INSIDE: l A blind eye to Putin-Medvedchuk scheming – page 3 l Make sure you’re counted in U.S. Census – page 6 l U.S. Ukrainians and the 2020 elections – page 11 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXXVIII No. 13 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 $2.00 Coping amid COVID-19: Community Nationwide emergency declared adapts to crisis with online events in Ukraine as coronavirus spreads by Matthew Dubas website are supported through the UCC Educational and Charitable Trust. For more PARSIPPANY, N.J. – During the self-isola- information, readers can visit the Shkola tion and social distancing that have been website or contact Tatiana Sunak, commit- prescribed by governments around the tee chair, at [email protected]. world as a measure to slow the spread of The Ukrainian Congress Committee of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Ukrainian America has recommended that organiza- community life continues, albeit online. tions postpone or move many of their Universities and schools have moved scheduled events online. The UCCA has classes online and incorporated home included a listing on its website (www.ucca. study, and Ukrainian organizations have org) of events that have been cancelled, followed similar paths. Youth groups, including Church services and events, including Plast Ukrainian Scouting Easter bazaars, Ukrainian school events, Organization and the Ukrainian American scholarly events, pysanka workshops Youth Association (as well as its counter- (including at Soyuzivka Heritage Center). part in Canada, the Ukrainian Youth Also noted are closures of museums, nation- Association) now hold meetings online. al homes and other cultural venues, as well Schools of Ukrainian studies – known in as altered operations of Ukrainian credit Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine many communities as the local “Ridna unions (all annual meetings have been post- The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on March 25. Shkola” with classes usually held on poned or cancelled; to cite one example, Saturdays – are exploring options for Ukrainian Selfreliance Michigan Federal Zhytomyr, Donetsk, Ternopil, Lviv and online learning (the Ukrainian Educational by Roman Tymotsko Credit Union will keep its drive-up window Cherkasy oblasts. Council USA website is www.ridnashkola. at the Warren branch open, as phone and KYIV – The Cabinet of Ministers, meeting Kyiv was the first city where quarantine org). Some teachers have recorded videos online banking options remain available). on March 25, imposed an emergency situa- measures were introduced. The metro, the of Ukrainian folktales and similar lessons Among the events that are still going on, tion regime on the entire territory of main transport hub of Ukraine’s capital, has for younger students. with a modified format, are the Friday fish Ukraine, extending the coronavirus quaran- been shut down for the second time in The Ukrainian Canadian Congress and its fry dinners at the Ukrainian Cultural Center tine that was expected to end on April 3 to National Ukrainian Education Committee Kyiv’s history. The first time this happened of Rochester, N.Y. (www.uccofrochester. April 24. At the time of the government’s (www.shkola.ucc.ca) on March 25 was for three days during the culmination org), serving take-out orders only. The announcement, there were 113 confirmed of the Revolution of Dignity. Now the metro announced the launch of its updated web- Easter bazaar at the Ukrainian Homestead cases of COVID-19, with four deaths, in has not been working for a week, and it is site to meet the growing need for online (www.ukrhomestead.com) in Lehighton, Ukraine. entirely possible that its service may be resources. The website has links for audio of Pa., on April 5 is for pick-up only. Readers “It is planned to introduce the emergen- stopped for months. Ukrainian folktales and video appropriate may consult the listing on the UCCA web- cy situation regime for 30 days. The decision to halt underground ser- for youth. site for more updated information. Accordingly, we also plan to extend all vice as a quarantine measure resulted in The website’s goal is to aid communica- The Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian quarantine restrictions for 30 days, until hundreds of people waiting for buses, trol- tion among Ukrainian Canadian communi- Orthodox Churches in the U.S.A. and April 24. Please do not confuse the emer- leybuses and trams at stations, with crowd- ty schools, as well as the sharing of resourc- Canada have maintained their flocks with gency situation with a state of emergency. ing much denser than in the metro. In the es and information. The committee is broadcast liturgies and services online via An emergency situation does not limit the first week of the quarantine, people could working with schools to establish an online Facebook and YouTube. constitutional rights of citizens, but only board public transport with a maximum of platform and continue to offer study The hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox consolidates the efforts to combat the coro- 10 passengers inside. Beginning