongadze, a journalist with ation under which they can use influential is Nadia Diuk of the National Endowment for Democracy, the moderator of the experience both in Ukraine and interna- media resources in their own interests,” discussion. tionally, as a television correspondent of she added. the Voice of America Ukrainian Service. On the positive side, Ms. Gongadze Ms. Gongadze’s husband, Heorhii pointed to the availability of foreign news Gongadze, the editor of the independent sources within Ukraine – broadcasts, like online publication Ukrayinska Pravda, VOA, and information on the Internet, was killed near Kyiv in 2000, presumably which is very popular with the younger for his critical reporting about the govern- generation. Unfortunately, she added, ment. His reporting and how to deal with Ukrainian society, on the whole, is poor it was the subject of discussion secretly and most of the people cannot afford tape recorded in the office of then-Presi- Internet access. Television remains the dent Leonid Kuchma. primary source of media communication, His still-unsolved murder — one of and – again unfortunately – an increasing nine Ukrainian journalists killed since number of TV stations are opting out of independence, as Dr. Lylo pointed out — news coverage and concentrating more is one of the problems in trying to devel- on entertainment. op independent media in a country that In her conclusion, Ms. Gongadze said: has basically four types of media: state- “I have to admit that for someone who owned, local-community, private and the paid a big personal price for press free- Internet. dom in Ukraine, I, as many Ukrainians In addition to his journalistic career, today, feel disappointed and frustrated.” Mr. Lylo teaches Ukrainian history and Seventeen years after independence culture at Ivan Franko National University and four years after the Orange and the Ukrainian Catholic University in Revolution, she added, “Ukrainians are Lviv. still denied a basic freedom, as declared Voice of America Ukrainian television correspondent Myroslava Gongadze dis- Among the other problems facing the in Article 19 in the Universal Declaration cusses media problems in Ukraine. news media, he said, were instances of of Human Rights, ‘to hold opinions with- the rich “buying” journalists and news out interference and to seek, receive and grams for journalists, help them with tional broadcasting, like VOA. outlets or threatening to sue them for impart information and ideas through any legal support, provide leadership and pro- The discussion was moderated by libel. The latter includes what he called medium regardless of frontiers.’ ” fessional development programs, and Nadia Diuk, senior director for Europe “libel tourism,” in which the suit is She recommended that NED and simi- support local radio and television pro- and Eurasia at the National Endowment brought in a foreign country, as in the lar organizations support education pro- gramming in Ukraine as well as interna- for Democracy. Ukraine experiences small ‘baby boom’ UCCLA begins campaign RFE/RL Ukraine gives parents 12,500 hrv (about $1,500) for a first child, 25,000 hrv for a for “No KGB in Canada!” KYIV – For the first time in many second, and 50,500 hrv for a third child. years, birthrates have outpaced mortality OTTAWA – The Ukrainian Canadian ence in our country of veterans of the rates in three Ukrainian regions. But demographer Ella Libanova told Civil Liberties Association said on Soviet secret police. We don’t know Record of Ukraine’s Minister of Justice RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service that the baby January 22 that it is ramping up its how many there are, but some openly boasted about their participation in tor- show there were 513,997 children born in boom is simply cyclical, with more babies campaign to get all NKVD, KGB and other Communist secret police veterans ture and mass murder.” Ukraine in 2008 – a 7 percent increase usually being born after a leap year. out of Canada. “While we have always championed over 2007. Ukraine’s population has been greatly UCCLA’s “No KGB In Canada!” the principle that any person found in Births outpaced deaths in the reduced since the dissolution of the campaign involves thousands of its sup- Canada alleged to be a war criminal Zakarpattia Oblast, in the capital, Kyiv, USSR, and the World Bank estimates the porters mailing in pre-printed postcards should be tried in a criminal court, poli- and the Rivne Oblast. country’s population will shrink from to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, tics is the art of the possible,” Dr. Many attribute the small “baby boom” today’s 46 million people to some 37 mil- Minister of Immigration and Luciuk continued. “Since the federal to the child benefits paid by the state. lion by 2025. Citizenship Jason Kenney and the government insists upon using denatu- Minister of Public Safety Peter Van ralization and deportation for dealing Loan. with persons who should not be in The cards carry the message: Canada, we call upon Ottawa to apply “Veterans of Soviet secret police for- its preferred standard in every case, Need a back issue? mations like the NKVD, SMERSH and without exceptions. There should be no KGB should not be allowed to enter KGB men in Canada – not now, not Canada nor to remain here. No excep- ever. Indeed, Canada should not be a If you’d like to obtain a back issue of The Ukrainian Weekly, tions. Denaturalize and deport them all, haven for anyone who admits that they send $2 per copy (first-class postage included) to: immediately.” were involved in war crimes, regardless Administration, The Ukrainian Weekly, UCCLA’s chairman, Dr. Lubomyr of their ethnic, racial or religious heri- 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280 Luciuk, explained: “For years we have tage, their ideological convictions, or Parsippany, NJ 07054. alerted the government of Canada, the the period or place where they commit- RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted ted or enabled such crimes against Police] and others to the illegal pres- humanity. Justice cannot be selective.” No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 5 Ukrainian Orthodox Church begins construction of museum PARSIPPANY, N.J. – York Federal Credit Union, the Construction began on January 19 Ukrainian Orthodox League, St. for the Patriarch Mstyslav I Mary Protectress Sisterhood in Ukrainian Orthodox Museum as part South Bound Brook, N.J., the of the Historical and Educational Ukrainian Information Bureau, Complex of the Ukrainian Orthodox Virginia Farrah Foundation and Church of the U.S.A. many others. The United Ukrainian The complex, which includes Orthodox Sisterhoods of the UOC- the museum, was approved in 2001 U.S.A. raised over $350,000 for during the 15th Sobor of the UOC- the museum. U.S.A. Groundbreaking for the In addition to construction costs, museum was in the summer of the UOC-U.S.A. is raising funds 2007 and the costs expended to for the expected $2.5 million cost date exceed $1.6 million. to furnish the museum. The muse- Generous bequests for the muse- um will serve to preserve the um, from individuals such as Church’s past and educate future Mykhailo Werbiany, Sviatoslav generations. For more information Kybaliuk, John Kozel, Marie on making a donation, at the sup- Krotiuk, George Chaplenko and porter, founder or benefactor level, others, have helped make the proj- readers may contact Dr. Stephen ect a reality. Sivulich, development officer, at Other donations have been 412-276-1130 or ssivulich@juno. UOC received from Self-Reliance New com. A view of the construction site of the Patriarch Mstyslav I Ukrainian Orthodox Museum.

but lead various meetings. It’s a parody of archives, particularly documents on the The Communists are trying to maintain Communist... management.” Soviet repressions, since revealing the their influence on the consciousness of (Continued from page 1) Once she became a national deputy in identities of the responsible officials Ukrainians and their perception of histo- Tymoshenko Bloc and the Communists in 2002, Ms. Ginzburg proposed numerous could negatively affect their descendants. ry, said Svitlana Kononchuk, the director Parliament,” he added. resolutions to celebrate the anniversaries She also wanted to renew secret classifi- of political programs at the Ukrainian Ms. Ginzburg’s return to the State of Soviet heroes. cation on documents on land that was Independent Center for Political Research Archives has raised alarm bells among For Ms. Tymoshenko, a native of confiscated by the Communists. in Kyiv. nationally conscious Ukrainians, as well Dnipropetrovsk, such convictions aren’t In the same interview, Ms. Ginzburg “The Communists will support any ini- as professional archivists, who point out particularly offensive, Mr. Hrabovskyi said she would not lend archives to the tiative in exchange for positions for its that she had no archival experience or said. “She truly believes it doesn’t matter Museum of the Soviet Occupation in members,” she said. “This post preserves humanitarian education prior to her first all that much, and if the economy Kyiv. “Such a museum shouldn’t be in its influence, and access to archived doc- appointment on September 7, 2006, a ten- improves, then Ukraine will do fine,” he our country at all, which is why the uments is a great strength.” ure that lasted 19 months. said. “Socioeconomic matters are primary archives didn’t transfer materials for this Since the Orange Revolution, Ms. Vice-Prime Minister for Humanitarian for her, a view that shares essential points museum,” she explained. “If they turn to Tymoshenko had struck numerous deals Affairs Ivan Vasiunyk said no Our with Marxist ideology.” us, then I will regard it absolutely nega- with the Communists, most notably when Ukraine Cabinet ministers voted to sup- Ms. Ginzburg’s predecessor, history tively. Who needs this? My generation she survived a no-confidence vote initiat- port Ms. Ginzburg’s return, and the professor Dr. Oleksander Udod, con- doesn’t need this. Which generation needs ed in the Parliament by the Party of Ministry of Justice has filed an appeal of firmed he had been replaced. “I have cer- to be told about the Soviet occupation?” Regions of Ukraine in July 2008. the court decision. tain thoughts, but my moral principles Responding to accusations that she In return, Communist Vasyl Marmazov “Considering she’s in the pews of the don’t allow me to speak about this per- attempted to conceal Soviet documents, became vice-minister of internal affairs Communist Party, an anti-Ukrainian son,” Dr. Udod said. “I refrain from any Ms. Ginzburg told the Kommersant news- and Communist Mykola Tymoshenko political force which should have been judgments.” paper in April 2008 such measures can became chair of the State Forestry banned long ago, then it’s not worth Among Mr. Boriak’s accusations only be done by a special expert commis- Committee. expecting objectivity from her work in against Ms. Ginzburg is that she excluded sion. Such accusations “could only be Most recently, the prime minister such an important position in a time of obituaries of Soviet dissident Nadia asserted by a dilettante, or someone spin- recruited the Communists to support the establishing Ukrainian statehood,” said Svitlychna and Harvard Ukrainian ning political circles,” she said. January 26 vote to dismiss Volodymyr Mykola Kulchynskyi, an Our Ukraine Research Institute Founder Omeljan However Kyiv political insider Ivan Stelmakh, the chair of the National Bank national deputy from the “For Ukraine!” Pritsak from the State Archives’ publica- Lozowy said there are many creative of Ukraine. group loyal to the president. tions, as well as a publication on Hnat ways to conceal or destroy documents, After Ms. Tymoshenko became prime After announcing on January 27 that Khotkevych, the legendary artist and ban- such as claiming to have lost them while minister in December 2007 and the all of Ukraine’s secret Soviet documents durist executed by the Soviets in 1938. moving offices or performing renova- Democratic Forces Coalition was formed, would be declassified, Security Service of Ms. Ginzburg also attempted to trans- tions. President Yushchenko demanded Ms. Ukraine (SBU) Acting Chair Valentyn fer the Institute of National Memory, cre- In an August 2007 interview with a Ginzburg’s dismissal on April 3 and Our Nalyvaichenko said, although Ms. ated by President Viktor Yushchenko, Communist newspaper, Ms. Ginzburg Ukraine politicians kept up the pressure. Ginzburg’s appointment was “counter- under her jurisdiction within the State spoke at length about the need for reno- “The Communist Party representative productive,” it won’t threaten the State Archives, including its budget, he vations to the main archival complex, is abusing her official status to interfere Archives’ resources and access to them. alleged. also indicating work had already begun. with the state policy of establishing his- “Any changes in the state archives’ lead- “For a year and a half, true archivists When asked by The Weekly whether torical justice, and experienced profes- ership won’t stop us in executing this were forced to spend the lion’s share of the SBU was aware of any destruction of sionals are forced to leave the State [January 23 presidential] decree in any their time not on their field of expertise, documents or limitation of access to them Archives,” the president stated. “Is the way,” he said. but on their struggle with ‘commissars,’ ” under Ms. Ginzburg’s leadership, Mr. Communist Party a coalition member, Ms. Ginzburg’s harshest critic, Mr. Boriak said. Nalyvaichenko said his organ is responsi- that its representative feels so sure of her- Hennadii Boriak, resigned from his post They forced her to execute the presi- ble for preserving archives throughout self in a government post?” as first assistant chair in March 2008, dential decree ordering the State Archives Ukraine, it will perform a review and Sure enough, Ms. Ginzburg was dis- stating “the archivists’ code of ethics to conduct campaigns and events honor- report its results to the public. missed a week later on the basis that her doesn’t permit me to hold a high position ing the victims of the Holodomor and the “We don’t tie this situation with the post fell under the quota of Our Ukraine and execute my professional responsibili- Communist terror, he said. They also suc- surname of a particular official who had – People’s Self-Defense in the coalition ties under the leadership of the ‘red com- ceeded in preventing a joint project with chaired, is chairing or will chair,” he said. agreement. missar,’ placed in her post by her party.” Russian ideologues who offered a differ- “Most importantly, what currently However the dismissal resolution con- With no education or experience in the ent interpretation on the Holodomor, he remains in the archives most be urgently tained no references to statutes that allow social sciences, Ms. Ginzburg was tapped said. publicized and copied [onto digital form]. for such dismissals, the Kommersant by the Communists because of her In the State Archives’ web exhibit Then the process is irreversible.” newspaper reported in January. Marxist convictions, said Serhii titled “Occupation 1941-1944: Uncertain Hrabovskyi, a veteran Kyiv journalist and War, Uncertain Life,” Ms. Ginzburg political observer. allegedly excluded a chapter, “Between After earning an engineering degree Two Totalitarianisms: Ideological from the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, Propaganda on Occupied Territory,” dis- MAY WE HELP YOU? Sumy branch, in 1981, she served as a playing both Nazi and Communist propa- Communist Party secretary at the ganda placards. To reach The Ukrainian Weekly call (973) 292-9800, Konotop Reinforcements Factory for 12 The Weekly did not succeed in contact- and dial the appropriate extension (as listed below). years, becoming its assistant director in ing Ms. Ginzburg, who is already work- 1989. ing at her post, for comment. Editorial – 3049, 3088 • Production – 3063, 3069 “She was practically a party worker in In a June 2007 interview on the Administration – 3041 • Advertising – 3040 • Subscriptions – 3042 the nomenklatura,” Mr. Hrabovskyi said. Channel 5 (5 Kanal) television network, “There are certain positions where you Ms. Ginzburg said among her priorities don’t need to necessarily know anything would be limiting public access to the 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY and preserve our culture. Year in Review: Obviously, Ukraine is going through Tymoshenko and the archives troubled times and, unless we and the world know the “rest of the story” through Among her key strengths is Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s talent for reaching a good reference your documentation of it, we are not likely across aisles, finding common ground and forging alliances, even among diverse Dear Editor: to be able to influence results. Also, as I interests. read the articles, ideas about people to Yet, this time, Ms. Tymoshenko has gone too far. I agree with Peter Woloschuk (Letters contact and initiatives to start seep into my While it’s accepted that Orange leaders can find compromise and form situational to the Editor, January 25). Your “2008: mind, and then I start reaching out to peo- alliances with the pro-Russian Party of Regions of Ukraine, the Communist Party of The Year in Review” is fantastic. ple who share the same goals as I do and Ukraine is off limits. Although they’re yellowing, I keep the try to pull in the people who don’t. Might we remind Ms. Tymoshenko that the Communist Party is responsible for the previous years handy. Our Plast fraternity has a motto that we murder of untold millions of Ukrainians (some estimate as many as 20 million), and May I suggest that the Ukrainian use and I feel it can easily be used by continues to insist that historically established facts are fabricated or exaggerated? National Association publish this review everyone, not just Plast members: “ Yak ty This is the same political force that physically tortured and psychologically battered in its annual almanac? This English- aktyvnyi v Plasti, tvoyi dity budut aktyvni” Ukrainians for 70 years, depriving them of their ability to create wealth, and convinc- language reference source would greatly (“If you are active in Plast, your children ing them it’s shameful to be Ukrainian and speak the Ukrainian language. increase its value and supplement the will be active in Plast”). Taking that to the That Ms. Tymoshenko struck a deal with the Communists – a suspicion accepted Ukrainian text. In book format the review next level: “If we are active in helping as fact in Kyiv – is an outrage. Trusting the Communists with Ukraine’s State Archives would be more durable. Ukraine, our children will be active in is tantamount to trusting an accused murderer with the crime scene evidence. Since copies of the UNA Almanac helping Ukraine.” Olha Ginzburg, the re-instated State Archives Committee director, denies the eventually make their way to libraries and individuals in Ukraine, the review would Holodomor was an artificial famine or a genocide, and has publicly stated that she Dr. Oleh Denysyk provide a much-needed source of infor- wants to limit public access to the archives – particularly documents related to Soviet Morris Plains, N.J. repressions. She acknowledged that during her 19-month tenure between September mation on Ukrainian life at home and 6, 2006, and April 10, 2008, she refused to lend incriminating documents to the abroad. Museum of the Soviet Occupation in Kyiv. College and university libraries Dedicated archivists accuse her of turning the State Archives into a Communist throughout North America would certain- New York Times, propaganda arm, censoring publications and websites, impeding the search for histori- ly collect them since there is nothing cal justice and truth, and poisoning the atmosphere. comparable available in English. Ms. Tymoshenko’s willingness to accept Ms. Ginzburg’s return reveals she isn’t Jurij Dobczansky Duranty and Stalin particularly disturbed by the death and destruction the Communists inflicted on Silver Spring, Md. Dear Editor: Ukraine, and is unconcerned about giving them control of influential organs, such as It was 1932 when one of The New York the State Archives. EDITOR’S NOTE: While we appreci- Times’s favorite political figures, Joseph Doubts cast by her opponents upon her national consciousness and allegiances are ate Mr. Dobczansky’s suggestion as a Stalin, began to starve Ukrainians. more credible now. very worthwhile one, production schedul- In 1932-1933, Times correspondent Like former President Leonid Kuchma, Ms. Tymoshenko comes from the ing renders this idea almost impossible to reporter Walter Duranty wrote that Comrade Dnipropetrovsk “technocratic intelligentsia” that views historical and cultural matters realize. While the UNA Almanac for 2009 Stalin was feeding the hungry in Ukraine as secondary, explained Serhii Hrabovskyi, a veteran Kyiv political observer and jour- (presumably the one that would have car- rather than causing their doom. Duranty nalist. The top archives post merely was merely a bargaining chip for Ms. ried the “2008: The Year in Review”) was on the payroll of The New York Tymoshenko, who overlooked their historical and emotional significance. “She views went to press in December 2008, the Times and, it seems, the NKVD payroll at cultural positions as second-rate, and not a large payment for the loyalty of the yearender was completed in early the same time. Communists,” Mr. Hrabovskyi commented. January of 2009. Thus, the annual alma- To this day The New York Times Two days after Ms. Ginzburg’s appointment, President Viktor Yushchenko issued a nac always goes to print well before the remains devoid of any ounce of hollow decree requiring the declassification and accessibility to the public of all remaining year in review issue is prepared. shame and refuses to rebut the reporting documents pertaining to Soviet repressions and persecutions – about 800,000 materi- However, all year in review issues ever of its Soviet propaganda mouthpiece. als previously classified as secret and inaccessible. published are available online on The Perhaps The New York Times feels unob- Though it’s not clear whether the timing of such an announcement coincided with Ukrainian Weekly’s website (www. ligated to apologize to Ukrainians globally Ms. Ginzburg’s return, President Yushchenko has shown that he will stand up for the ukrweekly.com). Click on “Archive” at for its integral involvement with Stalin’s cause of historical truth that most Ukrainian politicians don’t care about. Had it not the top of the homepage and then go to maniacal plans some 75 years ago. That been for his presidency, Ukraine likely would not have achieved most of its cultural “Special Issues”; or go to the pull-down would be a big mistake. Ukrainians united and historical gains in the last four years. menu for years and click on the issue have power, including economic power. While President Yushchenko has demonstrated his own political pragmatism dur- date. Year in review issues for 1976 The Ukrainian people are tolerant, and ing his presidency, he’s got his limits, Ms. Tymoshenko, meanwhile, can take such through 1999 traditionally appeared in we are waiting for an apology from The pragmatism to extremes. It appears that Ms. Tymoshenko subscribes to the Soviet say- the last issue of the year; beginning with New York Times. The Ukrainian people also ing, “If there is bread, there will be songs.” the year in review for 2000, such over- speak with one voice when they are served a But we must never forget that it was the Communist Party that took bread out of views have appeared in the first issues of great injustice. Stalin and The New York the mouths of millions of Ukrainians during the Holodomor, leaving them to die of the new year. Times have not and will never break our torturous starvation. indomitable spirit and our determinaton to And we won’t forget Ms. Tymoshenko’s cavalier attitude with the Communists. seek and recover the truth for our millions of Considering the prime minister has shown she is willing to trade away Ukraine’s heri- starved Ukrainian children, women and tage, she’d better hope she puts bread on the table. What other reason would remain Chronicle of events, men. for Ukrainians to cast their votes for her? Alexander Balaban plus good reading Roselle Park, N.J. Dear Editor: Feb. Turning the pages back... Thank you for providing the annual year in review issue of key events. I can We welcome your opinion imagine it is a significant undertaking on The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes letters 8 the part of your team. to the editor and commentaries on a vari- Two years ago, on February 8-10, 2007, President Viktor However, it does serve two broader ety of topics of concern to the Ukrainian Yushchenko met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to objectives: 1) it chronicles events from the American and Ukrainian Canadian com- 2007 build stronger ties between Ukraine and Germany, and Ukraine Ukrainian perspective, both native and munities. Opinions expressed by colum- and the European Union. diaspora, rather than having someone else nists, commentators and letter-writers are “There is no doubt Ukraine will be a member of the yet again write a history of a Ukraine from their own and do not necessarily reflect European Union, but we understand that this ambition is not immediate. … Our priori- a point of view that relies on belittling or the opinions of either The Weekly edito- ties are economic association and political integration into European structures,” Mr. ridiculing our great nation; 2) also, it pro- rial staff or its publisher, the Ukrainian Yushchenko said during a joint press conference on February 8, 2007. National Association. vides interesting reading as we walk Letters should be typed and signed (anon- Mr. Yushchenko hoped that a new agreement with the EU would “determine almost day by day through the past year, ymous letters are not published). Letters are Ukraine’s goals and aspirations in its dialogue with the European Union.” re-living the emotions of the time. accepted also via e-mail at staff@ukrweek- Chancellor Merkel explained that the document would “support Ukraine’s desire for Arriving at the last word of the section, ly.com. The daytime phone number and reforms” and confirmed her intention to visit Ukraine during the Ukraine-EU summit we reach the conclusion that much more address of the letter-writer must be given later that year. needs to be done to secure Ukrainian bor- for verification purposes. Please note that a Ukraine and the EU must first create condition to liberalize visa procedures, launch ders, promulgate the Ukrainian language daytime phone number is essential in order scientific and cultural exchange programs, and sign a free trade agreement, Ms. Merkel (yes, even here in the U.S. when we speak for editors to contact letter-writers regarding said. “We will start with simple things like visas and will then proceed to signing a to our children, something that I notice clarifications or questions. free trade agreement,” she explained. that many of my “rovesnyky” do not do) Please note: THE LENGTH OF LETTERS The two leaders also agreed to formulate new energy policies, ensuring that CANNOT EXCEED 500 WORDS. European consumers get oil and gas transparently and on time. “Ukraine understands its important role in the formation of Europe’s energy security policy and is conscious of its responsibility. I know that last year’s story perhaps Visit our archive online: www.ukrweekly.com (Continued on page 19) No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 7 PERSPECTIVES

