Inside: l Romaniw recounts the Revolution of Dignity – page 7 l Metropolitan Epifaniy celebrates second anniversary – page 8 l Ukrainian National Museum announces re-opening – page 11 The Ukrainian Weekly Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association

Vol. LXXXIX No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 $2.00 Rada resolution calls Euro-Maidan Parliament to consider bill on Western-backed a nation-building moment graft-fighting agency, threatening its independence Zelenskyy signs memoranda with UAE for $3 billion investment

by Mark Raczkiewycz February 18-20, 2014, according to prose- cutors. Mr. Yanukovych subsequently fled KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s office and in 2019 was convicted in absen- legislative body, on February 17 passed a tia and sentenced to 13 years for high trea- resolution saying that the pro-democracy son while in self-exile in Russia. Euro-Maidan uprising that culminated this In the aftermath, Russia invaded month seven years ago was a significant Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and eventual- nation-building moment in the country’s ly seized it in early March 2014. history. Simultaneously, Moscow started to orches- Referred to as the “Revolution of trate anti-Kyiv protests that spread Dignity” in the document, a solid majority throughout the north- and southeast – of 295 lawmakers voted to give recognition including in Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolayiv, to the nearly three-months of anti-govern- Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk regions. ment protests against then-President Government and auxiliary buildings in Viktor Yanukovych’s increasingly authori- some of the cities were temporarily occu- tarian rule. pied by pro-Moscow protesters that “The Revolution of Dignity is one of the included Russian nationals in the ensuing key moments of Ukrainian state-building weeks of the revolution. and an expression of the national idea of This period of Russia’s overall attempt- National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine freedom,” the resolution reads. ed seizure of north-southeastern Ukraine Detectives of the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine complete an investiga- Exactly 104 people were killed and was called by Ukrainian political analysts tion on September 30 involving $70,000 from which the head of the State Reserve Department had allegedly benefited in an embezzlement scheme. 2,500 injured as a consequence of the vio- the failed “Russian Spring.” lent clampdown by authorities against pro- by Mark Raczkiewycz thus, unlawful. testers, most of which occurred on (Continued on page 4) Mr. Sytnyk’s seven-year term is sched- KYIV – Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers uled to end in April 2022. this week registered a bill in parliament The agency and anti-corruption watch- that would prematurely dismiss the head of dogs said the draft law would essentially Justice or commemoration? As Maidan massacre a Western-funded graft-fighting agency to “destroy” it as an independent crime-fight- align it with a Constitutional Court ruling ing body and give the president “manual” from August that nullified his appointment control over it. anniversary approaches, both appear elusive less than six years ago. In a statement on February 18, NABU The bill stipulates new rules for appoint- said that there are a number of threats to ing the director of the National Anticorrup­ its independence that affect the agency’s tion Bureau (NABU) and is aimed at adher- “real ability to counter and expose top-level ing to the court’s ruling that said the presi- corruption.” dent didn’t have the authority to appoint Artem Sytnyk to head the agency, and was, (Continued on page 11) Ukrainian station in Antarctica marks 25 years since its founding

by Roman Tymotsko video call between Vernadsky Station and the Ukrainian president. Twenty-five years ago, the United Vernadsky Station is the only Kingdom handed over its Antarctic Ukrainian research base in Antarctica. It Serhiy Dolzhenko, EPA-EFE research station to Ukraine. On February operates year-round and its primary pur- People place flowers on February 18, 2020, at the memorial on Kyiv’s Independence 6, 1996, the Union Jack was replaced by pose is to carry out scientific research on Square dedicated to people who died in the 2014 clashes with security forces. the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag and climate change, the ozone hole, animals’ the British Faraday station became the and plants’ responses to climate change, by Dan Peleschuk atop Institutska Street, but investigators Acad­emician Volodymyr Vernadsky among other topics. RFE/RL believe it may hold important clues to con- Station, named after the renown “Every great story is first and foremost clusively establish who gunned down doz- Ukrainian geochemist, mineralogist and about the people who made it possible. I KYIV – Nearly seven years after the ens of anti-government demonstrators crystallographer. thank the representatives of the Euro-Maidan protests in the Ukrainian cap- there on February 20, 2014. Celebrations on the 25th anniversary Ukrainian polar community present ital reached a bloody climax, the site where The last and deadliest day of the of this historic event included museum here, as well as all those who worked at protesters clashed with security forces months-long movement, it led to the top- exhibitions, the creation of a post stamp, the Vernadsky Station in different years,” remains a crime scene. pling of Moscow-friendly President Viktor presentation of state awards, the pre- There is no police cordon to give away miere of a music video, and the first live (Continued on page 9) the forensic significance of the vacant lot (Continued on page 14) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

ANALYSIS

Does the Normandy group have Crimean Tatar activists detained March 2014 after sending in troops, seizing key facilities, and staging a referendum dis- Russian authorities have detained sever- missed as illegal by at least 100 countries. a future on the Russia-Ukraine conflict? al Crimean Tatar activists after their homes Moscow also backs separatists in a war were searched in Ukraine’s Russian- to “such terms as ‘conflict in Ukraine,’ against government forces that has killed Part 2 controlled Crimea region. The Crimean instead of ‘Russian war against Ukraine,’ more than 13,200 people in eastern Solidarity group told RFE/RL on February by Vladimir Socor because I am chairing the OSCE, a consen- Ukraine since April 2014. (RFE/RL’s 17 that the searches were conducted at the Eurasia Daily Monitor sus-based organization… There are times Ukrainian Service) when my statements as the OSCE’s Chair homes of Abdulbori Makhamadaminov, NATO delivers disinfectant to battle COVID-19 Kyiv is pinning its hopes on the new differ from my language as foreign affairs Azamat Eyupov, Timur Yalkabov, Ernest administration of United States President Ibragimov, Oleh Fyodorov, Lenur minister of Sweden, a member country of NATO says it is delivering over 9,000 Joseph Biden to help rebalance and restart Seydametov and Yashar Shikhametov in the European Union. But such are the liters of surface disinfectant to Ukraine in both the Normandy forum and the Minsk different towns and cities across Crimea. OSCE’s realities” (Ukraiynska Pravda, response to Kyiv’s request for international Contact Group (see Part One in EDM, The official reason for the searches remains January 20). assistance to combat COVID-19. Ukraine February 4). The Minsk Contact Group unclear. Ukrainian Ombudswoman That principle applies also to the Minsk started receiving the first delivery on operates at a level roughly equivalent to Lyudmyla Denisova said in a statement that Contact Group’s overall moderator, who is February 17, the alliance said in a state- the ambassadorial, below the head of all of the men were taken to the FSB’s appointed by the OSCE’s chair as its Special ment, adding that the donation was coordi- state/head of government or ministerial directorate in Crimea after the searches. Representative, subject to Russia’s consent. nated by NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster levels of the Normandy format. In the As the OSCE plays the mediator’s role “Such actions by so-called law enforcement Response Coordination Center and Latvia. established modus operandi, from 2014 between Kyiv and Donetsk-Luhansk, so the violated the presumption of innocence and onward, the Normandy forum (Ukraine, The statement said the surface disinfectant, Minsk Group’s moderator must be even- rights of freedom, personal security, legal Russia, Germany, France) provided guide- produced by a Latvian company, is to be handed between them. The holder of that assistance, as the searches were conducted lines for actions in the Minsk Group and distributed to “the State Border Guard position since 2020, Ambassador Heidi without court decisions, with no lawyers held the latter accountable for implemen- Service of Ukraine and its border guard Grau of Switzerland, has become a partici- present, and without handing out of any tation. Since 2020, however, Russia has detachments at border crossing points” pant in the Normandy forum’s meetings procedural documents,” Ms. Denisova said, “frozen” the Normandy forum and shifted across the Eastern European country. NATO (currently downgraded to the political adding that the detained Crimean Tatars the active negotiations into the Minsk said it will also send mobile X-ray units, advisors’ level – see Part One in EDM, may face long-term arrests. Since Russia Contact Group, where the West is unrepre- negative pressure chambers, bio protection February 4); she took part in the January seized Crimea in 2014, the Russian authori- sented while Moscow holds three chairs coveralls, and portable oxygen generators 12 meeting most recently (President.gov. ties have prosecuted dozens of Crimean to Ukraine in the “coming weeks.” Ukraine (its own and those of Russia-occupied Tatars for allegedly belonging to Hizb ut- Donetsk and Luhansk) and positions itself ua, January 12). has recorded more than 1.3 million corona- That change signifies yet another tacti- Tahrir, an Islamic group that is banned in virus cases and over 26,000 deaths. The as a mediator (instead of party to the con- Russia but not in Ukraine. Moscow’s take- flict). To counter these Russian tactics, Kyiv cal success for Moscow. Its representative country of 40 million has yet to launch its to the Normandy forum, Dmitry Kozak, over of the peninsula was vocally opposed vaccination campaign. It is waiting for the is turning to the Biden administration for by many Crimean Tatars, who are a sizable help. had demanded, in mid-2020, that repre- delivery of 20 million vaccine doses from sentatives of Donetsk and Luhansk be minority in the region. Exiled from their India’s Serum Institute and the global According to Ukraine’s ambassador to homeland to Central Asia by the Soviet the United States, Volodymyr Yelchenko, allowed to participate in Normandy meet- COVAX scheme, as well as vaccines from ings in order to bring their views there. authorities under dictator Josef Stalin dur- Kyiv hopes that the new administration in ing World War II, many Crimean Tatars are Washington would “directly” (in its own Mr. Kozak’s gambit – under the threat, week, the World Health Organization and very wary of Russia and Moscow’s rule. right) join the negotiations in both the moreover, to abandon the Normandy pro- thePfizer, European AstraZeneca, Union said and they Novavах. were launch Last- Rights groups and Western governments Normandy and the Minsk formats cess altogether – was a bluff designed to ing a 40 million euro ($48.5 million) region- have denounced what they describe as a (Ukrinform, January 22). Ukraine’s deputy elicit less than he demanded but still a net al program to help six Eastern European campaign of repression by the Russian- prime minister and minister for reintegrat- gain for Russia (see EDM, August 5, 2020). countries, including Ukraine, with COVID- imposed authorities in Crimea, who target ing the occupied territories, Oleksiy Germany and France agreed to allow the 19 vaccinations. Ukraine’s government has members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Reznikov, considers it feasible that U.S. rep- Minsk Group’s overall moderator to par- banned the use of Russia’s Sputnik V vac- Tatar community and others who have spo- resentatives should join the moderators of ticipate in Normandy meetings after Mr. cine, which has been rolled out in the east- the Minsk Contact Group’s sectoral work- Kozak insisted that the moderator must ken out against Moscow’s takeover of the ern Ukrainian areas that are controlled by ing groups (of which those on security and bring the views of “all Minsk Group partic- peninsula. In its annual report on religious Kremlin-backed separatists. (RFE/RL) on political affairs are of paramount ipants” (i.e., Donetsk-Luhansk’s views freedom worldwide, released in April 2020, Hate speech on the rise in Europe importance). The United States along with also) into the Normandy forum. This the U.S. Commission on International the United Kingdom could join these nego- comes in addition to Moscow already Religious Freedom said that “[in] Russian- An advocacy group says that homopho- tiations based on “certain obligations fronting for Donetsk-Luhansk in the occupied Crimea, the Russian authorities bic language and hate speech against trans- under the [1994] Budapest Memorandum Normandy forum. According to Russian continued to kidnap, torture, and imprison gender people is on the rise among [on security assurances to Ukraine]” Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov, Crimean Tatar Muslims at will.” Russia (Continued on page 10) (Ukrinform, February 5; UkraineAlert, “We closely consult with Donetsk and took control of Crimea from Ukraine in January 9). This would, however, presup- Luhansk ahead of every Normandy meet- pose that the Biden administration would ing” (TASS, January 18). or could reverse the predecessor Barack Russia’s seizure of Crimea is an issue Obama administration’s decision, in the that the Normandy forum has excluded The Ukrainian Weekly FOUNDED 1933 spring of 2014, to ignore the Budapest from its agenda from 2014 to date. Kyiv’s Memorandum. attempts to introduce that issue have been An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., The Organization for Security and turned down by the other three partici- a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the pants: Russia deems that issue non-nego- Yearly subscription rate: $90; for UNA members — $80. 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No international forum is cur- 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas counteract Russia’s manipulative tactics in rently mandated to discuss Crimea. P.O. Box 280 the Minsk Contact Group. The OSCE’s Accordingly, Kyiv seeks to create an inter- Parsippany, NJ 07054 e-mail: [email protected] chairmanships, however, by definition, national “Crimean Platform” that could may not represent the views of their address Russia’s seizure of the territory, The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com national governments. The chairmanships appropriate sanctions for continuing are, instead, obligated to reflect the OSCE’s unlawful actions, uphold Ukraine’s legal The Ukrainian Weekly, February 21, 2021, No. 8, Vol. LXXXIX consensus-based positions, as negotiated titles to the peninsula, and put forth possi- Copyright © 2021 The Ukrainian Weekly internally (and non-transparently) with ble redress measures. the veto-wielding Russia. The OSCE’s In his recent interview with the U.S. chairmanships are not free even to choose media outlet Axios, Ukrainian President ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA the terminology of their statements, let Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, “I asked my alone make policy decisions without partners and Russia: Name the platform Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 and advertising manager fax: (973) 644-9510 Moscow’s approval. where Crimea is on the agenda. Are you e-mail: [email protected] As the OSCE’s incumbent chair, Swedish saying that we should give up on Crimea? Subscription Department (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 Foreign Affairs Minister Anna Lindh, e-mail: [email protected] explains it for Ukrainians, she must adhere (Continued on page 7) No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 3

