Issue 2 November 2008 Spectrum The publication of the British Ukrainian Society 2008 Elections Vladimir Granovski’s analysis Bond’s Ukrainian Girl Olga Kurylenko wows cinema audiences Chekhov’s Dacha Marina Kamenev visits the great writer’s Yalta house Sevastopol Making a film on the Black Sea British Ukrainian Society – Spectrum – Issue 2 November 2008 1 CONTENTS THE FRONT PAGES 4 Contributors 5 Letter from the Chairman 6 News CURRENT AFFAIRS 8 Snap elections by Vladimir Granovski 11 Ukraine and the EU by Tomas Valasek 12 Divorce: the legal complexities of jurisdiction by James Stewart and Aminat Suleymanova 14 Explosive rhetoric: The language of gas politics by Robert Shetler-Jones ACADEMIA 16 How a Welshman built Donetsk by Megan Burke 17 Ukrainian Studies by Rory Finnin PEOPLE 18 The English Surgeon by Henry Marsh 22 The Bond girl from Ukraine by Sophia Martelli EVENTS 24 British Ukrainian Society Events by Megan Burke LITERATURE 29 The White Dacha by Marina Kamenev 32 Translating Tychyna by Steve Komarnyckyj THE BACK PAGES 34 Eating out in Kyiv by Vera Kravchenko 35 A stormy weekend in Sevastopol by Sarah Hepburn 36 Style and substance by Lilia Poustovit 2 Issue 2 November 2008 – Spectrum – British Ukrainian Society British Ukrainian Society – Spectrum – Issue 2 November 2008 3 CONTRIBUTORS Megan Burke is the Secretary of the London office of the British Ukrainian Society, where she has been working Publisher British Ukrainian Society since February. She volunteered for the US Peace Corps in Kazakhstan, studied Russian in Moscow and is now turning Editor her hand at Ukrainian. Megan is originally from America. Sophia Martelli Advertising Departments Kyiv, Telephone: +380 44 581 1687 London, Telephone: +44 207 838 7025 Vladimir Granovski is a political analyst and advisor to busi- Design nesses on strategy and planning. He graduated in philio- Sophia Martelli sophy from He has been Executive Director of the School [email protected] of Political Studies in Moscow, an advisor on economic education for the World Bank in Ukraine, and a Member of Production & Printing Ukraine’s National Council for Radio and Television Broad- Alpha to Omega PO Box 411 casting. Mr. Granovski is a director of the British Ukrainian Beckenham Society. Kent BR3 9BB From the Chairman www.alpha2omega.tv Marina Kamenev studied architecture in Australia before I am delighted to be introducing the second edition of Spectrum, the British Ukrainian changing career paths for journalism. Until recently she was Society’s publication. I hope you will enjoy reading it. the deputy arts editor at The Moscow Times, where she cov- ered many architectural preservation stories around Mos- Published and Edited by In the course of getting to know Ukraine and as we establish ever-stronger links there, we cow. She is currently a freelancer based in Moscow. The British Ukraine Society LLC, Clearwater House, encounter a great variety of interesting connections that keep Britain and Ukraine in touch 4-7 Manchester Street, today. I am pleased that Spectrum is able to illustrate these connections between our two London W1U 3AE countries, from the charitable – Henry Marsh’s extraordinary experience of performing Tel: +44 (0) 207 152 6172 brain surgery in straightened circumstances – to the ephemeral – James Bond’s love for E-mail: [email protected] the Ukrainian girl Olga Kurylenko – and much more in between. I was fascinated to learn that Donetsk has a native of Bangor, John Hughes, to thank for its creation in Imperial James Stewart is a partner in Manches’ family department Russian times; now the universities of the two towns have renewed the link in his memory which has been top ranked in the UK for over 15 years. He by means of a university programme. is a Fellow and Governor of the International Academy of Copyright Matrimonial Lawyers (IAML) - (www.manches.com) All material in Spectrum is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without per- As I write, Ukraine, as in much of the the rest of the world, is going through difficult times. mission from the publisher is strictly forbidden. You will find incisive commentary about the possible consequences for the country fol- Although we take great care in compiling the content of this magazine, we assume no responsibility and can not be held li- lowing parliamentary elections in these pages. In particular, Vladimir Granovski’s analysis able for any loss or damage to any material nor advertisements gives a helpful historical perspective on the constitutional pressures in Ukrainian politics Ivan Sedlovskyi took the cover photograph of the Pech- submitted, which are sent at the owner’s risk. Advertisers bear full that play such a role in the future. erskaya Lavra, Kyiv. Director of business development at responsibility for the design and the context of advertisements. www.meta.ua, he is not a photographer although photogra- The views expressed are not necessarily those of the British Ukrainian Society. Spectrum continues to act, of course, as a record of the Society’s activities and these are phy is ‘an essential part of my life. And the best instrument covered here in full. Looking forward, we have a full schedule of events planned for the to express and to receive the dramatic beauty of this world.’ No. 2 of November 10th, 2008. Published as of November 10th, coming months and hope to see you on these occasions which you will find advertised in ([email protected]) 2008. the magazine and updated on the British Ukrainian Society’s website. Aminat Suleymanova is Managing Partner of AGA Partners, Frequency: Quarterly - Circulation: 5,000 Kyiv and is the only Ukrainian Fellow of the IAML, an invi- Free of charge for the members of the British Ukrainian Best wishes, tation only organisation of the world’s leading international Society. divorce lawyers – (www.agalawyers.org) This product is manufactured with certified FSC paper with comes from well managed, accredited and sustainable sources Tomas Valasek is director of foreign policy and defence at Richard Spring MP the Centre for European Reform. He has written extensively on transatlantic relations, common European foreign and se- Readers wishing to contact the Society about subscriptions or membership should do so at the curity policy and on defence industrial issues. He previously Society’s address on the facing page, by email at: [email protected] or by telephone: served as policy director at the Slovak ministry of defence. +44 (0) 207 152 672 4 Issue 2 November 2008 – Spectrum – British Ukrainian Society British Ukrainian Society – Spectrum – Issue 2 November 2008 5 NEWS NEWS Dnipro EURO 2012 Stadium Opening Ukrainian Studies Film Festivals in Ukraine ‘Rhine on the Dnipro’ opens the new Pinchuk Art Centre Following a donation from Ukrainian Ukraine’s young film industry now boasts The new exhi- a short film with businessman, Dmitry Firtash, Cambridge several film festivals. The 38th Interna- bition at the a punch line, a University has launched an undergraduate tional Film Festival Molodist, the largest Pinchuk Art story to tell, an course in Ukrainian Studies. and most glamorous, took place in Kyiv be- Centre in Kyiv emotion to stir. Professor of Slavonic Studies in the Fac- tween 18-26 October, screening over 300 illustrates the Here you realize ulty of Modern and Medieval Languages, films from many countries. Famous guests realities of to- that it is films and Professor Simon Franklin, who has been included American actor Armand Assante, day’s genera- photographs that responsible for the establishment of the who headed the jury this year, along with tion. On a warm are the media of course, has said he is delighted that Cam- Russian actress Alla Demidova and French and breezy Sep- today’s genera- bridge is now in the position to explore a actor Christian Vadim. Meanwhile, Berdy- tember Satur- tion. complex and important country. ansk International Film Festival, Kino-Yal- day the newly Andreas Gur- To teach the course the University has ta, is dedicated to Russian and Ukrainian expanded ex- sky’s works live a appointed a new lecturer, Rory Finnin, cinema. hibition pavilion reopened with a new art life of their own: large scale photos of sky- who comes from Columbia University Kinolev, an international independent collection by Julia Stoschek and Andreas scrapers, the stock exchange, gigantic office President Viktor Yushchenko opened the will host the championship. The next Euro with a wealth of Ukrainian experience and film festival in Lviv in August, concen- Gursky. Rhine on the Dnipro is an eclectic centres where people are merely ants. The new 31,000-seat Dnipro stadium on Sun- venue – the 43,000-seat reconstructed Me- publications under his belt. He brings a trates on young Ukrainian cinema. It has assortment of collaged videos, splashy pho- colours are bright and vivid, but the viewer day, 14th September by kicking a ball to start talist stadium in Kharkiv – is expected to be great interest in the literature and national a very informal atmosphere and is not in- tographs and other enigmatic images. has to walk up to the photograph to make the match between the veterans of Dnipro ready before the end of this year, and next identity of Ukraine. terested in glamour. Organised by a group Stoschek is a famous young art collector out the exact context, provoking uneasi- Dnipropetrovsk and Spartak Moscow. The summer Donetsk will open its new €173 Observing similarities with other coun- of Ukrainian artists, the event started as a from Germany, and Gursky is a German ness and making one think of all-embracing arena, which cost €45 million to build, is an million 53,500-seat stadium. UEFA will tries in the same position at the crossroads short film festival in 2006, and now shows photo artist with years of experience.