Ukrainian Weekly, January 30, 2011 - The Ukrainian Weekly

Inside: 

• Mykola Riabchuk on selective justice in Ukraine – page 6. 

• Metropolitan Constantine Bohachevsky, 1884-1961 – page 8. 

• An artist to watch: pianist Anna Shelest – page 13. 

The Ukrainian Weekly 

Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association 

Vol. LXXIX No. 5 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2011 

$1/$2 in Ukraine 

Ukraine’s Unity Day holiday manifests divisions in society 

Olena Harasovska/UNIAN 

Participants of the Unity Day human chain that stretched across Kyiv’s Paton 

Bridge to symbolically unite Ukraine on January 22. Unity Day, or “Den 

Sobornosty” in Ukrainian, has been a national holiday in Ukraine since 1999, 

when so designated by a presidential decree. 

by Zenon Zawada 

Kyiv Press Bureau 

KYIV – Ukrainians were disunited as 

ever on Unity Day, holding three separate 

rallies in Kyiv on January 22, the day commemorating 

the unification of the Ukrainian 

National Republic (of central and eastern 

Ukraine) and the Western Ukrainian 

National Republic in 1919. 

The administration of President Viktor 

Yanukovych organized a rally on 

Independence Square. Supporters of former 

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko took to 

St. Sophia Square, the site of the historic 

declaration, while Arseniy Yatsenyuk gathered 

those opposed to both leaders at 

Kontraktova Square. 

The commemoration offered evidence 

that Ukrainian politics has retained its tripolar 

structure of those supporting Mr. 

Yanukovych, those supporting Ms. 

Tymoshenko and those actively opposed to 

both. The division within the opposition 

benefits the current authoritarian government, 

observers said. 

“The government is interested in supporting 

the emergence of other opposition forces,” 

said Volodymyr Fesenko, board chairman 

of the Penta Center for Applied 

Political Research in Kyiv. He added, “The 

government can play off the antagonism 

between different opposition currents.” 

Those organizing the rally on St. Sophia 

Square – where the Act of Union was 

declared on January 22, 1919 – lobbed 

sharp criticism against former Verkhovna 

Rada Chair Yatsenyuk of the Front of 

Change party and his allies for splitting the 

pro-Western opposition. 

They shouted “Shame!” at Lilia 

Hrynevych of the Front of Change party 

when she addressed the crowd on St. Sophia 

Square. 

The famous “liubi druzi” (dear friends) 

who formed the financial backbone of former 

President Viktor Yushchenko’s political 

campaign – confectionary magnate Petro 

Poroshenko and natural gas trader Mykola 

Martynenko – were also on Kontraktova 

Square. 

Soviet-era dissident Bohdan Horyn 

accused the Yatsenyuk crowd of fulfilling 

commands from the Yanukovych administration 

to divide the opposition. 

“Perhaps Arseniy Yatsenyuk hasn’t 

matured to the realization that unity doesn’t 

mean separated national-democratic forces, 

but their unity for the sake of a grand goal – 

saving Ukraine at a time of great danger?” 

he wrote in a column published on the 

Ukrayinska Pravda website on January 25. 

Meanwhile, those who joined the St. 

Sophia Square event included opposition 

leader Ms. Tymoshenko, former Defense 

Minister Anatoliy Grytsenko, former 

Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk, 

nationalist orator Iryna Farion of the 

Svoboda party, Mykola Katerynchuk of the 

European Party of Ukraine and Mykola 

Kokhanivskyi of the Congress of Ukrainian 

Nationalists. 

The event was organized by the 

Committee to Defend Ukraine, which 

includes the Batkivshchyna party led by Ms. 

Tymoshenko, the People’s Rukh of Ukraine 

led by Mr. Tarasyuk, the Svoboda party led 

by Oleh Tiahnybok, the Congress of 

Ukrainian Nationalists led by Stepan 

Bratsiun and the Ukrainian World 

Coordinating Council led by Dmytro 

Pavlychko. 

Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian 

Orthodox Church–Kyiv Patriatch (UOC– 

KP), whose church is under persecution by 

the Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Moscow 

Patriarchate (UOC–MP), led the Orthodox 

moleben initiating the event. 

It was interrupted by Ms. Tymoshenko 

and her entourage, who arrived late. She 

Volodymyr Musyak 

Thousands of Ukrainians gathered on St. Sophia Square to commemorate Unity 

Day on January 22, 92 years after the Ukrainian National Republic and the 

Western Ukrainian National Republic declared their unification. 

drew the crowd’s attention and applause, 

which grew loud enough to interfere with 

the prayer and visibly irritate Patriarch 

Filaret, who kept his distance from the 

opposition leader for the remainder of the 

evening. 

Svoboda nationalists officially endorsed 

and supported the commemoration on St. 

Sophia Square, but its activists also attended 

the Kontraktova Square event, distributing 

the party’s newspaper and observing the 

vertep (Nativity Play) being performed there 

by Bohdan Beniuk, a regarded actor and 

Svoboda party member. 

“We sent our people to distribute our 

Human Rights Watch slams West 

for ‘cowardice’ on rights issues 

RFE/RL 

An international rights group has 

accused Western powers of not doing 

enough to pressure abusive regimes to 

protect basic human rights. 

The 648-page Human Rights Watch 

(HRW) report, a compendium of human 

rights abuses reported around the world 

in the past year, criticizes the democracies 

for their “soft reaction” to repressive 

regimes. 

The report singles out the United 

States, the European Union and the 

United Nations for failing to put enough 

pressure on abusive governments, highlighting 

what it called a “near-universal 

cowardice in confronting China’s deepening 

crackdown on basic liberties.” 

party newspaper,” said Yurii Sytoriuk, the 

party spokesman. “Why no go there and 

advertise Svoboda? We used it as party propaganda.” 

The For Ukraine party, a national-democratic 

force committed to Euro-Atlantic 

integration, took a similar approach, dispatching 

its leader Viacheslav Kyrylenko to 

the event on St. Sophia Square. He declined 

an offer to address the crowd, instead mingling 

with participants afterwards. 

The For Ukraine party officially 

endorsed the Kontraktova event, which Mr. 

(Continued on page 11) 

HRW also charged Western leaders, 

particularly U.N. Secretary-General Ban 

Ki-moon, European Union foreign policy 

chief Catherine Ashton, and U.S. 

President Barack Obama with focusing 

too much on dialogue and not enough on 

confronting abuses. 

It condemns as soft the EU’s response 

to authoritarian regimes in Uzbekistan 

and Turkmenistan, denouncing what it 

calls the bloc’s “obsequious approach” 

toward both countries and arguing that 

leaders of authoritarian governments 

welcome an emphasis on dialogue 

because it is likely to “remove the spotlight 

from human rights discussions.” 

The report coincides with a rare visit 

(Continued on page 11)

2 

THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2011 

No. 5 

ANALYSIS 

Russian Black Sea Fleet 

strengthens presence in Ukraine 

by Vladimir Socor 

Eurasia Daily Monitor 

The Russian navy plans to increase its 

presence on Ukrainian territory by adding 

urban infrastructure and civilian manpower 

to its naval assets in Sevastopol. The command 

of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet intends to 

build a housing estate (“mikrorayon”) for 

20,000 personnel of the fleet, their dependents 

and civilian service providers to the 

Russian fleet in that city. 

The housing estate and associated service 

infrastructure is planned to occupy both 

sides of Kazachya Bay, alongside the base of 

a Russian “marine infantry” (amphibious 

landing troops) regiment. 

The government of Russia will finance 

this program from a fund dedicated to the 

socio-economic development of Sevastopol. 

That fund currently stems from the 2010 

arrangements to subsidize Ukraine’s consumption 

of Russian gas. The socio-economic 

fund’s value is deducted from the 

value of that subsidy. This portion, consequently, 

helps to consolidate Russia’s military 

foothold on Ukrainian territory. 

The head of the Sevastopol city administration 

(by law a Ukrainian government 

appointee), Valery Saratov, has expressed 

gratitude in announcing this Russian building 

program (Interfax-Ukraine, January 16). 

On April 21, 2010, Presidents Viktor 

Yanukovych and Dmitry Medvedev signed 

the agreement to prolong the Russian fleet’s 

basing rights in Ukraine beyond the 2017 

expiration date by another 25 years, with a 

further five-year extension option to 2047. In 

return, Russia agreed to grant a 30 percent 

discount on the price of Russian natural gas 

to Ukraine, if that price exceeds $336 per 

1,000 cubic meters (tcm). 

It now turns out, however, that an implementation 

mechanism and even a common 

understanding of that arrangement are lacking. 

On April 18, 2010, in Moscow, the 

Russian and Ukrainian finance ministers, 

by Claire Bigg 

and Yelena Polyakovskaya 

RFE/RL 

As Russia mourns the 35 victims of the 

bombing attack at Moscow’s Domodedovo 

airport, theater lovers are sparing a special 

thought for Anna Yablonska, a young 

Ukrainian poet and playwright killed in the 

blast. 

Ms. Yablonska, a native of Odesa, had 

arrived in the Russian capital to pick up a 

literary prize when a presumed suicide 

bomber detonated explosives at the airport’s 

crowded arrivals terminal, sparking scenes 

of carnage. She was 29 years old. 

Ms. Yablonska was due to receive a prize 

from Cinema Art magazine at a ceremony in 

Moscow just hours after her plane landed at 

Domodedovo. 

The editor of Cinema Art, Daniil 

Dondurei, said she had been in high spirits 

that day. 

“She called at 4 p.m. after landing. She 

was worried about not making it for 6:30 

p.m.,” Mr. Dondurei said. “The head of our 

selection board spoke to her. She was cheerful. 

She died 20 minutes later.” 

Charmed the jury 

Her colleagues describe Ms. Yablonska, 

Aleksei Kudrin and Fedir Yaroshenko, 

respectively, started negotiations on implementing 

the April 21, 2010, agreements. The 

Russian side seems more interested in quibbling 

and stalling, than in delivering. 

Mr. Kudrin insisted that “a new agreement” 

must be negotiated to define “concrete 

terms and parameters, on which implementation 

would depend.” For his part, Mr. 

Yaroshenko seemed to plead for overcoming 

a deadlock: “For us it is important to reach a 

common interpretation, define a common 

methodology for implementing this agreement 

in real life” (Interfax-Ukraine, January 

18). 

While Kyiv sounds anxious about 

Moscow delivering “in real life,” Moscow 

may well turn its side of the bargain into a 

dead letter. The price of gas seems unlikely 

to stay above $300 per tcm (unless Moscow 

decides to practice overt extortion and by the 

same token subsidize its own extortion of 

Ukraine). Below that price level, Russia can 

still pressure Ukraine into further concessions, 

in return for further discounts on the 

gas price. This would probably be the “new 

agreement” to which Mr. Kudrin is alluding. 

Moscow is well-placed to implement the 

naval base extension agreement while bargaining 

over implementation of the gas price 

agreement. The April 2010 arrangements are 

asymmetrical in that the naval base agreement 

is self-enforcing while the gas agreement 

is not. Ukraine lacks the power to withhold 

implementation of the former, while 

Russia has ample means to set conditions for 

implementing the latter. 

Since those agreements were signed, 

Moscow has announced plans to replace old 

warships of its Black Sea Fleet with new 

ones, increase that fleet’s tonnage in net 

terms, and upgrade the fleet’s weaponry. 

Modernization plans as announced during 

2010 envisage adding one cruiser, several 

frigates and several submarines by 2015. In 


Friends mourn Ukrainian playwright 

killed in Moscow airport bombing 

whose real name was Anna Mashutina, as 

an up-and-coming playwright whose plays 

had won numerous literary awards and were 

staged in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. 

Mr. Dondurei said her latest play, “The 

Pagans,” had charmed the jury, and she had 

won the competition hands down. 

Theater producer Mikhail Ugarov, who 

knew Ms. Yablonska well and attended the 

January 24 award ceremony, says organizers 

became concerned after she failed to turn up 

at the ceremony and stopped answering her 

phone. 

“Panic erupted at the ceremony,” Mr. 

Ugarov said. “They waited for her until the 

last moment and ended up awarding her the 

prize in absentia. At that time, she was 

already dead.” 

Ms. Yablonska’s husband called her colleagues 

and friends later that evening to 

inform them she had been killed in the 

attack at Domodedovo. 

Mr. Ugarov says she will be sorely 

missed in Russia. “She was a very talented, 

bright person. She combined a very high 

emotionality with an extremely sharp, sober 

intellect,” he noted. “The professional community 

is deeply shocked because everyone 

liked her. She was friendly. She liked shar- 


Yanukovych reacts to Moscow bombing 

KYIV – Ukrainian President Viktor 

Yanukovych in a phone conversation 

with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev 

condemned acts of terrorism and conveyed 

his condolences over a bomb 

attack at Moscow’s Domodedovo 

Airport. Mr., Yanukovych ordered 

Ukraine’s diplomatic missions and special 

services to reinforce measures to protect 

Ukrainian citizens abroad, the presidential 

press service reported on January 

25. The president also sent his condolences 

to the family of Ukrainian playwright 

Hanna Mashutina (who wrote under the 

pseudonym Yablonska), who was killed 

in the Moscow airport blast. In addition, 

the he ordered the Ukrainian Foreign 

Affairs Ministry to render any required 

aid to relatives of any Ukrainians killed 

in the blast. (Interfax-Ukraine) 

Security enhanced at Boryspil airport 

KYIV – Enhanced security measures 

were instituted at Kyiv’s Boryspil international 

airport due to the terrorist act 

that occurred at Moscow’s Domodedovo 

airport on January 24. The measures are 

aimed at preventing large gatherings of 

people at airport complexes and on airport 

property. Additional units of the 

Internal Affairs Ministry are working, as 

are Berkut forces and the canine service 

of the airport’s aviation security complex. 

At the same time, Boryspil representatives 

underscored on January 26 that the 

airport’s terminals are working in regular 

operation mode, and planes are departing 

and arriving on schedule. (Ukrinform) 

5,000 form human chain in Lviv 

LVIV – About 5,000 people have 

formed a human chain between the monuments 

to Taras Shevchenko and Stepan 

Bandera in Lviv on January 22 to celebrate 

Unity Day in Ukraine. Participating 

in the event were representatives of the 

Svoboda Party, the Party of Regions, 

activists of public organizations and local 

residents. The participants held national 

flags, and some people had painted 

national flags on their faces. (Interfax- 

Ukraine) 

NEWSBRIEFS 

Thousands denounce Ukraine’s president 

KYIV – Thousands of supporters of 

Ukraine’s former Prime Minister Yulia 

Tymoshenko massed in downtown Kyiv 

on January 22 to denounce her archrival, 

President Viktor Yanukovych, accusing 

him of being a Russian stooge. Some 

6,000 protesters gathered in St. Sophia 

square, answering a call by several opposition 

parties to mark the 92nd anniversary 

of the reunification of eastern and 

western Ukraine. Many carried banners 

calling for the dismissal of both President 

Yanukovych and Prime Minister Mykola 

Azarov. Ms. Tymoshenko asked the 

crowds: “Are you ready to take to the 

streets?” To which the resounding answer 

was “Yes.” Dmytro Pavlychko told the 

crowd: “Those who are in power take 

their orders from the Kremlin.” (Focus 

Information agency, Agence France- 

Presse) 

Day of Unity celebrated in Moscow 

MOSCOW – Events at the Library of 

Ukrainian Literature in Moscow became 

the central event of celebrations of 

Ukraine’s Day of Unity held by diplomats 

of the Embassy of Ukraine in 

Russia. The Embassy press service 

reported that, during a meeting with representatives 

of the Ukrainian community, 

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Russia 

Volodymyr Yelchenko “confirmed the 

special importance attached by our state 

to the continuation of unhindered activities 

of the library as an important center 

of Ukrainian culture in the capital of 

Russia.” Also on January 22, on the territory 

of the Ukrainian Embassy in Russia, 

a ceremonial raising of the Ukrainian flag 

took place. Ukraine’s ambassador and 

Embassy diplomats also participated in 

laying flowers at the monument to 

Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in 

Moscow. Earlier, the director of the 

Information Policy Department of the 

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

(MFA), Oleh Voloshyn, stated that for the 

ministry the satisfaction of the culturaleducational 

rights of more than 2 million 

Ukrainian community members in Russia 


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The Ukrainian Weekly, January 30, 2011, No. 5, Vol. LXXIX 

Copyright © 2011 The Ukrainian Weekly 

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No. 5 


3 

WINDOW ON EURASIA 

Moscow moves to close down Ukrainian institutions in Russia 

by Paul Goble 

Apparently confident that now it can do 

so without objections from the Yanukovych 

administration in Kyiv, Moscow has disbanded 

the Federal National-Cultural 

Autonomy of Ukrainians of Russia and is 

Paul Goble is a long-time specialist 

on ethnic and religious questions in 

Eurasia who has served in various 

capacities in the U.S. State Department, 

the Central Intelligence Agency and the 

International Broadcasting Bureau, as 

well as at the Voice of America and 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and 

t h e C a r n e g i e E n d o w m e n t f o r 

International Peace. Mr. Goble writes a 

blog called “Window on Eurasia” 

(http://windowoneurasia.blogspot.com/). 