BY ANDREW FEDYNSKY Our new president Doubt and denial If I’d had my way, we would have remembered those who “toiled in sweat- Are you a Ukrainian genocide doubt- to explain it. First, the deniers cannot watched the inauguration of President shops and settled the West... and plowed er? It’s all right; there’s nothing dishon- accept the notion that the Ukrainians Obama on TV from the comfort of our the hard earth” and acknowledged orable about it. Doubt is part of the were ever victimized. For this would cast home, but our children insisted we go to America’s religious and ethnic diversity: human condition. As long as it doesn’t doubt on the unity of Rus’ – Russia, Washington – “to be part of history,” they “Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, become a paralyzing mental block, fore- Ukraine and Belarus – as a close-knit said. So, we drove the family van the six- and non-believers. We are shaped by every closing any apprehension of truth, it’s family of peoples. In particular, it would plus hours to D.C., where we endured long language and culture, drawn from every normal. In questions of historical inter- overturn the belief that inclusion in the lines and painfully crowded Metro stations end of this earth.” pretation, a healthy skepticism is essen- USSR (and, before that, in the Russian for the privilege of standing on the Mall in A speech, of course, is only words. What tial. Besides, some very reputable law- empire) brought the Ukrainians nothing the bitter cold, hemmed in by masses of matters is how you govern. That’s why I yers and historians doubt that the but benefits. people on all sides. was gratified the next morning, when I Holodomor of 1932-1933 was genocide. Second, admitting to a genocide in the The proceedings were broadcast on attended a meeting with 30-plus representa- Denial, however, is a different matter. USSR could open the way to admitting to loudspeakers, the words resounding and tives of various ethnic groups – Irish, It requires the same degree of certainty as genocide in contemporary Russia – then coming back as an echo a half second Polish, Arab, Serbian, Croatian, Greek, etc. affirmation. If you merely find that the namely, in Chechnya. The notion that later. People focused on the Jumbotron – where Brian Bond, national constituency facts are ambiguous or incomplete, or genocide is always committed by some- nearby to see what was happening on the director for the Obama-Biden campaign, that they fail to satisfy all the elements of one else protects Russians from uncom- steps of the Capitol more than a quarter told us he would be deputy director of pub- the crime as defined in the Genocide fortable facts not only about their Soviet mile away. Our view was partially obscured lic liaison in the Obama White House and Convention, then you are a genocide past, but about their post-Soviet present. by tree branches and the six-foot-six guy doubter. To be a genocide denier, on the At the same time, denying that the since his constituency included “hyphenat- standing in front of us. And that was one of other hand, you must believe that the Holodomor was genocide removes an ed Americans,” he wanted to “listen and the better spots: the ticketed Silver Area facts suffice not just to raise a doubt obstacle to the current regime’s glorifica- receive.” And for two hours that’s what he between the statue of Gen. Ulysses S. about genocide, but to absolutely dis- tion of Soviet history. It saves Russian did. We talked about the nuts and bolts of Grant, the 18th president and the National prove it. That’s not easy. It’s not surpris- historians from the kind of agonizing Gallery of Art. communicating with the administration to ing, then, that genocide deniers rely on controversies about the 1930s and 1940s But the kids were right: it was historic, make sure our concerns – whether domes- shrill accusations, not facts and reason. that have plagued their German col- and I’m glad we went. With 1.8 million tic or foreign policy – would be heard. The prime genocide deniers are leagues. Instead of breeding a rebellious people, including several other Ukrainian Among those attending the meeting was Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and generation of youth revolted by its fore- families that I know, it was the largest Marilyn DiGiacobbe, an Italian American, United Nations representation. As U.N. bears’ complicity in mass murder, as in crowd ever assembled in Washington and who was responsible for ethnic outreach in Ambassador Vitaly Churkin boasted on West Germany, a Russia free of genocide by far the largest one I’ve ever been part of. the Clinton White House and now works in December 18, 2008, they have succeeded guilt can produce generations of con- Given the huge inconvenience of closed academia. During her tenure in the 1990s in blocking Ukraine’s attempt to place a formist youth proud of everything in their streets and bottlenecks at entrances to the she convened regular meetings for ethnic resolution qualifying the Holodomor as past. And willing to repeat it. narrow security corridors where hundreds representatives as a group, as well as spe- genocide on the agenda of the U.N. Outright genocide denial serves a of thousands of people were funneled for cific briefings for each community individ- General Assembly (ITAR-TASS, fourth important purpose, beyond individual screening after hours in line, it ually, including Ukrainians whose leaders – December 19, 2008). What are their argu- Russian state interests. As long as there is was also unusually friendly, good-natured Republicans, Democrats and Independents ments? a possibility that the Holodomor was and well-behaved. Like Woodstock, which – came to the White House, Old Executive First, they accuse Ukraine of politiciz- genocide, the view that Soviet commu- I missed 40 years ago, this experience will Office Building or State Department to ing the Famine of 1932-1933. But you nism was benevolent, or in any case not only get better with each re-telling of the consult on America’s policy toward cannot be guilty of politicizing what was as bad as German fascism, must remain story. Ukraine. already an essentially political program in question. One can argue that both com- Not surprisingly, many black folks from On occasion, the meetings included aimed at breaking Ukrainian national munism and fascism brought benefits as all corners of America came to witness the President Bill Clinton himself or Vice- resistance to Soviet rule. well as burdens to their societies; what culmination of an astonishing transforma- President Al Gore. For me, the most memo- Second, they assert that the Famine distinguishes the Nazi regime as intrinsi- tion in our society: an African American rable was with Mr. Gore before he left for was not directed at the Ukrainian people, cally evil is genocide. But if the Stalin sworn in as president. The occasion includ- Kyiv and Chornobyl in 1998 and he out- but at the Soviet peasantry as a whole. regime committed genocide too, then it ed lots references to Abraham Lincoln and lined the agenda for his trip. When he fin- Yet the context of the Bolshevik war on was truly, in Ronald Reagan’s words, an Martin Luther King in speeches, exhibits ished, he asked, “What am I missing?” Ukraine along several fronts in the late “evil empire,” not morally distinguish- and T-shirts on sale at the ubiquitous side- Michael Sawkiw, head of the Ukrainian 1920s and 1930s – cultural, intellectual able from Hitler’s Germany. walk vendor stands. National Information Service (UNIS), and religious, as well as political and This, in turn, would raise the unpleas- Without dwelling on the racial aspect of spoke up: “Mr. Vice-President, you can’t economic – shows that the entire ant question of why millions of Russians his identity, Mr. Obama noted how special go to Ukraine without bringing up the Ukrainian people was targeted. In fact, and Ukrainians look proudly to the Soviet it was that “a man whose father less than Famine-Genocide.” the Holodomor may have constituted past, and why so many Western intellec- 60 years ago might not have been served at “Okay,” Mr. Gore said, “Tell me more.” only one phase – though certainly the tuals still see Stalin’s dictatorship as mor- a local restaurant can now stand before you And so we did, and sure enough the vice- most horrendous – of the Ukrainian geno- ally distinguishable from Hitler’s. Why is to take a most sacred oath.” president included the Famine in his speech cide. Whatever the Famine of 1932-1933 communism hip, if fascism is taboo? If For me, it was special not only because at Chornobyl a week later, probably the may have meant for the rest of the Soviet no one would be caught dead sporting a Mr. Obama is the first African American first high-ranking U.S. government official Union, in Ukraine it was genocidal (see swastika, why are hammers and sickles in good taste? (See Alexander Motyl, president, he’s also the son of an immigrant to do so. Stanislav Kulchytskyi, “U Chomu Sut “Why Is the KGB Bar Possible: Binary and, as far as I know, that makes him the Unfortunately, this was a model the Ukrainsko-Rosiiskoi Superechky?” Den only first-generation American to become [The Day] No. 13, January 29). Morality and Its Consequences,” Transit, administration of George W. Bush discon- president. He referred to his immigrant ori- Third, the deniers object that calling summer 2008). tinued. The Obama administration would gins when he extended our country’s hand the Holodomor a genocide of Ukrainians In short, the Ukrainian genocide thesis be wise to follow it. They’re off to a prom- in friendship to people throughout the is a slight to the Russians who also threatens a panoply of received opinion. ising start. world, “from the grandest capitals to the starved, implying that their lives were Quite possibly, what motivates the geno- small village where my father was born.” All in all, it was fun for our family “to less valuable. But no such differentiation cide deniers in both East and West is the Given his background – an African be part of history” at the inauguration, but of the dead is asserted. Similarly, no one fear that their imaginary political uni- father; a mother whose ancestors hailed the real history will be made in the months would argue that classifying the verse will be shattered. As with other from County Offaly in Ireland; a half-sister and years to come. Mr. Obama assumes Holocaust as genocide devalues the lost types of deniers, discovering the truth who’s half Indonesian; a Chinese Canadian office with as tough a set of challenges that lives of Hitler’s other victims. couldn’t be farther from their interests. brother-in-law; a half-sister in Kenya; and a any president has ever had. Focusing nar- Finally, the deniers allege that the Where does this leave the genocide wife descended from American slaves – it’s rowly on Ukraine, he said all the right genocide campaign is directed against the doubters? In the above-cited article, his- no surprise that President Obama views things as a candidate and surrounded him- Russian state and people, with the aim of torian Stanislav Kulchytskyi wrote that what he calls America’s “patchwork heri- self with knowledgeable advisors who gen- fomenting inter-ethnic strife. The evi- although we cannot yet conclude that the tage” as a strength, not a weakness. uinely support Ukraine’s young democracy. dence is hardly convincing. What many Holodomor was genocide, before we He bowed his head to America’s diverse Now, as president, the weight of the Ukrainians object to, however, is the cur- abandon this thesis we should insist that forebears: “…for us, they packed up their world is on his shoulders. He begins his rent Russian regime’s attempt to rehabili- the Russians give us access to all the rel- few worldly possessions and traveled presidency with the support and prayers of tate Joseph Stalin as a hero, not a hang- evant documents. It is a reasonable posi- across oceans in search of a new life...” billions of people throughout America and man; to whitewash the party that carried tion. The honest doubter, after all, is And my thoughts went to my own immi- the world. May he also have God’s help out his will; and to glorify the Soviet always open to the possibility that some grant parents, just as the black citizens with his task. He’ll certainly need it. regime as a shining chapter in Russian day his doubts may be resolved. watching all over America no doubt con- history. nected when he spoke of those who Andrew Fedynsky’s e-mail address is If no argument can justify genocide Andrew Sorokowski can be reached at “endured the lash of the whip.” Mr. Obama [email protected]. denial, there are several factors that help [email protected]. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6

