INSIDE: l Alleged plot against Putin and Ukraine connection – page 2 l Ginger Fund helps Ukraine’s disadvantaged children – page 4 l Syzokryli dancers perform in Puerto Rico – page 8 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXX No. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 $1/$2 in Ukraine UCCA expresses concern Lutsenko sentenced to four years, about Ukraine’s elections banned from holding political office to U.S. government officials by Zenon Zawada Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Ukrainian National Information Service KYIV – Former Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko, WASHINGTON – Members of the executive board who led Ukraine’s 200,000-plus national police force for of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America most of the Orange era, was sentenced to four years’ (UCCA) met on February 15 with U.S. government imprisonment on February 27 for usurping state property officials in Washington to express their concerns and exceeding his authority. He was also banned from regarding a free, fair and transparent electoral pro- holding public office for three years. cess during the upcoming October parliamentary The verdict was harshly condemned by Western gov- elections. ernments and leaders as being politically motivated. Mr. UCCA President Tamara Olexy, and Michael Lutsenko, 47, has joined former Prime Minister Yulia Sawkiw, Jr., director of the Ukrainian National Tymoshenko, 51, the leading opposition figure, as the most Information Service (UNIS), the UCCA’s public affairs prominent political prisoners among several dozen others bureau in Washington, attended meetings with mem- in Ukraine. Ms. Tymoshenko was sentenced in October bers of Congress, officials at the U.S. Department of 2011 to seven years’ imprisonment; a three-year ban on State, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, holding public office was imposed. Olexander Motsyk. “We are disappointed with the verdict against Mr. Although the open and frank discussions touched Lutsenko, which signals the continuation of trials in upon several subjects, they focused on the Ukrainian Ukraine that do not respect international standards as community’s growing trepidation about the discon- regards to a fair, transparent and independent legal pro- nect between the Ukrainian government’s words and cess,” said a statement issued jointly by Catherine Ashton, actions to uphold international norms and ensure a the European Union’s high representative for foreign transparent election process, both during the pre- affairs and security policy, and Stefan Fule, the EU commis- UNIAN election campaign as well as on voting day. sioner for enlargement and European Neighborhood Both Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Former Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko was Policy. sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on February 27 Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), co-chair of the Congressional Wave of persecution for exceeding his authority and usurping state property. (Continued on page 17) Mr. Lutsenko’s conviction marks the latest development $42 million in EU energy conservation grants to outfit his in the wave of persecution against the political opponents own solar power plants in southern Ukraine, as alleged by of the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych. EU Ambassador to Ukraine Jose Manuel Pintu Teixeira. Meanwhile, those who have close ties to the Party of No one has been arrested for the alleged theft of $75 Regions of Ukraine have been allowed to avoid arrest for million that was earmarked for constructing a sewage col- their alleged crimes. lector near Odesa. Examples include last year’s Livela oil import scandal – “Almost 600 million hrv ($75 million) were sunk into estimated to have cost the Ukrainian government $375 this project without a head or brains,” Mr. Yanukovych million in taxes – that allegedly involved Party of Regions scolded his Regions Council on February 21. National Deputy Volodymyr Zubyk (a Lviv native), who Then there are the crimes allegedly committed by Mr. was never arrested after an investigation pursued by an ad Yanukovych himself, including the alleged theft of the 336- UNIS hoc parliamentary committee led by National Deputy acre Mezhyhiria estate from state ownership. Rep. Maurice Hinchey (right) with Ukrainian Roman Zvarych (a Yonkers, N.Y., native). Dozens of such scandals have flourished under the Congress Committee of America President Tamara Another official believed to be involved in Livela, Yanukovych administration, which during just two years in Olexy and Ukrainian National Information Service National Security and Defense Council Chair Andrii Director Michael Sawkiw Jr. Kliuyev, hasn’t been investigated for allegedly embezzling (Continued on page 10) Putin billboards appear in Zaporizhia ZAPORIZHIA, Ukraine – Billboards RIA Novosti reported that Volodymyr bearing a picture of Russian Prime Rohov, the movement’s head, explained: Minister and presidential candidate “We are