This article above is reprinted with permission. 

setting the stage for closing the Ukrainian 

library in the Russian capital by continuing 

its seizures of “extremist” literature there. 

The Russian government, like its Soviet 

predecessor, has never been supportive of 

the more than 5 million ethnic Ukrainians 

living there, refusing to open any Ukrainianlanguage 

state schools even as it has complained 

about closure of some of the many 

Russian-language schools operating in 

Ukraine. 

But in recent weeks, Moscow has moved 

against even the few Ukrainian institutions 

that do exist inside the Russian Federation. 

On the basis of a March 2010 appeal by the 

Russian Justice Ministry, the Russian 

Supreme Court on November 24, 2010, “liquidated” 

the Federal National-Cultural 

Autonomy of Ukrainians of Russia” as a 

legal entity. 

According to Vladimir Semenenko, the 

former head of that institution, the Justice 

Herman: No violations 

of rights in Ukraine 

Interfax-Ukraine 

KYIV – The new government of Ukraine 

does not infringe on the rights and freedoms 

of Ukrainian citizens, but there are some 

rumors that affect the president and the government 

in general, said the deputy head of 

the Presidential Administration, Hanna 

Herman. 

“I absolutely refute these statements [on 

pressure being applied to writers and journalists], 

[and] I would like to speak here 

only about several particular cases,” she said 

on Channel 5 on Sunday evening, January 

23. 

In particular, Ms. Herman actions by the 

police in relation to writer Maria Matios “a 

lot of nonsense.” 

“Our police are as they are… it’s a 

pity, but we don’t have other police officers 

for our writers. But they [the police 

officers] should be educated, trained, 

[improved]. And I believe that it was a 

huge mistake [to search the writer’s 

apartment],” she commented. 

Ms. Herman said that the opposition had 

taken advantage of this situation. 

“I understand that the police have their 

own work to do, but apart from their work 

the police must have a head. And if the 

police do not have a head and brains, then 

they will do great harm to the president,” 

she noted. 

Ms. Herman also said she was sure that 

such cases would not happen in Ukraine in 

the future. 

In addition, the deputy head of the 

Presidential Administration said that the 

position of Freedom House, the U.S. nongovernmental 

organization that lowered 

Ukraine’s rating to the category of partly 

free countries, was biased. 

“I believe that Freedom House was biased 

against Ukraine… For us the greatest pledge 

of freedom is the economic freedom of 

Ukrainians… Freedom House also got some 

one-sided information,” Ms. Herman said. 

Activists charge Education Ministry 

“concept” will lead to Russification 

Interfax-Ukraine 

KYIV – The concept for language education 

proposed by the Ukraine’s Ministry of 

Education, Science, Youth and Sports will 

lead Ukrainian education toward 

Russification, the Ukrainian public organization 

Ne Bud Baiduzhym! (Don’t Be 

Indifferent!) has said. 

“This concept is a new method of 

Russification of Ukraine. I guess this concept 

will be adopted quickly, so that the 

public will not be able to oppose it. This is a 

new, invisible method of Russification of 

Ukraine,” a representative of the organization, 

Olena Podobed-Frankivska, said during 

a press conference hosted on January 19 

by the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency. 

According to Ms. Podobed-Frankivska, 

when the Education Ministry presented this 

concept at a public discussion, some regulations 

were violated – in particular, the term 

set for a public discussion. 

“A public discussion of this project 

should have been held for no less than a 

month,” she noted. 

In turn, sociolinguist Dr. Larysa Masenko 

said: “Why did you decide that the concept 

is aimed exactly at this [Russification]? ... 

There are no clear regulations on a specified 

language. These norms can be applied to 

both the Ukrainian and Russian languages. 

There is no definition on the main language 

of education in Ukraine.” 

At the same time, Ms. Masenko criticized 

the concept. “This concept will only 

deepen the split in the society, that’s why it 

is very dangerous, and in fact it practically 

returns us to the Soviet Union.” 

A senior researcher at the Institute of the 

Ukrainian Language of the National 

Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Oksana 

Danylevska, said that the key principle of 

the proposed idea was a political quick fix. 

“I should say that this is a short-term concept 

for the current political situation. 

Unfortunately, it does not care about actual 

education,” she added. 

Ms. Podobed-Frankivska said that activists 

of Ne Bud Baiduzhym would bring a 

new doorplate reading “Education Ministry 

of Russia. Foreign Representative Office” to 

the Education Ministry in Kyiv. She noted, 

“We want to rename the ministry to match 

its deeds.” 

OSCE 

VILNIUS – The OSCE chairperson-in- 

Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister 

Audronius Ažubalis, met representatives 

from international non-governmental 

organizations in Vilnius January 19 and 

invited them to take part in an open dialogue 

with Lithuania’s 2011 chairmanship 

of the Organization for Security and 

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). 

Minister Ažubalis met representatives 

from international non-governmental 

human rights organizations from the 

International Civic Initiative for the 

OSCE, offered to maintain a regular dialogue 

and urged them to actively participate 

in OSCE events and thereby contribute 

to the OSCE’s work. 

“OSCE is unique as we bring non-governmental 

organizations into the heart of 

our decision-making. Civil society’s participation 

in the work of the OSCE is 

greatly valued. Cooperation and a mutual 

exchange of views are very important, 

and Lithuania is ready to continue a lively 

and very open dialogue with civil society,“ 

said Mr. Ažubalis, who emphasized 

that the promotion of media freedom and 

Ministry made three specific complaints 

about the group’s “diversions.” First, Mr. 

Semenko gave an interview to Radio 

Liberty. Second, the group organized a public 

conference on Ukrainian studies in 

Russia. And third, its leaders took part in 

commemorations of the Great Famine 1932- 

1933, or Holodomor. 

On January 13 Russian Foreign Minister 

Sergey Lavrov confirmed that the closure 

was based on the autonomy’s political activity. 

He said that that the autonomy had been 

shuttered because its leaders “were engaged 

in political activity directed at undermining 

Russian-Ukrainian relations” (globalist.org. 

ua/shorts/61127.html). 

Meanwhile, Russian Internal Affairs 

Ministry (MVD) officials have been conducting 

searches for “extremist” literature in 

the Library of Ukrainian Literature in 

Moscow. The latest of these occurred on 

January 14. Both Ukrainian Embassy officials 

and Russian ones insist the library has 

not been closed, but the librarians there say 

that a court case is hanging over them and it. 

Natalya Sharina, the library’s director, 

said the MVD officers had come from the 

anti-extremist section and had behaved in 

such a threatening way that members of her 

staff had called for emergency medical help. 

She acknowledged that the library was still 

open, but said the “criminal case” was going 

on “in parallel” (www.unian.net/rus/ 

print/416293). 

Foreign Minister Lavrov, also on January 

OSCE chair meets representatives 

of international human rights NGOs 

“Impossible to Forget” was the title 

of a feature published in the travel section 

of The New York Times on January 

9. Among the five Times correspondents 

who recalled “the places they 

would go back to if they got the 

chance,” was Clifford J. Levy, who 

wrote about Lviv. Other places featured 

were: Phnom Penh, Cambodia; 

Lago Todos los Santos, Chile; Caserta, 

Italy; and the Orchids Hotel, Congo. 

Following is an excerpt from Mr. 

Clifford’s account. (The full text may 

be read at http://travel.nytimes. 

com/2011/01/09/travel/09lviv.html.) 

“…this city on the edge of the Soviet 

empire, at a crossroads of Europe, was a 

cobblestoned find. … winding streets… 

reflected the influences of centuries of 

overlapping cultures. 

“Lviv has gone by many names, 

thanks to its many rulers, from the 

Soviets to the Germans to the Poles. 

But it is the Austro-Hungarian Empire 

that seems to have had the strongest 

influence. As I roamed, I was reminded 

more of Vienna and Prague than 


pluralism as well as tolerance, is among 

the priorities of Lithuania’s chairmanship. 

“We welcome constructive, focused 

and consolidated civil society recommendations 

on all issues concerning the 

OSCE human dimension,” he added. 

Mr. Ažubalis said he plans to meet representatives 

of civil society during his 

forthcoming visits to Moscow and 

Washington, as well as to countries with 

OSCE field operations in the South 

Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Central Asia 

and Southeastern Europe. 

The NGO representatives from 

Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, 

Poland, Russia, the United Kingdom and 

Ukraine attending the January 19 meeting 

conveyed an appeal by the International 

Civic Initiative for the OSCE on cooperation 

during Lithuania’s chairmanship. 

The appeal calls for civil society’s role in 

the OSCE’s work to be strengthened and 

sets out guidelines and proposals for cooperation 

with the OSCE Chairmanship. 

Established in April 2010, the 

International Civic Initiative for the 

OSCE comprises 11 international nongovernmental 

human rights organizations. 

Lviv: impossible to forget 

Moscow. … 

“… what really distinguished Lviv 

was its decidedly international sensibility, 

more evident than in any city 

that I have visited in the former Soviet 

Union. This was obvious from the 

range of cathedrals making up the 

city’s skyline: Ukrainian Orthodox, 

Russian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox 

and Roman Catholic. 

“Lviv is also base for the Ukrainian 

Greek-Catholic Church, which in itself 

speaks to a melding: the church is loyal 

to Rome, but allows some priests to 

marry and follows the Eastern ceremonial 

rite. Lviv was also home to a thriving 

Jewish community before World 

War II, and I wandered past the ruins 

of one of the main synagogues. Not 

many Jews remain, but plans are being 

developed to rebuild the synagogue. 

“And so it went: I tried to work, but 

the city kept pulling me away. I went 

to interview an official at City Hall, but 

ended up at the observation deck on 

the building’s tower, admiring views of 

Lviv’s splendid architecture – classical, 

Baroque and other styles. …”

4 


No. 5 

UWC appeals to Hungary 

about representation 

of Ukrainian minority 

TORONTO – On January 17 the Ukrainian World 

Congress (UWC) expressed its concern to Hungary’s 

Prime Minister Viktor Orban that the elections of the 

National Ukrainian Minority Self-Government in 

Hungary held on January 9 could undermine the representation 

of the Ukrainian minority and jeopardize 

its effective participation in public life. 

According to a UWC member-organization, the 

Association of Ukrainian Culture in Hungary, in several 

cases the electorate voting and the candidates 

running for the National Ukrainian Minority Self- 

Government are not part of the Ukrainian community 

and do not preserve the Ukrainian language, culture 

and traditions. 

“The Ukrainian World Congress calls upon the 

prime minister of Hungary to urgently appoint a 

senior government official to verify whether the 

electoral process, including the elections of the 

National Ukrainian Minority Self-Government in 

Hungary, was conducted in accordance with the fundamental 

principles governing such elections, and if 

not, to take approriate measures to rectify the situation,” 

stated UWC President Eugene Czolij. 

Plokhy’s “Yalta” nominated for Lionel Gelber Prize 

by Oksana Zakydalsky 

TORONTO – “Yalta: The Price 

of Peace” by Serhii Plokhy, 

Mykhailo Hrushevsky Professor of 

Ukrainian History at Harvard, has 

been shortlisted for the 2011 Lionel 

Gelber Prize. 

The jury citation for the book 

reads: “A work of outstanding 

scholarship which brings to light 

important interpretations based on 

newly available Russian documents. 

Going beyond the Western 

sources, this is a seminal treatment 

of a profoundly important moment 

in history.” 

Prof. Plokhy is the third holder 

of the endowed Hrushevsky chair 

in Ukrainian history at Harvard, 

which he assumed in the fall of 

2007. Before coming to Harvard, 

he was based at the University of 

Alberta, where he served as acting 

director of the Canadian Institute 

of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) and as 

associate director of the Peter 

Jacyk Center for Ukrainian 

Historical Research at CIUS. 

Called by The Economist “the 

world’s most important award for 

non-fiction,” the Lionel Gelber 

Prize was founded in 1989 by the 

Canadian diplomat and scholar. It 

is a literary award for the world’s 

best non-fiction book in English 

that seeks to deepen public debate 

on significant global issues. The 

winning author receives $15,000. 

The prize is presented annually 

by The Lionel Gelber Foundation, 

in partnership with the Munk 

School of Global Affairs at the 

University of Toronto and Foreign 

Policy magazine. The winner of the 

2011 Lionel Gelber Prize, to be 

announced on March 1, will deliver 

the annual Lionel Gelber Lecture at 

an award ceremony on March 29. 

The other four shortlisted works 

include: “Why the West Rules – for 

Now” by Ian Morris (U.S.A.); 

“Arrival City: The Final Migration 

and our Next World” by Doug 

Saunders (United Kingdom); “The 

Hungry World: America’s Cold 

War Battle Against Poverty in 

Asia” by Nick Cullather (U.S.A.); 

and “Polar Imperative: A History 

of Arctic Sovereignty in North 

America” by Shelagh D. Grant (Canada). 

Last year’s winner of the Lionel Gelber 

Prize was “The Generalissimo: Chiang 

Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern 

China” by Jay Taylor. 