NEWS ANALYSIS Ukraine’s political winter: how long will it last?

by Bohdan Nahaylo households should not be subsidized by the This issue is connected not only with how significant role in the fall of its ratings. state, and that monopolists in the energy the IMF and Western partners perceive it, but Calls for the firing of the health minister are It’s still a very cold winter in Ukraine, sector should not dictate – as the market also President Zelenskyy’s recent closure of growing and he could yet be made an but the political temperature continues to should – what the realistic prices should be. three pro-Russian TV channels believed to be expendable scapegoat. rise. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, The forces reflecting the interests of oli- secretly owned by Russian President And what do the latest preliminary opin- pressed from all sides, has continued to garchs, such as Dmytro Firtash, Ihor Vladimir Putin’s close associate and point ion polls, conducted since Mr. Zelenskyy­ ’s stand his ground, stepping up his attack Kolomoisky, Rinat Akhmetov and former man in Ukraine, Viktor Medvechuk. crackdown on Mr. Medvechuk’s channels, against those viewed as Russia’s fifth col- president Petro Poroshenko, are not inter- The main accusation against Mr. Med­ reveal? According to the Kyiv International umnists and managing to hold his own in ested in independent anti-corruption agen- vechuk and his TV channels has been that Institute of Sociology (KMIS), this political- the opinion polls. Meanwhile, the rating of cies, such as the National Anti-Corruption they have served as propaganda vehicles ly charged move has resulted in a slight rise his own party, Servant of the People, and its Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), doing their job for Russia at a time when it is at war with in the president’s rating, by almost 3 per- parliamentary faction is failing to recover effectively. But this has been something Ukraine and occupying its territories. But cent. It has shot up by almost 5 percent in from its freefall during recent months. that the IMF and most of Ukraine’s Western one of the elements here is that these chan- the central regions, and, interestingly, The frigid weather and its paralyzing partners and supporters have insisted is nels were also casting aspersions on Kyiv’s around 3 percent in the east, and just over effect on movement and transportation, on necessary. ability to deal with the pandemic while 1 percent in the south. In western Ukraine, top of the continued debilitating impact of Now, a new potential crisis has arisen in promoting a vaccine created in Russia. paradoxically, it has declined by around 1.7 the COVID-19 pandemic, provide a gloomy this regard. The government is seeking to So, we wait to see how this move to percent. background to other worrying develop- replace the head of the NABU, Artem replace the head of NABU will play out and Ratings for other potential presidential ments. Sytnyk. On February 15 it submitted a bill what the international ramifications will be. candidates – Mr. Poroshenko, Yuriy Boiko The IMF mission has left Kyiv without to the Parliament to this effect based on But anti-corruption activists are already fear- from the pro-Russian bloc, and Ms. any agreement on further desperately dubious reasoning – that the Constitutional ing for the worst. For instance, Vitaly Tymoshenko, have remained largely needed financial support being made avail- Court, the very same one that President Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption unchanged, while Mr. Medvechuk, not a able, and disappointment, frustration, and Zelenskyy has locked horns with and Action Center’s executive board, believes that contender at this stage, has lost around 2 in some cases, anxiety, have been evident in accused it of being corrupt, had earlier on “through this story, the government will lose percent of his support. some of the less than diplomatic state- challenged Mr. Sytnyk’s appointment under the last remnants of international partners.” According to the most recent poll pub- ments emanating from the Ukrainian side. Mr. Poroshenko. According to domestic observers, the lished by Info Sapiens on February 16, cur- Populist politicians, from veteran fire- Observers suspect that the real reason Zelenskyy administration’s perceived, or rently around 30 percent of voters who brand Yulia Tymoshenko to those in the behind the latest move to remove Mr. rather, portrayed, response to the COVID- have made up their minds would vote for pro-Russian “Opposition Bloc – For Life,” Sytnyk is that he has antagonized not only 19 pandemic, and its lateness in securing (Continued on page 4) are sparing no effort to blame the Health Minister Maksym Stepanov, but Mr. vaccines for the population, has played a Zelenskyy administration for having sup- Zelenskyy himself by opening an investiga- posedly hiked up the price of utilities to tion earlier in the month into alleged unacceptably high levels. embezzlement by the Health Ministry dur- For self-serving reasons they oppose the ing the procurement of a COVID-19 vac- FSB conducts armed searches for ‘prohibited books’ IMF’s insistence that the price of gas for cine. and arrests six Ukrainians in Russian-occupied Crimea

by Halya Coynash The FSB on this video can be seen bursting Crimea platform: Ukraine’s initiative Kharkiv Human Rights Protection into various buildings and also pulling a Group machine gun, a suicide belt and ammunition from a hiding place. This is not the first time to raise the costs of Russia’s occupation The Russian Federal Security Service that the FSB have circulated fake videos (FSB) arrested six Ukrainian Muslims, five which have nothing to do with the arrests in by Vladimir Socor insula. Russia deems these issues closed and non-negotiable. On this basis, Moscow of them Crimean Tatars, after armed occupied Crimea of peaceful civic activists. Eurasia Daily Monitor has also ruled out any discussion about searches of seven homes in the early morn- Later reports say nothing about the false President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Crimea from the agenda of the “Normandy” ing of February 17. The FSB and heavily information, but do make it clear that the Ukrainian government are preparing to forum (Ukraine, Russia, France, Germany). armed Rosgvardia officers were clearly six men from different parts of occupied host a summit of heads of state and govern- In that format, Berlin and Paris have main- interested only in books, and in at least one Crimea are accused of ‘involvement’ in Hizb ment, aiming to mobilize a more effective tained all along that adding Crimea would case, claimed to find the so-called prohibit- ut-Tahrir and that the only thing ‘found’ international response to Russia’s seizure of “clutter” the Normandy agenda and impede ed literature which they pulled from their during the armed searches was ‘prohibited Crimea from Ukraine. The summit is “progress” toward conflict-resolution in own bag. Russia has again targeted civic literature.’ Hizb ut-Tahrir is a peaceful, planned to inaugurate the “Crimea Donbas (see EDM, February 8). activists, some of whom have already faced Muslim organization which is legal in Platform,” a multi-level framework for Kyiv has, therefore, moved in recent administrative prosecution for peaceful Ukraine and most countries, and which is devising actions that would raise the costs months to initiate an international Crimea pickets in solidarity with Russia’s ever- not known to have committed acts of ter- of Russia’s occupation and contradict Platform that should continuously address mounting number of Crimean Tatar and rorism anywhere. Russia is using a suspect, Moscow’s thesis about the irreversibility of these unremedied problems. Ukraine aims other Ukrainian political prisoners. and highly secretive, ruling by its Supreme its hold on the peninsula. The summit event to sharpen the focus of international atten- There was an especially cynical slant to Court in 2003 declaring Hizb ut-Tahrir a is set for August 23, back-to-back with (but tion to Russia’s occupation of the peninsula the events on February 17. The FSB has terrorist organization as the sole justifica- distinct from) the 30th anniversary of and broaden the scope of countermeasures presumably understood that terrorizing tion for charging men with involvement or Ukraine’s national independence on August to the occupation. Kyiv seeks international small children and imposing 15-20-year organizing a terrorist group and, even more 24, in Kyiv, in the presence of world leaders. support in order to: sustain the existing sentences against their fathers or grandfa- absurdly, planning to violently seize power. The United States government became Crimea-related sanctions and raise their thers for civic activism and kitchen conver- The searches took place simultaneously the first to endorse the Crimea Platform costs to Russia, with further sanctions for sations are not what most people view as in five different parts of Crimea, with two initiative and proselytize for it, without continuing unlawful actions; maintain ‘fighting terrorism.’ This time, they first cir- men even being told that they were consid- awaiting the outcome of the Joseph Biden intact Ukraine’s titles of sovereignty to the culated, via state-controlled media, false ered part of a group of civic activists whose administration’s Ukraine policy review. peninsula and the corresponding Ukrainian information about the supposed arrests in trial and monstrous sentences are current- Addressing the United Nations Security exclusive maritime economic zone; uphold Crimea and in Russia of Islamic radicals ly awaiting an appeal hearing. They were Council’s February 11 session, dedicated to freedom of international navigation in the from an organization called Takfir wal- also carried out with total disregard for Ukraine (see below), the U.S. mission’s Black Sea and Azov Sea; draw attention to Hijra, who were claimed to be “planning fundamental rights, such as the right to political coordinator, Rodney Hunter, stat- Russia’s militarization of Crimea; and sup- terrorist attacks in the North Caucuses.” have a lawyer present, with phones imme- ed, “We welcome Ukraine’s Crimea port the maintenance of threatened cultur- Russia has been using ‘terrorism’ charg- diately removed and lawyers prevented Platform initiative and hope that like-mind- al and religious identities of local es against devout, law-abiding Crimean from entering the premises. ed partners will consider joining it” Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. Tatar and other Ukrainian Muslims since The FSB investigator who took part in (Ukrinform, February 11). In his recent interview with the U.S.- 2015, both as a means of imprisoning civic the search of Mr. Fedorov’s home openly The U.N. Security Council’s session, based news outlet Axios, Ukrainian activists and journalists, and in an effort to said: “You have the right to a lawyer, but called at Russia’s request, marked the sixth President Zelenskyy stated, “I asked my demonize Crimean Tatars, the indigenous you now can’t phone them.” It is clear why anniversary of the signing of the Minsk partners and Russia: Name the platform people of Crimea, who in the main identify the FSB illegally bring the supposedly inde- Two “agreement,” an agenda that, by defini- where Crimea is on the agenda. Are you with Ukraine and oppose Russian occupa- pendent witnesses with them and ensure tion, excluded debating any Crimea-related saying that we should give up on Crimea? tion. The true nature of such ‘trials’ is that lawyers are not admitted. Having dis- issues. As president, I cannot afford this and do increasingly understood both in Crimea, covered that lawyers in occupied Crimea Seven years after Russia’s seizure of not want to and will never accept this” and by the international community, with are insisting upon properly defending all Crimea from Ukraine, no international (President.gov.ua, February 1). the men recognized as political prisoners. victims of such persecution, the FSB is forum is mandated to discuss this act of Mr. Zelenskyy had aired a preliminary There is nothing on the FSB press ser- increasingly resorting to planting literature state-on-state aggression, nor the current vice’s site to substantiate the claimed ‘oper- which is then treated as material evidence political and military situation on the pen- (Continued on page 12) ation’ shown by Crimea24 and RIA Novosti. of involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

