INSIDE: l The significance of the Welles Declaration of 1940 – page 3 l Snapshot of Ukrainian American opinions in 1996 – page 8 l UNWLA launches directory of Ukrainian artists – page 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXXVIII No. 31 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2020 $2.00 Ukraine to seek extradition of alleged Russian occupying forces violate ceasefire Russian mercenaries detained in Belarus in the Donbas 19 minutes after its start by Mark Raczkiewycz “I am already seeing reaction by the Russians. They are already making excuses, Full ceasefire went into effect July 27 More than a half a dozen of the 33 saying things like we invited them here alleged Russian mercenaries apprehended ourselves,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “It is obvi- in Belarus on July 29 took part in fighting ous: justifications must be made for dirty on the Russian side of the ongoing, bloody intentions.” war in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin denied any unlawful After a hastily organized national securi- actions. ty meeting the same day, the Belarusian Russia “does not know anything” about national security chief, Andrey Rakou, told why the group of 33 Russian nationals had reporters that at least 14 alleged members been detained in Belarus, Kremlin spokes- of the Kremlin-linked Vagner private mili- man Dmitry Peskov said, as cited by tary contractor had either fought or served German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle. in some capacity in the Donbas, where a “Insinuations have appeared that some war has raged for six years between organizations from Russia are sending Ukrainian forces and combatants supplied someone [to Belarus],” Mr. Peskov told by and under the command and control of reporters on July 30. “This is nothing but Russia, killing more than 13,200 people insinuations.” and displacing nearly 1.5 million more. Private military contractors are illegal in The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) the Russia, and Moscow doesn’t acknowledge following day told BBC Ukraine that it would their existence. seek extradition of the combatants who Thirty-two of the alleged soldiers of for- fought against Kyiv. Acting Ukrainian tune first stayed at a Minsk hotel on July Presidential Office of Ukraine Ambassador to Belarus Petro Vrublevskyi 25-26 before moving to a spa resort out- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint with the presi- said on Facebook that he was summoned by side the Belarusian capital, where they dent of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, during a working visit to the the host country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry to Donbas on July 23, four days before a ceasefire went into effect in the region. were apprehended unarmed. One more provide information on the detained alleged purported mercenary was detained in the mercenaries, including any crimes they may by Roman Tymotsko and the Organization for Security and have committed in Ukraine. south of the country. Coooperation in Europe). All parties Belarusian President Alyaksandr Luka- Video footage released by state media KYIV – As of 12:01 a.m. on July 27, a full approved the ceasefire agreement, howev- shen ka said at the urgent national security showed them entering the premises of the and comprehensive ceasefire went into er, Russian proxies fired upon Ukrainian meeting that the mercenaries were prepar- spa with duffel bags and three large con- effect in the area of armed conflict in the positions at 12:20 a.m. – 19 minutes after ing “terrorist acts” ahead of the August 9 tainers in tow. Donbas region. The decision was adopted the start of the ceasefire. presidential election, while accusing on July 22, at a regular meeting of the Moscow of deploying them. (Continued on page 10) Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia (Continued on page 4) Minneapolis Ukrainian center educates teachers, public about Holodomor by Walter Anastazievsky Cambodia and Ukraine. UACC member Walter Anastazievsky MINEAPOLIS – For the second consecu- talked about the legacy of Holodomor, its tive year, the Center for Holocaust and commemoration within the Ukrainian Genocide Studies (CHGS) at the University community and efforts at recognition – of Minnesota partnered with the Ukrainian information new to most of the attending American Community Center (UACC) in educators. The Holodomor is not taught in Minneapolis to educate teachers and the most U.S. schools and is not a part of the public about the Holodomor. “This valued social studies curriculum. Unlike several partnership provides the UACC with a plat- other states, Minnesota has no law man- form to raise awareness and promote dating genocide education. Teachers Holodomor recognition,” stated Luda expressed appreciation for this learning Anastazievsky, UACC programming direc- opportunity and were excited to receive tor, who leads the center’s outreach and the Holodomor teaching resources pre- education efforts. pared by Ms. Anastazievsky to assist them In August 2019, CHGS had invited the in lesson