Amount Name City 

$400.00 L. Sygida-Peleschuk Stamford, CT 

$100.00 Y. Deychakiwsky N. Potomac, MD 

George Masiuk Alexandria, VA 

N. Slusar North Port, FL 

Neonila Sochan Morristown, NJ 

$75.00 S. Nachesty Northampton, PA 

M. Omelan Philadelphia, PA 

$60.00 Alexandra Ritter Bethlehem, PA 

$55.00 Maria and Leo East Windsor, NJ 

Chirovsky 

Stephen Lepki Cambridge, OH 

Daria Zachar 

Redondo Beach, CA 

$50.00 C. Bonacorsa Belleville, NJ 

Ulana Diachuk Rutherford, NJ 

J. Gudziak Syracuse, NY 

Daria Halaburda-Patti Clifton, NJ 

C. Holowinsky Belle Mead, NJ 

B. Kurylko Venice, FL 

A. Kushnir Bethesda, MD 

Stella Maciach Jersey City, NJ 

(in memory of Mary 

Maciach) 

M. McGrath Franklin Square, NY 

Marlene Milstead Rock Hill, SC 

Peter Myskiw 

Phoenix, AZ 

N. Popowych Park Ridge, IL 

Roman Olijnyk Radnor, PA 

$45.00 Daria Dykyj Forest Hills, NY 

Sophie Worobec Chicago, IL 

$30.00 Genya Blahy Beechhurst, NY 

Irena Nychay 

Bayonne, NJ 

Gregory Tkaczyk St. Catharines, ON 

$25.00 V. Andrushkiw Troy, MI 

W. Balko Ledgewood, NJ 

Michael Bilynsky Hollywood, FL 

B. Birakowsky College Point, NY 

O. Boraczok Madison, WI 

George Chomyn Weston, ON 

Ihor Chorneyko Dundas, ON 

D. Chromowsky Little Egg Harbor, NJ 

M. Durbak Chicago, IL 

K. Fedorijczuk Glenside, PA 

H. Gottschak Glen Ridge, PA 

Oksana Herus 

Eastchester, NY 

I. Hron Osprey, FL 

Z. Iwanonko Vestal, NY 

A. Jakubowycz Brecksville, OH 

M. Kebalo Briarwood, NY 

Andrea Kochanowsky Wayne, NJ 

W. Kornylo Rochester, NY 

T. Krupa Morristown, NJ 

J. Krupinski Scranton, PA 

S. Krysalka Mason, GA 

Mary Ann Kulish Bayonne, NJ 

T. Kulyk Plaut City, FL 

The Ukrainian Weekly Press Fund: December 

Bill Laschuk 

San Francisco, CA 

J. Lipsky Dearfield Beach, FL 

Michael Lotocky Huntington Beach, CA 

I. Lysyj Austin, TX 

Andrij Maryniuk Bay Harbor Island, FL 

A. Motyl New York, NY 

J. Pluta Wallingford, PA 

J. Ratych North Port, FL 

Arnold Rudakewych Lorton, VA 

S. Schmotolocha Thousand Oaks, CA 

W. Sidorowicz S. Fallsburg, NY 

K. Sowiak Mercerville, NJ 

D. Stachiw Middlesex, NJ 

G. Sydoriak Hillsborough, NJ 

Larysa Szanc-Smarsh Brooklyn, NY 

I. Szkolar White Plains, NY 

P. Wasylkevych Cary, NC 

W. Werbowsky Syracuse, NY 

Andrij Witiuk 

Brooklyn, NY 

W. Wowchuk Hawthorn Woods, IL 

W. Wronskyj Greenlawn, NY 

P. Wychrij Naples, FL 

$20.00 R. Bilak Kenosha, WI 

Lana Ginsberg Round Rock, TX 

M. Jarko Union, NJ 

Laryssa Krupa Morristown, NJ 

Natalka Maciukenas Portland, OR 

J. Mazuryk Danville, CA 

H. Petryshyn Sarasota, FL 

G. Polansky Strongsville, OH 

$15.00 N. Bobak Meadowbrook, PA 

M. Bohdan Union, NJ 

J. Bortnyk Forked River, NJ 

Roman Drozd 

Broadview Heights, OH 

Lidia Jacynicz North Port, FL 

Roman Kokolskyj Sicklerville, NJ 

Theodore Kuzio Granby, CT 

B. Malaniak Glendale, NY 

G. Mutlos Halandale Beach, FL 

A. Rudakewych Lorton, VA 

Peter Stefanow Worcester, MA 

Jury and Helen Trenkler North Providence, RI 

Olga Trytyak 

Matawan, NJ 

O. Zazula Flushing, NY 

$13.00 H. Wright Springfield, MA 

$10.00 W. Adankiewicz Toms River, NJ 

S. Boyko Spring Valley, CA 

S. Chomyn Rocky Hill, CT 

Andrew Chubaty Lawrenceville, GA 

V. Czartorysky Brooklyn, NY 

Anatole Doroshenko Northville, MI 

W. Drewnycky Newark Valle, NY 

W. Gerent W. Hartford, CT 

A. Goot Moretown, VT 

Olga Karmazyn Aliquippa, PA 

W. Kiec Franklin Park, NJ 

Mary Kramarenko East Windsor, NJ 

R. Kucil Rochester, NY 

Zenon Lishchynskyj Parkland, FL 

Eli Matiash 

Aliquippa, PA 

Christine Matiash Corpus Christi, TX 

Peter Melnycky Edmonton, AB 

H. Mess Cincinnati, OH 

M. Myers Rochester, NY 

J. Nalavany Linden, NJ 

Eugene Nedilsky Lima, OH 

J. Oberyszyn Jamaica, NY 

Olga Palaschenko Parma, OH 

L. Pastuszek Sudbury, MA 

F. Petryk Levittown, PA 

D. Pilhuj Philadelphia, PA 

E. Pyk Orlando Park, IL 

E. Rishiy Trenton, NJ 

D. Samotulka Hillsborough, NJ 

G. Sawchak Rydal, PA 

Marusia Scroka Mississauga, ON 

C. Sitko Garettsville, OH 

C. and K. Skuza Tewksbury, NJ 

A. Strilbyckyj Fort Wayne, IN 

M. Tymiak North Port, FL 

Yaro Zajac 

East Hanover, NJ 

M. Zmurkewych Elkins Park, PA 

$5.00 O. Ariza Miami, FL 

Bohdan Dombchewskyj Monroe, NC 

S. Golub Minneapolis, MN 

Alana Hanks 

Washington, DC 

Merle and Bonnie Toledo, OH 

Jurkiewicz 

A. Klufas Bridgeport, CT 

O. Kuzlitt Whitestone, NY 

Michael Lechmann Glen Allen, VA 

Natalie Miahky Akron, OH 

P. Molasky Sunrise, FL 

M. Ohara Long Island, NY 

Osnova Ukrainian FCU Parma, OH 

M. Plaskonos Hamden, CT 

Victor Rosynsky Ortonville, MI 

Lubomyr Zapar Chesterfield, VA 

$2.50 R. Korchynsky Horseheads, NY 

$2.00 S. Goras Jersey City, NJ 

TOTAL: $3,954.50 

Sincere thanks to all contributors to The Ukrainian 

Weekly Press Fund. 

The Ukrainian Weekly Press Fund is the only fund 

dedicated exclusively to supporting the work of this 

publication.

No. 5 


5 

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM 

Jersey City UAYA members bring “koliada” to the UNA 

Mission 

Statement 

The Ukrainian National 

Association exists: 

• to promote the principles of 

fraternalism; 

• to preserve the Ukrainian, 

Ukrainian American and 

Ukrainian Canadian heritage and 

culture; and 

• to provide quality financial 

services and products to its members. 

As a fraternal insurance society, 

the Ukrainian National 

Association reinvests its earnings 

for the benefit of its members and 

the Ukrainian community. 

Roma Hadzewycz 

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Carolers, or “koliadnyky,” from the Jersey City, N.J., branch of the Ukrainian American Youth 

Association, paid a visit to the Ukrainian National Association’s Home Office on January 17. The group (seen above) sang 

carols, recited poetry and offered best wishes for the Christmas and New Year season to the employees of the UNA and its 

publications, Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly. 

UNA Branch 241 facilitates visit by St. Nicholas 

Read the Ukrainian 

National Association’s 

newspapers online: 

www.ukrweekly.com 

www.svoboda-news.com 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. – Ukrainian National Association Branch 241 in Woonsocket, R.I., hosted its annual St. Nicholas/ 

Christmas party for the children of St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. Msgr. Roman Golemba and Janet Bardell, branch 

secretary, greeted the youngsters. Lydia Kusma Minyayluk and Lydia Zuk Klufas programmed the event with poems and 

songs. The parents prepared a delicious lunch. John Tkach, as well as several of the children, provided the musical entertainment. 

Of course, the highlight of the event came when St. Nicholas presented gifts to the eager children. 

– Lydia Z. Klufas 

Credit 

Our online archives are made 

possible by our 

generous sponsors: 

Self Reliance New York 

Federal Credit Union 

Shevchenko Scientific Society, 

U.S.A. 

Selfreliance Ukrainian American 


Anonymous donor 

SUMA (Yonkers) 


Heritage Foundation of 1st 

Security Savings Bank 

Bahriany Foundation 

Job opening at 

THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY 

Full-time layout artist based at our office 

in Parsippany, N.J. 

Position requires knowledge of InDesign, 

QuarkXpress, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft 

Office, etc. for Macintosh systems. 

Experience with web design and computer 

troubleshooting desired. Bilingual (English/ 

Ukrainian) skills a definite plus. 

Those interested in an opportunity to join The Ukrainian 

Weekly’s production team are encouraged to send a 

resume and a cover letter explaining their interest in the 

position, along with salary requirements, to: Editor-in- 

Chief, The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 

280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; or to staff@ukrweekly.com. 

THE UNA: 116 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY

6 


No. 5 


A notable 20th anniversary 

Twenty years ago, on January 13, 1991, The Ukrainian Weekly’s Kyiv Press 

Bureau was born. We noted that major milestone in our January 20, 1991, issue with a 

simple story on page 3 headlined “Weekly correspondent now in Kiev” (yes, that’s 

how we all used to spell the name of Ukraine’s capital city…). The lead read: “Marta 

Kolomayets, an associate editor of The Ukrainian Weekly, arrived on Sunday, January 

13, in Kiev, where she will serve as a correspondent for The Weekly and set up the 

Ukrainian National Association’s press bureau.” 

The move was months in the making – and not a simple undertaking at that. It 

came about as a result of a resolution adopted at the UNA’s May 1990 convention 

which stated: “The convention urges the UNA Executive Committee to look into 

establishing a bureau in Kiev and/or Lviv which would provide direct news service on 

a regular basis to our UNA publications.” Our efforts to establish the bureau began in 

earnest in October 1990 when a UNA delegation (composed of Supreme President 

Ulana Diachuk, Supreme Secretary Walter Sochan, and Supreme Advisors Eugene 

Iwanciw and Roma Hadzewycz) attending the second congress of Rukh met with officials 

of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Several months of dealing with red tape followed 

– it was, after all, still the Soviet era – and there were times when we thought our plans 

would come to naught. In the end, our persistence paid off. 

To say 1991 was an exciting year is an understatement. Our September 1 edition 

carried a big, bold headline: “Ukraine declares independence.” Three months later, our 

December 8 issue reported the results of the December 1 referendum on Ukraine’s 

independence with the headline “INDEPENDENCE” in 80-point type capital letters. 

Ms. Kolomayets reported on the USSR-wide referendum on a new union treaty and 

the poll on Ukraine’s state sovereignty, the return of the primate of the Ukrainian 

Catholic Church, Cardinal Mstyslav Lubachivsky and the rebirth of the Ukrainian 

Autocephalous Orthodox Church with Patriarch Mstyslav I at the helm. When Leonid 

Kravchuk, chairman of Ukraine’s Parliament, traveled to the U.S., Ms. Kolomayets 

was right there, on his plane with his entourage, reporting every move. 

Chrystyna Lapychak, who took the next six-month assignment, reported on 

President George Bush’s visit to Kyiv (and his “Chicken Kiev” speech), the dissolution 

of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the failed Soviet coup from Ukraine’s perspective, 

Ukraine’s proclamation of independence on August 24, 1991, and the 

December 1 vote that overwhelmingly approved independence and elected the newly 

independent county’s first president. 

And there were so many other major developments under the Kravchuk, Kuchma, 

Yushchenko and Yanukovych administrations that were reported from Kyiv by The 

Weekly’s staffers. Ms. Kolomayets returned to Ukraine for several more tours; others 

who served as our Kyiv Press Bureau correspondents were: Khristina Lew and 

Roman Woronowycz (both did several tours of duty), as well as Andrew Nynka. Our 

current Kyiv editor, Zenon Zawada, has been on duty since 2005, except for a brief 

interlude in January-August 2008, when our bureau continued its work thanks to our 

Kyivan colleague Illya M. Labunka, who filled in admirably (during the summer he 

had the assistance of intern Danylo Peleschuk). 

For two decades our Kyiv Press Bureau has proven its worth countless times as it 

delivered the news that our community needed and wanted straight from the scene. It 

provided news and analyses that were simply unavailable elsewhere at a critical time in 

Ukraine’s history. Today it faithfully, responsibly and steadfastly continues its mission. 

For that, Dear Readers, we give kudos to all of our Kyiv correspondents and thanks 

to our publisher, the UNA, for this huge contribution to Ukraine and Ukrainians 

everywhere. Happy anniversary to our Kyiv Press Bureau! 

Feb. 

1 

2010 

Turning the pages back... 

Last year, Ukraine’s former President Leonid Kuchma said in 

an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on 

February 1, 2010, that Ukraine’s political system was dysfunctional 

and needed an infusion of fresh talent. 

Mr. Kuchma told Dmitry Volcheck of RFE/RL’s Russian Service that regardless of who 

won the February 7, 2010, runoff between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor 

Yanukovych, Ukraine’s political institutions would remain incapable of dealing with the 

country’s pressing problems. “…Whatever the outcome [of the runoff elections], it will not 

bring political stability or resolve any economic problems in the country,” he observed. 

The promise of the 2004 Orange Revolution, he said, remained unfulfilled because of the 

bickering between President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Tymoshenko, destroying 

the people’s trust in the government’s ability to implement permanent positive reforms. 

Mr. Kuchma, who was president of Ukraine from 1994 to 2005, saw the stabilization of 

the country, but his regime is also accused of widespread corruption and of stifling the 

nascent free press. He is also suspected of involvement in the disappearance of the opposition 

journalist Heorhii Gongadze. 

Ukraine’s foreign policy agenda of Euro-integration under President Yushchenko, Mr. 

Kuchma said, accented the divisions between the Ukrainian-speaking western regions and 

the largely Russian-speaking east. This differed from President Kuchma’s multi-vector foreign 

policy, which tried to maintain good relations with both Russia and the West. 

Regardless of how close Kyiv’s relations become with Moscow, there is little risk that 

Ukraine will imitate Russia’s authoritarian political model, Mr. Kuchma said. 

“I’m absolutely confident that such fears are groundless. Ukraine is really not Russia and 

we have different a mentality,” Mr. Kuchma said. “There are three bosses for every two 

Ukrainians, that’s true, and there is always some struggle at every level. So, I don’t think 

such a threat exists. Moreover, our parliamentary-presidential model protects the country 

from dictatorship.” 

Source: “Kuchma says Ukraine’s political system is dysfunctional,” (RFE/RL), The 

Ukrainian Weekly, February 7, 2010. 

COMMENTARY 

Selective justice in Ukraine 

by Mykola Riabchuk 

A prison cell might be not the best place 

to spend the New Year and Christmas holidays. 

But for a good number of top 

Ukrainian officials, including former 

Internal Affairs Minister Yuri Lutsenko and 

former Minister of the Economy Bohdan 

Danylyshyn, this was exactly the place 

where they had to relax and meditate on the 

whims of fortune. 

It comes as little surprise that virtually all 

of them belong to the “Orange” camp that is 

today’s political opposition. Their leader, the 

former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, 

was also summoned to the Procurator 

General’s Office but was spared arrest on 

condition she would not leave the city during 

the pending investigation. 

The tough measures against corrupt 

Ukrainian officials might be well-received, 

both domestically and internationally insofar 

as Ukraine is one of the most corrupt 

countries in the world and the least attractive 

country in Europe for foreign investors. 

Any cause for cheer, however, soon fades 

away once we take a closer look at the who, 

how and why of the allegedly anti-graft 

measures. 

Who? 