not urging a vote for Putin, Vladimir Putin have appeared on the although Russia became a strong country streets of the southern Ukrainian city of once again with his arrival [as president]. Zaporizhia, the UNIAN news agency We are expressing our opposition to reported on February 29. instability in Russia and Ukraine.” Twenty posters with the inscription He said the recent events in Russia “Stable Russia — Stable Ukraine” were an attempt to stage another “color appeared in the run-up to presidential revolution” that “will result in nothing elections in Russia slated for March 4. but instability in Russia, and consequent- UNIAN/Aleksandr Prilepa The billboards were ordered and paid for ly in Ukraine, which is tied to Russia in One of the billboards that appear in Zaporizhia, Ukraine, just days before the by the Slavianskaya Gvardiya (Slavic many ways besides the economy, more Russian presidential election. The message, in Russian (with the Ukrainian Guard) youth movement in Ukraine. so than with other countries.” translation in smaller type below), reads: “Stable Russia – Stable Ukraine.” 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 No. 10 ANALYSIS Lawyer: Yulia will not seek pardon “The most important thing for me is that Alleged plot to kill Putin foiled KYIV – Former Prime Minister Yulia the person has been treated improperly, democratic standards were violated, and I a video ordering his fighters to halt attacks Tymoshenko, who is currently serving her RFE/RL Russian Service seven-year sentence at the Kachanivska would take the same attitude to whoever on Russian civilians, but saying that should find themselves in Ms. Security forces in Russia and Ukraine Russian government and military officials penal colony, considers a petition to the pres- ident for a pardon an “insult and sheer cyni- Tymoshenko’s shoes,” Mr. Hammarberg said say they have thwarted a plot to assassi- remained legitimate targets. in an interview with Kommersant-Ukrainy nate Russian Prime Minister Vladimir In an interview with Channel 1, Mr. cism,” her lawyer Serhiy Vlasenko told the press on February 27. “Ms. Tymoshenko published on February 23. He said that, if Putin. Osmayev, an ethnic Chechen, said he had the trial had proved that Ms. Tymoshenko According to a report on Russian state- been instructed to train the other two men took as insult and sheer cynicism Viktor Yanukovych’s statement that she should committed a crime, which makes impossi- run television on February 27, the alleged to carry out the assassination plot in appeal to him for mercy. Ms. Tymoshenko ble her participation in the elections, then plot was due to be carried out shortly after Moscow. has repeatedly stated that the trial against the situation would be different. “But I have Russia’s presidential election on March 4. Channel 1 quoted him as saying the her has nothing to do with the laws of a dem- not seen any such evidence so far. And tak- Channel 1’s report showed separate attackers were preparing to use anti-tank ocratic society,” Mr. Vlasenko said, voicing his ing into account the facts that have been footage of two alleged plotters saying they mines in the attack. An unnamed Federal client’s reaction to the president’s statement presented, I see no reason to exclude Ms. were ordered by North Caucasus insurgent Security Service (FSB) officer is quoted as in an interview with Ukraine’s three national Tymoshenko from the election campaign,” commander Doku Umarov to kill Putin. saying Mr. Osmaev’s laptop included video channels. Mr. Vlasenko also said that Ms. the human rights commissioner said. Mr. The Interfax news agency quoted an footage of a Putin motorcade shot from Tymoshenko has not yet been briefed on the Hammerberg said the same applied to Mr. unnamed law enforcement official as say- different angles. results of the recently conducted medical Lutsenko. The commissioner said that in ing the plot was uncovered after Ukrainian Mr. Osmayev also said the slain accom- examinations and the final conclusions of the order to punish a person, including prohib- intelligence agents detained two Russian plice, Ruslan Madayev, had also been pre- German and Canadian doctors who exam- iting him or her from participating in the citizens in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa paring to launch a suicide attack if the ined her. President Yanukovych in a February elections, the Ukrainian government must early this month in connection with an antitank mines failed. 24 interview aired by the First National, first prove the alleged offense, “but this has accidental bomb blast in the city in Mr. Osmayev said he “would definitely Inter and ICTV channels stated that, if under not happened.” So at this stage, unless new January. not” carry out a suicide attack, but Mr. the new Code of Criminal Procedure the con- facts and new evidence are presented, he One of the videos broadcast on Channel Madayev “was prepared to go on a suicide viction of Ms. Tymoshenko on the gas case 1, provided by the Security Service of mission.” remains in force, he could consider a pardon.