The memoranda, which are not legally Rada resolution... binding, are in agriculture, clean energy, (Continued from page 1) and port logistics and blockchain technolo- gy. By April 2014, most of the Russia- Whereas Mr. Zelenskyy’s statement also orchestrated protests had either subsided included “contracts,” The Ukrainian Weekly or were quashed. Yet they ultimately culmi- could not verify on the UAE side among nated in the onset of the Donbas War, when reciprocal government and bilateral com- a Moscow-devised armed covert invasion pany statements or news releases that con- of the easternmost Luhansk and Donetsk tracts are part of the agreement. oblasts ensued in mid-April 2014. The day before the presidential trip to More than 14,000 people have been Abu Dhabi, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed and over 1 million internally dis- killed in a landmine explosion in the placed so far in the still simmering war, the Bakhmut district of government-controlled United Nations says, despite two interna- Donetsk Oblast on February 14. The presi- tionally brokered ceasefires that have dent instructed Defense Minister Andriy never taken hold. Taran and Ruslan Khomchack, the Armed Forces commander, to immediately investi- Zelenskyy signs $3 billion gate their deaths on the ground and report in memoranda with UAE by February 22. Earlier in the week, President Volody­ Two days later, the State Bureau of Presidential Office of Ukraine myr Zelenskyy went on an official visit to Investigation announced that it launched a the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where his probe into their deaths. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) speaks to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander delegation penned “a number of memoran- The president’s office noted that the of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces on February 15 in the U.A.E. da and contracts totaling $3 billion.” investigation is looking at three versions of Most of the deals were signed with the landmine explosion: careless handling 18-month loan program from the ing coronavirus cases in the city. Mubadala Investment Fund, the oil-rich of ammunition and explosive devices; a ter- Washington-based lender. It has already On February 16, Prime Minister Denys nation’s sovereign wealth fund, reported rorist attack by militants remotely detonat- received about $2 billion. Shmyhal said that the bed occupancy rate Ukraine Business News. ing a mine; and negligence of military per- “The country must show more progress in many of the region’s hospitals is at more “Ukraine has very promising potential sonnel when organizing the movement of on reforms to reach an agreement for a than 90 percent. for foreign investment, and the signing of the military during combat missions. new tranche,” Goesta Ljungman, IMF “The Ivano-Frankivsk region has one of memorandums with leading entities of IMF freezes Ukraine funding Resident Representative in Ukraine, said on the highest levels of morbidity per 100 Ukraine represents a commitment to February 13. thousand population and the second high- explore potential investments and areas of Meanwhile, the International Monetary He added that more needs to be done to est level in the number of occupied beds – cooperation on a case-by-case basis,” Faris Fund said it will not continue loaning legislatively restore anti-graft bodies, clean an average of 73 percent,” the prime minis- Al Mazrui, head of the fund’s investment money to Ukraine following its unusually up the judicial system and phase out price ter said. program for post-Soviet countries, told long remote review mission that lasted six control on natural gas. He noted that there are more “actively” WAM, the Emirates’ news agency. “We are weeks and ended on February 12. Additional funding of 600 million euros infected patients – 9,339 – “than in the city impressed by the quality and caliber of Kyiv has been awaiting the next $700 from the European Union and $750 million of Kyiv.” Ukrainian businesses,” Mr. Al Mazrui said. million installment of its $5.2 billion, from the World Bank is contingent upon A chief doctor of a children’s hospital in Kyiv following through on its IMF loan obli- the region told The Ukrainian Weekly that gations. the situation in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is Swedish economist and veteran IMF “serious.” watcher Anders Aslund, writing a blog for The doctor, who wished not to be named the Washington-based Atlantic Council, for fear of repercussions and for not having said that the IMF mission took so long authorization to speak to the media, said that because it had “hoped the Ukrainian gov- “extra beds are being deployed in other hos- ernment would realize it was on the wrong pitals [that are not for COVID-19 patients]. track, but it did not.” The doctor said they “have many chil- He furthermore laid blame on Mr. dren [and their numbers] are growing rap- Zelenskyy for not pushing through the need- idly.” ed reforms to unlock additional funding. Asked whether the rise in infections was “Alas, many are now coming to regard due to the influx of winter tourists like him [Mr. Zelenskyy] as more like a servant snowboarders and skiers, the doctor said, of oligarch interests,” Mr. Aslund wrote, “no.” The physician said, “it’s because how referring to the president’s Servant of the they celebrated Christmas [in January] … People party. this is called caroling and now many villag- es are sick.” COVID-19 spike in Ivano-Frankivsk Ukraine is supposed to receive more While Ukraine still hasn’t implemented than 100,000 vaccines this month to start Defense Ministry of Ukraine a COVID-19 vaccination program, Viktor vaccinating its front-line medical workers A Ukrainian sniper looks through the scope of his rifle in eastern Ukraine on Lyashko, the chief sanitary doctor, urgently and military personnel, but no date has February 10. visited Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast amid surg- been set for the start of the initiative.

currently in strong opposition to his mongering, and of carrying out subversive Fatherland, together with numerous inde- Ukraine’s... Servant of the People. And, given the presi- activities in the service of Moscow to desta- pendent deputies, joined together to reaf- (Continued from page 3) dent’s current offensive against the pro- bilize the situation in the country. firm certain vital principles – ones which Russian forces, any reconciliation with Nonetheless, on February 17 there was at could potentially unite them in the uncer- Mr. Zelenskyy, just over 20 percent for Mr. them seems out of the question. least one rare display of unity and common tain times ahead if the political will were to Poroshenko, around 18 percent for Mr. Mr. Zelenskyy’s latest and not unexpect- purpose within the Ukrainian Parliament. To be found. Boyko and 12 percent for Ms. Tymoshenko. ed blow has been aimed at pro-Kremlin mark the seventh anniversary of the Euro- In brief, the Ukrainian Parliament, But the situation is rather different and “blogger” Anatoliy Sharia. A dubious char- Maidan, the Ukrainian Parliament over- expressing its frustration that investiga- more alarming concerning the leading acter, who in the past was an addicted gam- whelmingly endorsed a decree highlighting tions into what occurred during the bloody political parties. The Servant of the People bler, and who shot a man in a McDonalds in the significance of the Revolution of days on Maidan seven years ago have still party is neck and neck with Mr. Poro­ Kyiv, he sought political asylum in the West Dignity. A large majority – 295 deputies of not yielded results, endorsed a political shenko’s European Solidarity with 23 per- and magically transformed himself into a the 361 who could have voted on the day – assessment of the historic events of that cent, and the Opposition Block – For Life is bigoted pro-Russian “blogger,” and even a supported the parliamentary resolution. time, concluding that the Revolution of at almost 21 percent. Then comes Ms. would-be politician. It also highlighted the real political battle Dignity was a key moment in the history of Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna at almost 14 Mr. Sharia operates from a lavish villa lines. The entire “Opposition Bloc – For Ukraine’s state-building. percent. No other party would currently near Barcelona yet has a considerable fol- Life” voted against or abstained, including For her part, Prosecutor General of cross the 5 percent of required votes to be lowing in Ukraine. He opposed Mr. those notorious political “fifth columnists,” Ukraine Iryna Venediktova blamed the represented in the Parliament. Poroshenko and has since become an Messrs. Medvechuk, Boyko, Vadim Rabino­ delay on objective factors related to on- If accurate, this represents a huge, creep- enemy of Mr. Zelenskyy. For Mr. Shariya, for vych, and Nestor Shufrich, while Maksym going judicial reform and said she expects ing change in Ukraine’s political landscape. example, the war with Russia in the Donbas Buzhansky, another self-styled blogger, that substantial progress will be made by If early elections were to be held soon, Mr. is, as per the Russian script, a “civil war,” embarrassed President Zelenskyy’s Servant the end of 2021. Zelenskyy’s party would no longer be a and western Ukrainians are for him third-, of the People party by being the only one This then is the situation as winter is majority party and would need to form a or even fourth-rate Ukrainians. from within it to also vote against. about to start switching to spring. But coalition with either Mr. Poroshen­ko’s or On February 16, the Security Service of On this occasion, Servant of the People, whether there will be a thaw in political Ms. Tymoshenko’s forces, both of which are Ukraine charged him with treason and hate European Solidarity, Voice, and even terms in Ukraine remains to be seen. No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 5

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Do you have a young UNA’er, or potential young UNA’er in your family? Call the UNA Home Office, Ana Bonneau, son of Melania Sztyk and Jimmy Mateo Bohdan Hrabec, son of Taras and Andrea 973-292-9800, Bonneau of South Venice, Fla., is a new member of Hrabec of Lynn, Mass., is a new member of UNA UNA Branch 465. She was enrolled by Oksana and Branch 42. He was enrolled by his grandmother Vera to find out how to enroll. George Sztyk. Hrabec. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

LENT PASTORAL The Ukrainian Weekly A nation-building moment Christ is in our midst! On February 17, the Ukrainian parliament passed a resolution calling the pro- democracy Euro-Maidan protests of 2013-2014 – known as the Revolution of He is and always will be! Dignity – a significant nation-building moment in the country’s history. Great Lent Pastoral of the Ukrainian the year progressed, the virus took from us “The Revolution of Dignity is one of the key moments of Ukrainian state-build- Catholic Hierarchy of the U.S.A. to the clergy, priests, religious and many parishioners – ing and an expression of the national idea of freedom,” reads a portion of the reso- hieromonks and brothers, religious sisters, our grandparents, parents, brothers, sis- lution, which was supported by 295 lawmakers in the Verkhovna Rada. Sadly, 17 seminarians, and beloved faithful. ters, children, relatives and friends. We members of parliament from the pro-Russian party Opposition Platform – For Life Glory to Jesus Christ! have been humbled. We are subdued. Some voted against the resolution. Dear brothers and sisters, of us still remain confused, lonely and Meanwhile, former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia A year ago, at the beginning of Great depressed. However, St. Paul encourages at the height of the protests in February 2014, has once again called the Lent, the world was hit by an unprecedent- us, telling us to “not grieve as others do Revolution of Dignity a “coup d’état.” In response to the Rada’s resolution, Mr. ed pandemic. Unprecedented not so much who have no hope” (1 Th 4:13). Yanukovych released a statement that was posted on Facebook by his lawyer, in ferocity or scope but in global conscious- Indeed, many of us were able to recog- Vitaliy Serdyuk, on February 18. ness: we became aware that we are in this nize authentic blessings, we experienced a “Today, the Verkhovna Rada has passed a resolution on the so-called together. In a stroke, the world was hum- renewed awareness of family, a peace that ‘Revolution of Dignity,’ in reality an armed coup d’état in 2014. This controversial bled. Our sense of control, modern techno- comes with authentic humility, a peace that move is once again splitting Ukrainian society, dividing it into winners and losers,” logical hubris, and the frivolous pursuit of comes with a wakefulness to God’s pres- Mr. Yanukovych said in the statement. pleasure had to take a back seat to the real- ence and guidance in the face of hardship. “The Maidan events are called ‘a milestone moment of building the Ukrainian ity and mystery of life and death. In our This past year we have seen some of the state, promoting the national idea of freedom,’” Mr. Yanukovych said. “Taking into Metropolia we experienced considerable best of humanity: heroic acts of authentic account the events of the last seven years in the history of Ukraine, such wording losses. Three weeks into the lockdown, solidarity, examples of inspiring mutual sounds like mockery,” the ex-president said, adding that the Maidan continues to during Holy Week, Metropolitan-emeritus split the country after seven years. Stephen Sulyk succumbed to COVID-19. As (Continued on page 15) Clearly, the Rada’s resolution struck a nerve with the disgraced former presi- dent, and we can assume by extension that Russian President Vladimir Putin is himself none too thrilled with the idea that parliament rightfully identified the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Revolution of Dignity as a nation-building moment in Ukrainian history. Such steps chip away at Mr. Putin’s goal of convincing people that they are first and fore- most part of a Ruski Mir (the Russian World) and not part of an independent, dem- Ukraine did not respond militarily ocratic Ukrainian state. Solicit community input because it simply didn’t have any military It is disappointing to learn that the effort to further honor those who died dur- readiness. It only had about five thousand ing the Revolution of Dignity with a memorial and museum complex in Kyiv has before suspending The Way battle ready troops. In the months follow- ing the Russia instigated and supported stalled. An investigation of the killing of protesters during the Revolution – includ- Dear Editor: ing those known as the Heavenly Hundred – is incomplete and the site of the military revolt in Donbas, Ukrainian civil future complex is part of the ongoing investigation. While we are well aware of In its January 30 statement, printed by society and the diaspora had to raise funds the challenges involved, completing both the investigation of the killings that The Weekly (February 12), the Chancery to buy basic necessities for Ukraine’s mili- Office of the Ukrainian Catholic occurred during Euro-Maidan as well as the memorial and museum complex is a tary. And, thousands of volunteers were Archeparchy of Philadelphia announced crucial step for Ukraine. needed to help defend Ukraine because its that The Way will suspend publication as Historical memory is a very powerful tool. It can help a country solidify its own military had been stripped of assets and an online biweekly newspaper, in part unique identity and national consciousness. While it is encouraging to hear that run into the ground. The U.S. didn’t do that, because “surveys [conducted as part of the Rada passed a resolution calling the Revolution of Dignity a significant nation- Ukraine’s previous presidents and other the Chancery Office’s reevaluation of all building moment, a physical museum and monument located in the heart of the officials had done that. existing communications operations] nation’s capital would be a far more powerful symbol. We believe that there is Furthermore, the attempt to tar a previ- have indicated that a vast majority of something we can all do to help. Our global Ukrainian diaspora and their various ous Democratic administration while Ukrainian Catholics within the representative organizations can help lobby the Ukrainian government on this remaining blissfully silent about the more Archeparchy do not access or utilize The issue, and call for both the completion of a thorough and conclusive investigation recent outrageous attempts by former Way in its present format and dissemina- into the killings that occurred during Euro-Maidan, as well as the building of a President Donald Trump to extort Ukraine, tion approach.” memorial and museum complex dedicated to the Revolution of Dignity. drag it into U.S. domestic squabbles and As subscribers to The Way, we had never then lie about it having been Ukraine, not been offered an opportunity to take part in Russia, that had intervened in the 2016 such surveys. We asked several fellow election is, shall we say, less than candid? Ukrainian Catholics within the During the last four years we have been Feb. Archeparchy, and no one had heard of the inundated by more than enough lies from Turning the pages back... surveys described in the announcement. Mr. Trump and his Republican enablers to Who were the respondents? When and last us a hundred years. Let’s not build Twenty-five years ago, on February 23, 1996, a rift between how were the surveys conducted? upon that woeful record. 23 the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of The prospective demise of yet another Constantinople came to a head with Ecumenical Patriarch Ukrainian diaspora newspaper, which has Bohdan Vitvitsky 1996 Bartholomew’s recognition of the Orthodox Church of Estonia as served as an important source of church- Summit, N.J. independent of Moscow, under the direct jurisdiction of the related news and information since 1939, Ecumenical Patriarchate. The battle for recognition for the is a cause for concern. It behooves the Orthodox Church of Estonia came to a close after almost four years of unsuccessful negoti- Archeparchy to make a serious effort to Guidelines for letters ations with Moscow. solicit input from the community before to the editor Patriarch Bartholomew announced on February 20, 1996, that the Ecumenical making a final decision about The Way. The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes let- Patriarchate was “following the persistent request of the Estonian government and the Respectfully, overwhelming majority of the Estonian Orthodox parishes, which requested they be ters to the editor that react to articles published on its pages. Opinions placed again under the aegis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” reactivating on February 22, Walter and Nila Iwaskiw Arlington, VA expressed by letter writers are their own 1996, the Church’s Tomos of Autocephaly of 1923, which had been issued by Ecumenical and do not necessarily reflect the opin- Patriarch Meletios IV. ions of either The Weekly editorial staff or A delegation representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate concelebrated divine liturgy its publisher, the Ukrainian National with Estonian clergy and in the presence of Archbishop John of Finland at the Church of Ukraine’s military capabilities Association. Our Lord in Tallinn on February 24, which officially marked the reactivation of the auto- Letters must be signed (anonymous cephaly of the Estonian Church. Archbishop John of Finland was named locum tenens of and Ukrainian American politics letters are not published) and the city the Autonomous Estonian Apostolic Church, and the Church is currently led by from which they are sent will be pub- Metropolitan Stephanos of Tallinn and all Estonia, who was elected in 1999. Dear Editor: lished under the author’s name. However, The Moscow Patriarchate, as a result of the February 1996 decision by Constantinople, It is one thing to state a fact, such as that the daytime phone number, e-mail address and complete mailing address of officially broke relations and omitted the name of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew former President Barack Obama agreed to the letter-writer must be given for verifi- from its list of recognized heads of Orthodox Churches (known as diptychs) that are read provide Ukraine with non-lethal military during divine liturgy, commemorating the heads of the Churches. Patriarch Filaret cation purposes. aid but not lethal aid, or to state an opinion, The length of letters cannot (Denysenko) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) told report- such as that this decision about lethal aid ers in Kyiv that the Estonian Orthodox Church was forcibly under the control of the exceed 250 words. Letters may be edited was a mistake, a criticism I share. It is quite or abridged. The Weekly reserves the right Moscow Patriarchate since 1940, when Estonia was subjugated by the Soviet Union. another to spout nonsense about why Patriarch Filaret said on March 5, 1996, that the move by Constantinople may mark the to edit for clarity, civility and accuracy. Ukraine didn’t respond militarily upon beginning of the end of the Russian Orthodox Church’s “spiritual empire,” and could speed Letters should be sent to staff@ Russia’s occupation of Crimea, as Messrs. efforts for recognition of an independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). ukrweekly.com or to The Ukrainian Mirchuk and Martyniuk have done in The Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, (Continued on page 11) Weekly. Parsippany, NJ 07054. No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 7