The entire Party of Regions can be 

broadly perceived as a mafia-style organization 

with tight inner discipline and immeasurable 

shadow resources. And its power 

base, the Donbas region, has a well-earned 

reputation of a local Sicily. Whatever might 

have been the past of the party and of this 

region there are no signs that their present is 

any different. 

Ukraine’s president, Viktor Yanukovych, 

has never been absolved from the murky 

privatization of a huge government-owned 

estate near Kyiv, nor has he managed to cast 

off a parvenu lust for luxury cars, helicopters 

and other overpriced things bought with 

government money – despite broadly trumpeted 

austerity measures. 

Like master, like servants. His ministers, 

governors, mayors and other clerks have no 

restraint in their love for la dolce vita – 

apparently at the expense of the state. Every 

day the Internet carries something new 

about their extravagance, both at home and 

abroad. 

The deputy head of the president’s 

administration wears diamond watches 

worth $50,000 each and claims candidly 

that this is just an innocent birthday present 

from her party comrades, one of whom, 

incidentally, happens to be the mayor of 

Kharkiv, and the other a vice prime minister. 

Another mayor purchases benches for the 

city metro at $8,000 each – so that another 

diamond watch as a gift would certainly not 

be a problem. The head of DUSia (a Soviet 

relic that runs multiple facilities and supplies 

for the ruling nomenklatura) purchased 

a lawnmower for the national deputies’ hospital 

at a cost of $500,000. One can guess 

how many lawnmowers he could buy for 

this money on the free market. 

Few care about the fact that the head of 

the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) runs 

multiple private businesses; the vice prime 

minister in charge of investment and innovation 

endorses 300 million hrv for his own 

Mykola Riabchuk is an author and journalist 

from Ukraine, and a leading intellectual 

who is affiliated with the journal 

Krytyka. 

The article above is reprinted from the 

blog “Current Politics in Ukraine” (http:// 

ukraineanalysis.wordpress.com/) created by 

the Stasiuk Program for the Study of 

Contemporary Ukraine, a program of the 

Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at 

the University of Alberta. 

enterprises; the prime minister responds 

favorably to the request of the Orthodox 

bishop (of the Moscow Patriarchate) lobbying 

for trade preferences for some Russian 

company, and so on. No one is prosecuted, 

fired or even reprimanded. 

The only rebuke that has occurred to date 

would make one laugh – or cry, depending 

on one’s sensitivity. It comes from a conversation 

between the two ministers recorded 

secretly by a journalist in the Parliament. 

One of them, Andriy Kliuyev, was in charge 

of construction of a fast road for the president 

to his rancho. He naturally used the 

occasion to stretch the road for a dozen 

more kilometers to his own estate. Borys 

Kolesnikov, his colleague, can be overheard 

chastising him – but not for the embezzlement 

of state funds. On the contrary, Mr. 

Kliuyev’s faux pas was much worse. He 

failed to extend the super highway for a few 

more kilometers to Mr Kolesnikov’s dacha 

nearby. 

This probably says enough about the 

team that is fighting corruption in Ukraine 

as well as about the ultimate prospects of 

this fight. 

Yet, one more actor of this tragicomedy 

should be mentioned. Viktor Pshonka, the 

new procurator general, heralds from 

Donetsk, as do most top officials. There, 

reportedly, he made his career under Mr. 

Yanukovych’s governorship, providing a 

reliable legal service for good people. In 

2000, he became notorious as a person who 

allegedly tried to cover up the brutal murder 

of investigative journalist Ihor Aleksandrov. 

A vagrant was found who confessed to the 

crime, but no serious evidence was presented 

in court and the poor man was released, 

only to die shortly afterwards under mysterious 

circumstances. Remarkably, the last 

case investigated by Mr. Aleksandrov before 

his death was about alleged connections 

between Mr. Pshonka’s son Artem and local 

criminal bosses. 

Even if these allegations are false, the 

very way in which Mr. Pshonka understands 

his professional duty and the essence of the 

judiciary within the power structure leaves 

little doubt concerning his current and prospective 

role in Ukraine. In a recent TV discussion, 

he stated frankly: “As the procurator 

general, I am a member of the president’s 

team [eager] to implement all his 

decisions.” Enough said. 

How and why? 

The answer to this question comes mainly 

from the answer to the previous one. On 

the one hand, it is quite clear that the ruling 

team members, including the president, are 

not going to refrain in any noticeable way 

from their deeply rooted habits. On the 

other, it is also clear that the Ukrainian procurator 

– as a loyal member of this very team 

– would be neither willing nor able to 

restrain those habits from the outside. 

Political opposition and an independent 

mass media might be the only obstacles for 

the ruling team in its drive for uncontrolled 

accumulation of wealth and power. So, their 

destruction is a strategic goal for all branches 

of the government that are fully subordinated 

now to the president. The more this 

destruction can be represented as a fight 

against corruption, the better. 

The government is effectively killing two 

birds with one stone. It represses and 

destroys the opposition on seemingly nonpolitical 

grounds and, at the same time, it 

distracts people’s attention from its own 

misdeeds and even wins some popularity 

for purportedly re-establishing law and 

order. The short-term gains of this policy are 

undeniable. The long-term goals are simply 

not on the agenda of this band of political 


No. 5 


7 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 

Kurylas design: 

simple, elegant 

Dear Editor: 

Thank you for publishing Laryssa 

Kurylas’ description of her proposed 

Holodomor monument in Washington. 

What better memorial to those of our 

brothers and sisters who starved even 

though they lived in the breadbasket of 

Europe! 

The concept is beautiful, and the 

design simple and elegant. I am convinced 

that the monument as envisioned 

by Ms. Kurylas would draw the attention 

of many who would also read the story 

behind its erection. 

I hope there will be enough support in 

the diaspora to get this project under way. 

Christine Paclawskyj 

Kensington, Md. 

Thanks for articles 

on five designs 

Dear Editor: 

I would like to thank you for publishing 

the two articles concerning the proposed 

design for the Holodomor 

Memorial in Washington, (December 5, 

2010). 

I would especially like to commend 

you for your excellent editorial on 

December 19, 2010, concerning this very 

important matter. The lack of full information 

and transparency concerning this 

project is “deeply troubling” indeed. It is 

particularly so because increasingly it is 

becoming apparent that if the memorial is 

to be completed on time, much if not all 

the financing for this project will be 

borne by our community. 

The U.S. National Holodomor 

Committee has already paid about $100, 

000 for the preliminary studies of the 

memorial site, as required by D.C. regulations. 

However, the construction of the 

memorial is ultimately paid for, it is 

imperative that the U.S. National 

Holodomor Committee have an input 

regarding the design of the memorial. 

As of today, the committee has not 

been convened to decide which of the 

proposed designs it would recommend to 

Ukrainian authorities. 

For my part, I showed the proposed 

designs for the Holodomor memorial to 

the executive committee of the Ukrainian 

American Coordinating Council at its 

quarterly meeting on March 21, 2010. 

The committee unanimously chose the 

entry by the Ukrainian American architect 

Larysa Kurylas as by far the one that 

most successfully conveys this great 

Ukrainian tragedy of 1932-1933, not only 

in a most poignant and original manner 

but in a way that also manages to give the 

memorial an unmistakably Ukrainian 

character while simultaneously achieving 

a vision that is on the same high level 

with the timeless designs of the best of 

the modern public monuments in the capital. 

Ihor Gawdiak 

Columbia, Md. 

The letter-writer is president of 

Ukrainian American Coordinating 

Council and vice-chairman of the U.S. 

National Holodomor Committee. 

A suggestion 

for diaspora 

Dear Editor: 

In view of Ukrainian President Viktor 

Yanukovych’s announcement that Stepan 

Bandera’s Hero of Ukraine award has 

now been officially revoked, I have this 

suggestion for diaspora Ukrainians. 

From now on, resolutely refuse to 

accept any honorary awards and citations 

bestowed on them by Ukraine’s government 

or by any institutions closely linked 

to it. 

And do so for as long as that 

Russophile government continues its policy 

of strident anti-Ukrainianism, falsification 

of history, and degradation of 

Ukraine’s hard-won democracy. 

Roman Czajkowsky 

New York 

A thesis writer 

seeks information 

Dear Editor: 

My name is Danielle Granville. I’m 

an American of non-Ukrainian descent, 

working on a D.Phil. in Politics at Oxford 

University (although I’m currently based 

in Washington, D.C.). My thesis explores 

the nature of Ukrainian diaspora communities’ 

involvement in the Holodomor 

genocide recognition campaign. 

I’m interested in talking to anyone 

who’s been involved with this campaign 

in Great Britain or North America, or 

who has particular views on the topic. I 

can contact you either on the phone/ 

Skype or via email. I’d love to learn 

more about how you became involved in 

this campaign and how you’ve pursued 

recognition; what you see as the goals of 

the campaign; how you feel about the 

level of recognition in Ukraine; what you 

see as the campaign’s greatest successes 

and obstacles; and much more. 

I can be reached at danielle.granville@ 

gmail.com to set up a time to talk. All 

conversations will be conducted in 

English. Thanks in advance for your 

time and assistance. 

Danielle Granville 

Washington 

We welcome your opinion 

The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes letters 

to the editor and commentaries on a variety 

of topics of concern to the Ukrainian 

American and Ukrainian Canadian communities. 

Opinions expressed by columnists, 

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Please note: THE LENGTH OF 

LETTERS CANNOT EXCEED 500 

WORDS. 

From a Canadian Angle 

by Oksana Bashuk Hepburn 

The best and worst list: 2010 

Almost everyone has a favorite list this 

time of year – best movies, best books, 

persons of the year. For the eight year, 

here is my best and worst list comprising 

governments, individuals, publications 

and organizations that had an impact, for 

better or for worse, on the global 

Ukrainian community in 2010. 

10 best 

1. Ukraine’s Kyiv Appellate Court – for 

finding Joseph Stalin, Viacheslav 

Molotov, Lazar Kaganovich, Pavlo 

Postyshev, Stanislav Kosior, Vlas Chubar, 

and Mendel Khatayevych responsible for 

the Holodomor, the genocidal starvation 

of some 10 million Ukrainians; and then 

President Viktor Yushchenko – for calling 

for the creation of an international tribunal 

on Communist crimes. 

2. Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen 

Harper – for showing Western states how 

to deal with Ukraine’s threatened democracy: 

raise trade issues without compromising 

democratic values. 

3. Independent-minded Ukrainian journalists 

– for ongoing resistance to pressures 

undermining objective reporting, in 

particular their decision to boycott 

Mykhailo Checherov, Party of Regions, 

for lying about its members beating up 

four opposition deputies in Parliament; 

and Reporters Without Borders – for monitoring 

and warning against the decline. 

4. FOX media and Glenn Beck – for 

global exposure of atrocities committed 

by Communist regimes including 

Holodomor, in the series “Holocaust: Live 

Free or Die.” 

5. President Viktor Yanukovych – for 

reversing his position on Holodomor by 

partially reinstating the information on the 

president’s website in response to citizen’s 

pressure; a good sign in a democratic 

leader. 

6. Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian 

Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate – 

for mounting a robust 1021 anniversary of 

Christianity celebration as an antidote to 

the state’s Moscow Patriarch-adheringorthodox-only 

event with Russia’s religious 

and political hierarchy in attendance. 

7. Vera Fermiga – for using her considerable 

global vantage point as an 

Academy Award nominated actress to 

cheer her Ukrainian roots. 

8. The Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, rector, 

Ukrainian Catholic University – for documenting 

the state’s intervention in the 

right of assembly creating a worldwide 

reaction to limitations on freedoms 

imposed by the government. 

9. C o m m e n t a t o r s l i k e Ye v h e n 

Sverstiuk, Alexander Motyl and Askold 

Lozynskyj – for providing opinion leadership 

on important yet underexposed issues 

vital to Ukraine as well as global peace 

and security. 

10. Timothy Snyder, Yale University 

historian – for shedding much needed 

light on the horrific toll of World War II in 

Ukraine and the gargantuan evils of two 

dictators equally responsible for the 

crimes in his book “Bloodlands: Between 

Hitler and Stalin.” 

10 worst 

1. “Patriotic” Ukrainians – for failing to 

deliver a pro-Western president by denying 

Yulia Tymoshenko the 5 percent needed 

to beat pro-Russian Viktor 

Yanukovych, in particular members of 

President Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine 

party, women voters and the so-called 

“elite,” including writer Oksana 

Zabuzhko, who wasted her vote and 

served as an example for others by voting 

“for no one.” 

2. Ex-president Viktor Yushchenko – 

for ensuring the elections of a pro-Russian 

president by endorsing constitutional 

changes three days before the vote; urging 

voters to invalidate their ballots by voting 

“for no one,” and relentlessly undermining 

the pro-Western contender, Ms. 

Tymoshenko, (including by calling her 

“the worst mistake of my presidency.”) 

3. The Kharkiv agreements – for legitimizing 

a pro-Russian rather than what-isbest-for-Ukraine 

option including the 

25-year extension of the Russian Black 

Sea Fleet’s lease in Crimea and dropping 

consideration of NATO membership for 

Ukraine. 

4. Dmytro Tabachnyk, minister of education 

– for reverting to blunt Soviet-style 

governance minimizing Soviet abuses 

denigrating patriotic Ukrainians and 

changing history texts to favor Russia’s 

world view. 

5. President Yanukovych – for failing 

to dismiss anti-Ukrainian ministers who 

openly spread discord among citizens, act 

as the fifth column for Russia and humiliate 

Ukraine globally. 

6. Moscow Patriarch Kirill – for badguest 

behavior in Ukraine by mixing politics 

and religion, preaching reunification 

of Ukraine with Russia, and demanding a 

name change for Hetman Ivan Mazepa 

Street. 

7. Western states, in particular France 

and Germany – for their consistent refusal 

to bring Ukraine, the largest European 

country, closer to the West via NATO and 

the European Union, thus granting carte 

blanche to Russian hegemony in the 

neighborhood. 

8. Michael Ignatieff, Canada’s leader of 

the Opposition – for ongoing faux pas 

with the Ukrainian Canadian electorate, 

starting with slurs in his little book followed 

by an inadequate apology; a noshow 

at their major Ukrainian Festival in 

Toronto; and no appointments from the 

group to his shadow Cabinet. 

9. The decision-makers at the Canadian 

Human Rights Museum – for singling out 

two groups for preferential treatment, thus 

undermining the experiences of others 

suffering human rights abuses. 

10. Canada’s former Ambassador to 

Ukraine, and later Russia, Christopher 

Westdal – for undermining Prime 

Minister Stephen Harper’s defense of 

human rights in Ukraine and thus one of 

the central pillars of Canada’s foreign 

policy. 

A special citation goes to Prime 

Minister Vladimir Putin – for turning 

Russia into a bad neighbor lately sniping 

that Russia did not need Ukrainians to 

win World War II. If he keeps up the 

antagonism, he may find himself on the 

best list next year as Ukrainians wake up 

en masse to the nastiness behind the “big 

brother” façade, particularly those with 

family members who served in the Red 

Army from Stalingrad to Berlin – most 

of the population. 

Oksana Bashuk Hepburn is an international 

commentator and editor of a 

quarterly magazine. She may be contacted 

at oksanabh@sympatico.ca.

8 


No. 5 

NEWS AND VIEWS 

Metropolitan Constantine Bohachevsky 1884-1961 

by Martha Bohachevsky-Chomiak 

Fifty years ago, on January 6, 1961, Constantine 

Bohachevsky, the first metropolitan of the Ukrainian 

Catholic Church in the United States, died. He was 73 

years old and had been the Catholic bishop for Ukrainians 

in the United States for 37 years. 