NEWS AND VIEWS “Alice in Wondergasland” Myths and realities of the great gas war by Roman Kupchinsky transit contract. to pay a greater price for gas than the one January at the insistence of Ms. Once the contract was signed and agreed upon between the two contracting Tymoshenko. How does one begin to describe the sealed, the hapless Ukrainian president, parties. Meanwhile, back in Kyiv, the unfortu- chaotic, contradictory and irrational events Viktor Yushchenko, decided that it was a Mr. Miller, however, failed to mention nate President Yushchenko was terrified. that occurred in January when Ukraine, terrible agreement and that his country that RUE was 50 percent owned by his His instincts told him that he had made a Russia and the European Union declared came out the loser. Ukraine demands a company, Gazprom. Why would it attempt cardinal error of judgment by protecting war on each other and upon themselves? cheaper price for Russian gas, President or dare to undercut Gazprom? Who invited Mr. Firtash and RUE. He had foolishly The conflict appeared to be a blend of Yushchenko told anyone still willing to lis- them to participate in the gas negotiations believed Mr. Firtash’s cock and bull story Marx Brothers anarchy and “Alice in ten to him. This naturally upset the in the first place, and what did they bring that RUE had kept the price of gas low for Wonderland” gobbledygook, as Alice said: Europeans even more, for they understood to the table? his beloved Ukraine. Mr. Firtash, a west- “If I had a world of my own, everything perfectly well that the roots of the 2009 RUE had five employees shacked up in ern Ukrainian from Chernivtsi, was, in Mr. would be nonsense. Nothing would be gas war lie in the terrible 2006 contract Zug, Switzerland. It owned no gas fields, Yushchenko’s born-again Ukrainian mind, what it is because everything would be negotiated by Mr. Yushchenko’s team. Had no pipelines and did not add any value to a kindred soul, a man who, after all, had what it isn’t.” Mr. Yushchenko insisted on a long-term the price of gas. It was merely a middle- spent his own money to fund a chair of After Russia turned off the gas valve to take or pay contract in 2006 and refused to man, widely suspected of money launder- Ukrainian language studies in Britain and Europe on January 7, during a severe cold bow to Russian pressure to allow ing and links to organized crime. It was who swore on his mother’s grave that he spell, the Balkans – to Russia’s profound RosUkrEnergo (RUE) in on the deal, there created in July 2004 by Mr. Putin and the was only interested in protecting “Nenka” surprise – began freezing. Vladimir Putin would be fewer commercial misunder- infamous former president of Ukraine (Mother) Ukraine from the greedy Russian naturally blamed the Ukrainians; the standings in 2009. Leonid Kuchma, both of whom solemnly Satan. Ukrainians, in turn, swore on stacks of The fact was that Prime Minister Yulia pledged that day in Yalta that RUE would It was a very beguiling scenario that bibles that they were innocent and Tymoshenko had negotiated a far better be a poster child for transparency in the President Yushchenko bought hook, line denounced the Satan behind the Kremlin agreement than President Yushchenko’s gas trade business. and sinker, and which Mr. Firtash took walls and all his works. The Europeans, Ukrainians wanted to admit. The EU was Mr. Putin, as well as Dmitry Medvedev, advantage of during his January appear- numbed by the byzantine maneuverings in outraged that the Ukrainians, who spent the current president of Russia who was ances on Russian and Ukrainian media the East, were dumbfounded – they did not years pleading for membership in the EU, formerly the chairman of the board of outlets, pleading virginity in a desperate have a clue why they were being victim- resisted paying more or less the same price Gazprom, went on to claim that the attempt to keep his enormous profits intact. ized because they had been told by reason- for gas as EU countries were paying. Was Russian side had been hoodwinked and Without RUE, Mr. Firtash was poo. able, but highly naïve, EU officials that the Ukrainian president an honest broker did not even know the identities of the For Mr. Yushchenko the archenemy this was a mere contractual misunderstand- or was he delusional? Was he a sly “khak- “Ukrainian partners” in RUE. These indi- throughout the gas war was never RUE, ing between two gas companies that had hol,” or merely a person who had heeded viduals were “forced on us,” Mr. Putin Mr. Putin or the Kremlin, it was Ms. soured. bad advice from his dubious advisors? cried on television. As the Mock Turtle Tymoshenko, the prime minister of As pressure in the pipelines collapsed, Was Mr. Yushchenko corrupt, as Russian quipped: “Well, I never heard it before, but Ukraine whom he had appointed to this the EU was screaming for the two coun- Prime Minister Putin cynically claimed it sounds uncommon nonsense.” post twice, succeeded in removing once tries to end the dispute forthwith. The without batting an eyelash? Can anyone in their right mind imagine and was determined to do so again. Ukrainian and Russian prime ministers The macabre fight between the former the Ukrainians forcing anything upon This elaborate and confused labyrinth met once again (they had come to an earli- imperial power, Russia, and the former Russia! Could Dmytro Firtash, a rather of mirrors will continue to play out for er understanding on the gas contract in colony, Ukraine, became wackier when the colorful Ukrainian businessman who months to come. What then led to the gas October 2008), and in two days negotiated head of Gazprom, Alexei Miller, began is his career by selling “horilka” to war? The truth is buried beneath layers of the terms for a 10-year gas supply and gas announced that one of the major reasons Moldova, become the 45 percent owner of rhetoric and disinformation, and it is why the negotiations between Gazprom RUE without the consent of Messrs. Putin, unlikely that we will ever learn what really Roman Kupchinsky is a partner at and Naftohaz Ukrayiny broke down on Medvedev and Miller? took place or why. As the Duchess said: AZEast Group. He can be contacted at December 31, 2008, was that the sleazy RUE nonetheless was unceremoniously “Tut, tut, child! Everything’s got a moral, [email protected]. intermediary company, RUE, had offered removed from the Ukrainian gas trade in if only you can find it.”

The Katyn massacre: Moscow turns a blind eye to history, again

by Myroslaw Smorodsky In early 1940, on the direct order of Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Politburo, thousands of Polish officers, military and even Polish intellectuals, were brutally exe- cuted and secretly buried in a mass grave in the Katyn Forest in the USSR. In 1943, invading German forces discovered the grave site, but the Soviet government ada- mantly insisted that these mass executions and crimes were committed by the Germans themselves and not by Soviet forces – despite substantial evidence to the contrary. In 1990, during the last days of the Soviet Union, the truth about the Katyn Forest massacre was reluctantly admitted by the Soviet government. Since then, the Polish government and victims’ families have been steadfastly prodding the Russian government not only to disclose Smolensk Memoryal (Alyeksyey Melkin) more details about the crimes, but to pros- Mass graves of the victims of the Katyn Forest massacre of 1940. ecute the guilty and to give a modicum of compensation to the families of the mur- On January 29 the Supreme Russian of limitations under a 1926 Soviet statute limitations for such atrocities. dered. Toward this end, victims’ families Military Court affirmed the 2004 trial court bars prosecution of the present-day legal The results of this Russian legal pro- instituted legal actions in the Russian decision dismissing the legal actions of the actions. cess regarding the Katyn Forest massacre court system. Polish claimants. Throughout the appeals The Russian court did not seem to be did not come as a surprise. The Russian process, the trial court record was kept phased by the fact that for 50 years the government has over the years consis- Myroslaw Smorodsky is a member of under seal and the press was barred from Soviet government had deceitfully denied tently attempted to whitewash the sins of the AZEast Group of international con- the trial court hearings. Today’s press any complicity in these crimes; by its the past, and it refuses to acknowledge sultants on Eurasian country and busi- reports on the Appellate Court’s affirmance actions had acknowledged that these crimes them so as to rebuild its moral credibility ness risk. He is an American attorney shed some light on the government defense constituted crimes against humanity and in the international community. Maybe who since 1968 and has been involved in rationale during the trial of this matter: The genocide; and tried to blame Nazi Germany that is the reason why Stalin has been diverse areas of the law ranging from fact that thousands of bodies were found in for them. The Soviets even attempted to voted as the third most popular historical criminal defense, to representation of a mass grave, each riddled with bullets, have Germans tried as war criminals for the figure in Russia. Soviet political prisoners, to internation- could not conclusively establish the crime Katyn Forest massacre at the Nüremberg The matter will now go to the European al transactional and litigation matters, to of mass murder. It only proves that these trials. The Russian appeals court also Court of Human Rights. It will be no sur- massive class actions involving Nazi era persons died as a result of bullet wounds!?! ignored the fact that, under international prise to anyone if Russia merely ignores slave/forced labor claims resulting in bil- In affirming the dismissal, the law – to which both the Soviet Union and the matter and the judgments and opinions lion dollar settlements. Appellate Court concluded that the statute Russia subscribed – there is no statute of of the international community. No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 9

COMMENTARY Russia and Ukraine: territorial claims can work two ways by Taras Kuzio and this is more the rule than the exception. Kemal Ataturk, came forward and forged a was absorbed under Catherine the Great into Eurasia Daily Monitor Belarus made territorial claims against new Turkish nation-state, while no “Ataturk” the tsarist empire, Ukrainian Kozak forces Lithuania in the 1990s, and Estonia and appeared in late Soviet Russia and, unlike were disbanded, except in the Kuban. There, The majority of Western comments on Russia have sparred over their border, the his Turkish or Ukrainian counterparts, Ukrainian Kozaks were permitted to main- territorial claims arising from the break- treaty for which was signed but never rati- President Boris Yeltsin never prioritized tain the only Ukrainian Kozak unit (the up of the USSR focus on Russia’s fied by the Russian State Duma. The nation-building. “Kuban Cossack Host”) until the end of demands against its neighbors. The best Transdniestr region of Moldova, a frozen Alone of the Soviet republics, the Russian Tsarist rule; it was one of 12 Cossack armies known, such as those related to Crimea conflict since 1992, was part of the inter-war SFSR has never declared independence in the Russian Empire. and frozen conflicts in the Caucasus, are Ukrainian SSR as the Moldovan from the USSR. Russia’s annual From 1917 to 1920 political forces in the frequently mentioned in the Western Autonomous Soviet Republic. Similar “Independence Day,” therefore, is a myth, as Kuban supported opposing tendencies, some media. Added to this are Russian com- potential territorial disputes abound in the it derives from the June 1990 declaration of backing the White armies, while others ments that repeatedly have focused on the North Caucasus (e.g., Chechnya and sovereignty within the USSR. called for unification with independent alleged “artificiality” of post-Soviet bor- Ingushetia), the South Caucasus (Georgia Three decades prior to the transfer of Ukraine. The large ethnic Ukrainian majori- ders. Ukraine, in particular, is pointed to and Armenia), and Central Asia (Uzbekistan Crimea in 1954 from the Russian SFSR to ty in the Kuban gave rise to territorial by Russian officials as an allegedly “arti- and Kyrgyzstan). the Ukrainian SSR, larger territories were demands by Ukrainian national Communists ficial” and thereby “fragile” state. The most “artificial” post-Soviet repub- transferred from Ukraine to Russia. The who ran Ukraine until the imposition of These Western media reports and Russian lic is Russia, which was established as the Ukrainian-Russian border was the subject of Joseph Stalin’s Great Terror in the late 1920s comments overlook two facts: first, potential residual home for what remained of the tsa- confrontation between the collapse of the and early 1930s and the Famine in Ukraine territorial revisions exist throughout the for- rist empire after the non-Russian republics Russian Empire in 1917 and the territorial in 1932-1933. mer USSR; and second, all of the borders of were created. Post-Soviet Russia could not adjustments made in the two years after the The Famine was permitted to spread from the post-Soviet republics, especially the return to the borders of a pre-imperial creation of the USSR in 1922. Ukraine and devastated the largely ethnic Russian Federation, are “arbitrary” and Russian nation-state because none had ever Ukraine’s pro-independence govern- Ukrainian Kuban region. This, coupled with “artificial.” Countless post-colonial frontiers existed. Unlike England and France, which ments fought with the White and Bolshevik the replacement of Ukrainian by Russian in forces who both opposed the creation of an the schools starting in 1934, transformed the throughout the world are of a similar nature, were nation-states before becoming independent Ukraine. Although the Kuban’s ethnic composition. The Kuban empires, Russian city-states merged into Volunteer Army of the Whites was domi- became Russified during the course of sub- Muscovy before it emerged as an empire in Taras Kuzio is a visiting professor at the nated by the liberal Kadets, they defended sequent decades, although Ukrainian- the 18th century. Elliott School of International Affairs, Russia’s unity and indivisibility, opposed a language pronunciations can still be heard in George Washington University. His most Russia, therefore, resembles the Ottoman federally reconstituted empire and especial- local spoken Russian (for example, Mikhail recent books are “Ukraine-Crimea-Russia. Empire inasmuch as the Turks also had no ly denounced “Little Russian” (Ukrainian) Gorbachev’s Russian). Triangle of Conflict” and “Theoretical and pre-imperial nation-state to fall back on autonomy, let alone an independent state The 1989 Soviet census gave a total of Comparative Perspectives on Nationalism: when their empire collapsed after World separate from Russia. 44.2 million Ukrainians in the USSR of New Directions” (Stuttgart and Hannover: War I. The difference between the Turks and The Starodub region northeast of whom 37.4 million lived in the Ukrainian Ibidem-Verlag, 2007). the Russians is that a nationalist leader, Chernihiv Oblast was part of Ukraine under SSR. Of the 6.8 million living elsewhere, the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk but was the largest group was 3.7 million in the transferred to Russia. Other areas with eth- Russian SFSR. nic Ukrainian majorities transferred to Aside from 247,000 Ukrainians who World Court rules on dispute Russia were the Kursk and Voronezh were living in Moscow, a similarly large Oblasts east of the Ukrainian oblasts of number lived in the Tyumen Oblast of west- over Ukraine-Romania sea border Sumy, Kharkiv and Luhansk. The Taganrog ern Siberia. They had arrived in the Leonid region of Russia’s Rostov Oblast, east of Brezhnev era to provide technical expertise RFE/RL should be defined as an island, as its name Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, also was contest- in gas exploration. (Ukraine was an impor- suggests, which would mean that the con- ed by Ukraine and Russia. These areas adja- tant center of gas expertise in the former PRAGUE – The International Court of tinental shelf around it would fall to Justice in The Hague on February 3 deliv- cent to the border of the Ukrainian SSR USSR, especially in western Ukraine. where Ukraine’s possession. ered its ruling on the long-running dispute were claimed by Kyiv, because they were gas storage facilities are located). The court’s decision ignores the island between Romania and Ukraine over an 65 to 75 percent ethnic Ukrainian and, Russia, in recognizing the independence as a factor in establishing the common islet in the Black Sea – called Serpents together the Kuban, contained 2 million of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, has opened boundary, and draws an equidistant line Island – with access to potentially large Ukrainians (see three maps in Vasyl up a potential Pandora’s Box of territorial from the Ukrainian and Romanian shore- reserves of oil and gas. Boyechko et al, “Kordony Ukrainy: claims throughout the former USSR that lines. That awards the majority of the dis- The court delivered a compromise Istorychna Retrospektyva ta Suchasnyi could backfire on Moscow. puted territory to Romania. decision that awarded part of the disputed Stan,” Kyiv, 1994). sea floor to each country, but the biggest Bogdan Aurescu, the head of the The Kuban region of Russia’s northern The article above is reprinted from share went to Romania. Romanian legal team, welcomed the Caucasus had been populated by the Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from A Romanian member of the European result. “The boundary clearly separates Ukrainian (Black Sea) Kozaks from the 18th its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, Parliament, Adrian Severin, welcomed the the territories that can be used by Romania century. After the Ukrainian Kozak State www.jamestown.org. decision in comments to RFE/RL. “From and Ukraine,” Mr. Aurescu said. “It is a now, Romania is able to exploit its full better line [for Romania] than any solu- territory, including the continental shelf, tion that could have been obtained through and also has a better perspective for better negotiations, better than anything Ukraine relations and economic cooperation with has offered.” Ukraine,” Mr. Severin said. Serpents Island was owned by The ruling means that the maritime Romania until 1948, when the Soviet border between Romania and Ukraine leadership ordered it transferred to must be drawn up without consideration Ukrainian control. Romania has not con- of Serpents Island. tested Ukraine’s ownership, but it has At stake are oil exploration and drilling complained that Kyiv has been develop- rights in a 12,000-square-kilometer area ing the island in order to bolster its under- of the Black Sea. sea claim at the world court. Romania has previously estimated that European parliamentarian Mr. Severin the disputed continental shelf there may said the settlement imposed by the court contain reserves of 100 billion cubic has benefits for the whole region. “There meters of natural gas and more than 10 are two major benefits,” he said. “Number million tons of oil. Foreign oil majors one is that a dispute between two neigh- have expressed interest in more fully boring countries is over, and this dispute exploring the area, and potentially invest- was a burden on their bilateral relations; ing in extraction. the second benefit is that Romania has a Romania brought the case to the world clear definition of its rights.” court in 2004, after both Kyiv and Presently the island has a population of Bucharest agreed to submit to the court’s about 100 people, mostly border guards, arbitration after years of fruitless bilateral but also scientists and shopkeepers. It has negotiations. a lighthouse, and a harbor is under con- Romania’s case was that Serpents struction. Island should be defined only as a rocky Ukraine’s representative to the court, outcropping, and therefore need not be Volodymyr Vassylenko (a member of the considered important enough to be a fac- AZEast Group of international consul- tor in drawing the Romanian-Ukrainian tants), said before the ruling that his side maritime border. expected a compromise decision that Ukraine’s case was that Serpents Island would give something to both appellants. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6

with rehabilitation therapy. Social events Lviv's Dzherelo... and programs at the Dzherelo Center (Continued from page 1) encourage children to gain confidence In 1994 the Lviv municipal govern- and form friendships. ment gave Dzherelo an unfinished school Last year, thanks to funds from grants building, and in 1996, with funds collect- and individual sponsors, the renovation of ed by the Toronto chapter of the Children most of the school was completed and of Chornobyl Canadian Fund, renovations now all Dzherelo programs are held in were begun to make the building accessi- one building. ble to the disabled. Ms. Kushpeta is very proud of the fact The Dzherelo Center has developed that in March 2007 the workshop pro- various services for the disabled: early gram of Dzherelo was officially accepted intervention and child development pro- as a project of the international federation grams, preschool and school education of l’Arche communities, under the name programs, and activity workshops for l’Arche-Kovcheh (the Ukrainian word for young people. Each service is enriched ark).

Dzherelo Center Residents in the computer workshop. A volunteer feeds a disabled child. Stars for Dzherelo by Oksana Zakydalsky and School in Lviv. The exhibit and sale took place on TORONTO – Traditional Ukrainian December 20 and 21, 2008, at the Christmas celebrations include groups of Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation gal- carollers carrying a decorated “koliada” lery. It was possible to buy the one-of-a- star, going from house to house, singing kind wooden stars, as well as drawings, carols and collecting donations for those Christmas decorations and cards created in need. by the children of Dzherelo and other art In that spirit, Friends of Dzherelo invit- works donated by artists for the support ed 50 artists to participate in an exhibit of Dzherelo. and sale of wooden stars of their own cre- Visitors to the exhibit had the opportu- ation. The funds collected from the sale nity to hear Dzherelo board member of the stars were designated for the sup- Zenia Kushpeta speak about the children, port of the Dzherelo Rehabilitation Center people and programs of Dzherelo.