COMMENTARY FROM FAR The heavenly hundred – the spirit AND WIDE that continues to motivate and drive by Marco Levytsky by Stefan Romaniw in news conferences, having international community leaders send messages and Biden’s early executive orders I remember like yesterday being in Kyiv seeing international flags fly in the crowd. on the evening of November 21, 2013, for Yes, we were one in fighting for values, the Holodomor Commemoration. It was principles, national rights, human rights cause concern for Canadians around 10 p.m. and I was walking with the and the right to create a better tomorrow. There is no doubt that Joe Biden’s victo- the kettle black. Or even worse. Australian delegation through Maidan. Then people in Dnipropetrovsk, ry over Donald Trump in November’s pres- Canadian oil sands producers have been On this cold night, Kyiv officials arrived Luhansk, Donetsk, Ternopil, Frankivsk, Lviv, idential election was welcomed by the vast working hard to correct environmental on the Maidan to erect the public Christmas Poltava, Sumy, and the list goes on, held majority of Canadians. After all, in a poll issues. Between 2011 and 2018, carbon tree, which eventually became known as the their own demonstrations in their cities. held during the last month of the cam- emissions from the oil sands have declined Yolka. The tree was decorated with the flags They were also well represented on the paign in which Canadians were hypotheti- by 22 percent. What’s more, the of the world to symbolize that all parts of Maidan. cally asked how they would vote, 84 per- Government of Alberta has committed Ukraine and the international community Community leaders and politicians from cent of decided respondents picked Mr. $1.24 billion through 2025 to two com- would not allow former President Viktor other countries also offered support. Biden. But two executive orders Mr. Biden mercial-scale carbon capture and storage Yanukovych to abuse the nation any further. I remember also on November 29 seeing signed right after his inauguration have projects. These will help reduce the carbon A small group of demonstrators was several DC-plated cars arrive at St. caused considerable concern. emissions from the oil sands by the yearly erecting a stand and a public address sys- Michael’s Square outside the cathedral. One of these is the “Buy American” poli- emissions of 600,000 vehicles. tem was being installed in response to the Those who know the site will recall that cy setting up rules for U.S. government The United States, on the other hand, chains separate St. Michael’s Square from news that Mr. Yanukovych had reneged on spending, which added a caveat that excep- has become the world’s largest producer the street. The diplomats came to “support” Ukraine going to Europe. This started the tions to those rules will be allowed only of oil and gas through a much more envi- the movement, but they said they would “Ukraina tse Evropa” (Ukraine is Europe) under “very limited circumstances.” The ronmentally harmful extraction process chants! remain on the street side of the chains. “If we step over to the other side, we will be objective is to ensure that American manu- called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for By morning, the crowds began to form. facturers, workers and suppliers are the short. In fact, fracked oil has increased The feelings of distrust, being lied to and deemed protesters,” the diplomats said. I recall the street rallies – many hun- primary beneficiaries of U.S. government from two percent of total U.S. oil produc- anger about staying with Russia were fes- largesse, including an estimated $600 bil- tion in 2000 to over 50 percent in 2019. tering strongly. dreds of thousands of people started at lion a year in procurement contracts. Fracking involves injection of a fluid at The days went on. A tent city was form- Taras Shevchenko National University and Manufacturers and exporters in Canada high pressure into an underground rock ing. The crowd grew angrier. The huge marched to Maidan. I remember Patriarch supply a vast range of equipment to public formation in order to open fissures and demonstrations began. The Maidan was Lubomyr Husar in an open vehicle speak- works projects in the U.S. from school build- allow trapped gas or crude oil to flow filling up with people. Stages were being ing to the crowd. ings to wastewater treatment facilities. through a pipe to a wellhead at the surface. built, and there were speeches and rallies. And the diaspora did its part. Having an Where a lot of the difficulties are likely What makes it most harmful is that this Then at 3:20 a.m. on November 29, 2013, organised diaspora behind it, the Ukrainian those moving the stage from European World Congress called on its members to to emerge is in determining what percent- process consumes large quantities of fresh Square were beaten by government officials visit politicians and government represen- age of the goods must be produced in the water which returns in a highly polluted to send a message. Boy did that backfire. tatives in many countries to advocate that United States to constitute an “American” state. Recovered fracturing fluid contains The students and protesters sought refuge they show their support for Ukraine. This product. Supply chains are very closely not only the original additives (some of inside St. Michael’s Cathedral. resulted in governments in foreign coun- integrated between our two countries, which are carcinogenic if consumed in tries condemning the Yanukovych regime That morning we gathered to check on with Canada supplying many of the parts raised quantities over time) but also salty and its behaviour. the students, but it also marked the start of which end up in products manufactured in subsurface brines as well as minerals “We stand with the people of Ukraine,” a new phase. We had but a few people. We the U. S. and vice versa. Too stringent a def- brought up from the formation that may was the central message. made speeches. We chanted “Kyiv Vstavay” inition could negatively impact manufac- include toxic elements such as barium and Over the course of the revolution, politi- (Kyiv awaken). By lunchtime Kyiv was grid- turing on both sides of the border. radium. Fracking can also cause earth- cians took to the stage, but slowly realized locked. During a January 23 phone call, both Mr. quakes. this was a civil revolution – a people’s The Ukrainian nation no longer focused Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin In addition to calling for the cancella- movement. Civil society took charge. on just being European, but on the fact that Trudeau agreed to continue discussing tion of the Keystone project, the left wing Then came the titushky, the brutes who Mr. Yanukovych and his regime had violat- Canada’s concerns on that issue. But that of the Democratic Party also urged a looked to intimidate people. ed basic rights. was not the case with Mr. Biden’s executive national ban on fracking. At least they’ve They set themselves up at Mariinsky order rescinding the permit for the been consistent. Mr. Biden, on the other On December 1, 2013, the hundreds of Park and formed a pro-Yanukovych camp Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have hand, took the position that the United thousands of demonstrators in Kyiv, and in funded by the Party of Regions and their carried 830,000 barrels per day (bpd) States should gradually move away from other parts of Ukraine, made their feelings supporters. and anger felt. The revolution had started. I would go for a morning run through from Hardisty, Alberta, to Nebraska, then fossil fuels but continue fracking as a I recall the tractor episode that after- the Kyiv side streets and head towards the on to refineries in Texas. On that one, how- “transition.” It should be pointed out that noon on Bankivska Street, the tear gas, the camp. Dressed in all black, playing the role ever, Mr. Biden stood firm, even though it fracking is a major industry in Mr. Biden’s toing and froing of being chased by the of a tourist from Australia – wanting intel – would have created thousands of jobs on birth state of Pennsylvania, which also was Berkut, and the horrible vision of the beat- I’d engage them. “Hi, I am from Australia. both sides of the border. one of the key battleground states Mr. ings on the street near the Writers’ build- What’s happening?” I’d ask. And then the Mr. Biden’s decision was based on an Biden had to carry in order to win the elec- ing. This was going to be no ordinary show propaganda would start. election promise he made to reinstate tion. So, political expediency has taken of strength. The days went by and the I would go there most mornings and President Barak Obama’s cancellation of over environmental concerns in this par- weather was getting colder, but the temper- have breakfast with a group that I got to the project, which was overturned by ticular case. ature on Maidan was rising. know. I was keen to get into their psyche. President Donald Trump. It was also Regardless of the motivation, the deci- I remember being asked to take part in “Why are you are supporting a corrupt pro- intended to mollify the left wing of the sion has been made and Canadians have to the negotiation with members of the presi- Russian regime?” I’d ask. The answers were Democratic Party which considers Alberta live with it. Nevertheless, the Biden dential administration. We met with then varied. “This is a Western plot to over- oil sands to be “dirty oil,” causing environ- Administration has to take Canadian con- Head of the Administration Andriy Kluyev throw Mr. Yanukovych and control Ukraine. ment damage through carbon emissions. cerns very seriously as the economies of and we demanded: “You need to stop – this The organizers are nationalists. They are But for Americans to call Canadian oil both countries are very closely inter- is not going to end well. Had you not beaten fascists who have no respect for law and “dirty” is a classic case of the pot calling twined. While protectionism may be a pol- the students on November 29, 2013, this order. We want to stay with Russia.” Those icy that’s politically popular among some may well have finished.” His lame response: were some of the responses. Marco Levytsky may be contacted at segments of the U.S. population, it is also “It wasn’t me!” Others said: “Don’t know. They are pay- [email protected]. fraught with economic pitfalls. The situation had hit the point of no ing us to stand with flags. Haven’t seen return – “Banda Het! Banda Het” (gang, go Kyiv for a while, great opportunity!” away) was the chant. Then came the days of escalation in The German readout, however, omitted this Over the Christmas period the protest- February, and the shootings! matter entirely (President.gov.ua, ers lit open fires to stay warm. I remember I remember the wounded being moved Does the Normandy... the burning tires, the smell of smoke, cook- to City Hall and other makeshift hospitals, (Continued from page 2) Bundeskanzlerin.de, January 15). The ing in pots, people being strong, carolling and I remember the beaten-up people, and French ambassador in Kyiv, Etienne de and the stages having programs constantly. then the corpses. As president, I cannot afford this and do Poncins, has stated that more information The coordination of the tent city was The Heavenly Hundred were killed. not want to and will never accept this” is needed about the actual purposes of such amazing. Their bodies were on the ground. Then (President.gov.ua, February 1). The a platform (Interfax, February 1). I had the opportunity to join regular they were moved. Remembrance services Normandy powers Germany and France meetings with the leadership of the Maidan were held the next day. The Ukrainian are not embracing the idea. Mr. Zelenskyy The article above is reprinted from in the Trade Unions building, providing a nation mourned, but it was also the start of raised this issue in his latest telephone con- Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from diaspora perspective, reassuring them that versation with German Chancellor Angela its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, the diaspora was with them, participating (Continued on page 12) Merkel, according to the Ukrainian readout. www.jamestown.org. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