Pope Pius XI appointed Bohachevsky bishop for 

Ukrainian Catholics in the United States in 1924, when 

Bohachevsky was barely 40. 

That appointment was part of a complex arrangement 

that permitted the Vatican to formalize its relations with 

the new Polish state that had taken power over western 

Ukrainian territories. The Poles continued their shortsighted 

persecution of Ukrainians in Halychyna, and the 

Church was no exception. 

Bohachevsky was especially singled out for his clearcut 

and principled stand on nationality issues. He had 

been arrested in 1919 by the Polish regime for organizing 

the Peremyshl community relief program and for refusing 

to use Polish in official documents. He was freed only 

after the personal intervention of the Vatican nuncio to 

Poland, Cardinal Achille Ratti – the future Pope Pius XI. 

In 1923 the Polish administration would not recognize 

Bohachevsky as the newly appointed vicar-general of 

Peremyshl Diocese. In turn Pope Pius XI would not sign a 

Concordat with a Poland that openly discriminated 

against Ukrainian Catholics, as evidenced by Poland’s 

opposition to Bohachevsky’s appointment. By appointing 

Bohachevsky bishop in the United States the pope’s hand 

was freed, at least for the time being. 

All Ukrainian attempts at independence, except for the 

dubious existence of the Soviet Ukrainian republic, had 

failed. The country was impoverished. Metropolitan 

Andrey Sheptytsky, who spent the immediate post-World 

War I years as the papal vicar to America was as shocked 

by the condition of the Ukrainian Church in the United 

States, as he was by the abject failure of all Ukrainian 

attempts at ensuring statehood. Metropolitan Sheptytsky 

opposed the appointment of any of the priests already in 

the United States to the position of bishop, and the search 

was expanded to include all possible candidates. 

The Ukrainian parishes in the United States, lacking a 

bishop with legal authority over property issues, were in 

disarray, and the position of the Ukrainian clergy was 

very difficult. Although the Russian government could no 

longer buy parishes for Orthodoxy, the newly established 

Ukrainian Autocephalous Church exercised an attractive 

force for those Catholic Ukrainians who became dissatisfied 

with their parish. Parishioners fought each other on 

many issues. 

One of the most contentious was the relationship 

between the Ukrainians who came from Halychyna, and 

those who came from Transcarpathian territories. The latter 

chose to keep using the old name for Ukrainian – 

Ruthenians. To minimize that very visible – even within 

the Roman Catholic community – conflict, Pope Pius XI 

appointed not one, but two Ukrainian Catholic bishops for 

the United States: Vasyl Takach for the Carpatho-Rusyns 

and Bohachevsky for the Ukrainians. 

So, when Bishop Bohachevsky came to the United 

States from a Ukrainian community destroyed by the war, 

he was faced with another poor and increasingly contentious 

Ukrainian population, this time immigrant. The new 

bishop was not as impressed by America’s wealth, as he 

was devastated by the poverty of most Ukrainian immigrants. 

He realized that Ukrainians in the United States, 

despite all their sacrifices – often at the cost of their own 

and their children’s needs – would not be able to help 

Ukraine in any significant manner unless their own standard 

of living improved. 

Lacking monetary resources, he thought that could 

accomplished only by education. While others bemoaned 

the inevitable Americanization of Ukrainian immigrants 

and used their energy to work on collecting whatever 

funds they could for the home country and its diplomatic 

representations, Bishop Bohachevsky made two momentous 

decisions: one, he would build up the Church and not 

embroil it in the quarreling among the Ukrainian political 

factions; second, he would promote Ukrainian Catholic 

education on all levels to help the faithful grow in faith 

and wisdom. 

Bohachevsky focused on being the Catholic bishop for 

the Ukrainian diocese. He would build up that diocese, 

assure a sustainable livelihood for the priests and establish 

an orderly administration. He realized early on that the 

immigrants to America would not return to Ukraine, 

regardless of their passionate statements to the contrary. 

The Ukrainian immigration was becoming an integral part 

of the multinational fabric of American society, and the 

Ukrainian component should be a complementary one to 

the United States, and not in opposition to it. 

He reasoned that the Church could preserve the 

Ukrainian Catholic heritage for Ukrainians, and at the 

same time present their Ukrainian rite and culture to 

Americans in the United States. 

The bishop argued that Ukrainians needed schools to 

help them out of the cycle of poverty that life in the industrial 

centers held in store for them. They needed their own 

Church and their own schools to enable them to live the 

American dream without losing their rich Ukrainian heritage. 

Bohachevsky realized that the Church in America 

would need priests who could minister to those who only 

knew Ukraine from the church hall. He immediately 

began work to establish a whole network of Ukrainian 

Catholic schools, from kindergarten to college. It took 

time for the community to understand the bishop’s vision. 

The bishop enlisted the help of the Sisters of St. Basil 

Metropolitan Constantine Bohachevsky 

the Great, and together they built grammar schools and 

high schools throughout the country, as well as two colleges 

– one for men and a junior one for women. 

The Ukrainian Catholic Church in America grew to be 

strong and united. New dioceses were formed and 

Bohachevsky was raised to metropolitan-archbishop. He 

was in the midst of more plans for the Metropolitanate 

and its schools when he was suddenly stricken by a fatal 

heart attack on the eve of Christmas according to the old 

Julian calendar, which the cathedral still used. 

By that time, many parishes had voted to use the newer 

Gregorian calendar, which was prevalent in the world, but 

Bohachevsky had promised his faithful that the cathedral 

would adhere to the old calendar in its celebration as long 

as even one parish continued to opt for it. The metropolitan 

honored his promise to the minority. 

When Metropolitan Bohachevsky died he was universally 

praised for the incontrovertible achievements of his 

tenure. But the full story of his dedicated pastoral service 

during a stormy period of the community’s history has yet 

to be told. That story has many lessons for all Ukrainians 

in the United States, as well as in Ukraine. 

BOOK NOTES: New volume of Hrushevsky’s “History of Ukraine-Rus’ ” 

EDMONTON, Alberta – The ninth volume 

of Mykhailo Hrushevsky’s “History of 

Ukraine-Rus’ ” is by far the longest in the 

10-volume series. Written in the late 1920s, 

after Hrushevsky had returned to Ukraine 

from exile, the volume is dedicated to a crucial 

period of Ukrainian history: the rule of 

Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky. 

In the English translation of the history 

prepared by the Peter Jacyk Center for 

Ukrainian Historical Research at CIUS and 

published by CIUS Press, this large volume 

appears in three separate books. Book 1 of 

Volume 9 was published in 2005; Book 2, 

Part 1, appeared in 2008; and 2010 Book 2, 

Part 2 was made available to readers and 

scholars in 2010. 

This book was translated by Marta Daria 

Olynyk, a Montreal-based translator, editor 

and broadcaster. It was edited by the director 

of the Jacyk Center, Dr. Frank E. Sysyn, and 

the consulting editor for the book, Dr. 

Yaroslav Fedoruk, a senior scholar at the 

Mykhailo Hrushevsky Institute of Ukrainian 

Archaeography and Source Studies, National 

Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv, 

with the assistance of CIUS Press Senior 

Editor Myroslav Yurkevich. 

Other scholars who advised on terminological 

and historical issues include Victor 

Ostapchuk, Sándor Gebei, Eduard Baidaus, 

András Riedlmayer, Vasil Varonin, Pavlo 

Sodomora, Erika Banski, Vera Chentsova 

and Bert Hall. 

The preparation of this volume for publication 

was funded by a generous donation 

from the prominent physician and philanthropist 

Dr. Maria Fischer-Slysh (Etobicoke, 

Ontario) in memory of her parents, Dr. Adolf 

Slyz and Olha Slyz. 

Dr. Fischer-Slysh was born in Kolomyia 

in western Ukraine in 1922 and spent her 

childhood in the historic town of Belz before 

moving with her family to Lviv in 1933. She 

attended the Ukrainian Academic 

Gymnasium in Lviv, but after the Soviet 

occupation of western Ukraine she fled with 

her family and finished her secondary education 

in Kholm. She completed her medical 

studies in Munich in 1949 and emigrated 

with her family to the United States in 1950. 

She practiced as a pediatrician in 

Kankakee, Ill. In 1959 she married Dr. 

Rudolf Fischer, who was born in Straubing, 

Bavaria, and completed his medical studies 

at the Humboldt University in Berlin. Dr. 

Fischer passed away in 1982. Dr. Fischer- 

Slysh now resides in Toronto. 

She is a long-time member of the board 

of directors of the Ukrainian Medical 

Association of North America in Chicago, 

head of the Friends of the Academic 

Gymnasium in the Diaspora, and a board 

member of the Canadian Society of the 

Friends of Ukraine. She is also a member of 

the Shevchenko Scientific Society and the 

League of Ukrainian Philanthropists. 

A generous donor to numerous scholarly 

undertakings in Ukraine and Canada, she has 

made the largest donation in the history of 

the Ukrainian Catholic University, an institution 

that is cooperating with CIUS in the 

new Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of 

Modern Society and History. In addition to 

this volume, Dr. Fischer-Slysh is sponsoring 

the publication of Volume 5 of Hrushevsky’s 

history. 

This tome, in which Hrushevsky analyzes 

the last two years of Hetman Khmelnytsky’s 

rule, consists of the final chapters (10–13) of 

Volume 9. Hrushevsky presents the most 

comprehensive discussion to date of 

Khmelnytsky’s foreign policy in the aftermath 

of the Treaty of Pereiaslav (1654), a 

topic closed to research in Soviet Ukraine 

from the 1930s to the 1980s. 

He also discusses Khmelnytsky’s 

renewed efforts to annex the western 

Ukrainian territories and to control the 

Belarusian lands conquered by the Kozaks. 


No. 5 


9 

NEWS AND VIEWS 

Ukraine’s courts and the importance of acknowledging precedents 

by Bohdan A. Futey 

Ukraine’s Constitutional Court recently 

overturned the “political reform” of 

2004 that had dramatically altered the 

country’s system of government. Only a 

year and a half prior to that, however, the 

court refused to hear a similar procedural 

challenge to that reform. This change, of 

course, may cause legal confusion. In 

future decisions, the court should recognize 

the value of consistency that comes 

from respecting and acknowledging prior 

decisions. 

In Europe and around the world, many 

countries follow the civil law system, 

rather than the common law. Common 

law systems are hierarchical and unified, 

with a single high court atop the hierarchy, 

while civil law judicial systems 

sometimes lack a unified court system 

and instead rely on separate, specialized 

courts. 

In the present era of globalization, 

however, the distinction between the two 

systems has become blurred, and common 

law and civil law countries have 

incorporated some shared features. The 

aim of either judicial system is to provide 

stability through the consistent application 

of the law and adherence to the 

Constitution, since arbitrary decisions 

can instill uncertainty and confusion not 

only in legal circles but also among the 

people of a given country and the international 

community. 

As a common law system, the United 

States and its experience with precedent 

should therefore be relevant to ensuring 

consistency in Ukraine’s legal system. 

In the United States, courts engage 

with precedent via the doctrine of stare 

decisis. Under this doctrine, appellate 

courts generally adhere to decisions of 

their own court, although they have the 

power to overturn those prior decisions. 

The United States Supreme Court has 

noted that following precedent “promotes 

the even-handed, predictable and consistent 

development of legal principles, fosters 

reliance on judicial decisions, and 

contributes to the actual and perceived 

integrity of the judicial process.” The 

court also has written that the doctrine is 

“not an inexorable command” and that a 

court may correct “unworkable” or 

“badly reasoned” decisions. 

Because judges are not absolutely 

bound by precedent, courts sometimes 

consider the policies of stare decisis 

when ruling on cases. Three of those policies 

are relevant here. First, following 

precedent helps to ensure that statutes 

and rules are interpreted consistently and 

uniformly. Second, following precedent 

ensures predictable outcomes and discourages 

arbitrary decisions that vary 

from case to case. Third, the doctrine promotes 

judicial efficiency. If, in every 

case, a court had to write on a blank slate 

Bohdan A. Futey is a Judge on the 

United States Court of Federal Claims in 

Washington, appointed by President 

Ronald Reagan in May 1987. Judge 

Futey has been active in various rule of 

law and democratization programs in 

Ukraine since 1991. He has participated 

in judicial exchange programs, seminars 

and workshops, and has been a consultant 

to the working group on Ukraine’s 

Constitution and the Ukrainian 

Parliament. He also served as an official 

observer during the parliamentary elections 

in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006, and 

presidential elections in 1994, 1999, 

2004 and 2010, and conducted briefings 

on Ukraine’s election law and guidelines 

for international observers. 

when determining the correct rule of law, 

the judicial system might collapse under 

the inevitable delays. 

Overturning “political reform” 

The decision of the Constitutional 

Court of Ukraine on the country’s “political 

reform” is an abrupt change of course. 

Although the substance of that decision 

was correct, the court should have 

explained in full its reasons for departing 

from its prior, recent rulings on this exact 

subject. The failure to do so, and the 

uncertainty created by the recent decisions, 

threatens legal chaos. 

The political reform was passed by the 

Verkhovna Rada in response to the fraudulent 

presidential run-off election in 

2004. The reform, embodied in Law No. 

2222-IV (the Law of Ukraine on 

Amending the Constitution of Ukraine), 

constituted a series of amendments to 

Ukraine’s Constitution. The amendments 

resolved the electoral crisis, but were 

hastily adopted and not passed in accordance 

with required constitutional procedures. 

According to a 2005 decision of 

the Constitutional Court, changes in the 

political system of Ukraine must be submitted 

to and approved by a national referendum, 

in addition to all other requirements. 

The political reform of 2004 was never 

subject to any such referendum. Many 

critics, including this writer believe that 

such a referendum was required because 

the reform changed the political system 

and converted Ukraine from a presidential 

system into a parliamentary system. 

The procedures for adopting the political 

reform were challenged as recently as 

2008. One hundred and two legislators 

petitioned the Constitutional Court to 

review the procedures for adopting Law 

No. 2222, but the court dismissed the 

challenge on February 8, 2008. The court 

ruled that when the law amending the 

Constitution became effective, its provisions 

were practically incorporated into 

the text of the Constitution. “Having 

become effective,” the court wrote, “the 

Law itself is functionless.” 

The Constitutional Court reversed 

course on September 30, 2010. In decision 

№ 20-рп/2010, the court reviewed 

the constitutionality of the procedures for 

adopting the political reform. Without a 

proper explanation of why a challenge 

could now be brought to those procedures, 

the court found Law No. 2222 

invalid and restored the provisions of the 

Constitution of Ukraine that were amended, 

broadened, or excluded by Law No. 

2222. 

The decision is doubtlessly legitimate, 

since the procedures for enacting the 

political reform were unconstitutional. 

Despite that legitimacy, however, the 

decision has a number of far-reaching 

consequences. 

The decision may undermine the rule of 

law, since the court has now rendered 

inconsistent decisions. It is a risky practice 

for a democratic state to have its highest 

court issue conflicting decisions without 

thoroughly explaining that conflict. Legal 

reasoning can certainly change over time, 

but the court should have dealt with and 

explicitly invalidated its prior decisions to 

avoid legal inconsistency. 

Not so long ago I commented on the 

April 8, 2010, decision of the court concerning 

the possibility of forming a coalition 

by individual defecting deputies in 

the Verkhovna Rada. This decision 

reversed a decision of September 17, 

2008, dealing with the formation of coalitions. 

Legally, nothing had changed 

except for the government, and the sudden 

reversal raised questions of legitimacy. 

The recent change in course also raises 

issues of legal consistency and calls 

into question whether the judiciary has 

upheld the rule of law. 