with the options and online programs while schools Church of the U.S.A., the UOC of Canada, the are closed. The committee and its Shkola navirus,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal second week, it was possible to use public Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Canada, said. The measure could be extended as and Ukrainian Catholic bishops in the U.S., transportation only with special cards necessary, he added. issued to workers of strategic enterprises including Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys The head of government noted that 113 Gudziak of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia, and medical personnel. Those exclusive laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases cards provided another chance for specula- have encouraged the faithful to pray at had already been recorded in Ukraine and home, while the clergy continue to remain tion, as some people collected more cards said the number of infected patients would than needed and then resold them. available to serve individuals, serving divine further increase, so measures must be liturgies in adherence with prescribed All educational institutions and most taken. Coronavirus has been reported in employers shifted all activities online. The guidelines by government health officials the city of Kyiv and 13 oblasts. and limiting their own and their congrega- streets of Ukraine’s capital are empty, Additionally, the Cabinet of Ministers because most of the population is self-iso- tions’ exposure to the coronavirus. endorsed a decree to properly equip the Sunday schools and youth ministry have lating in their homes. All shopping malls, checkpoints in emergency situation zones also moved online, and people are main- cinemas, theaters, restaurants and cafes are with mandatory sanitary inspection of citi- taining their faith through the many offer- closed. Public events are forbidden. The zens, allowing passage only after a medical ings of religious programming on televi- National Police have the authority to fine examination of persons and disinfection of sion, radio and the growing number of individuals or companies that organize vehicles; to ensure thorough disinfection of internet outlets, including websites, events or gather in large numbers. all premises, roads and sidewalks; and to YouTube channels and radio podcasts. Transport connections between cities assist the underprivileged through the Notably, the Ukrainian Catholic University are canceled. Therefore, airports (except in Lviv has begun to broadcast daily prayer involvement of social services, the commu- Boryspil, which is greeting evacuees), and Graphic for the live online sing-along via services via Facebook (https://www.face- nity and volunteer organizations. Earlier, railway and bus stations are closed. It is YouTube, called “Spivayte Plastuny” book.com/ucuspirit). the emergency situation regime was intro- possible to travel within Ukraine only by started by Andriy Michalchyshyn of duced in the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv, Dnip- Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Continued on page 10) ropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 No. 13 ANALYSIS Russia pushes to drastically expand influence MH17 trial resumes briefly Zelenskyy said in a statement on March 22. Ukraine has been in talks with the IMF for over Ukraine and rest of post-Soviet space The trial in absentia of three Russians months about a three-year, $5.5 billion loan and a Ukrainian charged with multiple tied to reforms to help the country meet a counts of murder over the downing of jump in debt repayments this year. Kyiv, by Kseniya Kirillova ally, the United Nations International Court Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) over however, has dragged its feet on passing the Eurasia Daily Monitor is considering cases against Russia for financing terrorism and violating the rights eastern Ukraine in 2014 resumed briefly at legislation – which includes a bank law that In recent months, the Kremlin dramati- of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in occu- The Hague on March 23 amid coronavirus would prevent tycoons from regaining con- cally stepped up efforts to push its interests pied Crimea (Eurointegration, November 8, restrictions. The Dutch judges in the trial trol over banks that were bailed out with and political agenda across the post-Soviet 2019). Crimean Tatars face brutal repres- read out several preliminary decisions public funds – and the funds have yet to be space as part of various “negotiations” and sion from Russian Crimean authorities, but before ruling to adjourn the case until June released. Now, Ukraine is likely to need to “conflict resolution procedures.” A particu- if Russia is not recognized as a party to the 8 in order to give the defense lawyers of one borrow even more money internationally as larly striking example of this can be seen in conflict, it will be much more difficult to of the accused more time to prepare their it increases spending to fight the spread of the results of the most recent Minsk negoti- prove its guilt (see EDM, March 19).