Metropolitan Epifaniy celebrates second anniversary of enthronement PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Metropolitan Epifaniy, primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), celebrated the second anniversary of his enthronement on February 3 with a divine liturgy celebrated at St. Michael the Golden Domed Cathedral in Kyiv. The metropolitan’s enthronement was initially held on February 3, 2019, with hierarchs from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada concelebrating. Since being presented the Tomos of Autocephaly by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on January 6, 2019, four independent churches have officially recognized the OCU, including the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Church of Greece, the Church of Cyprus and the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The OCU, in a statement on the enthronement anniver- sary, wrote: “Despite the fact that not much time has passed, much has already been done to establish Ukrainian Orthodoxy. From east to west, from north to south, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is open to all. It has been rec- ognized by local Churches – Sister Churches – and support- ed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate: that is the Mother Church. However, the most important achievement we have made is the unity and integrity of our spiritual family.” Metropolitan Symeon (Shostatsky) of Vinnytsia and Bar, in his official greeting on behalf of the Holy Synod of the OCU, its clergy and faithful, noted the first two years of the OCU under Metropolitan Epifaniy, the threats to the Church posed by the coronavirus and from external elements who refuse to accept the independence and equal standing of the OCU among world Orthodoxy. The prime hierarch, he Pomisna.info added, has shown spiritual wisdom and discernment, and Metropolitan Epifaniy, joined by hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine at St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, has demonstrated the best of his archpastoral strength. celebrates the second anniversary of his enthronement as head of the OCU. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, including the OCU’s contributions to humanitarian aid and support of to bless you with strength of health and many years, Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy, journalists, clergy and social services, the OCU has shown growth with the renew- bestowing upon you spiritual strength and renewed dili- faithful. He also met privately with former President of al of previous churches and the building of new ones. gence in service to Him and His Holy Church. May God’s Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and National Deputy Rostyslav Metropolitan Symeon stated: “…We are thankful to God assistance always be with you in Your Beatitude’s service. Pavlenko and separately with Prime Minister Denys for all this, today, when a new page of your earthly life, and Many and blessed years to you, Blessed Master.” Shmyhal and Andriy Yurash, director of the Department for on the anniversary of your enthronement at the ancient The metropolitan met with government representatives, Religious Affairs and Nationalities at the Ministry of altar of the Metropolitans of Kyiv, we raise our dedicated community and political activists, as well as representa- Culture of Ukraine. prayers for Your Beatitude and ask that the Lord continues tives of the Holy Synod of the OCU, faculty members of the Sources: Pomisna.info and OrthodoxTimes.com No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 9

Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukrainian Station... Ukraine Melinda Simmons noted that she (Continued from page 1) was delighted to represent her country at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the British Faraday station’s transfer to an official reception to mark the anniversa- Ukraine. ry. “This decision symbolizes our real sup- “I believe that the history of Vernadsky, port of scientists of already independent the history of ‘Ukrainian Antarctica’ will be Ukraine. However, we know that Ukrainian continued and will be successful,” said Mr. scientists worked in Antarctica long before Zelenskyy, who also presented state awards that as part of Soviet missions. Therefore, to the polar scientists. we are glad that Britain has played a role in Director of the National Antarctic returning Ukraine to the group of countries Research Center of Ukraine Yevhen Dykyy studying this continent. Antarctica is of thanked the president for his assurances of great importance to the planet. All coun- further support from the state for its most tries must strongly counteract global remote outpost on the planet, located warming to protect and preserve it for 15,000 kilometers (9320 miles) from home. future generations. Taking this opportunity, After the collapse of the Soviet Union, I congratulate all of us, especially Ukrainian Ukraine declared its desire to receive one of polar explorers, on this milestone,” Ms. the 12 Soviet stations, which hugely con- Simmons said. tributed to Antarctica’s development. The Ukrainian National Antarctic However, Russia, which declared itself the Research Center opened several exhibitions successor to the Soviet Union, refused and to mark the anniversary. One of these is kept all of the bases it inherited after the Window to Antarctica and is housed in the fall of the Soviet Union, even though in National Museum of History of Ukraine. 1992-1993 the Russian Federation The first flag, which was lifted at the sta- announced its intention to close five Soviet tion, is on display along with other artifacts Antarctic stations. from the first Ukrainian Antarctic expedi- In the 1990s, the United Kingdom built a tions, including scientific and household new station 191 miles south of Faraday appliances. Antarctic base, so they decided not to keep UkrPoshta (the national Ukrainian post- National Antarctic Research Center two in the same region. Dismantling the al service) issued a specially designed enve- The Ukrainian flag replaces the flag of the United Kingdom at the Antarctic base on station, as required by the Antarctic Treaty, lope and stamp. The stamps depict the sta- February 6, 1996. was much more expensive than selling or tion and are printed with the inscription gifting it to another nation. “Vernadsky” along with palm trees and the (image on the main page of the search ser- to make a video together. Now everyone The U.K. chose Ukraine primarily victory sign. vice) to the Ukrainian Antarctic station on can see these stunning landscapes, our because the young, independent nation had “Ukraine celebrates 25 years of receiving the occasion of its 25th anniversary. The polar explorers and the station accompa- a developed post-USSR scientific base and the Antarctic station, and UkrPoshta cele- search service’s team created a colorful ani- nied by a very thematic song,” Mr. Pochtar scientists capable of continuing the British brates 25 years of having the most remote mated doodle, which depicts an Antarctic said. research at Faraday, which included hydro- post office on the coldest continent. And for station with a Ukrainian flag with penguins “We are grateful to Postman for such a meteorological observations, geophysical the fourth time, the Vernadsky Station will next to it. creative collaboration, a great music video, research, ozone layer studies, magnetism, be depicted on Ukrainian philatelic prod- Ukrainian singer Postman (real name and a touching song. It is a wonderful gift etc. According to the memorandum on the ucts. We present an envelope dedicated to Konstyantyn Pochtar) released the song for the 25th anniversary of the station,” said station’s transfer, the Ukrainian side under- this important state and scientific date,” Antarctica dedicated to the Ukrainian Mr. Dykyy, the director of the National took the transfer of data on these research said General Director of UkrPoshta Ihor research base. This is a joint project of the Antarctic Research Center. areas to the British Antarctic Service within Smilyansky. musician with the National Antarctic On February 6, for the first time in histo- ten years. The station has a special branch of Research Center. The music video for the ry, Ukraine’s president had a live conversa- “With the transmittal of a brief, formal UkrPoshta, from where you can send a song is created from videos taken by tion with polar explorers working at letter of acceptance to the United Kingdom, postcard to any corner of the world. “It is Ukrainian polar explorers during expedi- Vernadsky research base. Ukraine officially renewed its long-standing quite popular among tourists who before tions. “Thank you for doing a great job and for tradition of Antarctic research,” The the pandemic constantly visited our station Mr. Pochtar noted that “Antarctica is a making a Ukrainian contribution to world Ukrainian Weekly reported on December – up to 5,000 people in a few months of song about isolation, written during the history. I want to congratulate you on the 25, 1994. The following year Ukrainians Antarctic summer. We hope that the COVID- first lockdown. I have been following the great anniversary – the 25th anniversary of were preparing to set foot in their new sta- 19 crisis will soon pass, and letters in new Vernadsky Station’s activities for a long the Ukrainian station’s founding. It is a tion. The first expedition was partly funded envelopes with exclusive stamps will be time, and I am pleased with the news from great honor for me to talk to you live. You from the state budget and partly by the sent to dozens of countries,” said Yevhen there. I want more people to learn about its do a lot of daily work to develop science. International Renaissance Foundation with Dykyi, director of the National Antarctic existence both in Ukraine and abroad. And we, for our part, want and will support significant involvement of prominent Research Center. When I wrote the song, I sent it in a mes- each of you,” Mr. Zelenskyy said in a video Ukrainian economist Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, Vernadsky Station even received atten- sage to the National Academy of Sciences. call. who was then the head of the foundation. tion from Google, which dedicated a doodle The polar explorers liked it, and we agreed Twenty-five years ago, the only way to communicate with Ukraine was via satellite communication. Polar explorers had a chance to talk with their families only once a month and only for five minutes because the cost of such communication was very high. One minute of a call cost $12, while the average salary in Ukraine at the time was $10 per month. “Here, in Antarctica, we see global warming with our own eyes. It is happen- ing very fast here,” said Chief of the 25th Ukrainian Antarctic expedition Yuri Otruba. “Also, here, at the Vernadsky Research Base, a dangerous phenomenon known as the hole in the ozone was detected. Here, we are the first in the world to measure the recovery of the ozone layer. From Antarctica, it is seen that our planet is small, in fact. Despite all disputes, humanity must overcome common challenges, such as climate change and pandemic, jointly. We are thrilled that due to the Vernadsky Station, we, Ukrainians, are directly Anna Soina, member of Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition, courtesy of the National Antarctic Research Center involved in such global efforts of humanity The Academician Volodymyr Vernadsky Station located in the Antarctic. to help save our planet,” Mr. Otruba said.

l www.unainc.org Check out the websites of the UNA and its newspapers! l www.ukrweekly.com l www.svoboda-news.com 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