The substance of the court’s decision 

restored the provisions of the 1996 

Constitution that were changed by Law 

No. 2222, but did so without including 

specific directives regarding the legitimacy 

of current state institutions. According 

to the court, reverting to the prior version 

of the Constitution ensures constitutional 

stability in Ukraine, and guarantees 

human rights and freedoms, as well as the 

integrity, inviolability and consistency of 

the Constitution as the supreme law of 

the land. 

Reversion without more, however, also 

throws into question the legitimacy and 

activity of all state bodies elected, convened 

or created during the last six years. 

This may impede future legal relations in 

the state, since people are uncertain 

which legal entities are legitimate and 

which have been overturned with the 

downfall of the political reform. The 

court should have explained the legal 

force of laws and provisions adopted in 

accordance with the 2004 Constitution to 

avoid conflicts between rules of the 1996 

Constitution and laws adopted after the 

political reform became effective. 

In the coming months, Ukraine will 

have to confront one of the most apparent 

conflicts: elections. When do the parliamentary 

elections and elections to other 

state bodies take place? When will the 

presidential election take place? All of 

these officials were elected in accordance 

with the procedures established by a law 

that has now been ruled unconstitutional. 

Will the parliamentary elections be held 

in March 2011 (the last Sunday of the last 

year of terms) as foreseen in the 1996 

Constitution? Furthermore, pursuant to 

the 1996 Constitution, national deputies 

were elected for a four-year term, and the 

current composition of the Parliament 

was elected for five years. 

Unfortunately, the Constitutional Court 

kept silent about these and other questions. 

Respect for and confidence in the 

judiciary hinge on clear decision-making, 

and it is unfortunate that the 

Constitutional Court’s decision on a topic 

of such national importance left unanswered 

questions. 

IN THE PRESS: Ukraine’s leaders 

“Ukraine viewpoint: Novelist 

Andrey Kurkov,” BBC News, January 

13: 

“…the coming months will certainly 

be busy for the country’s state prosecutors 

who have been told to draw up a list 

of illegal activities carried out by the government 

of former Prime Minister Yulia 

Tymoshenko. … 

“Yulia Tymoshenko is Mr. [Viktor] 

Yanukovych’s chief political opponent. 

“Unless her party is destroyed now, 

and unless she is prevented from standing 

at the next presidential elections, she will 

become Ukraine’s next president. … 

“It seems Mr. Yanukovych is little 

worried by Western or local views about 

the situation in the country. He has made 

encouraging statements about how 

Ukraine is striving towards the European 

Union, about how Ukrainians will soon 

be able to travel to Schengen countries 

without a visa and about how democracy 

and free speech will continue to flourish 

in Ukraine. 

“But all the while, the president and 

those around him are clearly molding a 

Russian form of government and, if possible, 

they would like to reform the country 

into a ‘controlled democracy’ as in 

neighboring Russia. While a real opposition 

exists in the country, this is going to 

be very difficult. …” 

“Myroslava Gongadze: Yanukovych 

team may be ‘more brutal’ than 

Kuchma,” interview by Olesia 

Oleshko, Kyiv Post, January 21: 

“Kyiv Post: On January 13, Freedom 

House published a report saying that 

Ukraine had lost its democratic achievements. 

Does it mean that the West has 

finally officially recognized the decline 

of democratic freedoms and civil liberties 

in Ukraine? 

“Myroslava Gongadze: The West is 

totally aware of the usurpation of power 

by a certain political group that is pursuing 

its own financial interests. The thing 

is that the Western governments have 

already gotten used to the Ukrainian 

elite’s political manipulations and, frankly 

speaking, have no desire to interfere in 

that process. Of course, the West would 

like to have Ukraine develop as a democratic 

state, but neither Washington nor 

Brussels is going to do the job for 

Ukrainians. 

“The West respects the people’s will in 

electing Yanukovych. But the recent 

reports on the situation in Ukraine, critical 

comments from Western experts and 

even state officials imply that the 

Ukrainian government went too far. 

Given the situation in authoritarian 

Russia and Belarus, the West is feeling 

that it’s losing its last hope for democracy 

and pluralism in Ukraine, which soon 

might lead to very sad consequences. The 

repressions and prosecutions are becoming 

a bad disease in Ukraine, an abscess 

that will burst if not treated.” 

* * * 

“KP: Do you see any parallels 

between Ukraine now and Ukraine of 

2000? 

“MG: There are a lot of parallels, but I 

have a feeling that the new authorities 

can and will be even more brutal than 

Kuchma’s regime. That’s why it’s so dangerous. 

They are trying to persuade society 

that they won’t let up any time soon. 

“Was it possible to prevent all these 

events that are now taking place – raiding 

of businesses, arrests of opposition leaders, 

crackdown on human rights activists 

and political opponents? Yes, but the 

leaders of the Orange Revolution who 

pledged to put bandits in jail failed to fulfill 

their promise and establish the rule of 

law. Had they done so we would have 

had a totally different Ukraine. These 

people should blame themselves first of 

all.” 

“Will Yanukovych oust nation’s top 

oligarchs?” by Anders Aslund, Kyiv 

Post, January 20: 

“The economic situation in Ukraine is 

quite easy to assess. President Viktor 

Yanukovych is fully in charge, and he is 

quickly consolidating power. 

“So far he is balancing between two 

oligarchic groups – the so-called 

RosUkrEnergo group and the Donetsk 

clan. The big question is whether he will 

continue to do so, or oust the oligarchs to 


10 


No. 5

No. 5 


11 

Ukraine's Unity Day... 

(Continued from page 1) 

Fesenko said indicated an interest in merging 

forces with the Front of Change for the 

next parliamentary elections, which are likely 

to occur in 2012. 

On the “maidan” (Independence Square), 

thousands of Ukrainians waved blue-andyellow 

flags and listened to a concert organized 

by the Kyiv City State Administration, 

which is led by Oleksander Popov of the 

Party of Regions. 

Former Presidents Leonid Kravchuk and 

Leonid Kuchma joined President 

Yanukovych and Prime Minister Mykola 

Azarov in attending a formal ceremony and 

concert held at the Ukrayina Palace. The 

Yanukovych administration organized commemorations 

throughout Ukraine on 

January 22. 

“The government is trying to find its own 

format of humanitarian policy in order to 

neutralize the blame and criticisms,” Mr. 

Fesenko said. “It’s a separate issue whether 

that’s working.” 

Indeed, the Party of Regions has found 

that money works for most of its supporters. 

Journalists in Kyiv discovered that many 

participants were paid between $15 and 

$17.50 by the Party of Regions (led by Mr. 

Yanukovych) to attend the maidan rally and 

wave national flags. 

Alcohol occasionally works as well. The 

Ukrainian Weekly’s correspondent 

Volodymyr Musyak reported that an alarming 

number of participants were intoxicated 

at the maidan concert. 

The Party of Regions’ dirty practices 

were displayed on the Internet for the world 

to see that night after more than 150 participants 

gathered at the party headquarters in 

central Kyiv to demand their money for 

attending the rally. 

The same night, leading journalist 

Mustafa Nayem recorded on video how 

Party of Regions members – led by Andrii 

Nadosha, son of national Deputy Oleh 

Nadosha – paid participants at a Kyiv café 

afterwards with the help of lists. 

Meanwhile, the Batkivshchyna Party 

reported their buses of supporters were yet 

again stopped by traffic police and prevented 

from traveling to the capital from cities 

that included Lviv, Odesa and 

Dnipropetrovsk. 

Those illegal methods on the part of the 

government were expected by the opposition 

forces, which were more frustrated 

with Mr. Yatsenyuk’s decision to hold a 

separate rally. 

“There’s a moral 

aspect to the meeting 

on St. Sophia 

Square, which was 

to a certain extent 

s u p p o s e d t o 

become moral support 

for the opposition 

that’s under 

pressure from the 

government,” Mr. 

F e s e n k o s a i d . 

“From that moral 

point of view, there 

is criticism.” 

Mr. Yatsenyuk 

held the separate 

commemoration 

strictly as a political 

tactic to promote 

his new political 

force to the 

public and show 

the support he’s 

mustered, Mr. Fesenko said. It was not 

intended to weaken the opposition, though 

such accusations were made. 

To prove it has none of the antagonism 

toward Ms. Tymoshenko that former 

Volodymyr Musyak 

On St. Sophia Square (from right) are: Batkivschyna Party 

Chair Yulia Tymoshenko, For Ukraine Party Chair 

Viacheslav Kyrylenko and European Party of Ukraine Chair 

Mykola Katerynchuk. 

President Yushchenko demonstrated, the 

Front of Change party dispatched one of its 

leaders, Ms. Hrynevych, to the event on St. 


Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian 

Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate 

on St. Sophia Square in Kyiv. 

Soviet-era political prisoner Lev 

Lukianenko addressed the January 22 

Unity Day commemoration led by former 

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko 

on St. Sophia Square. 

The administration of President Viktor Yanukovych led a Unity Day commemoration 

on January 22 on Independence Square, which the opposition boycotted. 

Thousands attended – many of whom were paid. 

Human Rights... 


to Brussels on January 24 by Uzbek 

President Islam Karimov. 

“Meaningless dialogues” 

The report notes that defending human 

rights “may sometimes interfere with other 

governmental interests,” adding that if so, 

“they should at least have the courage to 

admit it, instead of hiding behind meaningless 

dialogues and fruitless quests for cooperation.” 

Wenzel Michalski, the communications 

director for Human Rights Watch’s 

Germany office, calls this year’s report 

“forceful” in addressing diplomacy and 

rights efforts used in the West. 

“It became very fashionable in the last 

couple of years to prefer dialogue – socalled 

dialogue and silent diplomacy – to 

naming and shaming. And we think it didn’t 

do any good for human rights worldwide,” 

Mr. Michalski says. “It showed, actually, 

that talk behind closed doors doesn’t lead to 

any improvement in this area.” 

European Commission (EC) spokeswoman 

Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, asked about 

the HRW report at a news briefing in 

Brussels on January 24, declined to respond 

to specific criticisms. 

But she said EC President José Manuel 

Barroso would bring up rights concerns during 

the visit by Mr. Karimov. 

“There is absolutely no question of trading 

off one interest in exchange for the other 

as far as the EU is concerned,” she said. 

“And I think we’ve had many occasions to 

demonstrate that. Human rights is nonnegotiable.” 

Mr. Michalski notes, meanwhile, that 

Western criticism tends to be more strident 

the less the country has to offer in terms of 

economic interests. 

“So when it’s up to criticize countries 

like Belarus, for example, the Western powers, 

the EU, America, all have a very strong 

voice. They all expressed their concerns 

about the vote-rigging and the threatening of 

the opposition. Why is that? Why are countries 

like Germany talking strong, and have 

a strong voice, name and shame human 

rights abuses in countries like Belarus and 

not, for example, in China?” Mr. Michalski 

asks. 

“That is simply because we don’t deal 

with Belarus so much. We don’t make so 

much business. Belarus doesn’t have any 

natural resources which would be interesting 

for us. So it’s easy to name and shame 

countries like these.” 

“Deeply negative” 

In Russia, Human Rights Watch says, the 

rights climate remains “deeply negative” 

In Ukraine, rights 

activists continue 

to face issues of 

censorship and 

pressure, despite 

pledges by President 

Viktor Yanukovych 

“to protect 

freedom and media 

pluralism.” 

despite some positive rhetoric from the 

authorities. It says President Dmitry 

Medvedev’s “rhetorical commitments to 

human rights and the rule of law have not 

been backed by concrete steps to support 

civil society.” 

The report says rights activists, especially 

those working in the North Caucasus 

region, “remain vulnerable to harassment 

and attacks,” including legal prosecution. 

And despite official pledges to reform the 

police force, the group says a draft law 

“falls short of what is necessary to best pre- 

vent human rights violations.” 

The report also says that in Ukraine, 

rights activists continue to face issues of 

censorship and pressure, despite pledges by 

President Viktor Yanukovych “to protect 

freedom and media pluralism.” 

On Iran, it says the regime continued to 

use torture and intimidation to pressure critics 

and consolidate power amid what it 

called a “deepening human rights crisis.” 

It accuses security forces in Iran of using 

torture to extract confessions, on which the 

judiciary relied to sentence to long prison 

terms and even death people arrested during 

protests against President Mahmud 

Ahmadinejad’s disputed reelection in 2009. 

It said authorities intimidated human 

rights lawyers, preventing them from effectively 

representing political detainees. 

Human Rights Watch also criticized Iran 

for continuing to discriminate against religious 

minorities, including Sunnis, adherents 

to the banned Bahai faith, Sufis and 

Christian converts. 

Compiled by RFE/RL with agency 

reports. 

Copyright 2011, RFE/RL Inc. Reprinted 

with the permission of Radio Free Europe/ 

Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 

Washington DC 20036; www.rferl.org. (See 

http://www.rferl.org/content/human_rights_ 

watch_report_/2285529.html.)

12 


No. 5 

Conductor Kirill Karabits debuts with National Symphony Orchestra 

by Yaro Bihun 

Special to The Ukrainian Weekly 

WASHINGTON – It was an exceptional 

debut performance for the young 

Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits with 

the National Symphony Orchestra, and he 

presented himself to the Washington 

audience in an appropriately unique fashion. 

The first selection on the concert program 

performed at the John F. Kennedy 

Center for three evenings, January 13-15, 

was Valentin Silvestrov’s “Elegy for 

Strings.” 

Not only was it the NSO’s first performance 

of any piece by this contemporary 

Ukrainian composer, it carried a special 

meaning with Karabits as conductor. The 

origin of Silvestrov’s piece was an unfinished 

musical sketch penned by composer-conductor 

Ivan Karabits, Kirill’s 

father. 

As Kirill Karabits recalled in an interview 

on the Voice of America Ukrainian 

television program “Chas-Time” after the 

first performance, he and Mr. Silvestrov 

found the sketches in his father’s notebook 

upon his death in 2002. Mr. 

Silvestrov promised to complete it, did so 

May we help you? 

within a matter of days, and dedicated it 

to his father. 

“Rather than coming to the NSO with 

a bang, Karabits came with a personal, 

even intimate touch,” was how The 

Washington Post music critic Anne 

Midgette characterized it. 

In her review, Ms. Midgette also pointed 

to another unusual aspect of the 

Karabits debut. Long-known for having a 

Russian association, at least from the 

time Mstislav Rostropovich was the 

music director of the National Symphony, 

she said, “‘Russian’ is a misnomer for 

three of the (Karabits) program’s four 

innovations.” She pointed out that the 

34-year-old conductor is Ukrainian, as is 

the composer Mr. Silvestrov, and the solo 

violinist playing in Dmitri Shostakovich’s 

Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 129, Sergey 

Kachatryan, is Armenian. 

After intermission, the program concluded 

with Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 

1 in E minor, Op. 39. 

The Washington audience rewarded 

the performers enthusiastically and with 

standing ovations throughout the three 

concerts. 

Asked in the VOA interview if he considers 

himself a Ukrainian conductor, Mr. 

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Yaro Bihun 

Natalia Motsyk, wife of Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, greeted conductor 

Kirill Karabits with flowers after his debut series of performances with 

the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. 

Karabits said that, of course, he is 

Ukrainian. But to be successful, a 

Ukrainian artist must also become a man 

of the world. “One must learn foreign 

languages, travel and play Ukrainian 

music abroad, discuss it, and do so intelligently. 

Then they will become interested.” 

“And who should be doing this if not 

I,” he added. 

Kirill Karabits, now in his second season 

as the principal conductor of the 

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 

Britain, began studying conducting and 

composition in Kyiv, at the Lysenko 

Music School and the Tchaikovsky Music 

Academy. Since then, he has been guest 

conductor with numerous European 

orchestras, among them the London 

Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony 

Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the 

Danish National Symphony, the 

Amsterdam Concertgebauw, the 

Rotterdan Philharmonic and the Berlin 

Konzerthaus. 