Drawings by the children of the Dzherelo Rehabilitation Center and School.

Oksana Zakydalsky Zenia Kushpeta, board member of Dzherelo. A view of the exhibit of stars for carolling. No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 11 INTERVIEW: Alexander Motyl, political scientist-turned-novelist A resident of New York City, Alexander J. Motyl is a writ- er, painter and professor. His novels include “Whiskey Priest” and “Who Killed Andrei Warhol” (which was nomi- nated for the Pushcart Prize in 2008); his art is represented by The Tori Collection (www.toricollection.com); and his scholarly writing includes six authored books and over 10 edited volumes. He is a professor of political science at Rutgers University-Newark. Dr. Motyl was interviewed by Dzvinia Orlowsky, the author of four poetry collections published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. She currently teaches at the Solstice Low-Residency MFA Creative Writing Program of Pine Manor College in Boston. Once, after giving a reading, when asked when you wrote, you responded that you wrote when you were bored. It reminds me of poet Frank O’Hara’s reply when asked how he knew a poem is finished: “When the phone rings.” I can’t help but feel both you and O’Hara were winking at us with your answers. If I’m right, Interviewee Alexander Motyl Interviewer Dzvinia Orlowsky what’s behind the wink?

Winking aside, tedium is a good reason for doing any- bottom: “Interesting, but we don’t represent unknown the real fun – the rewriting and editing – can begin. thing, isn’t it? For instance, I know when a work is finished, authors.” Ouch. whether non-fiction or fiction, when I get bored editing it. I Graham Greene has also been an influence on your usually go through some 20-30 edits, and most of them are Professor and writer Vasyl Makhno has remarked work. Can you elaborate? that you belong to a unique generation of Ukrainian either exasperating or exhilarating, but when they get I love Greene. I love his crisp, compact writing; I love his writers who were born in the 1950s outside Ukraine and tedious, I know it’s time to move on. concern with ethical-political issues and moral ambiguity; I who write on Ukrainian topics in English. Who are some By the same token, part of the reason I took to writing love his interest in spies; and I love his story-telling. Greene of the other writers of this generation and have they fiction was that academic writing had stopped being a chal- makes writing look easy. But, of course, all good writers do. influenced your work in any way? lenge. Once you know what your argument will be, the rest He also proves that a writer can be deep and complex and pretty much follows. In contrast, fiction was a whole new That’s an easy question. Irene Zabytko has shown that a meaningful without having to resort to self-consciously deep universe for me. You think it’s easy: after all, it’s all made writer can tell great stories and still have a Ukrainian point and complex and meaningful prose. That’s the trick – to say up, right? But making it all up turned out to be incredibly of view. Askold Melnyczuk has shown that a Ukrainian important things without seeming to say important things. difficult. And making it all up for some 200 pages or more writer can be concerned with questions of morality and Shevchenko was able to pull that off. As did Beckett, was terrifying – but also exhilarating. identity without falling into Ukrainian clichés. And Marina whose first line in “Murphy” – “The sun shone having no You finish the draft, whether first or last, and you wonder, Lewycka has shown that it’s possible to be Ukrainian and alternative on the nothing new” – has got to be one of the “Where did that come from?” In that sense, fiction is like still retain a sense of humor, as you have through your poet- best in literature. That’s why I love Morandi’s simple bot- painting; I always look at the finished painting with a sense ry. I only wish that Ukraine’s writers would stop writing tles, Modigliani’s portraits and Matisse’s still lives, and of awe and mystery: “Did I do that?” On the other hand, it’s about their sexual awakening and personal angst and turn to detest the pretentiousness of painters like Dali, Damien Hirst true that I’m always winking, that I can never take anything some of the themes and styles employed by Zabytko, and Julian Schnabel. That’s also why I love writers such as too seriously – especially my own work. The universe is so Melnyczuk and Lewycka. Arthur Schnitzler, James Agee, William Faulkner, Vladimir big, history is so big, God is so big – and we’re so ridicu- Nabokov, Albert Camus and Peter Schneider – and hate lously small. How can you not wink? I understand that as a political scientist you are also interested in the Soviet KGB as well as the Ukrainian Dostoevsky. Or why I’m completely blown away by As a professor of political science, how did you nationalist Security Service. Tell us how the plot for Antonioni’s “L’Eclisse” and “L’Avventura” (of course, I’m become interested in writing fiction? your first spy-novel, “Whisky Priest,” evolved. also madly in love with Monica Vitti) and think he then A bunch of things happened in the 1990s that led me to went off the deep end. That’s also why I think your poetry is I’ve always been fascinated by spies. I’m not sure exactly so compelling. fiction. The Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine became inde- why, though I suspect that it has something to do with the pendent, and the struggle – and I had been involved in the moral ambiguity of their world. My first exposure to fiction- Thank you, Alex. I sincerely appreciate that. But get- anti-Soviet struggle since the early 1970s – was suddenly al spies was in the sixth grade, when I got two paperbacks ting back to your work, your second novel, “Who Killed over. At the same time, my own academic writing had by Eric Ambler (who, by the way, is a terrific writer) from a Andrei Warhol,” has received well-deserved critical become increasingly theoretical and meta-theoretical and friend for Christmas: “Judgment on Deltchev” and “Cause acclaim and continues to do well. Did you have a strong meta-meta-theoretical, and at some point I began wondering for Alarm.” That started the addiction. interest in the New York City ’60s Warhol scene prior to what the point of so much unremitting self-refection and It was compounded by my own interest in the Ukrainian writing the novel, or did it develop as you researched navel-gazing was. nationalist movement and my experiences with the KGB, Warhol’s life and circle of artist friends? Searching for more concrete alternatives, I returned to which made several attempts to recruit me – and they, in Well, don’t forget that I was born and raised in New York, painting after a hiatus of about 15 years and began reading turn, led to attempts by the FBI to recruit me. That sounds on the Ukrainian Lower East Side, which is just a few novels with a vengeance. And then I had my first epiphany. I hilarious now, but then, back in the late 1970s, it was an blocks away from Warhol’s Factory on Union Square. But I still recall the day I visited the galleries in Soho and thought, extremely unpleasant experience, especially as it wasn’t was too young, and too strait-laced, to have experienced the “Heck, my work is at least as bad as most of this.” And if clear which side was more heavy-handed. Believe me, John ’60s in New York. I do remember, very, very unclearly, they could exhibit, why couldn’t I? Something similar hap- le Carre’s “Smiley’s People” is an uncannily accurate depic- walking along St. Mark’s Place and seeing posters for some pened with fiction writing. tion of the world of anti-Soviet émigrés and could have been of Warhol’s musical events. I also remember that “Chelsea The more I read, the more I thought: “Heck, I can do no written about Ukrainians. Girls” played at the St. Mark’s Theater and that it was rated worse than this.” Fiction then became a new challenge, and The idea for “Whiskey Priest” began with a hunch about adults only. I vaguely recall seeing articles in Time or Life it’s remained that since. the ending. It occurred to me one day back in the summer of about Warhol’s scene, and I do remember when he was shot 2001 – and I have no idea why – that having a secret agent What was your first literary publication? in 1968. But none of that meant much to me. It was all tak- first save someone and then betray him would be an interest- That was actually a short story that appeared at the very ing twist with all sorts of morally ambiguous implications. I ing place in the larger “American” world, and I, like many end of my high-school senior yearbook. I had always strug- even imagined the last line, in which the agent says, “You of my Ukrainian friends, was much more interested in rebel- gled with English class, probably because I believed that can have him,” to the killers closing in on their prey and just ling against the Ukrainian establishment. Besides, I was a writing had to “mean” something deep and important. Then, walks away. The next step was to write everything leading complete square. I resisted wearing bell bottoms until in my senior year, I accidentally stumbled into a creative up to the last line. As I did so, my own experiences with the straight-leg pants went out of style, and I thought that writing class and, much to my surprise, did extremely well – world of espionage began intruding and structuring the char- Woodstock was just a big hoo-ha. mostly, I suspect, because I just threw all that meaning stuff acters, the dialogues and, of course, the plot. My specific interest in Warhol began with seeing, back in out the window and let my imagination guide my hand. 2001 or so, a documentary about his relatives in eastern The teacher of that class asked me to write some appro- How long did it take you to write it? Do you set for Slovakia, “Absolut Warhola.” I was struck by how familiar yourself a daily or weekly page requirement of writ- priately serious conclusion for the yearbook; instead, I pro- they seemed, especially as I have Ukrainian relatives not far ing? At the end of a single day of writing, what makes duced a silly story and he liked it. But that was an anomaly. from his parents’ home town. I suddenly realized what I had you feel like you’ve had a successful day’s worth? I It took me many, many years to feel confident about my cre- sort of known all the time – that Warhol was a Slav and that know for me it can sometimes be capturing a single, ative writing and to get rid of that meaning albatross and to he grew up in an immigrant neighborhood, went to church resonant image. realize that writing is, first and foremost, about writing – just every Sunday, celebrated Christmas on January 7, and then as painting is about painting. All that interpretation and I wrote the first draft of “Whiskey Priest” in about eventually broke out of the ghetto and came to the big city. meaning stuff is at best a bit of icing, at worst too much con- three-four months. I get somewhat obsessive while I’m His story was my story – well, sort of – and that piqued my fectioner’s sugar. writing and can spend anywhere from two to six hours a interest in his life and career and work. day, every day, writing whatever comes to my mind. Do you have a favorite anecdote to share about your Writers, particularly those who write from a That’s generally how long it takes me to write any book- days as an emerging or just-published author? researched subject, are often faced with the challenge of length manuscript, whether fiction or non-fiction. But finding the right balance between presenting too much That happened several years ago, when I was trying to that’s the easy part. I then spend another year or more back ground information or too little. Do you have a find an agent for “Whiskey Priest.” I sent out hundreds of rewriting, editing and re-editing – until that feeling of specific reader in mind when you write? How do you jazzy cover letters, with a neat synopsis and a brief cv tedium comes over me and I know I’m done. My first establish authority on your subject? outlining all my very many academic publications, prizes, drafts are usually pretty awful, but once they exist – once etc. One agent sent back my letter, with a scribble at the there’s a real live text – that first hurdle is overcome and (Continued on page 17) 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6 Gene Chyzowych to be inducted into National Soccer Hall of Fame by Nicholas Skirka ST. LOUIS – The 62nd annual National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention was held in St. Louis on January 14-18. This soccer convention had many practical clinics, workshops and educational sessions for professional growth and development. This year, again, there were clinicians or coaches from all over the world that made presentations on various soccer topics. Featured coaches were from Scotland, Brazil, England, the United States, the Netherlands and Argentina. I had the pleasure of attending a presenta- tion by Argentinean coach Enrique Hrabina (of Czech descent) on “Technical, Tactical and Psychological Training in Small Places.” I played in Argentina for one year so I was especially thrilled to a get a picture taken with Mr. Hrabina, assistant director of Nicholas Skirka (right) with Argentinean coach Enrique Hrabina at the 62nd coaching, Argentina Coaches Association, annual National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention in St. Louis. soon to be the coach of Los Andes in Coach Gene Chyzowych in a file photo. Argentina. We had a good conversation about Argentine soccer and exchanged Hall of Fame. This year was very special for coaching soccer and still does so. He 24 conference titles. The NSCAA has twice e-mail address to keep in touch. Ukrainians, especially for Gene Chyzowych, graduated from and played soccer at awarded Mr. Chyzowych the Boys High At the convention, on Friday night, there who was named to the National Soccer Hall Temple University. He coached the School Coach of the Year award, in 1986 is an NSCAA awards banquet. Every year of Fame – not an easy accomplishment. United States National Soccer Team in and 1990. He also received the NSCAA’s honorees are named to the National Soccer Mr. Chyzowych, who lives in New 1973 and had a 3-2 wins/losses record Robert W. Robinson Award (1999) for long- Jersey, is as a soccer coach and is dedicated during his tenure. Also, he was an assis- time service to interscholastic soccer in the to the development of soccer in the United tant national soccer coach for the National United States. Nicholas Skirka teaches at States. He and his brother Walter have made and Olympic teams. Gene Chyzowych is one of only 46 Kingsborough Community College in the a significant contribution to soccer in this During his illustrious soccer coaching NSCAA members to be inducted into the Health, Physical Education and country. Walter Chyzowych was the U.S. career at Columbia High School in National Soccer Hall of Fame. This is truly Recreation Department and coaches National Soccer Team’s coach and head of Maplewood, N.J., Gene Chyzowych com- a great accomplishment and should not go youth soccer. He holds an undergraduate the coaching association. piled a record of 718 wins, 180 losses and unrecognized. degree in physical education and an M.A. Gene and Walter Chyzowych are the only 69 ties. He is the second most winning I was thrilled to have attended the awards in sports psychology from New York brothers to be inducted into the National active boys’ high school soccer coach in the banquet to see Gene Chyzowych receive University, as well as a doctorate in Soccer Hall of Fame. country. this cherished award. He will officially be sports administration and management Mr. Chyzowych has quietly, without Gene Chyzowych’s teams have won four inducted on August 1 in Oneonta, N.Y., from the University of Maryland. self-aggrandizement, spent 45 years New Jersey State Championships as well as home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Oblast in which Soviet agents committed Security Service... crimes and blamed them on the Ukrainian (Continued from page 1) Insurgent Army (UPA), he said. a January 27 press conference at SBU head- In conjunction with the Ministry of quarters in central Kyiv. Internal Affairs and Procurator General’s “The decree once and for all removes the Office, the SBU said it plans to offer legal barrier of secrecy, declassifying and publi- advice to citizens wishing to defend their cizing the archives – that is, giving access to legal rights if statutes of limitations have not all, not just privileged historians, but all citi- yet expired, Mr. Nalyvaichenko said. zens,” he noted. Average Ukrainian citizens will be able The documents, to be declassified in the to gain more access to Soviet crimes that nearest future, include criminal reports, legal targeted them, their relatives or ancestors, dockets, maps, statistics, special communi- enabling them to pursue possible legal qués and internal memos of the Communist action, such as criminal prosecution. Party, the Soviet KGB (Committee for State However, Mr. Nalyvaichenko made no Security) and the Soviet NKVD (People’s mention of retrieving property confiscated Commissariat for Internal Affairs). by the Soviets. The decree applies to the SBU, the State Neither will the declassified archives Archives Committee, the Ministry of solve all the nation’s mysteries, many of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the which will be forever concealed because of Procurator General’s Office, the Foreign destroyed documents. Other secrets are Reconnaissance Service and the State sealed in Moscow. Department of Executing Penalties. Top Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) As an example of the type of materials scholars are still trying to find out where the now declassified, the SBU displayed a sev- corpse of Commander-in-Chief Roman en-foot high map drawn by Soviet military Shukhevych was buried, Mr. Viatrovych planners to execute the vicious “Operatsiya said. Zapad” (Operation West) offensive during a Recently declassified photographs week in October 1947. enabled UPA researchers to conclude that In what was described by SBU advisor Gen. Shukhevych indeed shot himself Zenon Zawada Volodymyr Viatrovych as the Soviet version because his enemies had reached him. Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) advisor Volodymyr Viatrovych demonstrates of Akcja Wisla, the 1947 operation directed As for the Ukrainian pop singer a declassified secret map detailing “Operation Zapad” (Operation West), in at Ukrainians in Poland, more than 77,000 Volodymyr Ivasiuk, believed to have been which 77,000 western Ukrainians were deported to Siberia in October 1947. residents of western Ukrainians oblasts who killed by the Soviets in 1979, Mr. Viatrovych had relatives or ties to the liberation struggle said those documents are still classified as It arrived two days after Ms. Ginzburg’s Mr. Nalyvaichenko welcomed anyone, were herded up by the Soviets in the course secret in Moscow. reappointment as State Archives Committee including foreigners, to visit the SBU of a single week and deported to Siberia. No Ukrainian government official or chair. Furthermore, campaigning for the archives to fill out a request form, research The map marked in detail how many public authority is immune from any Soviet- January 17, 2010, presidential election has materials in the reading room and make trucks and soldiers each city and oblast era skeletons that the declassified documents already informally begun. copies. needed to deport Ukrainians, as well as how may reveal, Mr. Nalyvaichenko said. “No Calling Ms. Ginzburg’s appointment The SBU is also seeking the help of vol- many individuals were ultimately deported. secret service matter or information, which “counter-productive,” Mr. Nalyvaichenko unteers, particularly scholars and students, “This happened at the same time they possibly includes information on currently stressed she would have no ability to subvert to help in creating a central Internet data- told us everything was wonderful and the active politicians, will impede the process of the president’s decree. “Any changes in the base, which would include all of Ukraine’s Soviet Union is blossoming,” Mr. de-classification.” state archives’ leadership won’t stop us in Soviet-era documents. Nalyvaichenko commented. A Russian television journalist at the executing this decree in any way,” he said. Students from Taras Shevchenko National Declassified documents also reveal that, press conference skeptically asked Mr. The Russian reporter also asked whether University in Kyiv and the National as late as 1963, the Soviet government was Nalyvaichenko about the timing of the presi- such decrees would serve only to exacerbate University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy will still launching operations in the Ternopil dent’s decree. the strained tensions among Ukrainians. be involved, he said. No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 13