where nationalist politicians from the rul- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Ukrainian Service) NEWSBRIEFS ing right-wing PiS party have criticized North Macedonia and Russia, the report Russia sanctions nine Ukrainian companies (Continued from page 2) “LGBT ideology” during election cam- said. In Belarus and Ukraine, some reli- paigns. It also singled out Hungary, where gious leaders have blamed LGBT people for Russia has slapped economic sanctions European politicians and has warned about transgender people last year were banned the coronavirus pandemic. Hate speech on on nine Ukrainian firms, the latest in a list a backlash against the rights of lesbian, gay, from legally changing gender. The situation social media has grown in Montenegro, of businesses that it has targeted with such bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people for LGBT people in Bulgaria and Romania Russia, and Turkey, in traditional media in penalties. The companies targeted by “spe- across the continent. The International could worsen this year, while in Turkey, rul- Ukraine, and is an ongoing issue in Georgia, cial economic measures” under the new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex ing-party politicians have repeatedly North Macedonia and Romania, the group Russian decree, which was published late Association said in its annual report pub- attacked LGBT people, Evelyne Paradis, the said. “There’s growing hate speech specifi- on February 12, include Ukrainian vessel lished on February 16 that politicians in 17 association’s executive director, warned. cally targeting trans people and that is builder Craneship, towage firm Donmar, countries in Europe and Central Asia have The trend of politicians verbally attacking being reported more and more across the cargo operator Transship, and metal pro- verbally attacked LGBT people over the LGBT people has also been on the rise in region. ... We have grave concerns that it’s ducer Maxima Metal. The decree did not past year. The report highlighted Poland, countries such as Albania, Azerbaijan, going to get worse before it gets better,” Ms. say why the companies had been targeted. Paradis said. The group said the pandemic The latest move brings the number of has caused difficulties for some young Ukrainian companies sanctioned by Russia LGBT people at home with homophobic to 84. Relations between Ukraine and families during lockdowns and given open- Russia deteriorated in 2014 after Moscow ings to politicians who attack gay and trans annexed the Crimean Peninsula and began people as a way to shift attention from eco- TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL Walter Honcharyk (973) 292-9800 x3040 supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine. or e-mail [email protected] nomic problems. “LGBT communities are The conflict, now in its seventh year, has amongst the groups that get scapegoated in killed more than 13,200 people. Russia particular,” said Ms. Paradis. (RFE/RL, with denies Kyiv’s accusations that its military SERVICES PROFESSIONALS reporting by Reuters) has been involved in the conflict. The West Man accused of leading sabotage group detained has slapped a range of sanctions since then ОКСАНА СТАНЬКО on Russia, which has retaliated with its Ліцензований продавець Ukraine’s Security Service said its agents own measures. There was no immediate Страхування Життя have detained a man alleged to be the lead- response from Ukraine to the move. In a OKSANA STANKO er of an intelligence group of Russia-backed sign of further strains in Moscow’s ties to Licensed Life Insurance Agent separatists in eastern Ukraine. In a Ukrainian National Assn., Inc. the West, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister February 16 statement, the security ser- Sergei Lavrov said on February 12 that it Tel.: 908-872-2192 vice, known as the SBU, did not identify the was ready to sever ties with the European man, saying he was from Luhansk, which is email: [email protected] Union if the bloc hit it with painful econom- part of the territories in eastern Ukraine ic sanctions. (RFE/RL, based on reporting controlled by Russia. The service also said by Reuters and dpa) he had taken part in the seizure of the SBU МАРІЯ ДРИЧ headquarters in Luhansk in 2014 as con- More progress needed for new tranche Ліцензований Продавець SERVICES flict erupted in eastern Ukraine, and that he Страхування Життя The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was a commander of the intelligence and says Ukraine must show more progress on МАRІA DRICH sabotage unit who participated in opera- Licensed Life Insurance Agent reforms to reach an agreement for a new Ukrainian National Assn., Inc. tions against the Ukrainian armed forces. The man was detained in Odesa, about 900 tranche under a $5 billion program with 2200 Route 10, Parsippany, NJ 07054 kilometers southwest of Luhansk, and he the international lender. The statement by Tel.: 973-292-9800 ext. 3035 traveled to the Black Sea port “with an the IMF representative in Kyiv on February e-mail: [email protected] intention to carry out intelligence activities 13 came after the fund’s mission held talks related to Ukraine’s military objects,” the with Ukraine. “Discussions will continue,” Goesta Ljungman said in a statement, add- OPPORTUNITIES statement said. No further details were given and there was no independent confir- ing that the talks were productive. The mation of the arrest. Since erupting in April talks centered on strengthening gover- Earn extra income! 2014, fighting between Ukrainian govern- nance of the National Bank, improvements ment forces and the Moscow-backed sepa- to the legislative and regulatory framework The Ukrainian Weekly is looking ratists holding parts of the Luhansk and for bank supervision and resolution, poli- for advertising sales agents. Donetsk regions has killed more than cies to reduce the medium-term fiscal defi- For additional information contact 13,200 people. Weeks before fighting broke cit, legislation restoring and strengthening Walter Honcharyk, Advertising Manager, the anti-corruption framework and the The Ukrainian Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext 3040. out, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula after staging a referendum that judiciary, as well as on energy policy, Mr. was deemed illegitimate by more than 100 Ljungman said. Ukraine expects to receive countries. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service) $2.2 billion in three equal tranches from the IMF in 2021, National Bank Governor Three soldiers killed in blast in east Kyrylo Shevchenko told Reuters. The IMF 1152 Route 10 West, Suite N, Randolph, NJ 07869 in June approved the $5 billion loan pro- Ukraine’s army says three of its soldiers gram and disbursed the first tranche of 862-219-5344 have been killed by an explosive device in $2.1 billion to help the pandemic-hit eastern Ukraine, bringing to five the num- Ukrainian economy. However, further loans ber of troops killed in the region during the have been put on hold due to the slow pace past week, the latest casualties of a six-year of reforms in Ukraine. The IMF also voiced conflict with Russia-backed separatists. concern over the government’s decision The three service personnel died on last month to regulate household gas pric- February 14 when an unknown device es. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by exploded while they were on their way to Reuters) take positions near the town of Novoluhanske in the region of Donetsk, EU, WHO announce vaccine program according to the army. The office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is on The World Health Organization (WHO) an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union are launching a 40 KULINSKI MEMORIALS million euro ($48.5 million) regional pro- 809 SOUTH MAIN STREET • MANVILLE, NJ 08835 said he had sent the country’s defense min- ister and its chief of staff to eastern Ukraine gram to help six Eastern European coun- Tel. 800-458-5467 • 908-722-3130 • Fax 908-253-0027 to investigate the incident. “An immediate tries with COVID-19 vaccinations. The pro- [email protected] • KulinskiMemorials.com investigation is needed so that similar trag- gram will involve Armenia, Azerbaijan, edies do not repeat in the future. I am wait- Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, the • Serving Ukrainian families for over 60 years ing for their report on the circumstances EU and UN health agency said on February • Over 40 granite colors to choose from immediately after my return” to Ukraine on 11. “By strengthening preparedness and • Custom etchings February 15, a statement quoted Mr. readiness of the countries for vaccinations, • House appointments available Zelenskyy as saying. The deaths come three this program will prepare the countries for • Serving the tri-state area days after two government soldiers were the effective receipt and administering of • 5 minutes from St. Andrew Ukrainian Cemetery killed in combat in the Donetsk region, vaccines, including those from COVAX and in South Bound Brook, NJ despite a cease-fire that has been in place through vaccine-sharing mechanisms with since last summer. Fighting between EU member states,” the European Ukrainian government forces and the sepa- Commission said. COVAX is a global initia- Run your advertisement here, ratists holding parts of the Donetsk and tive aimed at providing shots to poorer in The Ukrainian Weekly’s CLASSIFIEDS section. Luhansk regions has killed more than 13,200 people since April 2014. (RFE/RL’s (Continued on page 11) No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 11

Threatening... (Continued from page 1) Ukrainian National Museum Two days earlier, Kyiv-based Anticorrup­ in Chicago announces re-opening tion Action Network head Vitaliy Shabunin said that, if passed, the draft laws “call into Ukrainian National Museum tions, even hosting an online banquet. question the legitimacy of any decisions of The annual newsletter also commemo- the bureau’s management.” CHICAGO – The Ukrainian National rated the losses suffered during the past On Facebook, Justice Minister Denys Museum in Chicago announced on February year with the deaths of major UNM contrib- Malyuska said that, after discussing with 12 its plan to re-open beginning on March 4. utors and supporters, including Jaroslaw J. the International Monetary Fund (IMF) an Visitors are recommended to schedule a res- Hankewych, UNM architect Joseph I. Mycyk, earlier version of the bill, which would’ve ervation by contacting the museum via Dr. George Sas-Podlusky, Jaroslaw Samycia, preserved the current NABU head’s post, e-mail, admin@ukrainiannationalmuseum. among others. he didn’t find the requisite support in org, or telephone, 312-421-8020. The UNM also thanked the foundations, Parliament. Lydia Tkaczuk, president of the grantors, donors, friends, volunteers, Kyiv-based Dragon Capital noted in a Ukrainian National Museum, noted in the employees, board members and officers for daily message to investors that some of Mr. museum’s 2020 newsletter how the UNM their continued support, and the museum was closed to the public for seven months, reminded readers to continue to support Sytnyk’s latest investigations at the bureau National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine include a probe “into alleged embezzle- which forced the cancellation of exhibits, the museum by donating, not only mone- ment of funds for COVID-19 vaccine pro- Artem Sytnyk workshops, book presentations and other tarily, but with family history artifacts, curements [by the Ministry of Health] and Artem Sytnyk’s performance, passing indi- events, including the favored folktale diora- which document the collective Ukrainian its earlier investigation against one of [Mr.] vidual laws trying to solve problems with ma. The work of the museum has contin- story in the United States. Zelenskyy’s deputy chiefs of staff [Oleh some individuals is not good in the long ued during the closure with online tours For additional information, readers can Tatarov].” term,” wrote Kyiv-based Concorde Capital and museum experiences, continuing its visit the Ukrainian National Museum’s Backsliding on graft-fighting efforts was in a note to investors. “In the short term, 68-year history of celebrating and preserv- website, www.ukrainiannationalmuseum. a key reason for the IMF this week to keep fighting to keep NABU director in office or ing Ukrainian history, art, culture and tradi- org. a freeze on further lending to Ukraine, oust him can lead to delays in reaching the which is still pursuing about $700 million deal with the IMF and even spoil Ukraine’s as part of an 18-month, $5 billion loan to relationships with its key Western partners was temporary between Moscow and stay afloat without damaging macroeco- backing [Mr.] Sytnyk.” Turning... Constantinople, and hinted that a solution nomic performance. NABU said it is not giving up “hope for (Continued from page 6) could be found. Some observers said the In a resolution on the far-reaching politi- readiness for a constructive discussion, rift could become one of the biggest cal and economic agreement between the already in the Verkhovna Rada, and the Experts noted that the major hurdle for breaks in the Christian world since the EU and Ukraine on February 11, the adoption of a balanced decision in favor of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church to be recog- Great Schism of 1054, which Moscow has European Parliament specifically noted society.” nized as autocephalous by Patriarch reiterated since 2018-2019 with the for- mation of the OCU through the 2018 that it has so far been “pleased with the The bureau started full-fledged opera- Bartholomew was the unification of Unification Council and recognition of the work of the NABU.” tion with 70 detectives on August 25, 2015, Ukraine’s fractured Orthodox Churches: the OCU by the Ecumenical Patriarchate with However, the same document voiced after a competitive hiring process. Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church the granting of the Tomos of Autocephaly “regrets” over “attempts to attack and Accountability is ensured through a civil (UAOC), the UOC-KP and the Ukrainian in 2019. undermine anti-corruption institutions by oversight council of 15 members that Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). That process was initiated in Just as with Ukraine with two co-exist- members of the Verkhovna Rada, in partic- include civil society activists that are elect- October 1993, when Ukraine’s government ing Orthodox Church structures (OCU and ular attempts to dismiss the Director of ed yearly online. officials lobbied the Patriarchate of UOC-MP), Estonia has two parallel NABU. …” Aside from the bureau’s deputy direc- Constantinople for official recognition. Orthodox Church jurisdictions: the According to NABU, three main capabili- tors, all the employees of NABU are The point of contention, observers Estonian Orthodox Church – Moscow ties of the bureau will be either weakened appointed for positions based on a compet- or removed should the bill pass. noted, was getting the leaders of the UOC- Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church of itive hiring process whose merit-based cre- Estonia. Moscow maintains to this day its Combined, they would conclusively MP and the UOC-KP to unite. Religious dentials are now in danger, according to the position that the issues between Moscow, allow Mr. Zelenskyy an opportunity to experts in Ukraine also suggested that agency. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was Tallinn and Constantinople have not been appoint the next NABU chief by enabling Dating to March 31, 2019, the bureau hesitant to recognize a united Orthodox resolved. Archbishop Job (Getcha) of the government to stack the hiring com- complained of its investigated cases not Church of Ukraine in order not to offend Telmessos, hierarch of the Ecumenical mission and external body that is supposed moving forward to prosecution in the Moscow Patriarch Alexey II. If Metropolitan Patriarchate who is of Ukrainian descent, to independently audit the performance of courts, citing 47 out of 192 cases that were Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the UOC-MP was rejected the idea that there could be two the bureau on a yearly basis with people completed in the pre-trial stage and for to break ties with Patriarch Alexey and the jurisdictions over Ukraine the way there loyal to him. which the Special Anti-Corruption Moscow Patriarchate, it would truly mark are two jurisdictions in Estonia, stating that Former President Petro Poroshenko had Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) had sent indict- the end of the imperialist Moscow canonically there could be only one church appointed Mr. Sytnyk in May 2015 follow- ments. Patriarchate and was believed would initi- on the territory of Ukraine and that there- ing a competitive hiring process among In late December, the Prosecutor ate a schism in relations between the patri- fore an exarchate of the Russian Orthodox 186 candidates to head the newly-created General’s Office, which has oversight over archates of Constantinople and Moscow. Church in Ukraine was “simply uncanoni- law enforcement body as part of a package all criminal cases, took away the criminal Patriarch Filaret noted that Moscow’s cal” and that in Ukraine “there can be no of requirements set by the International case of presidential office deputy head Oleh actions were not isolated to Estonia, but repetition of Estonia’s scenario.” Monetary Fund and European Commission Tatarov from NABU and transferred it to splits among Orthodox believers were for Ukraine to receive eased visa travel the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). fomented by Moscow in Latvia and in Source: “Rift between Constantinople and restrictions to the European Union. Mr. Tatarov denies wrongdoing and is Ukraine, as well. Moscow may have grave repercussions in “Whatever the West, the IMF or the suspected of bribery in a large-scale prop- Patriarch Alexey told ITAR-TASS news Ukraine,” by Marta Kolomayets, The Minister of Justice of Ukraine think about erty development scheme. agency on February 26, 1996, that the rift Ukrainian Weekly, March 10, 1996.