Since his North American debut with the 

Houston Symphony in 2009, he has also 

conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, 

the Minnesota Orchestra, and – a week 

before coming to Washington – the San 

Francisco Symphony, where the headline to 

the review in the San Francisco Chronicle 

characterized his appearance as a “Grand 

debut.”

No. 5 


13 

Pianist Anna Shelest: “An appealing freshness of spirit” 

by Helen Smindak 

NEW YORK – I’d been told by two or 

three fellow New Yorkers that Ukrainianborn 

pianist Anna Shelest was an artist to 

watch, a musician who was on the way to 

becoming a standout in New York music 

circles. 

I had also heard that the Cincinnati 

Enquirer noted she plays “with an appealing 

freshness of spirit,” and the Cincinnati 

Post described her as “the most exciting 

young pianist to have appeared in 

Cincinnati in recent years.” The 

Twentsche Courant Tubantia in the 

Netherlands called her a “keyboard lioness.” 

I learned firsthand of Ms. Shelest’s talents 

when I heard her solo performance 

last month at the Golden Key Music 

Institute, interpreting Moussorgsky’s masterful 

work “Pictures at an Exhibition,” a 

piano suite of 10 passages illustrating 

sketches and watercolors created by his 

close friend, the architect and sometimes 

painter Victor Hartmann. 

The piece reflects the mood of each 

painting, opening with a “promenade” 

theme that re-emerges throughout as a 

transition amid the changing moods of the 

various pictures. Through the composer’s 

picturesque writing, the pianist achieves 

mystery, frenzy, humor and grandeur. 

Ms. Shelest was in her element as her 

fingers flew gracefully over the keyboard, 

conjuring up visions of a gnome-shaped 

nutcracker in a mad dance, a troubador 

singing a doleful lament outside an ancient 

castle, children quarreling at play in a 

park, a lumbering wooden ox-cart and 

peeping chicks hatching from their shells. 

With finesse and sensitivity, she portrayed 

an argument between two Jews, one 

wealthy and vain, the other poor and garrulous, 

shrill women vendors in a bustling 

marketplace, the eerie gloom of catacombs 

beneath the streets of Paris and the crazed 

flight of the folklore witch Baba Yaga. 

In the final movement, “The Great Gate 

of Kiev,” Ms. Shelest re-created the blazing 

glory of a grand and stately procession 

passing through the archway, accompanied 

by the jubilant pealing of church bells. 

The offspring of a Ukrainian mother 

and a Ukrainian-Russian father, Ms. 

Shelest gained her consummate piano artistry 

through studies in prime schools in 

Ukraine and the U.S., outstanding teachers, 

an active concert career and daily 

practice sessions. She graduated from 

New York’s prestigious Juilliard School in 

the spring of 2010 and made her New 

York debut the same year in recitals at 

Alice Tully Hall and Stern Auditorium at 

Carnegie Hall. 

Her repertoire of solo, concert and 

ensemble works, from baroque to contemporary, 

includes a gamut of composers – 

Bach and Beethoven pieces to 

Tchaikovsky études and the “Ukrainian 

Rhapsody” of composer Oleksandr Zhuk. 

She won first prize at several international 

competitions in recent years, including 

the 2009 Bradshaw-Buono 

International Piano Competition in New 

York, the 2005 Kawai American 

Recording Contest and the 2005 Louisiana 

International Piano Competition. 

She has recorded two CDs – an all- 

Rachmaninoff CD featuring his “Études- 

Tableaux, Op. 39, and Moments- 

Musicaux, op.16,” and “Beyond 

Oblivion,” a collaborative recording with 

Cleveland Symphony Orchestra trombonist 

Cristian Ganicenco. 

All of this came to light as she and her 

handsome husband and manager, Dmitri 

Sarnov, chatted with me over lunch at a 

cheery midtown restaurant, a pleasant 

interlude from the frenzy of a metropolitan 

city dealing with the aftermath of the blizzard 

of 2010. 

Early piano studies 

A poised, elegant 

young woman who 

spoke with a charming 

accent, Ms. Shelest modestly 

reviewed her early 

musical experiences: she 

began piano studies at 

the age of 6 when her 

aunt, who lived in Paris, 

bought a piano for her. 

(Not everyone was 

happy about it, she said, 

because the instrument 

took up so much space 

in the family’s small 

apartment.) 

With her mother’s 

encouragement and a 

piano teacher’s guidance, 

she was soon ready 

to enter the Kharkiv 

Special Music School 

for Gifted Children, 

where she studied with 

Gary Gelfat and Sergei 

Polusmiak. 

At 11, as the youngest 

prize-winner of the 

M i l o s z M a g i n 

International Piano 

Competition, she performed 

at the winners’ 

concert at UNESCO 

Headquarters in Paris, 

her first experience on a 

large stage. “It was the 

biggest hall I had been 

to, it was huge and the 

piano seemed so little; it 

was so unusual to be in 

the center of such a large 

place, with so many people 

looking at you,” she 

recalled. The following 

year, she made her 

orchestral debut with the 

Kharkiv Symphony 

Orchestra, playing 

Rachmaninoff’s Piano 

Concerto No.1. 

When her family 

moved to the U.S. in 

1999, she enrolled at 

Northern Kentucky 

University, where she 

won numerous scholarships 

and awards, 

including the Regent’s 

Award, and recognition 

as an outstanding senior in the College of 

Arts and Sciences. Upon graduation with a 

Bachelor of Music degree, she moved to 

Cincinnati to study privately for a year 

with professors from the Cincinnati 

Conservatory of Music, Elizabeth and 

Eugene Pridonoff. 

Ms. Shelest and Mr. Sarnov were close 

friends and classmates at Northern 

Kentucky University; in fact, they’ve 

known each other since middle school. 

Over the years, their friendship blossomed 

into romance, and they were married in 

March 2007 in the U.S. In July 2010, they 

travelled to Ukraine for a traditional 

church wedding, with all family members 

present for the celebration. 

N o w m a k i n g t h e i r h o m e o n 

Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the couple 

enjoys a vibrant lifestyle. Ms. Shelest continues 

her appearances as a performing artist, 

attends rehearsals and teaches privately. 

It’s a constantly changing schedule, 

always something new, she said. Mr. 

Sarnov is president of DSW Worldwide, 

an organization specializing in career 

management for classical musicians. 

They travel to Ukraine each summer to 

visit their families. “We’d like to go more 

often, but our schedules don’t allow it,” 

Mr. Sarnov said. 

Anna Shelest 

Ms. Shelest is delighted that her piano 

expertise has taken her to some of the 

world’s greatest stages, including Carnegie 

Hall, the Palacio de Bellas Artes in 

Mexico City and the Great Hall of 

Moscow Conservatory. Her career encompasses 

solo performances with some of the 

world’s most renowned orchestras – the 

Netherland Symphony, the St. Petersburg 

Philharmonic and the Montreal Symphony 

– as well as orchestras in Cincinnati, 

Corpus Christi, Florida, Kentucky and 

California. 

She said she likes to perform “in as 

many kinds of music as I can; solo recitals 

are probably my favorite, because you 

really have enormous freedom when 

you’re on a stage by yourself, but there is 

so much great music written for piano in 

an orchestra and collaborative piano, as 

well as chamber music, that I like to take 

part in everything.” 

Preparation for performances calls for 

some practical decisions in selecting 

stage apparel, Ms. Shelest said, because 

“I try to choose a gown that matches the 

mood of a piece, or the formality of the 

occasion, and I also need to be comfortable 

while I’m seated at the piano.” For 

all performances, she likes to wear her 

hair up and arranged in a chignon at the 

Cathy Lions 

nape of her neck “so it won’t fly into my 

face and eyes when I’m playing.” 

Coincidentally, the sophisticated hairdo 

and stylish gowns admirably flatter her 

slender, 5-foot-10 figure. 

Whenever there’s time, she likes to 

cook. “I find it very relaxing, and it’s very 

satisfying to blend various ingredients and 

come up with a finished product,” she 

commented. But trying to duplicate dishes 

her grandmother frequently served is 

sometimes frustrating. “Grandma used to 

say, a little bit of salt, a little bit of sugar – 

my mom is the same – but I need to know 

exactly how much in order to make the 

dish.” 

Currently awaiting the release of a new 

CD that includes Moussorgsky’s “Pictures 

at an Exhibition” and Tchaikovsky and 

Glinka pieces, Ms. Shelest said she was 

also looking forward to her next performance, 

a January 23 collaboration with the 

winners of a vocal competition at 

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Auditorium. 

Mr. Sarnov said a recital at a distinguished 

New York venue is in the offing, 

but this is still a nebulous event that 

requires serious thought and planning. 

When it happens, it will undoubtedly be 

another triumph in Ms. Shelest’s burgeoning 

career.

14 


No. 5 

NEWSBRIEFS 


is one of top priority items on the agenda 

of Ukrainian-Russian relations. On the 

instruction of Foreign Affairs Minister 

Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, the Ukrainian 

Embassy in Russia is working toward 

normalizing as soon as possible the situation 

surrounding the Library of Ukrainian 

Literature; investigatory actions held by 

Russian law-enforcement bodies do not 

hinder the use of the library funds. In 

December 2010 over 50 books were 

withdrawn from the Ukrainian library in 

Moscow for psychological-linguistic 

expert examination. On January 12 

Ukraine’s MFA stated that the Library of 

Ukrainian Literature in Moscow had fully 

resumed its normal work. On January 14 

authorities conducted a new search in the 

library, during which the library’s servers 

were seized. (Ukrinform) 

Germany to support rights in Ukraine 

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KYIV – Germany is ready to earmark 

nearly 100,000 euros in 2011 to support 

human rights projects in Ukraine, 

Germany’s Ambassador to Ukraine Hans- 

Jurgen Heimsoeth told reporters on 

January 26. “This year, the German government 

will provide more funds to support 

projects in the field of human rights 

throughout the world. And, if Ukraine 

submits good projects, then I assume this 

year, like the last year, we will be ready 

to support these projects,” the diplomat 

said. He added that Germany supports all 

organizations that are doing everything 

possible to ensure that basic human rights 

principles are strengthened. Mr. 

Heimsoeth reported that in 2010 

Germany supported four projects in 

Ukraine, allocating a total of 104,000 

euros. (Ukrinform) 

Lutsenko: I am a political prisoner 

KYIV – Former Ukrainian Internal 

Affairs Minister Yuriy Lutsenko, who 

leads the People’s Self-Defense Party, 

said he is innocent and described himself 

as a political prisoner. “I swear before 

God and people that I am not guilty of 

what I’m being accused of at the highest 

command of the Procurator General’s 

Office. The only reason for my imprisonment 

in a condemned cell at Lukianivka 

jail is to deprive me of any chance to 

speak out about the resumption of bandit 

democracy in Ukraine,” the press service 

of the People’s Self-Defense Party on 

January 19 quoted Mr. Lutsenko as saying. 

He also said that he had become “a 

prisoner of war of criminals who seized 

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power in Ukraine.” Mr. Lutsenko said 

that the goal of the current authorities is 

“to destroy their political opponents and 

establish an atmosphere of fear in order 

to rob the country and the people without 

any obstacles.” Mr. Lutsenko called on 

Ukrainians to unite, and added that “the 

resistance of people is the only thing the 

authorities are afraid of.” He said, “The 

pendulum of Ukrainian history has 

swung into a dark time. It all depends on 

the ability of Ukrainians to protect their 

families, their souls and their history. 

Don’t lose your heart! Don’t be silent! 

We are united!” he said. On December 

13, 2010, Mr. Lutsenko and his former 

driver Leonid Prystupliuk were charged 

with large-scale embezzlement of state 

property worth 360,000 hrv, as well as 

the abuse of power and the use of forged 

documents. On December 26 Mr. 

Lutsenko was detained near his house. 

On December 27 the Pecherskyi District 

Court of Kyiv ordered Mr. Lutsenko to be 

jailed for two months. On December 28 it 

became known that Mr. Lutsenko had 

been moved from a Security Service of 

Ukraine (SBU) prison to Lukianivka 

Prison No. 13. On January 17 Lutsenko’s 

lawyer Ihor Fomin filed a complaint to 

the European Court of Human Rights 

charging that Mr. Lutsenko’s arrest was 

illegal. (Interfax-Ukraine) 

Investigator denies Tymoshenko’s request 

KYIV – An investigator with the 

Procurator General’s Office (PGO), said 

on January 25 that the request of the exprime 

minister and leader of the 

Batkivschyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko, 

for permission to travel to Brussels was 

denied since she presented the invitation 

without proper clearance. “Allowing exit 

to a person who is under house arrest is 

not a duty but a right of the investigator, 

that is, his direct procedural competence,” 

the liaison department of the 

Procurator General’s Office reported. The 

investigator also did not grant Ms. 

Tymoshenko’s appeal to close the criminal 

case opened against her on charges of 

committing a serious crime under Part 3, 

Article 365 of the Criminal Code (abuse 

of power or official authority, resulting in 

grave consequences). The department 

also noted that Ms. Tymoshenko’s charges 

against prosecutors are nothing but an 

attempt to put pressure on the investigation 

and to discredit it. Investigators of 

the PGO on January 17 reopened the 

criminal case against Ms. Tymoshenko at 

her request and on the appeal of her attorney. 

In December 2010 the PGO filed 

charges that Ms. Tymoshenko, as prime 

minister, “acting intentionally, in her own 

interests,” decided on the use of funds 

received from the sale of quotas for 

greenhouse gases for specific purposes to 

cover state budget revenues, primarily to 

pay pensions. The total amount of allegedly 

misused funds was 380 million 

euros. (Ukrinform) 

Yanukovych heading to Davos 

KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych 

will visit Switzerland to attend the World 

Economic Forum (WEF), which will be 

held in Davos on January 26-28, the head 

of the Presidential Administration, Serhiy 

Lyovochkin, said. He said that the 

Ukrainian president was expected to meet 

with heads of international organizations, 

as well as with the leaders of some countries, 

particularly members of the Group 

of Eight. Mr. Yanukovych is also to meet 

with the leaders of the World Bank, the 

International Monetary Fund, the 

European Bank for Reconstruction and 

Development and Secretary-General of 

the United Nations Ban Ki-moon. In 

addition, a Ukrainian-Polish lunch is to 

be held in Davos with the participation of 

President Yanukovych and Polish 

President Bronislaw Komorowski; the 

lunch will be dedicated to the holding of 

the Euro-2012 European Football 

Championship. (Ukrinform) 

Ukrainian school faces closure 

DONETSK, Ukraine – One of the oldest 

Ukrainian-language schools in 

Donetsk is facing closure, RFE/RL’s 

Ukrainian Service reported on January 

20. Donetsk city authorities say they are 

closing the school in the Petro district 

because many schools in the city are only 

half full and some shutdowns were needed. 

But teachers and parents of students 

enrolled at the Ukrainian-language school 

have asked officials why it, and not a 

Russian-language school, was chosen to 

be shut down. School principal Svitlana 

Babenko told RFE/RL that closing the 

school has been under discussion for four 

months. She said it was very likely her 

school would be closed as it is operating 

at only 51 percent of capacity and is near 

two other schools that also have low 

enrollment. Former principal Ivan 

Zhuravka told RFE/RL the school had 

just marked its 90th anniversary and that 

former graduates include parents and 

grandparents of many current students. 