Ukrainian pro hockey update by Ihor Stelmach The 2008-2009 NHL season: familiar faces in new places The prevailing key to winning in points and shots on goal (254). many years in the American Hockey “Brad is a tough competitor who isn’t today’s National Hockey League contin- Zherdev tallied seven times on the League and Europe. Prior to the current afraid to give up his body for the sake of ues to be successful management of the power play (third on the team) with three season, he has played in 262 NHL regular the team,” said GM Wilson in an official league’s salary cap. Due to a limit on game-winning goals (also third). He set season games over the course of six cam- San Jose Sharks media statement on July payroll dollars, a team can afford only a personal bests in games played, assists, paigns, beginning with the Washington 4, 2008. “He has won two Stanley Cups few, high-priced core players. These stars points and shots. This Kyiv native record- Capitals (1999-2003), Tampa Bay and he knows that everyone on a team are then surrounded by affordable sec- ed 13 multiple-point games, including a (2001-2002), Atlanta Thrashers needs to play a role in order to achieve ondary players, usually on one or two- four-point effort (two goals and two (2006-2007), St. Louis (2006-2007) and the ultimate success.” year contracts. The result is a revolving assists) in a game against Carolina. Boston. His career scoring totals are 35 door of player turnover. The young man clearly has star poten- goals with 78 assists and 96 minutes in Canucks take a chance For proof, take a look at 17 Ukrainian tial, but needs to overcome the pattern of penalties through 2007-2008. on Hordichuk pucksters who skate regular NHL shifts. inconsistent play he has shown thus far. Metropolit is described as a gritty com- Eight of them were either traded, signed Coming off a career year, he also started petitor and an adept penalty killer who Further demonstrating there is still a new free agent contracts or were bought to progress on the defensive side of the can play on the second through fourth place and demand for fourth line agita- out this past summer. Throw in another game in an attempt to be a more responsi- forward lines. He’s a solid face-off guy tors/pests/pugilists was the news the four minor leaguers and the percentage of ble player. New York’s attraction to the who’ll chip in with an odd goal and is not Vancouver Canucks signed free agent off-season movement jumps to well over young Kyivan is obviously his ability to afraid to tackle the defensive assignment Darcy Hordichuk to a deal. In a surprise 50 percent. put the puck in the net with a 40-goal sea- of checking the opposition’s top scoring move, new GM Mike Gillis moved quick- As for the comings and goings, six son possible in the future. Zherdev is get- unit. ly in acquiring the part-time, fourth-line Ukrainians relocated to more promising ting lots of quality ice time since New winger whose games played and time on surroundings, two went the European York chose to cut ties with veterans Fedoruk inks three-year deal ice significantly decreased in the past route, being exiled to Russia’s new Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, Martin with Coyotes three seasons. Kontinental Hockey League. Then, to Straka and Sean Avery. Zherdev’s upside Hordichuk, 27, joins Vancouver via offset the departure of the two veteran is potentially huge. Fighters retire and unretire – usually Nashville, where in 2007-2008 he man- cap-heavy Ukes, one young Ukrainian more than once or twice. They take a aged a mere three points (one goal) and was actually brought back to the NHL Pens add power forward licking, but keep on sticking (to it) against 60 penalty minutes in only 45 games. He from Russia. The details follow. Fedotenko youngsters trying to earn a reputation or a did suit up in five Predators playoff Welcome to Broadway, Nikolai fellow veteran heavyweight trying to get games, where his sole statistical entry Zherdev, your talent level and artistry Having locked up core players with that title belt. Sometimes they need to be was a minor penalty. should play well with the New York long-term contracts, Penguins manage- wheeled out on a stretcher or be pro- His NHL career includes stops with Rangers. Think Ruslan Fedotenko looked ment set out to fill a few holes on the top nounced too medically dangerous to be Atlanta, Phoenix, Florida and Nashville. forward to playing on a line with Sidney forward lines by scanning the free agent allowed to continue. Pardon the analogy He has seen action in 302 games, record- with boxing, but hockey enforcer Todd Crosby after a year on Long Island play- wire this past summer. In need of a power ing 26 points (13 goals) and 747 PIM’s. Fedoruk is not yet there. His services are ing with a bunch of nobodies? Glen winger to play on Sidney Crosby’s left, The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Kamsack, still in demand. Metropolit parlayed a solid comeback Pittsburgh signed Ukrainian Ruslan Saskatchewan, native originally entered To the tune of a three-year contract season with Boston into a two-year deal Fedotenko. the league in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft’s tendered by and signed with the Phoenix with the Eastern Conference finalist The 29-year-old Fedotenko scored 33 sixth round. Flyers. Tough guy Todd Fedoruk is still in points (16G,17A) in 67 games with the Coyotes. General Manager Don Maloney demand, witness his acceptance of a lowly New York Islanders in 2006-2007. got Fedoruk’s signature last July 1, on the Babchuk imported three-year deal to protect Wayne He did lead the team with a career-high first day of free agency. Gretzky’s young Coyotes. Boasting a pair eight power-play goals. He also dished “Todd will add a physical presence to back to Carolina our line-up next season (2008-2009),” of Stanley Cups on his resume got Brad out 104 hits, placing him fourth on the After identifying an aging defense as Lukowich a new home in San Jose, as the Isles. said Maloney. “He is a tough, intimidat- ing player who will give support to our the primary reason for their lack of recent Sharks overhauled their defense by going “I think Ruslan is going to be able to success, the Carolina Hurricanes set out play as he has throughout his NHL career, younger players.” after proven winners. Vancouver brought to remodel their blueline. They made a in feisty Darcy Hordichuk to handle on the top three lines,” GM Ray Shero The 29-year-old veteran of the hockey major trade with Edmonton, then a few fourth line/enforcer responsibilities. said at a press conference on July 3, 2008. wars scored 6G-7A-13PTS and 139PIM’s minor tweaks in hopes of righting the past On the minus side, Alexei Zhitnik saw “He can play anywhere in the line-up, so in 69 regular season matches with Dallas two season’s wrongs. The goal was to General Manager Don Waddell buy out I think that’s going to be a good addition and Minnesota last season. This was a build a more mobile, younger, more the remainder of his lucrative contract, for us. He has size (6-2,195-pounds), and career-best for goals in a season for offense-minded defense corps. forcing the mid-30s blueliner to seek he’s won a Stanley Cup and been a good Fedoruk, who, especially with the Wild, One of the above tweaks was to bring employment in the Russian league. In contributor in the league.” saw much quality ice time on the team’s Anton Babchuk back to Carolina. some creative accounting work to stay As with the Islanders two summers top forward unit where he protected fran- Babchuk was lured back from Russia under budget, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello ago, Fedotenko signed only a one-year chise star Marian Gaborik. Fedoruk suited took a minimal cap hit by jettisoning deal with the Penguins. GM Shero went up in all of Minnesota’s six playoff with a one-year contract for $1 million. Vitaly Vishnevski over to Russia. In a on to explain the rationale behind signing games, getting a goal, two points and 16 The 24-year-old Babchuk spent major surprise move, Carolina imported secondary players to short-term contracts. penalty minutes. 2007-2008 playing with Avangard Omsk of the Russian Superliga. He led all Omsk Anton Babchuk back to the NHL after a “This is a one-year deal, so I think, Sharks seek champion defense most successful year with Omsk (9-17-26 motivationally, he will really push him- defensemen and ranked fifth among all in 57 games). The goal was to build a self and it can be invigorating for his San Jose GM Doug Wilson’s patience Superliga defensemen in scoring with 26 more mobile, younger, more offense- career to get with a group of guys with a finally ran out. Playoff failures in the last points in 57 games. The Kyiv native minded blueline. lot of skill. He should be able to help us several years forced changes in two key added a goal and an assist in four playoff Aspiring NHLers Ryan Potulny (Philly out. By signing Fedotenko, I think it gives areas of the Sharks’ organization. The games. to Edmonton), Johnny Boychuk balance to our line-up. We have eight first was to bring in a new coach, one “Anton had a good year in the Russian (Colorado to Boston), Darren Haydar defensemen at this point and our goalten- who experienced winning Stanley Cups Superliga,” GM Jim Rutherford said in a (Atlanta to Detroit) and Zenon Konopka ding is all signed up. At this time, we in Detroit. The second was to overhaul July 2008 team press release. “He played (Columbus to Tampa Bay) were four have 10 NHL forwards and I think we’re the defense corps by bringing in two well at times with us two seasons ago, additional Ukrainians filling out change- in good shape now. We’ll make sure we experienced blueliners who’ve also won and, now, at 24 years old, it is time to of-address cards with the post office. have the right complement of players Stanley Cups. Get the message? mature into a consistent NHL defense- before we go too fast.” One of the champion defenders man.” Zherdev playing brought on board in a trade with Tampa Thus, Ukrainian NHL stars are getting center stage on Broadway Metropolit earns Bay was Brad Lukowich, a member of acclimated to their new surroundings as two-year deal with Philly two Stanley Cup-winning squads – the the 2008-2009 season skates well past the Ukrainian Nikolai Zherdev and another first with the Dallas Stars in 1999, the midway point. You can’t tell the players forward were acquired by the New York Unrestricted free agent center Glen second with Tampa Bay in 2004. without a program in most hockey rinks Rangers in a swap for two defensemen Metropolit, 34, signed a two-year contract The 31-year-old Lukowich played in in this new NHL era of the salary cap. going to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 1, 59 games with the lowly Lightning last *** 23-year-old Zherdev was Columbus’ first- 2008, the first day of signings. The season, leading the team with 153 hits round choice, fourth overall, in the 2003 5-foot-10, 195-pound Metropolit recorded and coming in third in blocked shots with Coming up in future updates: yours NHL Entry Draft. He played in all 82 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points and 108. The proto-typical defensive defense- truly one-on-one with the Dallas Stars’ games with the Blue Jackets last season, 36 penalty minutes in 82 over-achieving man garnered a mere six points. He may top draft choice, Tyler Beskorowany, at notching 26 goals and 61 points with 34 games for the Boston Bruins last season. take offense to an opposing forward’s the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, penalty minutes. He led the team with 35 Metropolit struggled to get a firm foot- body in his crease, but he will never be plus a mini-feature on Carolina’s first- assists, while he finished second in goals, hold in the NHL ranks, persevering for labeled offensive. round pick, Zach Boychuk. 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6

“Obviously, there exists a similar plan for NEWSBRIEFS the Ukrainian gas transit system to be put CLACLASSSSIFIEDIFIEDSS (Continued from page 2) under the control of Gazprom. For us this dance with the law, workers of the State is unacceptable.” Mr. Yushchenko TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL MARIA OSCISLAWSKI (973) 292-9800 x 3040 Department on Adoption and Protection of expressed confidence that the gas crisis OR E-MAIL [email protected] Children’s Rights are banned from com- would have no negative impact on future municating with mediators proposing paid cooperation between Ukraine and the services for foreign adoption. Mr. Pavlenko European Union. “I am convinced that SERVICES PROFESSIONALS said that in 2000-2005 interstate adoptions already this year, Ukraine will sign an in Ukraine prevailed over national adop- agreement on the reunification of energy tion. But measures realized by the state in systems. I am confident that this year we 2006-2008 ensured quantitative and quali- will sign a treaty on energy partnership. I tative changes in the protection of chil- am convinced that the Brussels confer- dren’s rights. Thus, 1,419 children were ence, which will be held in March, will be adopted in 2005 and 2,087 in 2008; 131 a good place for reflection on the integra- children were placed in foster families and tion of Ukraine’s transit capabilities in the children’s homes of the family type in European gas market,” he said. 2005, and 2,303 in 2008. Adoption trends (Ukrinform) over the past two years, and in particular Nemyria at Ukrainian luncheon in Davos in 2008, testified to the fact that children under age 6 and having no physical or KYIV – Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine mental defects successfully find parents in for European and International Integration Ukraine. Interstate adoption remains the Hryhorii Nemyria on January 30 partici- route only for children under age 6 having pated in the Ukrainian luncheon at the special needs, for children over age 10, for World Economic Forum in Davos. He disabled children and for children having informed luncheon attendees of the efforts two or more brothers and sisters. taken by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (Ukrinform) to mitigate the fallout from the global financial turmoil in Ukraine. Another topic Chernomyrdin on Russia’s intentions of discussion was the gas deals brokered KYIV – Russia does not intend to priva- between Ukraine and Russia. Mr. Nemyria tize the Ukrainian gas transit system stressed that Ukraine strongly adheres to (GTS), but is seeking to manage it along its international commitments. He noted with Ukraine, Russian Ambassador to that Ukraine remains a reliable transit Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin said on country of Russian gas to European Union February 2. He claimed that Russia is countries. (Ukrinform) interested in having the Ukrainian GTS be New checkpoint at border with Russia operational. “We need it to work. And we are ready to use this system and manage KYIV – A new checkpoint has been this system along with Ukraine,” the diplo- opened across the Ukrainian-Russian bor- mat underscored. Mr. Chernomyrdin also der in Velyka Pysarivka, Sumy Oblast, in said Russia has nothing against expansion northeastern Ukraine, it was reported on of the number of participants in a consor- January 30. The checkpoint is designated tium to manage Ukraine’s GTS. President for international automobile cargo-passen- Viktor Yushchenko earlier expressed his ger movement and will function around opinion that Russia’s geopolitical interests the clock. (Ukrinform) lie at the root of the recent gas conflict, as well as its desire to control the Ukrainian Common heritage of Lithuania, Ukraine GTS. At the same time he did not rule out KYIV – Lithuania’s history is closely the involvement of Russia in modernizing tied with that of Ukraine and the two coun- this system. During the recent gas quarrel tries’ scholars are working on research the Russians had repeatedly claimed that projects intended to restore the historical Ukraine’s GTS was unreliable. A working roots of cooperation between the two GEORGE B. KORDUBA group at Ukraine’s Fuel and Energy nations, said Lithuania’s ambassador to Ministry is preparing suggestions for an Counsellor at Law Ukraine, Algirdas Kumza, during the investment conference on modernizing the January 30 presentation of the book MERCHANDISE Emphasis on Real Estate, Wills, Trusts and Elder Law Ukrainian gas transit system. The “Ukraine: The Lithuanian Epoch Ward Witty Drive, P.O. Box 249 Ukrainian GTS encompasses gas pipe- MONTVILLE, NJ 07045 1320-1569.” He noted, “In Soviet times lines, compressor stations and underground Hours by Appointment Tel.: (973) 335-4555 we did not have the possibility to study gas storage. The total length of Ukraine’s and speak freely, much less publish books gas pipelines is 283,200 kilometers. The about our common history. We have such FOR SALE system includes 13 underground gas stor- an opportunity today. For us, our spiritual- age facilities with Europe’s largest active ity, the development of our cultures it is of volumes of gas (after Russia) – more than great importance,” Mr. Kumza said in an For sale in Kerhonkson: Brick raised 32 billion cubic meters. (Ukrinform) interview with Ukrinform. According to ranch on 1.24 acres. 4 bed 3.5 bath, the ambassador, the Lithuanian Embassy large living/dining room w hdwd flrs. “Europe hostage to Russian politics” has financed a joint project to present this Upstairs/downstairs kitchens, deck, KYIV – Europe has become a hostage unique scholarly book that focuses on the family room, office, laundry, garage. Big to Russian politics, as Russia resorted to 14th-16th centuries. He pointed out that closets, 1 cedar. (2656 sq.ft.) blackmailing the European community in the integrity of Ukrainian lands within the $245,000. 607-273-2919 order to achieve its goals, Ukrainian Grand Duchy of Lithuania was significant- President Viktor Yushchenko said in an ly strengthened over that period, but these interview with the Euronews TV Channel facts were distorted or held back by the OPPORTUNITY on January 29, while commenting on the Soviet historical school. Mr. Kumza also causes of the recent gas conflict between stressed that the leaders and diplomats of Ukraine and Russia. “Europe needs to the two countries are now paying special Mr. Shoppers, up to $100/day, know the truth about what happened. attention to their common heritage. undercover shoppers needed to There’s one thing I want to stress: Ukraine (Ukrinform) judge retail and dining establish- did not stop deliveries. All the transit ments. Experience not required. pumping stations are located on the SBU gives documents to Poland Call 877-651-7816 Russian side, and it is Russia that’s respon- KYIV – The Security Service of sible for gas supplies to Europe being Ukraine (SBU) delivered to the Polish blocked,” he said. “As the president of Institute of National Remembrance (INR) Ukraine, I can say that neither in 2008 nor electronic copies of documents about EARN EXTRA INCOME! in 2009 was a single cubic meter of gas repressions of the Communist totalitarian destined for Europe used by Ukrainians to The Ukrainian Weekly is looking regime directed against the Poles in meet their needs. Once again, I emphasize, 1930-1940. The materials were handed WANT IMPACT? for advertising sales agents. Ukraine has met its pipeline obligations.” over during a February 4 meeting in Kyiv Run your advertisement here, For additional information contact He added, “This isn’t just about economics of SBU Acting Chair Valentyn Maria Oscislawski, Advertising – there is also a political component as Nalyvaichenko with a delegation of the in The Ukrainian Weekly’s well.” Mr. Yushchenko said that Russia, in CLASSIFIEDS section. Manager, The Ukrainian Weekly, Polish Institute of National Remembrance fact, wants to “repeat what has been done led by its president, Janusz Kurtyka. The (973) 292-9800, ext 3040. with the gas transit systems of Moldova and Belarus in recent years.” He noted, (Continued on page 15) No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 15