linked magnate, a move supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is denouncing the ban as “political repres- NEWSBRIEFS Washington but questioned by Brussels the godfather of Mr. Medvedchuk’s daugh- sion.” Mr. Medvedchuk called the presiden- (Continued from page 10) and slammed by Moscow. The Supreme ter. Mr. Medvedchuk supports the tial order illegal. The U.S. Embassy voiced Court has already heard two other appeals Opposition Platform – For Life, a political support for Ukraine’s efforts “to counter countries. The six countries are part of the against the decision, rejecting one and party that is popular in Ukraine’s southeast Russia’s malign influence, in line with Eastern Partnership that seeks to strength- returning a second one to the plaintiff to and holds a minority in the Ukrainian par- Ukrainian law, in defense of its sovereignty en ties between the EU and several Eastern eliminate some technical flaws from the liament. According to Mr. Zelenskyy, the and territorial integrity.” Kremlin spokes- European states. The EU will pay for the motion. Mr. Zelenskyy last week defended sanctioned TV channels have long been man Dmitry Peskov denounced the block- vaccine program over a three-year period the decision in a meeting with a group of actively used for disinformation campaigns ing of the three stations as a violation of while the WHO will help implement it. ambassadors from the G-7 and European in Ukraine aimed at undermining reforms media freedom and of international stan- (RFE/RL) Union, telling them on February 3 in Kyiv and Ukraine’s course towards European dards. The EU questioned the move, sug- that the decision to block 112, NewsOne, and Euro-Atlantic integration. The three gesting it could sacrifice media freedom in S upreme Court to hear appeal on TV sanctions and ZIK channels was justified by the need blocked TV channels, which broadcast Ukraine. (RFE/RL, with reporting by The Cassation Administrative Court of to “fight against the danger of Russian mainly in Ukrainian, issued a statement Interfax) the Ukrainian Supreme Court next month aggression in the information arena.” will hear an appeal against President Relations between Ukraine and Russia Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decree to block deteriorated in 2014 after Moscow Want to keep up to date on developments in Ukraine? three TV channels linked to Russia. The annexed the Crimean Peninsula and began court scheduled the hearing to start on supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Weekly March 15, the Supreme Court said on The conflict, now in its seventh year, has February 11. Mr. Zelenskyy’s government killed more than 13,200 people. The now- on Facebook decided on February 2 to shut several tele- blocked channels are believed to belong to to read the latest! Viktor Medvedchuk, who has close ties to LIKE vision channels controlled by a Russia- 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

300 students die standing up for a free The heavenly... Ukraine. (Continued from page 7) The Heavenly Hundred also stood up for their beliefs and they paid the ultimate the rebuilding of the nation. It was a nation price. that would not allow a regime to act in this Our history has shown that as a nation way – to have snipers shoot from the bridge Ukrainians are resilient and ready to stand on Institutska Street and the surrounding and fight for their freedom and for their areas. rights. Thousands of people stood, froze, It was a blatant act of murder by a were beaten, and some gave their lives. regime trying to hang on for its own surviv- With all this came a demand for reforms. al. It failed miserably. They have been slow in coming and the The Heavenly Hundred became the sym- excuses for not implementing the reforms bol of the Revolution of Dignity – they gave have often been lame. the nation the willpower, the consciousness To date, there have been no criminal that Ukrainians had to take their future into charges against those who murdered inno- their own hands. cent civilians on Kyiv’s streets. Judicial Seeing the walls of burning tires, again reform, constitutional reform, economic the smell of rubber, the snow, the sandbags reform and anti-corruption reform must be and observing the will of the people who addressed. had made their position clear – “We will To put it in the context of the Heavenly not be beaten.” Hundred, they demand that the reforms be You could see the spirit on the faces of dealt with immediately – not for them, as the youth, the men and women who stood Stefan Romaniw addresses protesters gathered on Maidan during the Revolution of they are looking from heaven, but for their and demanded change, those cooking, Dignity in 2013. families and Ukraine’s civil society. those bringing around cups of tea, coffee The Heavenly Hundred must remain a and sandwiches. Their resolve seemed to It has been seven years since the One may ask why? driving force in building a strong, pro-Euro- say that, “We will not be moved; we are Revolution of Dignity. In that time there This period of the history, of people power pean, fair, just and influential country on united.” I had a sense of pride and honour have been meetings with the Ukrainian – the Revolution of Dignity – was driven by the international stage. to be part of that change. government, with the parents of the civil society standing up to a government Those who participated with passion at The Heavenly Hundred became and now Heavenly Hundred and associated organi- that showed no respect for life or decency. the Revolution of Dignity, those in the dias- continue to be a symbol of national strength zations to demand that justice be done and The principles and values of the pora who supported this period of history – and unity, a symbol that brought together a those responsible be brought to account. Yanukovych regime were in complete con- together with many millions who were Ukrainian nation of 60 million people – Mothers and fathers, brothers and sis- trast to what the Ukrainian people wanted. there in spirit – should use February 20 to Ukraine and the diaspora became one. ters, children of the Heavenly Hundred In Ukrainian history there are other reflect, recalibrate and rekindle the spirit to In many countries there were protests deserve this – they have been left without periods where people gave their all. The achieve the ultimate goals that the revolu- that took the message to the world – their loved ones. Heavenly Hundred are a continuation of tion set for itself. Ukraine was under siege, but the power of Today on Institutska Street, on the walls laying down one’s life for others – as God’s May they rest in peace and be remem- the people overcame the threat. that surround the grounds of St. Michael’s, teaching says, there is no greater act than bered forever. There are many commemorative dates there are memorials that commemorate giving up your life for another. in the Ukrainian calendar. The newest is each of our heroes. The Ukrainian World For generations to come, the Heavenly Stefan Romaniw, OAM, is the first vice February 20. Congress in its signed memorandum with Hundred will be remembered as a symbol president of the Ukrainian World Congress, February 20 is National Heroes Day – the government of Ukraine has listed build- of what it means to fight for truth, justice the co-chair of the Australian Federation of Heroes do not die! We feel the spirit of the ing the Heavenly Hundred Museum as a and national identity. Ukrainian Organizations, and a participant Heavenly Hundred. joint responsibility. The Youth Battle in Kruty in 1929 saw of the 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity.

heads of state and government, ministers attitude thus far. of water and electricity supplies from main- Crimea platform... of foreign affairs, the inter-parliamentary President Zelenskyy asked German land Ukraine to Crimea and the unblocking (Continued from page 3) level, as well as involving expert communi- Chancellor Angela Merkel to endorse the of transportation routes to the peninsula ties. All this suggests institutionalizing the Crimea Platform, according to the (Segodnya, December 8, 2020; RFE/RL, version of his idea when addressing last Crimea Platform for a continuous, long- Ukrainian readout of their latest telephone February 7, 2021). Ukraine, however, takes September’s U.N. General Assembly session. haul effort by governments and interna- conversation. The readout of the the position that water, electricity and trans- On that occasion, he suggested creating an tional organizations willing to participate. Chancellor’s Office, however, did not men- portation issues could only be discussed international diplomatic platform aimed at The Ukrainian government has tion this matter at all (President.gov.ua, after Russia’s de-occupation of Crimea. protecting the rights of Crimean inhabitants approached a number of countries and Bundeskanzlerin.de, January 15). and, ultimately, the de-occupation of the international organizations with requests The French ambassador in Kyiv, Etienne The article above is reprinted from peninsula (Ukrinform, September 23, 2020). to join the proposed Platform and attend de Poncins, said (when queried) that Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from Kyiv envisions the Crimea Platform as a this year’s summit in Kyiv. Such requests Ukrainian diplomats have discussed this its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, consultative and coordinating framework usually take the form of public announce- issue with him several times, but he and www.jamestown.org. among those countries and international ments from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Paris need more clarity about the actual institutions that are willing to respond Affairs following official meetings and vis- purposes of the proposed Platform more effectively to Russia’s occupation, its. First Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister (Interfax-Ukraine, February 1). with the ultimate goal of de-occupation. Emine Dzhaparova is in charge of coordi- The Organization for Security and The current proposal is for the platform to nating this outreach. The addressees have Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) current hold meetings periodically at several levels: generally responded with a wait-and-see chair, Ann Linde of Sweden, has also demurred by asking for “more information about this platform” when questioned (Ukraiynska Pravda, January 20). She did “The Primary Chronicle of Kyivan Rus’” not mention the near-certainty of Russia using its right of veto against OSCE’s partic- ipation in the Crimea Platform. A new English translation of According to official press releases, Turkey has hinted at its willingness to join Ukraine’s ancient Chronicle the Platform following President Recep usually known as “Povist Menulykh Lit” or “Nestor’s UkrainianTayyp Erdoğan’s counterparts, and Foreign Mr. AffairsZelenskyy Minister and Chronicle”. It is a history of DmytroMevlüt Çavuşoğlu’sKuleba, respectively meetings (Daily with Sabah, their Ukraine’s ancient past and October 16, 2020). Although Turkey has not adopted economic sanctions against Russia, has been used in Ukraine as the Turkish president and government have a textbook for upper level repeatedly declared that they do not recog- classes. nize the annexation of Crimea, ruled out rec- ognizing it in the future, and pledged to assist in maintaining the Crimean Tatar identity. Russia initially took the position that “it It is available now on line at: would not rule out participating” in Platform meetings in the future. According to the for- Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and other book vendors eign affairs ministry’s spokesperson, Maria as well as the publisher’s web site, Xulonpress.com. Zakharova, Russia could participate provid- ed that the agenda includes the resumption No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 13 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8

SPORTSSHORTS by Ihor N. HOCKEY last season with the University of Wisconsin. He chose to to Veronika Kudermetova, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7). sign with Chicago last summer out of a long list of suitors. StelmachIn women’s qualifying rounds, Lesia Tsurenko (two), Chmelevski notches point in NHL debut His experience was super valuable, getting to watch Katarina Zavatska and Anhelina Kalinina (one each) posted Alex “Sasha” Chmelevski produced an assist and two NHL games live and practicing with seasoned NHL veter- wins, while Daria Snigur lost her qualifier. shots on goal in San Jose’s 5-4 shootout win over Anaheim ans like Duncan Keith and Connor Murphy. Kalynuk was Women’s doubles saw the team of Lyudmyla Kichenok on February 5. Chmelevski was credited with the second- promoted to Chicago’s taxi squad on February 11 and was and Jelena Ostapenko victorious in their first two rounds ary helper on linemate Matt Nieto’s opening tally. The expected to make his NHL debut at some point. before losing to Nicole Melichar and Demi Schuurs, 2-6, assist was the 21-year-old Ukrainian’s first NHL point in Kalynuk inked a two-year, entry-level contract through 4-6. Kateryna Bondarenko and Nadiya Kichenok made it his debut game with the Sharks. He was selected by San 2021-2022 at $925,000 per year. He was drafted in the sev- into the second round. Suffering first-round defeats were Jose in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. enth round by Philadelphia in the 2017 NHL Draft, but Nadia Podoroska and Irina-Camelia Begu, and Marta Chmelevski totaled 27 points in 42 games with San Jose’s because he was 20 years old when drafted, the Flyers held Kostyuk and Aliaksandra Sasnovich. AHL team in 2019-2020. He is slated to spend the bulk of his rights for only three years, rather than the traditional On the men’s side, Sergiy Stakhovsky won his three- the current season back with the San Jose Barracuda, see- four. Kalynuk chose unrestricted free agency after the match qualifying round, only to fall in the opening round to ing occasional time with the parent club as an extra for- Flyers’ exclusive negotiation window expired. Free to sign Dasan Lajovic, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6. Dennis Kudla won his ward on the taxi squad. with any club, the Big Ten star narrowed his list of teams first qualifier, then lost in the following round in a walkover. from six to three before zeroing in on Chicago, where he Kalynuk making strides as a pro hopes to contribute right away. Yastremska’s doping case appeal denied Wyatt Kalynuk went almost 11 months without playing TENNIS World No. 29 ranked Dayana Yastrems­ka’s latest appeal a competitive hockey game. The young Ukrainian, a top in her doping case was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration Chicago Blackhawks defense prospect, made up for lost S vitolina upset in fourth round at Australian Open for Sport on February 2, meaning she was ineligible to time on February 6 in his first professional appearance. World No. 61 Jessica Pegula ousted No. 5 Elina Svitolina return to competition. The 20-year-old traveled to Australia Skating for the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, he scored his first in the fourth round of the Australian Open, held February after being provisionally banned, hoping to be allowed to goal and tallied his first assist in the club’s season opener. 8-21, by scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Svitolina had defeated compete at the Australian Open. Yastremska was first sus- Kalynuk looked comfortable, poised with the puck and Marie Bouzkova, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), Coco Gauff, 6-4, 6-3 and pended in January for failing an out-of-competition drug hinted that he will be an excellent pro player. He had no dif- Yulia Putintseva, 6-4, 6-0 in the first three rounds. test. She tested positive for mesterolone metabolite, a pro- ficulties in making decisions at a high speed, competing Svitolina’s commanding and attacking performances got hibited substance used to boost testosterone. with bigger and stronger opponents and getting his head her to the fourth round where she was outplayed by a She first asked that her provisional penalty be set aside, back into the game. strong-serving Pegula. Svitolina has fallen to players which was denied. She next appealed that ruling to the Kalynuk, 23, spent the first month of the season with the ranked outside the top 25 in the past three Grand Slams. Court of Arbitration for Sport, which rejected her request. Blackhawks, practicing and working out with the big club, In other singles action, 2020 WTA Newcomer of the Year Yastremska has denied using performance enhancers or but not getting into any NHL games. This was a bit surpris- Nadia Podoroska defeated Christina McHale, 6-4, 6-4, prohibited substances and now must await final resolu- ing, given he was one of college hockey’s top defensemen before losing to Donna Vekic, 2-6, 2-6. Marta Kostyuk lost tion of her case.

