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The Ukrainian Weekly 2014, No.33

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The Ukrainian Weekly 2014, No.33 www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Canada’s security assistance to Ukraine – page 3 l Protests at Bolshoi Ballet’s performances – page 4 l Lubomyr Luciuk speaks about the ‘CTO’ project – page 9 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXII No. 33 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014 $2.00 Russian aid convoy Hryvnia falls 13 percent amid war-related panic nears Ukraine border, by Zenon Zawada despite Kyiv’s warnings KYIV – Ukraine’s national currency, the hryvnia, is enduring its second wave of devaluation since the Euro- RFE/RL Maidan protests, having lost 13 percent of its value since A Russian aid convoy of nearly 300 trucks is near- July 24, the same day that Prime Minister Arseniy ing the Ukraine border, despite warnings from Kyiv Yatsenyuk threatened to resign. the convoy may not be allowed in. Ukrainian Prime The U.S. dollar was trading at 13.45 hrv on the inter- Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on August 13 denounced bank market on August 13, compared to a rate of about Russia’s “cynicism” and said Ukraine will accept 11.70 hrv at which it had remained stable since early May. humanitarian aid only from the International Indeed, Ukrainians thought the worst was over after 11 Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). weeks of stability, but the current crisis has led to the con- [As this issue of The Ukrainian Weekly was going to fusion and fear on the markets. press, the latest reports indicated that the convoy – The current wave is a panic, some bankers and econo- which was sent out on August 12 and had been stalled mists said, which could well have been triggered by Mr. since late that day in Voronezh, Russia, due to continu- Yatsenyuk’s threat (never fulfilled) but took on a life of its ing controversy over the shipment’s verification – had own with the mounting destruction in the Donbas war, as resumed its travel toward Ukraine. Russian officials well as fear of more Russian and Ukrainian economic sanc- have not said where the convoy of nearly 300 trucks is tions. headed. RFE/RL’s “Live Blog: Ukraine in Crisis” report- “These are entirely panicked sentiments among the ed that at least part of the convoy was heading south population and business representatives, related to objec- Anastasia Sirotkina/UNIAN toward the rebel-held Luhansk region. Russia initially tive factors that I’ve already named,” National Bank of National Bank of Ukraine Chair Valeriia Gontareva said the convoy would cross into the Kharkiv region, Ukraine Chair Valeriia Gontareva told the Verkhovna Rada which is controlled by the Ukrainian government.] addresses Ukraine’s Parliament on August 12 amid a on August 12 after being asked to speak on the troubling panic-fueled devaluation of the hryvnia. Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on trend. Facebook: “No convoy of [Vladimir] Putin’s will be let The objective factors she referred to were market tion,” resulting from expectations of harsh sanctions and through Kharkiv region. A provocation by the cynical expectations of intensified warfare, “strengthened by pro- economic imbalances, such as rising inflation and the aggressor on our territory is unacceptable.” vocative statements from various political parties regard- shrinking economy. ing the high likelihood of the start of a full-scale war with (Continued on page 13) Russia,” Ms. Gontareva said, as well as a “business interrup- (Continued on page 14) Prominent journalist from Ukraine says corruption is biggest challenge by Yaro Bihun Mr. Nayyem was born in Kabul, to editing Hromadske.tv, he is a correspon- movement that defends free speech and Afghanistan, in 1981, but grew up and lived dent for Ukrayinska Pravda and was an ana- democracy in Ukraine. WASHINGTON – The biggest challenge in Ukraine over the past 25 years, graduating lyst on Ukraine’s prominent TV Channel 5, He told the gathering at NED that to Ukraine’s future is not the war in eastern from the Aerospace Systems Department of covering politics, corruption and, most Ukrainians know very well that “politicians Ukraine but corruption. And Ukrainians the National Technical University in Kyiv but recently, the Maidan developments. He is are bad,” and that it will be difficult to will have to recognize and face that chal- pursuing a career in journalism. In addition also a co-founder of the Stop Censorship change their opinion even if the newly lenge – the sooner, the better, according to elected politicians are good and honest. Mustafa Nayyem, a prominent Ukrainian Under the present electoral system, journalist and political analyst. members of Parliament are not elected by That was one of the major points he the people but selected by the party leader- focused on concerning recent develop- ship, and this will have to be changed, he ments in Ukraine and its outlook for the said. But even if it is changed