Ohryzko congratulates Clinton depth – eight meters. Work on these orders an electronic database; the holding of per- NEWSBRIEFS will start in June, and the commissioning manent expositions, exhibitions of archival KYIV – Ukrainian Foreign Affairs (Continued from page 14) is planned for May 2010. It should be documents and photo materials about the Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko on January noted that the ships are for Statoil-Hydro, liberation movement, political repressions parties agreed that the SBU and the INR 22 congratulated Hillary Clinton on her would shortly sign an agreement on joint the largest Norwegian oil and gas corpora- and famines throughout Ukraine; the publi- confirmation as secretary of state by the tion. In 2007 the Zaliv shipyard and the cation, reprinting and distribution of relevant study of archival documents related to the U.S. Senate. The message of congratula- famines and political repressions of the Ulstein signed a memorandum on long- scholarly, popular and journalistic works, tions expressed confidence that Ukraine- term cooperation in the sphere of ship- collections of documents and materials, as totalitarian Communist regime between U.S. strategic relations, reinforced by the 1917 and 1991. (Ukrinform) building to service gas and oil production well as translations of declassified docu- signing on December 19, 2008, of the platforms. The OJSC Zaliv Shipyard is ments in foreign languages to inform the Ukraine remembers Holocaust victims Strategic Partnership Charter, will further one of the largest shipbuilding and ship international community via foreign diplo- develop and deepen. Mr. Ohryzko also repair enterprises of Ukraine; it is engaged matic establishments of Ukraine. The KYIV – On January 28 Ukraine com- noted that Kyiv considers the United States in the construction of tankers and contain- Ministry of Education and Science was memorated the Holocaust with the events one of the main supporters of Ukraine’s er vessels, as well as in repairs of ships of instructed to ensure an all-around study of arranged by the Jewish Foundation of Euro-Atlantic integration, which is an inte- various sizes and functions. (Ukrinform) the declassified documents, carry out schol- Ukraine. Kyiv hosted a memorial action, gral part of the democratic and prosperous arly research and use its results in academic “Six Million Hearts,” attended by school- future of this country. The minister invited New ski resort in Zakarpattia programs for secondary schools. The children, teachers, veterans and former Secretary Clinton to pay an official visit to KYIV – Skiers, mostly guests from Kyiv Security Service and State Archive prisoners of concentration camps. Ukraine at any time convenient to her. Committee were ordered to provide free According to the leadership of the Jewish (Ukrinform) and other Ukrainian regions, are using the services of the new winter resort Krasia, access to the declassified documents for Foundation of Ukraine, the “Six Million public figures, scholars and citizens, and the Hearts” action dedicated to the memory of Memorial plaque to Stetskos unveiled which opened in the village of Vyshka, Zakarpattia Oblast. The tourist base has two State Committee for Television and Radio Holocaust victims will become an annual KYIV – A memorial plaque to two lead- Broadcasting was directed to provide for event in Ukraine. The United Nations ski runs, 1,200 and 1,800 meters long, and ers of Ukraine’s national liberation move- chairlifts on the slopes of Mount Krasia, as broad media coverage of events related to General Assembly declared January 27 as ment, Yaroslav and Yaroslava Stetsko, was the declassification, disclosure and study of the International Day in Memory of the well as snowmaking machinery. About unveiled on January 21 in Munich. This was 3,000 people can be accommodated on the archival materials. (Ukrinform) Victims of the Holocaust to be marked done in accordance with the presidential annually. (Ukrinform) slopes every hour. Many Ukrainians with Chubynsky anniversary is marked decree dated May 16, 2007. “Unveiling, on good incomes who used to vacation in MFA outlines major goals behalf of the Ukrainian state, this memora- Europe have headed for the Carpathians, KYIV – Celebrations are being held in ble plaque, we pay tribute to the living deeds where prices are lower and the service is Ukraine on the occasion of the 170th birth- KYIV – One of the major priorities of of Yaroslav and Yaroslava Stetsko and com- equal to European standards. Last year 16 day of Pavlo Chubynsky (1839-1884), the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorate them,” said Yurii Yarmilko, tourist resorts opened in Zakarpattia; anoth- outstanding folklorist, ethnographer, poet, for 2009 is the signing of an Association Ukraine’s consul general to Munich, at the er 40 are supposed to be put into operation lawyer and ardent devotee of Ukraine’s Agreement with the European Union, ceremony. The memorial plaque was conse- in one to two years. The number of tourists national rebirth. In his address to a meet- Foreign Affairs Minister Volodymyr crated by priests of the Ukrainian Greek- visiting the region last year increased by ing President Viktor Yushchenko noted: Ohryzko announced at a press conference Catholic Church and Ukrainian almost 40 percent from 2007. (Ukrinform) “Pavlo Chubynsky is a representative of on January 26. “We want to complete all Autocephalous Orthodox Church. the glorious cohort of Ukrainian cultural the procedures and sign this instrument late Addressing numerous representatives of the CPU leader may be prosecuted workers of the 19th century. His legacy is in 2009 during the Swedish EU presiden- Ukrainian organizations in Bavaria and KYIV – The leader of the Communist striking due to its variety and profundity. cy,” he noted. The Foreign Affairs Ministry guests from Ukraine were the head of the Party of Ukraine (CPU), Petro Symonenko, The monumental scholarly work by also expects to sign a road map in the sec- Ukrainian Institute of Education Policy in might be prosecuted for his failure to Chubynsky ‘Works of the Ethnographic- ond or third quarter of 2009 on the terms of Munich, Andrii Kutsan; the head of the observe a court ruling, Kyiv’s Pecherskyi Statistical Expedition to the West-Russian introducing a visa-free regime of travel by Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (B) District Court said on January 24. The Region,’ in which numerous treasures of Ukrainian citizens to countries of the Andriy Haidamakha; a leading member of Communist Party has yet to implement the folk culture were gathered and preserved Schengen zone. Mr. Ohryzko said that the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists Pecherskyi District Court’s decision oblig- for descendants, received recognition both Ukraine this year is planning to sign bilater- (CUN) Stepan Boytsiun; and Yaroslava ing the party to refute misleading reports in Ukraine and abroad. Pavlo Chubynsky al agreements to facilitate visa-free regimes Stetsko’s niece Lesia Boytsiun. The Stetskos posted on its website regarding the involve- entered the history of our country as the with Great Britain, Ireland and Switzerland. were active figures of the OUN. They had author of a poem “Ukraine’s Glory Has The MFA also intends to complete the pro- ment of the Ukrainian president’s family in been living abroad since 1944 and were Not Perished” that became the state cess of contractual formalities for the state gas machinations. The state executive ser- involved in underground activity intended to anthem of independent Ukraine.” Mr. border of Ukraine. Mr. Ohryzko said vice’s office of the Podilskyi District depart- liberate Ukraine from Communist occupa- Yushchenko expressed his sincere grati- Ukraine is planning to complete demarca- ment for justice in Kyiv has fined the tion. After the murder of Stepan Bandera in tude to those who attended the January 26 tion of the Ukraine-Moldova border at the Communist Party of Ukraine for ignoring 1959, Mr. Stetsko chaired OUN(B); his wife celebrations honoring the memory of this Transdnistria region, focus on border the court ruling. On May 12, 2008, Kyiv’s later led the organization. Mrs. Stetsko glorious son of the Ukrainian people. demarcation with Russia and launch border Pecherskyi District Court fully upheld an returned to Ukraine from forced emigration appeal lodged by National Deputy Petro (Ukrinform) talks with Belarus. Mr. Ohryzko also report- and was actively involved in the country’s ed that, following recent talks with the for- Yushchenko against Mr. Symonenko and Average salary up 34 percent political life. She died on March 12, 2003, the CPU regarding the protection of his eign ministers of Poland and Romania, an in Munich. (Ukrinform) agreement was reached indicating that these honor, dignity and business reputation, and KYIV – The average salary in Ukraine two countries will execute in a month all Charges brought against separatists the refutation of misleading reports. The in December 2008 grew by 9.8 percent, necessary domestic procedures to imple- issue concerned misleading statements totaling 2,001 hrv, while in November 2008 ment local border movement agreements KYIV – The Security Service of made by the Communist leader at a press it was 1,823 hrv, in October – 1,917 hrv and with Ukraine. The operation of local border Ukraine (known by its Ukrainian acronym conference and posted on his party’s official in September – 1,916 hrv, the State agreements with Poland, Romania, Hungary as SBU) has completed pretrial proceed- website about the alleged involvement of Statistics Committee reported. In 2008 the and Slovakia after they come into force will ings against activists of the Sevastopol- President Viktor Yushchenko and his family average salary increased by 33.7 percent as allow around 3.5 million Ukrainians living Crimea-Russia Popular Front. On January in the joint venture UkrHaz-Energo and compared with 2007, reaching 1,806 hrv. in the border area to have visa-free entry to 19 the Security Service of Ukraine com- other companies operating on the gas mar- The largest level of incomes in 2008 was the territory of these neighboring EU coun- pleted pretrial proceedings, and filed with ket. (Ukrinform) registered in Kyiv, where the average salary the court a criminal case against two activ- was 3,074 hrv a month. In December 2008, tries. The minister also said that in 2009 President declassifies documents Ukraine intends to sign an agreement with ists of this unauthorized group. The pro- as compared with November 2008, the nine countries on the protection of rights of ceedings were instituted pursuant to Article KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko on average salary in the system of public Ukrainian citizens working there. Another 110 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on January 24 issued a decree on declassifica- administration went up by 19.1 percent; real priority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, charges of violating the territorial integrity tion of archival documents related to the estate and engineering – 15.3 percent; according to Mr. Ohryzko, is economic of Ukraine. On December 26, 2008, within Ukrainian liberation movement, political health care – 11.5 percent; transport and cooperation: supporting the interests of the framework of the criminal proceedings repressions and famines in Ukraine, the communications enterprises – 10.9 percent; Ukrainian companies when entering the launched on the same charges against presidential press service reported. The education – 10.3 percent; culture and sports international market, as well as attracting activists of the unauthorized Donetsk Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of – 9.1 percent; finance and industry – 6.4 investment. “We have selected 30 countries Republic organization, its leader was Defense, Security Service of Ukraine, percent; construction – 4.1 percent. At the we intend to cooperate with at most and accused of violating the territorial integrity Foreign Intelligence Service, Procurator same time, the level of salaries in agricul- focus our efforts on. This is a preliminary of Ukraine and ordered not to leave the General’s Office, State Archive Committee ture dropped by 0.4 percent for the same list so far. Our embassies were given clear country. Earlier, the SBU department in and State Department for Execution of period. (Ukrinform) the Zakarpattia Oblast opened a case instructions to make particular efforts to Sentences were ordered to analyze the rele- Customs officials seize $4.5 million ensure economic cooperation and attract against Rusyn separatists for their public vant documents accumulated during the investments,” Mr. Ohryzko explained. The calls to redraw Ukrainian borders and vio- Soviet period. Agencies were instructed to KYIV – Agents of the Security Service ministry also announced plans to pay atten- lations of Ukraine’s constitutional system. lift restrictions on dissemination and access of Ukraine (SBU) and border guards have tion to the creation of the Baltic-Black Sea- (Ukrinform) to information in archival documents if they seized a total of $ 4.5 million (U.S.) that Caspian energy transit corridor and join the Ukraine to build ships for Norway contain no state secrets. The Cabinet of was to be smuggled to Russia, according energy community treaty, he said. Ukraine Ministers was ordered to elaborate, along to a February 4 report from the press ser- is also planning this year to seek compensa- KYIV – The Zaliv shipyard in Crimea with the Ukrainian Institute of National vice of the SBU. The driver of a minibus, tion from Russia of losses incurred after the has signed two contracts with the Memory and the Security Service of Ukraine who was trying to cross the Ukrainian- environmental disaster in the Kerch Strait Norwegian holding company Ulstein for and with the participation of the National Russian checkpoint without passing cus- in the autumn of 2007 and intends to com- the construction of hulls for offshore ships. Academy of Sciences, a plan of activities to toms procedures, was detained at the plete an inventory of the properties being The ships will have the following parame- disclose and study declassified documents Hotivka checkpoint in the Kharkiv region. used by the Russian Black Sea Fleet. ters: total weight – about 2,000 tons; for 2009-2011. The decree envisages the The $4.5 million was founded following (Ukrinform) length – 88.8 meters; width – 19 meters; creation of an archive of national memory in an inspection of his vehicle. (Ukrinform) 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6

Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Nabucco... Resources (“attached to the President of Philadelphia’s Ukrainian Selfreliance (Continued from page 2) Turkmenistan”), Yagshygeldy Kakayev, Topolanek observed (Lidove Noviny, Pravo, reaffirmed Ashgabat’s policy on gas meets with Ukrainian orphans January 27, 28). exports. Turkmenistan sells its gas at its At the moment, Azerbaijan, with its borders, to buyers who come up with com- by Andrea Zharovsky orphans and children who have been aban- Shah-Deniz oil field, is the only guaran- mercial offers and transport solutions. It doned by their parents or guardians. teed source of supply for the planned favors diversification of export routes in PHILADELPHIA – Representatives of Agape’s purpose and mission is to spread Nabucco pipeline’s first stage (and, con- multiple directions, and it seeks commer- the Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit the word of God’s love to children-orphans cially attractive purchase prices (that is, currently, for the existing Turkey-Greece Union filled the first pew of the Ukrainian through Christian ethic lessons and social- not the Russian monopsony’s below-mar- Evangelical Pentecostal Church of Interconnector to be extended to Italy). ization. Volunteers from local churches ket purchase prices through 2008). Citing Philadelphia on December 21, 2008, to take President Ilham Aliyev projected the assist 65 full-time employees of “Agape” the recent Gaffney Cline audit of part in the Sunday service and meet with image of a successful, energy-producing, and teach graduates of the orphanages/ Turkmenistan’s South Yolotan-Osman gas children – orphans of Agape, a mission vis- Western-oriented state at the Budapest schools practical skills in independent liv- field, estimated at 6 trillion cubic meters of iting from Kherson, Ukraine. conference. Noting that Azerbaijan had ing based on Christian ideals. likely reserves (in a range from 4 trillion at During Pastor Yaroslav Pristatsky’s ser- become a significant contributor to the The Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal the low estimate to 14 trillion at the high vice, the talented children put on “The Old EU’s energy security, Mr. Aliyev con- Credit Union of Philadelphia founded as a firmed Azerbaijan’s interest in connecting end, not including other unexplored Shoemaker,” a superb musical performance. Turkmen fields), Mr. Kakayev stated that This performance taught the audience the union of people of common heritage, is the Caspian basin with Europe through financial institution that has served the Nabucco and other projects, through which Turkmenistan could supply several pipe- concept of giving – that by helping some- line projects, including Nabucco, at the one, even a total stranger, we are helping interests of its members since 1952. The Azerbaijan would export its own resources credit union provides members with profes- as well as transport eastern Caspian gas to same time (MTI, January 27, 28). The Jesus Christ. sional and up-to-date financial services Europe. Azerbaijan would export its gas implicit challenge to Brussels and After the performance, Halyna O. Keller, while working to create a caring environ- on competitive terms, Mr. Aliyev stated, Washington is to support rapid develop- CEO of Ukrainian Selfreliance FCU, and ment for those members. It fosters coopera- alluding to other standing offers and urg- ment of Turkmen resources by Western Ihor Sydoriak, credit union’s representing tion, promotes ethnic strength and interest, ing the EU to intensify its involvement if companies, a task that Washington dropped the board of directors, presented a donation and provides long-term stability for the the Nabucco project were to be imple- in 2001 and Brussels never undertook. of $2,500 to Oleksandr Fedorchuk, the mented (APA, January 26, 27). Egyptian Petroleum Minister Sameh founder of Agape. They also brought smiles Ukrainian American community. Unlike a Mr. Aliyev was alluding to Gazprom’s Fahmy and Iraqi Oil Ministry’s State to each child with gifts of toys and candy. bank, which exists to make profits for its offer to buy all of Azerbaijan’s available Secretary Motasam Keek told the Budapest Founded in the spring of 2003, Agape stockholders, the credit uniion’s profits go export volumes of gas at European netback conference that their countries could supply began its missionary work in the Kherson back to its members and to support prices, a move that would stop the Nabucco gas for the Nabucco pipeline – Egypt, as Oblast of Ukraine. Today, Agape works in Ukrainian institutions and organizations. project. Norway’s StatoilHydro company, in soon as the pipeline via Syria reached seven Oblasts in Ukraine including: Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit charge of marketing gas from Azerbaijan’s Turkey; and Iraq, within five years, pending Kherson, Mykolayiv, Zaporizhia, Sumy, Union’s main branch is located at 1729 Shah Deniz, was absent from the Budapest field development and a transport solution Dnipropetrovsk, Kyivska and Zakarpattia. Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111 and conference. StatoilHydro is said to have from western Iraq to Turkey. The Egyptian Forty-four representatives of the mission can be reached at 215-725-4430 or entered into tentative discussions with and Iraqi volumes remain unspecified, but provide daily Bible lessons in 32 orphanag- 1-888-765-8282. For more information Gazprom about a possible export outlet to are likely to be small and the transport solu- es/schools, reaching approximately 6,000 readers may log on to www.ukrfcu.com. Russia for Shah Deniz gas, in case Nabucco tions, therefore, hardly attractive in terms of fails to provide a westbound outlet in time cost. Turkmenistan and Iran, however, are for the second phase of Shah Deniz devel- indispensable to Nabucco, the Southern stolen a handful of grain from the collec- opment. Under such circumstances, and Corridor and Western energy security in The Holodomor... tive farm, because “she was of weak after its long neglect of the Nabucco project, general. (Continued from page 3) health and hungry, dying despite not hav- the EU must not take Azerbaijan for granted lectivization, a fellow villager wrote offi- ing been beaten much.” indefinitely. The article above is reprinted from cials that he “welcomed the decision,” Though the Soviets distorted morality Turkmenistan made a rare, high-level Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from adding, “There can’t and shouldn’t be and justice, the Holodomor proved these appearance at the Budapest conference. its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, another pardon for enemies of the work- notions are essential to humanity and can’t The head of the Turkmen State Agency for www.jamestown.org. ing class and kolhosp peasants.” be eradicated from human consciousness. Residents of the village of Yaroshivka For even the atheist Communists who exe- were so traumatized that they began per- cuted the Holodomor knew deep down secuting each other, enforcing the inside they were committing evil, just by depraved laws used to torture to them. the fact that they attempted to conceal it, When a starving 22-year-old, Maria said Mr. Ivanuschenko, director of the Chernenko, was caught stealing potatoes Sumy Oblast State Archives. in April 1933, her fellow villagers beat “The (listed) causes of death for tens and tortured her throughout the night, and hundreds of people in a single book, leaving her for dead in the morning. such as ‘unknown’ and ‘from illness,’ as Revealing their descent toward moral well as the absence of a written reason, nihilism, authorities sentenced her mur- indicates the Communists intentionally hid derers to a mere three to eight years in the truth and, therefore, entirely realized prison – less punishment than had they the criminality of their actions,” he said. No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 17