planning. Ukrainian center to present at a summer Earlier this year, the UACC team collabo- workshop for middle and high school rated with CHGS to create a Holodomor teachers from the Twin Cities and around Resource Guide (https://cla.umn.edu/ the country. This week-long educator for chgs/holocaust-genocide-education/ educators provided an introduction to the Luda Anastazievsky resource-guides/holodomor) for the legal and social concepts of genocide, as At the Holodomor exhibit at St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church in Genocide Education Outreach Program to well as historical and contemporary exam- Minneapolis ( from left) are: Halyna Chorolec, daughter of a Holodomor survivor; promote the study of the Holodomor ples of genocide, including the Holocaust Wanda Bahmet, who survived the Holodomor as a child; and Stefan Iwaskewycz, and the genocides in Armenia, Bosnia, grandson of a Holodomor survivor. (Continued on page 12) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2020 No. 31 ANALYSIS Zaporizhia Oblast: The next flash point Preliminary analysis of black boxes completed our institutions of power and especially on our law enforcement agencies.” No one was International investigators in France injured in the fire, which the anti-corrup- in Russia’s hybrid aggression against Ukraine? have completed the download and prelimi- tion organization described as an “assassi- nary analysis of data from the black boxes Azov Sea coast. Mr. Lysenko affirmed that nation attempt” on Mr. Shabunin. Mr. by Alla Hurska recovered from the Ukraine International Cossacks are already conducting negotia- Shabunin said his parents, who were in the Eurasia Daily Monitor Airlines (UIA) jet shot down by Iran in tions with the Berdyansk border outpost. house at the time, were able to escape January, killing all 176 people on board. On July 9, the Security Service of Ukraine However, according to current Ukrainian unharmed. A neighbor told Mr. Shabunin Canada’s Transportation Safety Board said (SBU) arrested a group of radical pro-Rus- legislation, non-state groups can partici- that he saw an explosion before the home on July 23 that the download and prelimi- sia separatists promoting the creation of a pate in law enforcement activities only was engulfed in flames. The activist said nary analysis of the cockpit voice and flight so-called “Zaporizhian People’s Republic” after obtaining special registration and workers had inspected the gas meter and data was an “important milestone” in the (ZPR). In 2014, these individuals allegedly strictly under the control of the National pipes just two weeks ago. The police sus- investigation into the doomed flight. “The tried to seize power in southeastern Police. As of early July, the Ukrainian police pect arson and are investigating. In a state- work in Paris is finished, but the investiga- Ukraine’s Zaporizhia Oblast but had to flee had not received any such request from the ment, the Anti-Corruption Action Center tion is far from over. There are still many to Luhansk, where they began cooperating Melitopol kuren regarding joint patrols called on President Zelenskyy to personally key questions that need to be answered,” with the Moscow-backed separatist (Novynarnia.com, July 7). take control of all investigations into Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman authorities of the self-declared Luhansk Additionally, the Cossack organization attacks on anti-corruption activists, saying Kathy Fox said. Ms. Fox did not say what and Donetsk “people’s republics” (LPR/ will apparently engage in patriotic educa- that they did not trust the police or Internal the analysis had revealed, but she urged DPR). Having secretly returned to tion of youth (Ria-m.tv, June 29). This Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov. If the fire at Iranian authorities leading the investiga- Zaporizhia, the perpetrators allegedly seemingly “patriotic” initiative is quite Mr. Shabunin’s home was the result of tion to be transparent and credible. Iran planned to carry out various subversive alarming and threatens Ukraine’s national arson, it would not be the first time that he agreed in June to send the black boxes to activities and distributed pro-Russia sepa- security. has been targeted. In 2018, he suffered France’s civil aviation investigation bureau, ratist materials that called for the over- Importantly, the Zaporizhian Cossack chemical burns when attackers threw a ending a long dispute with Canada, Ukraine throw of the constitutional order in Army is led by Oleksandr Panchenko, the green antiseptic in his face as he took part and France over access to the data. Many of Ukraine and the creation of the ZPR (Ssu. “chief ataman” famous for his ties to sever- in a demonstration outside a prosecutor’s the crash victims were Canadian citizens or gov.ua, July 9). al Russian-based Cossack organizations office in Kyiv. Mr. Shabunin said such permanent residents, or had Canada as The arrested group of subversives was that, under the patronage of the Russian attacks against activists continue under their final destination.