for the next future during a roundtable discussion at elections (local in 2016 and general elec- the National Endowment for Democracy in tions in 2019) that will be too long a wait, Washington on August 11. he said. The Afghan-born editor-in-chief of Mr. Nayyem said he can’t imagine why Hromadske.tv, the first independent Internet the oligarchs would want to change a sys- television site in Ukraine, also stressed that tem in which they are a dominant force and concerned Ukrainians will have to act in a which works in their favor. As things stand unified manner, even with those they may now, the people of the Maidan and honest not have agreed with in the past. journalists cannot change this system. “We Many people hope that the new presi- can change nothing,” he said. dent and Parliament will bring about this Western governments and organizations positive change, Mr. Nayyem said, but it have been helping Ukraine and some of the does not look like they will. They are used other former Soviet countries reform for to the old way of doing things. Changing more than 20 years now, he said, adding this is the big challenge facing Ukraine Yaro Bihun that what Ukrainians need now is not today, with a new generation, not used to Ukrainian journalist Mustafa Nayyem comments on recent political developments in financial aid. “We don’t need money, performing the leading role, having to learn Ukraine and the outlook for its future during a discussion at the National Endowment how to do it as quickly as possible. for Democracy in Washington. (Continued on page 13) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014 No. 33 ANALYSIS Russian military rehearses Euro-Maidan barricades cleared tions in order to avoid civilian casualties. In light of the ongoing violence and instability, KYIV – City workers and volunteers on the president and President Poroshenko Ukraine peacekeeping operation August 9 removed the last of the barricades agreed that all parties should prioritize dip- that had been blocking a main artery in lomatic efforts toward finding a political by Roger McDermott standards, the drive toward better peace- Ukraine’s capital since protests that forced a keeping capabilities is specifically tied to the resolution to the crisis.” (White House, Eurasia Daily Monitor change of government began late last year. Office of the Press Secretary) August 12 Ukraine crisis. Gen. Shoigu’s broader efforts Protesters had built the barricades to pro- to enhance peacekeeping capabilities tect a tent camp on Independence Square Kyiv agrees to aid mission led by ICRC The role of Russia’s armed forces and its extend to raising the number of contract during the Euro-Maidan movement that proxies in Ukraine has been subject to personnel (kontraktniki) in such units, with arose following a decision by then-Presi- KYIV – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he has agreed to an inter- much speculation. Throughout the crisis, the aim of achieving 100 percent kontrakt- dent Viktor Yanukovych to spurn key agree- national humanitarian mission for eastern the Kremlin has pursued a course of “plau- niki staffing, as well as boosting foreign lan- ments with the European Union. A deter- Ukraine led by the Red Cross that includes sible deniability” in its use of hard power, guage training in such formations (ITAR- mined core of demonstrators had remained cooperation from the European Union, or kept the threat of large-scale invasion TASS; Kommersant, August 6). since Mr. Yanukovych’s flight to Russian Germany and Russia. Mr. Poroshenko said lurking in the background. Troop build-ups On August 5-6, Gen. Shoigu expounded exile in late February and a new govern- the mission has the blessings of Russia and in close proximity to the Ukrainian border, some of these views about Russian peace- ment coming to power. Some tents were left the United States. But he said any humani- as well as military exercises, including keeping capabilities and force development standing after the August 9 operation, with tarian mission must be “an international “snap inspections,” raised tensions and during a visit to oversee peacekeeping reports of a deal between Kyiv Mayor Vitali one without any military escort” by appeared to threaten an escalation of the exercises in Samara in the Central MD. Klitschko, who was one of the leaders of the Russian forces. Mr. Poroshenko also said conflict – while the Russian leadership During this exercise, ground forces units protests against Mr. Yanukovych, and the European Commission President Jose denied any such intention. However, during and helicopter crews practiced various holdouts to ensure public access in the area. Manuel Barroso pledged more than $3 mil- recent exercises, the Ministry of Defense peacekeeping tasks. Mi-8 and Mi-24 trans- On August 7, skirmishes had broken out, lion of European humanitarian aid for east- not only readied peacekeeping forces, but port and combat helicopters were and workers and security forces eventually ern Ukraine on August 11.
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