They’ve all been hard, but “The Jew the time, but I’m not sure I see any cross- aren’t you?” I’m usually at a loss for rep- Alexander Motyl... Who Was Ukrainian” was by far the hard- fertilization, certainly not thematically. My artees, but this time I managed to blurt, (Continued from page 11) est. “Whiskey Priest” is, after all, a story. fiction is very much “Ukrainian,” while “No, I’m just a New York boy,” and watch I assume that my readers will know a There are flashbacks and internal mono- my paintings have, as far as I can tell, his jaw drop as he realized that I wasn’t thing or two about literature and life, but logues, but it is a story with a beginning, nothing Ukrainian or Slavic or East the Ukrainian complement to the American I don’t assume – or insist – that they middle and end. So, too, is “Who Killed European about them. But the two activi- and Russian. I haven’t been invited back. know what I know or as much (or as lit- Andrei Warhol,” though there the chal- ties do overlap and, I’m tempted to say, are I understand you are currently work- tle) as I do. I firmly believe that every lenge was twofold: to make the encounter identical in one way. Being obsessed with ing on a play with one of Warhol’s artwork can be enjoyed – and must be between the Soviet Ukrainian journalist composition, I want my texts and artworks Factory Superstars, Ultra Violet. Can enjoyed – on several levels. and Andy seem natural, and not contrived, to “hang together.” And that means that, you tell us more about that? The most obvious level is the “surface” and to turn a curious encounter into some- ideally at least, no word and no brush- I met her at one of my readings about story or image. I firmly believe that has thing with dramatic tension, a story. stroke should ever be extraneous. Of two years ago, at the Ukrainian Institute of to be there, and it has to be persuasive to But “The Jew Who Was Ukrainian” course, that’s an impossible goal, but it is America. We exchanged cards, she said to the reader or viewer. The surface level is takes the cake. It doesn’t really have a possible, I think, to prevent texts and art- call her – and, naturally, I didn’t. And then, arguably the most important. It’s the plot; it doesn’t really have a beginning, works and films from “sagging” – from last spring, I received several telephone structure, it’s the meat and potatoes, it’s middle and end; and it incorporates third- feeling like wet blankets. I wouldn’t calls and e-mails from her in one day. She the foundation – use whichever metaphor person narrative, first-person reflections, remove a single word from Edith invited me to lunch, I came – having no you like. two-person, three-person and five-person Wharton’s “Ethan Frome,” Kurban Said’s idea just why and feeling completely intimi- And then there are other, supposedly interrogations, and actual texts from pub- “Ali and Nino,” or Volodymyr dated – but she turned out to be one of the “deeper” levels, where metaphors, jokes, lished sources. Stitching all that together Vynnychenko’s “Na Toy Bik,” or a single sweetest and warmest and funniest people I inter-textual references, meanings, sym- into something that flows (I hope) and is drip from a Pollock, or a single scene from know, and we hit it off immediately. bols, portentous implications and all sorts tight (I pray) was extremely challenging. Dovzhenko’s “Zemlia.” Most of Fellini’s She then showed me a text – featuring a of supposedly profound stuff come into Tell us something about your revision later films, on the other hand, could easily dialogue between Warhol and Hitler – and, play. process. Do you have writers with be cut by half – any half – and you’d never after a few more meetings and some to-ing A work that consists only of these deep whom you share early drafts of your know the difference. and fro-ing, we agreed that I’d help her levels is never persuasive; it’s often just work? How deep into a work do you Since editing a text is like “editing” a make a play of it. It’s called “Wintertime second-rate philosophy masquerading as feel you need to be before exposing it for painting, I suppose there’s some sort of for Warhol.” Meeting her has been quite art. A work that consists only of the sur- feedback? resonance going on between these two an experience, especially for a Ukrainian face may never be great, but, like Mickey activities. boy from the Lower East Side. She’s an Spillane’s bone-crunching prose, it is For me, writing is editing. The first draft is, as I’ve already said, pretty lousy, but Warhol states everyone is entitled to excellent artist in her own right and she’s what it is, and that’s often enough. Then very religious. She’s a Mormon, and I again, what the heck do I know? that doesn’t matter, because the real writ- 15 minutes of fame. How will you know ing takes place only after that first draft is when you’ve achieved yours? Or, per- even accompanied her one Sunday morn- E.L Doctorow said writing a novel is in place. So I never share first drafts with haps you already have? ing to the Mormon Church on East 87th like driving across country at night. others; that would be an insult to their Street in Manhattan. You know, he never said that it was sup- You can only see as far as the head- intelligence. But I tend to share works posed to be 15 consecutive minutes. And Speaking of 15-plus moments of lights, but you can make the whole about two-thirds of the way through the fame, should we announce our next journey that way. Tell us something editing process. By then, I usually feel since 15 minutes make for 900 seconds, I suspect I’ve had just about that many Ukrainian Literary Night at the about your writing process. Do you fairly comfortable with the text and, Cornelia Cafe?It promises to be a par- work from an outline? although I know it’s not quite there yet, it’s moments of extremely transitory fame. But my major claim to fame took place ticularly good one… I start with hunches or insights – never, no longer embarrassing. By the way, I do my academic writing back in late 1993, when I was on Charlie It’ll be on April 25, – but this time ever from an outline. “Whiskey Priest” Rose together with David Remnick and there’ll only be one session, from 6 p.m. to started with the notion that it would be in exactly the same way. I also paint that way. You start with some smears, vague some Russian journalist. I couldn’t figure 8 p.m. And with you, Askold Melnyczuk interesting to explore just why a spy who out just why I had been invited, until, at and Irene Zabytko in the spotlight, I think saves someone would then turn on him. outlines, hints of something or other. And then you refine the whole picture by con- one point, Rose turned to me and said, we’ll have a super-duper show and a “Who Killed Andrei Warhol” was born “Now you’re from the Ukraine, Mr. Motyl, standing-room only crowd. when, while reading about Warhol’s life, tinually adjusting something here in light I came upon a reference to the fact that of the whole or the whole in light of some- his Factory was located in the same build- thing there. ing as the Communist Party USA. That I suppose you could say I’m obsessed coincidence struck me as surreal and tai- with composition – with the relationship lor-made for an absurdist novel. of the words to words, with the relation- My latest novel, “The Jew Who Was ship of lines and colors and forms to lines Ukrainian,” started in the most unlikely and colors and forms. As far as I’m con- fashion. I was reading some German- cerned, the artwork is inside the artwork – language novel a few years ago and came not outside. I’m with Susan Sontag in upon the word, Frauenzimmer, an anti- being, as she put it in her famous essay, quated version of Frau, or woman. For “Against Interpretation.” The New York some reason, I started rhyming art critic Clement Greenberg also had it Frauenzimmer with Volodymyr and was right. When he first looked at a painting, amused by the flow and silliness of the he’d stand with his back to it and then sud- name. And then I knew I had a hero for denly pivot to view it, thereby hoping to Self Reliance (NJ) my next novel: Volodymyr Frauenzimmer, acquire as direct, and meaning-less, a rela- a man who has a Ukrainian mother who tionship with the artwork as possible. Federal Credit Union hates Jews and a Jewish father who hates No one will deny the solitary act of Ukrainians. And once I had the name, I writing. Building a community of writ- Clifton-Passaic was able to construct something like a ers, however, is of critical importance, story around it. and it’s just plain fun. You and Irene To continue with interesting observa- Zabytko co-run the popular “Ukrainian tions made by well-established authors, Literary Night” series, first at the will hold its “Mystic River” and “Gone Baby Gone” Bowery Club, and more recently at author Dennis Lehane once said that Cornelia Street Café. Can you tell us given complex characters, the plot will more about how that series evolved? ANNUAL MEETING find itself. Do you agree? That was all Irene’s inspiration and Absolutely. The one thing I’ve learned work. It would never have occurred to me about writing fiction is that, somewhere that one could just contact the Cornelia along the way, you lose control and the people and suggest a Ukrainian literary on Sunday, February 22, 2009 1:00 characters take over. I had read about that, anything. Irene said, “Why not?” She sent but never quite believed it, but it’s quite them an e-mail – not even a formal letter true. You start a scene between X and Y, or anything like that – and they said, sure, at the Ukrainian Center and you think you know what they’re you’re in. And that was that. I was totally going to say and how the scene will end, floored by how simple and obvious the 240 Hope Avenue but more often than not, they just start whole process was. Of course, Irene is blabbering and, before you know it, the fearless and smart and experienced, and Passaic, NJ 07055 characters have mutinied and taken hold of she knows how to get things done. I’m just the ship. a neophyte. At best, you then try to keep the ship on Alex, you are also an accomplished course, although that sometimes doesn’t painter with work represented by The Board of Directors work and then you have no choice but to Tori Collection specializing in interna- change direction. You can’t beat the char- tional contemporary fine art. Does one acters. They always win – or should win. activity resonate with the other, or do you keep the two muses separate? Which of the three novels proved more challenging to write, and why? I do paint and write at the same time, all 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6 No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 19

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE Plast’s Spartanky sorority hosts St. Andrew’s Eve gathering by Vera Chuma-Bitcon Everyone especially enjoyed the tradi- tional games, including trying to bite the WHIPPANY, N.J. – The New Jersey hanging “kalyta.” As the player jumped chapter of the Spartanky sorority of Plast to take a bite out of the big bagel, another Ukrainian Scouting Organization on person pulled the kalyta out of reach with December 10, 2008, organized a very a ribbon. special evening for Ukrainian youth: The participants also got to bake their “Andriyivskyi Vechir.” As part of a long- own “bublyky” in the kitchen. Then standing tradition in Ukraine, on the eve Stella, the hungry little dog, arrived in the of St. Andrew’s feast day, young people room. According to superstition, the per- get together for fortune-telling activities. son whose bublyk the dog eats first, will Spartanky Vera Gorloff and Ariadna be the first to marry. Holynsky organized the event, and over Spartanky thoroughly enjoyed plan- 40 boys and girls participated, catching a ning and running this special event for glimpse into their future. Ukrainian youths. They believe that it is Setting the atmosphere with dim lights very important to keep Ukrainian customs and candles, the Spartanky dressed in gypsy and traditions alive, and share them with attire and served as fortunetellers. They read the next generation. Andriyivskyi Vechir tea leaves and palms, and told fortunes using allowed the youths to get together for poured wax and tarot cards. Numerology, some fun and, at the same time, enrich and a crystal ball also provided some fun. their knowledge of Ukrainian traditions.

Petrusia Paslawsky reads fortunes using melted, floating wax.

Dumka Chorus performs concert at St. Volodymyr Cathedral in NYC

Plast Spartanky fortunetellers at “Andriyivskyi Vechir.” Branch 241 welcomes St. Nicholas

NEW YORK – The Dumka Chorus of New York performed a Christmas concert on Sunday, January 18, at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in New York. Seen above, seated before the choir, are: (from left) the Rev. Teodor Mazur, the Rev. John Lyszyk and Archbishop Antony, as well as Vasyl Hrechynsky, conduc- tor of the chorus, and Laryssa Hutnykevych, its concertmaster. – the Rev. John Lyszyk

Roman Klufas WOONSOCKET, R.I. – Ukrainian National Association Branch 241 of Woonsocket, R.I., sponsored a special celebration of St. Nicholas Feast Day on December 14, 2008. Msgr. Roman Golemba started the program with a prayer and the children presented a Nativity story play that was programmed by Lydia Tkach, who was assisted by the children’s mothers. Afterwards St. Nicholas presented gifts. John and Marko Tkach and Yuri Minyisliuk added musical entertainment and a lun- cheon followed. – Janet Bardell

Turning the pages back... (Continued from page 6) wasn’t always presented [in the media] with complete objectivity, but I want to stress that Ukraine fully complies with its obligations under the European Energy Charter,” Mr. Yushchenko said at the press conference. During his visit to Germany, Mr. Yushchenko visited the Flossenburg concentration camp, where his father, Andrii, was held during the second world war. Mr. Yushchenko also attended the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy.

Source: “Yushchenko meets with Merkel during three-day visit to Germany,” The Ukrainian Weekly, February 18, 2007. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6 Daughter seeks help to secure life-saving surgery for physician from Ukraine by Mary Lynn Potenteau years at Chernivtsi Children’s Regional ability to pay. level, he is the only one in region who can Hospital. He has helped save the lives of According to Ms. Snare, her father “is the save young children. There are other bron- MIAMI – University of Washington thousands of lives of Ukrainian children. only doctor [bronchologist] in his region of chologists in his region and only my father graduate student Irina Snare is seeking help A few months ago, Dr. Shevchenko was Ukraine who works with the sickest patients. is called to work when complex cases with for medical treatment in the U.S. for her diagnosed with stage two prostate cancer. Patients with AIDS contract pneumonia eas- young children and adults arrive. I personal- father, Chernivtsi (Ukraine) lung doctor His condition can be curable if the prostate ily, and my father never refuses treatment to ly witnessed for many years the response he Anatoliy Shevchenko who has stage two surgery is done before the cancer metasta- them and at this time Ukraine has an epi- gets from his patients and co-workers. They prostate cancer. sizes to other organs. This type of surgery is demic of AIDS.” all say that without him, there is no hope Through extensive Internet research, Ms. not available in Ukraine, and Dr. “My father also works with a big num- and I believe it, because younger doctors do Snare connected with South Florida surgeon Shevchenko was advised by his physicians ber of TB patients,” she continued. “In not want his job (there are easier ways to Dr. Arnon Krongrad, a pioneer in prostate to travel abroad for treatment. Eastern Europe a new TB has evolved make $150 per month).” surgery treatments. Although he is doing After finding his website on the Internet, over the last 15-20 years that is highly Donations should be sent to: Jackson what he can to keep the costs as low as pos- Ms. Snare contacted Dr. Krongrad of the resistant towards the strongest antibiotics. Memorial Foundation, account for the bene- sible, much of the hospital and laboratory Krongrad Institute in Miami. He is also the Other doctors in his field are afraid to fit of Anatoiliy Shevchenko, 901 NW 17th costs are beyond his control. The total cost founder of the Prostate Cancer Mission, a work with TB patients, due to personal St., #G, Miami, FL 33136. (Wire transfer of the surgery, including testing and hospi- U.S.-based charitable organization focused risks of contracting the disease and spread- instructions are available upon request.) talization are estimated at $32,700. on expanding knowledge about prevention ing it to their family members. Many nurs- Dr. Krongrad will perform the surgery at Ms. Snare and her family are turning to and cure of prostate cancer and manage- es that worked with my father over the Jackson North Hospital in Miami. Once/if the Ukrainian community for help in raising ment of issues that result from diagnosis of years had quit or transferred to safer work- the needed amount is reached, fund-raising these funds. this disease. Dr. Krongrad and The Prostate ing environments, but my father never efforts will stop and the foundation will Dr. Shevchenko has served at Chernivtsi Cancer Mission are striving to help men quit. So, without him working there, many report to the public. If the total amount need- Regional Hospital and Emergency Room with prostate cancer gain access to life- people will have no treatment.” ed is not collected, the money that has been for almost 30 years and for more than 10 saving medical procedures, despite their Ms. Snare added: “Also, due to his skill received will be returned to donors.