verdict when the five – Serhiy Tamtura, Oleksandr Designers were chosen through an open competition Justice... Marynchenko, Pavlo Abroskin, Serhiy Zinchenko, and Oleh and funds were even paid out to begin building the memo- (Continued from page 1) Yanishevskiy – were released as part of a prisoner rial, the first of the two-part project. Yet officials failed to exchange with Russian-backed separatists in eastern lay out the conditions or a clear timeline for the work, and Yanukovych, who is widely held responsible for his securi- Ukraine. Mr. Poshyvailo said that “truly comedic situations” – which ty forces opening fire. Of the 25 Berkut personnel implicated in the shooting of Mr. Horbatyuk described as necessary forensic activities – But an effort to honor the dead and their movement unarmed demonstrators in February 2014, 21 fled either have contributed to delays. with a memorial and museum complex has stalled, high- to Crimea or Russia, where 15 received citizenship, and A more serious development came on the anniversary lighting the country’s difficulties in getting closure. three were granted asylum. of the beginning of the Maidan protests in November 2020, “We need answers as to what happened, who gave the While two later returned, Messrs. Abroskin, Zinchenko, when police searched Mr. Poshyvailo’s home and office orders, who fired on people, and why this happened,” said and Yanishevskiy remain out of reach from Ukrainian pros- nearby as part of a probe into allegations that money for Serhiy Horbatyuk, a former prosecutor who oversaw state ecutors, prompting political infighting and torpedoing construction had been stolen. At the request of a pro-Rus- probes into crimes against Euro-Maidan demonstrators hopes for an imminent conclusion. sian opposition party, state investigators also began look- and who in 2019 asked a Kyiv court to halt development Yevhenia Zakrevska, a lawyer for a group of plaintiffs in ing into a claim that Euro-Maidan leaders had staged a on the site. the case, blames the Ukrainian leadership – particularly “coup” – the same language pushed by the Kremlin. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – for letting the Berkut Mr. Poshyvailo says the funds were already in the pock- Case Not Closed officers slip away and showing “weakness” before Russia. ets of contractors whose work was halted, and Mr. The Ukrainian authorities have indicted more than 200 “This was a terrible insult to justice,” Ms. Zakrevska said Zelenskyy’s office has criticized the searches as poorly people related to crimes against demonstrators, in written comments. timed, but the incident has added to the controversy over a Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova announced late last Further complicating the situation is that current legis- project originally planned to open in early 2019. lation is murky when it comes to prosecuting people in year, while Mr. Yanukovych has been convicted in absentia Dangerous Narratives of treason for his role in trying to snuff out the protests absentia, so while Messrs. Tamtura’s and Marynchenk­ o’s against his administration’s tilt toward Moscow. fate could be determined by a court this year, proceedings In the meantime, even those otherwise united in seek- But both post-Euro-Maidan governments have been against the other three remain frozen. ing justice for Maidan crimes find themselves divided on accused of foot-dragging in delivering justice, and the “Neither the president, who has a majority in parlia- the matter, reflecting the politically charged nature of his- Kremlin and its supporters in Ukraine continue to work to ment, nor pro-presidential deputies themselves have regis- torical memory in Ukraine. discredit the Euro-Maidan’s legacy. tered a bill that would solve this problem,” Ms. Zakrevska Vitaliy Tytych, an attorney who represents the families The three months of demonstrations erupted after Mr. wrote. of several slain protesters, believes additional investigative Yanukovych’s government reversed course on plans to sign work on Institutska Street is unnecessary because of the Never Forget? a political and economic pact with the European Union in extensive evidence investigators had already collected November 2013, uniting disparate political camps and citi- Ms. Zakrevska believes it’s crucial to follow through before sending the case to court. zens across the country against endemic corruption and with the case, in part to help ensure that similar events He believes holding up plans to build the memorial Mr. Yanukovych’s flirtation with Russia. never happen again. That’s why she and her clients lobbied plays into the hands of the Moscow-friendly narrative that More than 100 demonstrators were killed in the course Mr. Horbatyuk to request a court order halting construc- radicals – such as right-wing activists who have protested of the movement, with 49 of the “Heavenly Hundred” slain tion on the Institutska Street site. against the development of the area – are calling the shots on February 20. Around a dozen law enforcement officials The lawyer says the area needs to remain untouched, at in Kyiv. also died. least until the first verdict involving the Berkut officers is Much more useful, Mr. Tytych claims, would be to estab- Researchers have painstakingly reconstructed the day’s handed down, to allow for additional ballistic experiments lish – without mythologizing – the context of the Euro- events, peppering the map with red marks denoting civil- that could bolster their case and “prevent history from Maidan movement and the consequences the killing of ians shot dead by members of the Berkut “Black Company” being rewritten” – a reference to the proliferation of con- protesters holds for future generations. from behind barricades set up on Institutska Street, which spiracy theories emanating from Moscow, including a “Understanding exactly what the Maidan was, from leads up from Maidan Nezalezhnosty (Independence baseless one that holds that Ukrainian opposition leaders beginning to end, is an exit from the situation into which Square), the focal point of the protests. hired Georgian snipers to intentionally spark bloodshed. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has corralled us,” he Whereas more than 20 officers implicated in the killings Ms. Zakrevska also claims there is new data and photo said. escaped prosecution by fleeing to Russian-occupied evidence, as well as witness testimony, that still needs to Crimea, separatist-held areas of eastern Ukraine, or to be correlated with the scene. Copyright 2020, RFE/RL Inc. Reprinted with the permis- Russia itself, benefiting from Moscow’s rejection of extradi- This comes, for now, at the expense of completing con- sion of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut tion requests, five who remained in Kyiv were put on trial struction of the permanent memorial and museum that Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036; www.rferl.org (see https:// in 2015. would “deliver the truth” about the Euro-Maidan move- www.rferl.org/a/justice-or-commemoration-as-maidan- What emerged as the most high-profile and contentious ment, according to Ihor Poshyvailo, the director of the massacre-anniversary-approaches-both-appear-elu- case stemming from the violence appeared headed for a complex. sive/31104255.html?ltflags=mailer). No. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 15

Through Art exhibit, “Work, People, Art: Selections From the Works February 27 Presentation and performance with Andrei Pidkivka, “Wood March 16 Progress Administration Collection of the Illinois State Online Flutes and the Music of the Carpathians,” Ukrainian History Chicago Museum,” Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, and Education Center, www.ukrhec.org www.uima-chicago.org February 28 Webinar with Kalyna Bezchlibnyk-Butler, “Women of Through April 18 Art exhibit, “Not Afraid: Janice Elkins and Gina Lee Robbins,” Online Ravensbruck: Tracing and Documenting Ukrainian Victims of Chicago Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, www.uima-chicago.org the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp,” Shevchenko Scientific Society of Canada, Ukrainian Canadian Documentation and February 22 Online panel discussion, with Olena Halushka, Olesia Kholopik, Research Center, www.ucrdc.org or www.ntsh.ca Online Vadym Miskyi and Andrii Osadchuk, “The Rule of Law, Anti- Corruption and Media: New Prospects for Reforms in March 3-4 Webinar, “U.S.-Ukraine Security Dialogue XII: Divining the Ukraine?,” German Marshall Fund of the United States, Online New Administration’s Approach to Ukraine’s Most Pressing [email protected] Security Issues,” Center for U.S.-Ukraine Relations, February 24 Webinar with Mayhill Fowler, “Sashka in Kabul?: Women, War 917-476-2221 or [email protected] Online and (Un)true War Stories at the Theater of the Carpathian March 5 Varrenyky sale (drive-through or pick-up), Ukrainian Military District in Lviv,” Harvard University, Whippany, NJ American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 973-479-8715 www.huri.harvard.edu or 617-495-4053 February 25 Webinar, Bohdan Bociurkiw Memorial Lecture, “The Three March 5 Online concert, “Voices of the New Millennium,” with works by Online Kyivan Churches of Ukraine and the Three Romes,” with Online Victoria Poleva and Oleh Bezhorodko, Ukrainian Contemporary Jose Casanova of Georgetown University, hosted by the Music Festival, The Ukrainian Museum, www.ucmfnyc.com Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of March 6 Online concert, “The Kyiv Avant-Garde,” Kaufman Music Alberta, [email protected], https://tinyurl.com/ Online Center, Merkin Hall, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, y6qxgnxt (registration requested) www.ucmfnyc.com February 25 Webinar with Maria Tomak, Olga Skrypnyk and Alim Aliev, Online “Seven Years of Russia’s Occupation of Crimea: Human Rights March 7 Online concert, “Electroacoustic Voices,” Ukrainian Trends and Call to Action from NGOs,” Ukrainian Canadian Online Contemporary Music Festival, DiMenna Center, Cary Hall, Congress, Media Initiative for Human Rights, Postcards for www.ucmfnyc.com Prisoners, www.ucc.ca/news/upcoming-events/ March 10 Webinar with Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern, “A Paradigm- February 27 Lenten retreat, “Being Orthodox During COVID and Social Online Changing Day: September 29, 1966, and Ukrainian-Jewish Online Unrest” with Fr. Anthony Perkins, Ukrainian Orthodox Relations,” Harvard University, www.huri.harvard.edu or League, [email protected] or https://forms.gle/ 617-495-4053 cN5Mtne35ddavqx99 (registration required) 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 action and word, long-suffering, kind, and from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors Christ is... gentle, as God is with us. This Great Lent let and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected]. (Continued from page 6) us build on the lessons learned this past year. Our journey home is well on its way. service, medical care in dangerous circum- This precious, yet fragile gift of life we stances, chaplaincy work in hospitals, the share is one of pilgrimage, of repentance, service of first responders. We adapted in of living up to the faith that God has in each order to make sure that community wor- one of us, in deep humility. Let us be guid- ship could be safe for the faithful and cler- ed by the ancient Lenten Prayer of St. gy. We found new ways to teach and edu- Ephraim: cate, to visit the sick and housebound, to O Lord and Master of my life, drive from provide food and donations in kind for the me the spirit of indifference, despair, lust poor, to support those with crisis pregnan- for power, and idle chatter. Instead, bestow cies, and more. There is much to make us on me, Your servant, the spirit of integrity, ponder and wonder, be thankful for and humility, patience, and love. Yes, O Lord and give praise. King, let me see my own sins, and not judge In a certain sense, last year’s Lent had an my brothers and sisters, for You are old-time quality. It is said that in pre-mod- blessed, now and forever and ever. Amen. ern centuries in Ukraine and other St. Ephraim’s prayer encapsulates the Christian countries there was a “social striving of the season, one that leads us to hush” during Great Lent. Everything quiet- the triumph of Pascha, the victory of the ed down. Individuals and families focused Savior over our shame, fear, and death inward, judging themselves in the light of itself. Let it be our personal and community the Gospel, rather than judging others. prayer as we fall down before the Lord of Towns and villages as communities, and mercy, confident of His love and hospitality. nations as cultures entered together into a On our Lenten journey let us remember spirit of penance: a recognition of and how the disciples followed Jesus. For them remorse for transgressions, violence and home was not a place, but a Person – the greed, deceit and betrayal, individual and same One who calls out to us today: social sin. Indeed, last year we had a Great “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at Lent without parties and galivanting. We hand” (Mt 4:17). stayed home. And while we were unable to We will be praying with you and for you! receive each other into our homes, we were able to welcome the Lord into our lives, and +Borys Gudziak, (author) remind ourselves that each and every Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians household is called to be a domestic Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the church, a place of growth in faith, prayer United States and caring for others. In the end, our home is much more than +Paul Chomnycky, OSBM a physical place. It is a spiritual and moral Eparch of Stamford reality. Our home is with the Lord, who invites us to “come and see” and be with +Benedict Aleksiychuk Him (see Jn 1:35-39). It is where we work Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago and serve, where we become a blessing to others, where we are free to be ourselves, +Bohdan J. Danylo have a sense of being where we belong, are Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma not full of ourselves. We are at home when we fulfill our calling, follow God’s will. We +Andriy Rabiy are at home when we are pure in thought, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 No. 8