est in the Nabucco project by arranging to support for the pipeline if Turkey’s acces- degree award and do more to finance the Moscow-Kyiv... send delegations to a Budapest confer- sion talks remain blocked. political activities of Ukrainian elites – just (Continued from page 2) ence of shareholders and potential suppli- Mr. Bordonaro said the gas dispute has as Yurii Boiko, who in effect ruined the Central Asian and Azerbaijani suppliers ers to the pipeline on January 26-27. The given several transit countries an opportuni- entire system of gas supply to Ukraine when directly to Europe via Turkey, and is seen as conference was scheduled since late last ty to use alternative schemes to their advan- he was head of Naftohaz and energy minis- a direct competitor to South Stream. year, but coming on the heels of the tage. ter, was awarded the title of Hero of “Apparently this gas row between recent gas dispute, interest in the project “Turkey said [on January 19] that if the Ukraine,” Ms. Tymoshenko added. is high. European Union does not show more good- Ukraine and Russia has revived this so- Cost of credibility called pipeline geopolitical battle between If the EU were to throw its weight behind will in the general framework of EU-Turkey the Nabucco route and the South Stream Nabucco, Turkey could well prove to be a talks about Turkish accession to the EU, There are also signs that Gazprom, even route,” Mr. Bordonaro said. “Nabucco is major beneficiary of the Russia-Ukraine dis- Turkey could withdraw its support for the with the newfound emphasis on South still attractive to the Europeans because pute. Ankara has long sought membership in Nabucco project – and this could spell the Stream and Nord Stream, will suffer as a Nabucco would ease the dependency on the European Union, but has seen those end of the Nabucco project,” Mr. Bordonaro result of the gas dispute. Russian gas as its main sources should be negotiations stall. said. “So, as you see, it’s kind of interesting Jonathan Stern, the director of gas the Turkmen and the Azeri gas fields, and in Sensing an opportunity, Turkish Prime because all players are now trying to reposi- research at the Oxford Institute for Energy the future Nabucco could also try to exploit Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attempted tion themselves – Belarus, Ukraine and also Studies, said that in addition to the hundreds the Iranian gas fields.” to use Nabucco as a bargaining chip, telling Turkey.” of millions of dollars in revenues lost during the two-week shutoff, there may be addi- Turkmenistan and Iraq signaled inter- officials in Brussels he will “review” his Clear losers tional shortfalls on the way if Europe carries RosUkrEnergo, the shadowy intermedi- through with its threat to take Russia and ary company that has managed all Russian- Ukraine to court for the billions of dollars its Ukrainian gas deals for the past several own countries lost to the crisis. years, would appear to be an immediate “Directly, [Gazprom] lost somewhere loser from the dispute. between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion, and The stalemate ended with the signing indirectly they may well be sued for damag- of a deal brokered by the prime ministers es,” Mr. Stern said. “They already have pen- of Russia and Ukraine, respectively, alty clauses in their contracts for nondeliv- Vladimir Putin and Yulia Tymoshenko. ery. So they have a lot of other financial Under the terms of the agreement, problems.” RosUkrEnergo would be eliminated as an Russia’s reputation as a gas supplier, Mr. intermediary. Stern added, has also suffered. The company, which is co-owned by “The real longer-term damage is that up Gazprom and two Ukrainian businessmen, until now everyone was able to say that for Dmytro Firtash and Ivan Fursin, has been 40 years, pretty much, the Soviet Union and at the murky center of questions about the Russia delivered gas to Europe in a com- Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute and the pletely secure and uninterrupted way,” he opaque nature of Ukraine’s gas accounts. said. “Nobody can say that any longer.” RosUkrEnergo first came under particu- A final loser, clearly, is the European lar scrutiny in 2006, when it was accused of Union. Brussels, which has remained frac- acquiring gas from Turkmenistan and resell- tured on energy policy, had little leverage ing it, at a substantial profit, to Ukraine. against either Ukraine or Russia in dealing “There have been a lot of rumors in the with the dispute. media about who this company might be Apart from frantic shuttle diplomacy and linked to,” said Tom Mayne, a Central hotter-than-usual rhetoric, there was little Asia expert with the British watchdog the EU could do other than wait for Russia Global Witness, which has tried to follow and Ukraine to resolve their differences. RosUkrEnergo’s activities. “Our research Mr. Bordonaro calls it a weak moment showed that there are certain politicians for the EU. Unless the bloc moves quickly and gas officials in Ukraine who seem to to implement strategies for alternative solu- be close with Mr. Firtash and Mr. Fursin.” tions like nuclear energy, he adds, there is The potentially divisive role of potential for it to get even worse. RosUkrEnergo is reflected in the deepening “The EU has proved unable up to now to gap in Ukraine’s domestic politics. Ms. ease its foreign energy dependence [on Tymoshenko has long advocated for Russia]. Moreover, if current trends contin- RosUkrEnergo to be eliminated. ue, by the year 2030 [Russia] may supply But her political rival, President Viktor more than 60 percent of EU gas import Yushchenko, criticized Ms. Tymoshenko’s demands,” Mr. Bordonaro said. “The basic gas-deal stipulation that the intermediary be fact is that the European Union is still divid- shut out, and on January 22 even granted ed when it comes to dealing with Russia, Mr. Firtash, a trader and one of Ukraine’s and Europe has not forged a common Russia richest men, a state award. policy.” The move was sharply criticized by Ms. Tymoshenko, who accused Mr. Yushchenko The article above is reprinted from of “planning today to give a third-degree Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission state award to a most corrupt individual.” from its publisher, the Jamestown “I guess Mr. Firtash has yet to earn a first- Foundation, www.jamestown.org. No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 21 OUT AND ABOUT

February 13 Concert with Julian Kytasty and Mike Andrec, “The 212-854-4697 New York Third Eye: Festival of Retro-Futurism,” The Ukrainian Museum, 212-228-0110 February 18 Film screening, “Stepan Bandera: the Price of Ottawa Freedom,” Embassy of Ukraine, 613-230-2961, ext 105 February 14 Presentation of debutantes, Ukrainian American Parsippany, NJ Youth Association, Parsippany Sheraton, www.cym.org February 19 Lecture by Joseph Coleman Carter, “Crimean Stanford, CA Chersonesos from Independence to the Present: February 14 Presentation of debutantes and ball, featuring Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Politics,” Chicago music by Good Times, Ukrainian Medical Stanford University, 650-723-3562 Association of North America – Chicago Branch, Palmer House, 312-282-7017 February 20 Lecture by Ihor Lylo about Lviv’s Greek heritage, Washington Shevchenko Scientific Society, Embassy of February 14 Valentine’s Day Dance, featuring music by Vox Ukraine, 240-205-1889 or [email protected] Ethnika, Yonkers, NY Ukrainian Youth Center, 914-424-4583 February 20-22 51st national congress, Ukrainian Canadian Toronto Student’s Union, 416-951-2440 February 14 Valentine’s Day Dance, Ukrainian Catholic Church Perth Amboy, NJ of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, February 21 50th “Chervona Kalyna” Debutante Ball, 732-826-0767 Pearl River, NY Pearl River Hilton, 718-291-4166

February 14 Bandura recital with Taras Komanichenko and Yuri February 21 Presentation of debutantes and ball, California Toronto Fedynsky, St. Vladimir Institute, 416-923-3318 Los Angeles Association to Aid Ukraine, Manhattan Beach Marriott, 800-228-9290 or 818-783-9773 February 14 Lecture by Jaroslaw Martyniuk, “The Media and New York Public Opinion in Ukraine,” Shevchenko Scientific February 21 Book presentation by Vitaly Chernetsky of Yuriy Society, 212-254-5130 New York Andrukhovych’s “Moskoviada,” Shevchenko Scientific Society, 212-254-5130 February 14 1950’s Rock & Roll Dance Party, Ukrainian Cultural Buffalo, NY Center Dnipro, 716-856-4476 February 21 “Vyshyvani Vechornytsi” zabava, Miami Educational Miami, FL and Cultural Group, Ukrainian Catholic Church February 15 Lecture by George Gajecky, “Ukrainian Queens in of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary hall, New York Medieval Europe,” Ukrainian National Women’s 305-798-0190 or 954-536-2213 League of America – Branch 64, UNWLA Art Gallery, 212-260-4490 February 22 Winterfest ice skating party, Bobrivka, Colebrook, CT 860-883-1391 or 203-932-4376 February 17 Panel discussion, “Energy Security Challenges to Washington Europe and America in Eurasia,” Jamestown Foundation, The National Press Club, 202-483-8888 Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions February 18 Film screening “Persona Non Grata” by Krzysztof from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors New York Zanussi, Ukrainian Film Club, Columbia University, and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected]. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6 Mayor meets with Chicago Sister Cities program leaders CHICAGO – Mayor Richard M. Daley and Maggie Daley met with members of the Chicago Sister Cities board and executive commit- tee, as well as special guests during the International Breakfast host- ed by the Chicago Sister Cities International Program on January 15 in downtown Chicago. “Urban centers are where the greatest concentrations of people will be living during the 21st century. We must make cultural connections and expand our working relation- ships with global partners so we can continue to collaborate for the long-term,” said Mayor Daley. “The future well-being of cities like Chicago depends to a large degree on how we plan for and deal with that global inter-connection.” Chicago has 27 international sister city agreements, making it the largest and most active sister cities pro- gram in the United States. Seen in the photo is The Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International (from left): Gina Montalbano Goodrich, Maria Klymchak, Michael Kos, Bohdan Watral, Marta Farion (executive committee member of Chicago Sister Cities), Mayor Daley, Vera Eliashevsky (Kyiv Committee chair of Chicago Sister Cities), Lidia Devonshire and Ukraine’s consul general in Brooke Collins, City of Chicago Chicago, Kyrylo Kalyta. No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 23 UKELODEON FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Students present festive Christmas concert at St. Nicholas School by Natalka Doblosky keyboard. They were directed by the school’s musical director, Maria PASSAIC, N.J. – On Wednesday, Bereza, and Ukrainian teacher December 17, 2008, St. Nicholas Tetyana Fedak with Olha Yarkin. School held its annual Christmas The Vertep was performed by stu- concert. The joyful program consist- dents from the fifth, sixth and ed of a children’s Christmas musi- eighth grades. King Herod and his cal, traditional Vertep and many wife, their Roman guards, three Ukrainian and English Christmas kings, angels and prophets told the carols and poems. timeless tale and sang four The show began with the school’s Ukrainian Christmas carols. They youngest performers: the pupils of were directed by Mrs. Fedak with pre-K and kindergarten. After sing- music by Mrs. Bereza. ing three Christmas carols together, Grades 4 through 7 performed the the pre-kindergartners recited the finale, a children’s Christmas musi- holiday poem “The Candy Cane” cal called “The Legend of the and the kindergarteners recited Christmas King.” Directed by Mrs. Fifth graders in costume for the Christmas concert. “The Gift.” With twinkling lights in Bereza and Lecia Stec-Peltyszyn, hand, the kindergarteners ended the cast of shepherds, wise men, Andriy Dudkevych, pastor; Sister gram directors for organizing the the first act with the holiday song innkeepers, angels, sheep and a Anne Roman, SSMI., principal; festive concert. “We Are Christmas Lights.” They children’s choir of townspeople Sister Zenovia, SSMI; and all the To learn more about St. Nicholas were directed by their teachers, sang and recounted the story of the teachers. Father Dudkevych con- School, readers may log on to http:// Lydia Loukachouk and Anna Christ Child’s birth. cluded the evening with warm home.catholicweb.com/stnicholas- Diduch. All acts were accompanied by the appreciation and thanks to all pro- ukrainian/. First grade angels and second school’s music teacher, Olesia and third graders dressed in Hryvnak on piano. Ukrainian embroidered shirts sang Throughout the evening, the Mishanyna Christmas carols and recited the school’s PTA served borsch, hot poem “Rizdviani Podarunky.” dogs, sweets and beverages. To solve this month’s Mishanyna, looks for the names of the Third grader Adrianna Oliver At program’s end, gifts and poin- months of the year – the first six months in Ukrainian and the played a musical introduction on settias were handed out to the Rev. second six months in English – hidden in the grid. (Yes, that the reverse of last month’s Mishanyna) Bonus: find an old Ukrainian name for the 11th month of the year: PADOLYST.

Bishop visits with Palatine children SICHEN TRAVEN SEPTEMBER LIUTYI CHERVEN OCTOBER BEREZEN JULY NOVEMBER KVITEN AUGUST DECEMBER

PALATINE, Ill. – Bishop Richard Stephen Seminack visited Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church in Palatine, Ill., on October 5, 2008. While at the parish, the bishop spoke to the children of the parish about the importance of prayer. He engaged his young audience in a dis- cussion about what we should pray for. – Stefko Kuropas 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009 No. 6

THE UKRAINIAN MUSEUM PREVIEW OF EVENTS Friday, February 13 Columbia University invites all to “Meet Krzysztof Zanussi,” the internationally invites its members NEW YORK: The Center for Traditional renowned Polish film director who will and the Ukrainian community Music and Dance presents “The Third Eye: Festival of Retro-Futurism,” an evening screen his feature film “Persona Non Grata” of musical responses to The Ukrainian (2005) and discuss Polish-Ukrainian-Russian to a Museum’s exhibition “Futurism and After: relations since the collapse of the Soviet David Burliuk, 1882-1967,” at 7 p.m. at the Union and the challenges these nations are museum, 222 E. Sixth St., between Second facing today. The event is organized by the and Third avenues. The New York Bandura Polish Studies Program, the Ukrainian Film GALA CELEBRATION Ensemble’s Mike Andrec and Julian Kytasty Club of Columbia University and the East will join vocalist Natalka Honcharenko and Central European Center and co-sponsored special guests Gisburg and Michael Alpert in by the Harriman Institute and the Film OF SPRING a program of new works inspired by Burliuk, Division of the Columbia School of the Arts. the Ukrainian painter renowned as the father The event, which is free and open to the pub- of Futurism. Tickets are $15. For reservations lic, begins at 8 p.m. in Room 501, call 212-228-0110 or 212-571-1555, ext. 35. Schemerhorn Hall, 1190 Amsterdam Ave. Saturday, March 21, 2009, 8:00 p.m. The event will be mediated by Prof. Anna Saturday, February 14 Frajlich and Prof. Yuri Shevchuk of the NEW YORK: The Shevchenko Scientific department of Slavic languages. For informa- Society invites all to a talk by Jaroslaw tion call 212-854-4697 or e-mail sy2165@ The Ukrainian Museum Martyniuk on the subject “The Media and columbia.edu. (Read Mr. Zanussi’s thoughts Public Opinion in Ukraine.” Mr. Martyniuk is on Ukraine at: http://www.columbia.edu/CU/ 222 East 6th Street the regional research manager, Eurasia and UFC/news/news_2005_3_24.html.) New York, NY 10003 Eastern Europe, at InterMedia/Open Media Friday, February 20 212.228.0110 Research Institute in Washington. His presen- tation will first focus on the research and WASHINGTON: The Shevchenko Scientific media environment in Ukraine. Using results Society (Washington, D.C., branch), the $125 per person from a survey conducted in Ukraine in Embassy of Ukraine and The Washington September 2008, he will then offer an over- Group present a lecture by Ihor Lylo on Evening attire view of opinions and attitudes of Ukrainians Lviv’s Greek heritage at 6:30 p.m. at the on key issues. The program will take place at Embassy, 3350 M St. NW. The talk will be in CELEBRATE SPRING WITH FRIENDS! the society’s building, 63 Fourth Avenue Ukrainian. Admission is free; donations are (between Ninth and 10th streets) at 5 p.m. For welcome. For further information call additional information call 212-254-5130. 240-205-1889. RSVP requested, preferably Cocktail Party with musical entertainment, by e-mail, to [email protected] (Oleksandr YONKERS, N.Y.: Branch 2 of the Mykhalchuk, 202-378-8700) or voloshyn@ wine/champagne, hors d’oeuvres, Organization for the Defense of Lemko ukremb.com (Viktor Voloshyn, Viennese table, auction … Western Ukraine in Yonkers, N.Y., invites all 202-631-8608). to a “Valentine’s Dance” starting at 9 p.m. at Ukrainian Youth Center, 301 Palisade Ave., Saturday, February 21 MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Yonkers, NY 10703. Music will be by Vox MIAMI: The newly organized Ukrainian Details to follow. Ethnika under direction of talented musician Cultural and Educational Center of Miami Jurij Matolak. Tickets: adults, $25; children welcomes everyone to a dance – “Ukrayinski up to age 14, free (if accompanied by par- Vechornytsi” – at the hall of the Assumption ents). Buffet-style food and bar drinks will be of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian available for cash purchase; coffee and home- Church, located at 39 NW 57th Court. The baked pastry will be provided free. Also fea- program will feature a theatrical presentation tured: a lottery and surprises. For table reser- of Ukrainian traditions, a display of historical vations call Steven Howansky, 203-762-5912, Darko Dzwonczyk, 914-424-4583, or Marko Ukrainian regional attire, music and delicious Gazda, 914-760-0815. Everyone is welcome. Ukrainian food. Admission is $25 for adults; free for children age 14 or younger. For res- Being Ukrainian means: Sunday, February 15 ervations call Dr. Iryna Dzubnisky, NEW YORK: Ukrainian National Women’s 954-536-2213, or Oksana Piaseckyj, League of America Branch 64 presents 305-798-0190. ❏ Malanka in January. “Ukrainian Queens in Medieval Europe,” a Sunday, March 1 program featuring a lecture by Prof. George ❏ Deb in February. Gajecky, who will talk about Kyivan prin- NEW YORK: A “Kostiumivka,” or costume cesses in 11th century Western Europe. The party, for children organized by the New York ❏ Sviato Vesny or Zlet in May. lecture will include a slide presentation. The branch of Plast Ukrainian Scouting ❏ Soyuzivka’s Ukrainian Cultural Festival in July. program will take place at 2 p.m. at the Organization will begin at 2 p.m. This year’s UNWLA Art Gallery, 203 Second Ave., theme: “Morska Tsarivna” (Sea Princess). ❏ “Uke Week” at Wildwood in August. fourth floor, New York, NY 10003. Donation: Children are encouraged to dress up in sea- $5. The “Yalynky” Christmas tree exhibit will themed costumes (sea horses, mermaids, etc.). ❏ Back to Ukrainian school in September. also be on view. For more information, call The party takes place at St, George School 212-260-4490, log on to http://www.unwla. auditorium at 215 E. Sixth St. There will be ❏ Morskyi Bal in New Jersey in November. org or e-mail [email protected]. organized games following the presentation of a short story, and food will be available. Wednesday, February 18 ❏ Koliada in December. Admission: adults, $10; children, free. For ❏ A subscription to The Ukrainian Weekly NEW YORK: The Ukrainian Film Club of more information call 212-982-4530. all year round.

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