He expressed hope that local authorities 

would reverse their decision. Meanwhile, 

teachers and parents have signed an open 

letter to the Donetsk municipal authorities 

urging them not to close the school. 

Of the more than 200 schools in Donetsk, 

only 36 provide instruction in Ukrainian. 

In the last 30 years of the Soviet Union, 

all schooling in Donetsk was conducted 

in Russian. Although there is an almost 

equal number of ethnic Russians and 

Ukrainians in Donetsk, use of the 

Russian language predominates in the 

city, which has a population of about 1 

million. (RFE/RL) 

Two bombings rock Makiyivka 

KYIV – Ukrainian officials said two 

explosions that rocked Makiyivka in the 

Donetsk region early on January 20 were 

criminal acts, and that more bombings 

have been threatened. Police say the two 

simultaneous, early-morning blasts near a 

coal company building and a central market 

in Makiyivka damaged nearby buildings, 

but that no one was hurt. The 

Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said a 

note was found near the scene demanding 

$5.4 million and threatening five more 

bombings later in the day if the sum was 

not paid. The note said bombs had 

already had been placed around the city. 

Investigators said they were not ruling 

out the possibility that the attacks were 

acts of terrorism. (Voice of America) 

Ukraine is IMF’s second largest debtor 

KYIV – Ukraine remained the second 

largest debtor of the International 

Monetary Fund (IMF) as of January 6, 

after Romania (with special drawing 

rights of 9.8 billion) in terms of funds 

disbursed under the current stand-by 

loans, with its liabilities being SDR 9.25 

billion (about $14.2 billion U.S.). The 

IMF’s third largest debtor is Greece with 

SDR 9.13 billion. The IMF Executive 

Board on December 22, 2010, decided to 

allocate to Ukraine a second tranche 

under the Stand-By Arrangement at $1.5 

billion. The funds could be transferred to 

Ukraine after the launch of pension 

reform. The program of cooperation 

between Ukraine and the IMF, which was 

approved in July 2010, foresees the provision 

of a $15.15 billion loan to Ukraine 

for two and a half years. (Ukrinform) 

More movement across western border 

KYIV – On the western sector of 

Ukraine’s border, the passenger flow of 

Ukrainians in 2010 as compared to 2009 

grew by almost one-fourth. In 2010, 23.5 


No. 5 


15 

NEWSBRIEFS 


million persons crossed the western sector 

of the border, 1.5 million more than in 

2009, the State Border Guard Service of 

the western region reported. The number 

of Ukrainians, who crossed the border in 

2010, increased by 22 percent, and the 

number of foreigners fell by 8 percent. As 

the head of the State Border Guard press 

service, Volodymyr Sheremet, noted on 

January 17, this trend most likely is related 

to the active issuance of cards for local 

border movement by the consulates of 

European countries bordering Ukraine. As 

concerns foreigners, the reduction in their 

number at ground checkpoints is explained 

by the fact that there is no need for them to 

travel to Ukraine for Ukrainian goods as 

Ukrainians now bring the goods into their 

countries. At the same time, at airports, the 

number of foreigners increased, testifying 

to an increase in tourism and business, 

border guards reported. (Ukrinform) 

Tymoshenko on library in Moscow 

KYIV – Former Ukrainian Prime 

Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is the 

leader of the Batkivschyna Party, said on 

January 19 that Ukrainian authorities 

should be concerned about the fate of the 

Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow 

and protect the interests of Ukrainians in 

Russia. “We are very concerned that the 

new Ukrainian authorities humiliate the 

spirituality of the people and humiliate 

national shrines... This, in fact, is a blow to 

the heart of our nation. One of these unfortunate 

cases is our Ukrainian library, which 

our authorities should now protect, in 

another state. It seems to me that claims by 

the authorities that it’s not our library are 

just unacceptable,” she told journalists in 

Kyiv on January 4, before her latest round 

of interrogation at the main investigation 

department of the Procurator General’s 

Office. Ms. Tymoshenko said that opposition 

groups would by all means defend the 

interests of the Library of Ukrainian 

Literature in Moscow and provide support 

and assistance. During an interview with 

Channel 5 TV on January 18 Prime 

Minister Mykola Azarov said the Ukrainian 

government proposed opening a library in 

Moscow that would be Ukrainian property. 

Mr. Azarov said that the current library is 

owned by the Russian government. “I 

thought about this [the possibility of proposing 

to Russia to build a Ukrainian 

library in Moscow as the property of 

Ukraine], and we, I think, will consider this 

question and resolve it soon,” Mr. Azarov 

said. (Interfax-Ukraine) 

Kravchuk predicts acute situation 

KYIV – Leonid Kravchuk predicts an 

acute political situation in Ukraine in 

2011 due primarily to the continuation of 

constitutional reform. Referring to the 

opinion of the Venice Commission and 

the foreign political elite, Mr. Kravchuk 

said that constitutional reform in Ukraine 

is incomplete and not quite legitimate, 

therefore, whether the president wants 

this or not, he will have to continue 

reforming the political system in Ukraine 

based on the country’s Constitution. It is 

also necessary to continue reform of the 

economy and judicial systems, the former 

president added. Upcoming parliamentary 

elections, the date of which is still 

under debate, will add urgency to the situation. 

According to Mr. Kravchuk, 

“Most politicians believe that the elections 

should be held in 2011, others cite 

the year of 2012. But the issue is that 

everything must proceed under the valid 

Constitution, rather than the one that was 

effective in the past. We must respect the 

rules of the Constitution.” Mr. Kravchuk 

made his comments in a January 3 interview 

with InterMediaConsulting. 

(Ukrinform) 

Most important political events of 2010 

KYIV – Just over 40 percent of the people 

surveyed in December 2010 by the 

Sofia social research center believe that 

the most important event in the political 

life of Ukraine in 2010 was the election of 

Viktor Yanukovych as president of 

Ukraine. Respondents were asked to 

choose from a proposed list the three 

events they considered most important in 

political life. The results: 40.3 percent 

cited Mr. Yanukovych’s election; 20.2 percent 

cited the protests against the adoption 

of the tax code; and 17.6 percent pointed 

to the election of local authorities. Another 

14.3 percent believe the most important 

event was signing of the agreement with 

Russia on the extension of the Russian 

Black Sea Fleet’s lease in Sevastopol until 

2042; 13.8 percent – adoption of the tax 

code; 13.5 percent – visits to Ukraine by 

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev; 12.4 

percent – an international audit of the previous 

government of Yulia Tymoshenko; 

10.9 percent – adoption by the Verkhovna 

Rada of the law on the principles of 

domestic and foreign policy; 6.8 percent – 

renewal of the 1996 Constitution; 6.6 percent 

– creation of a political coalition in 

parliament and government formation; 6.3 

percent – other events. The survey results 

were released on December 31, 2010. 

(Ukrinform) 

Yanukovych named politician of the year 

KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych 

was the most popular politician of 2010, 

according to an experts’ poll conducted by 

the Democratic Initiatives Foundation. 

DIF director Iryna Bekeshkina told reporters 

that second and third place, according 

to the poll, were taken by the chief of the 

Presidential Administration, Serhiy 

Lyovochkin, and the leader of the Svoboda 

party, Oleh Tiahnybok. Meanwhile, 

according to Ms. Bekeshkina, the least 

successful politicians in 2010, according 

to experts, was the leader of the 

Batkivschyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko, 

former President Viktor Yushchenko, and 

Vice Prime Minister Sergey Tigipko. The 

survey was conducted on December 

15-23, 2010, with 45 Ukrainian experts 

participating. (Ukrinform) 

Russian paper hails Yanukovych 

KYIV – The Russian newspaper 

Vedomosti recognized President Viktor 

Yanukovych of Ukraine as 2010 

Politician of the Year. The publication 

stressed that, after coming to power, Mr. 

Yanukovych proved himself not only as a 

businessman, but also as a diplomat. In 

April he signed the Kharkiv treaty with 

Russia on the extension of lease for the 

bases of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in 

the Crimea from 2017 to 2042 in 

exchange for a discount on Russian gas 

to $40 billion over 10 years; the contract 

removed the reasons for gas and Crimean 

wars, the newspaper noted. Mr. 

Yanukovych did not quarrel with Europe 

and the U.S. either, the newspaper noted. 

And, although he declined to seek entry 

into NATO, he sought EU membership 

for Ukraine. The authors of the article in 

the popular Russian newspaper pointed 

out that Mr. Yanukovych has an authoritarian 

style, which is seen from the tightening 

of the law on elections, closed 

information policy and reprisals against 

Yulia Tymoshenko and her allies. Yet, 

they added, Mr. Yanukovych is able to 

compromise with opponents. He has a 

surprisingly good command of the art of 

the possible, the art of politicians taking 

power seriously and for the long haul, the 

publication noted. (Ukrinform) 

Shevchenko U. to have scientific park 

KYIV – A scientific park will be established 

at Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko 

University. Documents on the new venture 

Maria Olijnyk 

were signed by the heads of 12 academic 

institutions, including the Institute of 

Geochemistry, Institute of Electric 

Welding, Institute of Microbiology, 

Institute of Applied and Theoretical 

Physics, and others. According to the Kyiv 

University rector, Leonid Hubersky, the 

creation of the Science Park Kyiv Taras 

Shevchenko University in association with 

the National Academy of Sciences of 

Ukraine will facilitate the most efficient 

use of the university as an international 

scientific and educational center. The science 

park will also help create new jobs, 

and facilitate employment of university 

graduates, development of innovation 

infrastructure, and improve conditions for 

attracting investment. (Ukrinform) 

Kraft Foods investing $40 million 

KYIV – The closed joint stock company 

Kraft Foods Ukraine is investing $40 

million in the development of productive 

capacities at the Trostianets chocolate factory. 

A new biscuit plant will open in the 

third quarter of 2011, said the factory’s 

director, Ihor Kharchenko. CJSC Kraft 

Foods Ukraine, which employs 865 people, 

is part of the Kraft Foods corporation, 

one of the world’s top food producers. The 

Trostianets factory manufactures chocolate 

under the brand names Korona and Milka, 

Vedmedik Barnі and Tuk biscuits, Lux 

potato chips, and Jacobs, Carte Noire and 

Maxwell House coffee. About 80 percent 

of the products are imported into neighboring 

countries. (Ukrinform) 

Ukrainians afraid of losing jobs 

KYIV – Forty-seven percent of 

Ukrainians polled expressed uncertainty 

about their employment in 2011. These are 

the results, released on January 4, of the 

13th annual survey of consumer sentiments 

conducted by Deloitte. Forty-two 

percent of the respondents expressed confidence 

that they will keep their jobs, and 

10 percent said they were unemployed. At 

the same time, the majority of the respondents 

remain confident that the welfare of 

their families will not deteriorate and 

might even improve. Of those polled, 29 

percent said they expect the same state of 

well-being in 2011, while 38 percent have 

hope for an improving financial situation. 

Researchers have concluded that the most 

optimistic are young people. The study 

involved more than 700 people age 18 to 

65. The survey was conducted via Internet 

questionnaires. (Ukrinform) 

Most popular children’s names 

KYIV – Children in Ukraine were 

most often named Oleksander, Anastasia 

and Sofia in 2010, Justice Minister 

Oleksander Lavrynovych said on January 

4, referring to his ministry’s civil registration 

bodies. According to Mr. 

Lavrynovych, these names have not lost 

their popularity in Ukraine for at least the 

last decade. Also popular in 2010 were 

such female names as Maria, Hanna, 

Daria (Daryna), Viktoria, Polina, 

Kateryna, Yelyzaveta, Alina, Oleksandra, 

Krystyna and Solomia, and such male 

names as Maksym, Artem, Danylo, 

Mykyta, Vladyslav, Denys, Andrii, 

Dmytro, Kyrylo, Ivan, Nazar and 

Bohdan. Among other names that were 

often given to children in Ukraine in 

2010 were such female names as 

Veronika, Diana, Marharyta, Yulia, Olha, 

Ariana, Tetiana, Kyra, Yana, Yeva and 

Maryna, and such male names as 

Bohdan, Roman, Mykhailo, Yehor, 

Yaroslav, Tymofii, Yevhen, Mark, 

Volodymyr, Serhii, Matvii, Hlib, Vitalii, 

Davyd, Yurii, Oleksii, Tymur and 

Mykola. Rare names in 2010 included: 

Herman, Rodion, Vlas, Lev and Myron 

for boys, and Anzhelika, Nonna, Yuliana 

and Neonilla for girls. (Ukrinform) 

89, a long term resident of Pittsburgh PA, and most recently of Mountain 

Lakes, NJ, entered into eternal rest and joy on December 12, 2010, after 

a 5 year battle with lung cancer. 

Born in Oszmiana, Lithuania, she witnessed first hand as a young woman 

the devastation of war in Ukraine and Germany during the 1940’s. After 

the war, she was a civilian employee of the US Army in Ansbach, 

Germany, and then immigrated in 1948 with her husband and daughter to 

the US, where they settled in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1949. 

Maria, along with her husband and brother-in-law, was a founder of 

Olijnyk Brothers Meat Packing Co., which for many years was well-known 

for its custom meats, especially their highly popular kielbasa. She was 

very active and strongly supported various Ukrainian American causes; 

Maria valued her membership in the Ukrainian National Women’s League 

of America and was a long-term parishioner at St. John the Baptist 

Ukrainian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Maria was a woman who impressed all whom she met with her great 

patience, courage and selflessness, and will be missed by many. She is 

survived by her husband of 68 years, Michael, her brother-in-law, Basilus, 

her daughter, Helena Mazur, and son-in-law, Leonard, of Mountain Lakes, 

NJ. She is also survived by 3 grandchildren, Maria, Michael and Irene, 

her great grandchildren, Walter, Helena and Evelyn, and a great-great 

granddaughter, Alicia. Other survivors include her nephew Janusz Szydlo, 

and numerous family members in Ukraine and Poland. 

Funeral services were held on December 14, 2010, at St. John the 

Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Whippany, NJ, followed by interment 

in St. Mary’s cemetery in Jenkintown, PA. 

In honor of Maria, donations to St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic 

Church Building Fund, 60 N. Jefferson Rd., Whippany, NJ 07981 would 

be greatly appreciated.

16 


No. 5 

Chicago program focuses on the reality of human trafficking 

by Ivanka Bryan 

CHICAGO – The Alla Horska branch of 

the Women’s Association for the Defense of 

the Four Freedoms for Ukraine (WADFFU), 

hosted a community awareness evening 

about human trafficking on October 9, 

2010. This event was held under the auspices 

of the Blue Heart Campaign of the 

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 

(UNODC), whose goal is to increase the 

understanding of, and to create urgency 

around the issue in order to motivate coordinated 

efforts to fight this horrendous crime, 

which affects more than 4 million men, 

women and children annually. 

The audience ranged in age from university 

students to those in their golden years. 

Among the participants were clergy of the 

Chicago metropolitan area as well as representatives 

of various community organizations, 

including: Sister Luisa Tsupa, director 

of the Catechetical Institute of the Ukrainian 

Catholic University and vice-chair of the 

Patriarchal Catechetical Commission; 

Andrij Filipchuk, vice-consul of the 

Consulate General of Ukraine in Chicago; 

Vera Eliashevsky, chair of the Chicago-Kyiv 

Sister Cities Committee; and David Pavlik, 

a candidate for Alderman from Chicago’s 

32nd ward. 

The evening’s program began with a 

clip from a public service film in the 

Ukrainian language that was produced with 

sponsorship from the U.S. Agency for 

International Development (USAID), in 

cooperation with various Ukrainian antitrafficking 

organizations and the 

International Organization for Migration. 

Many people are unaware of the trafficking 

epidemic and those who are informed don’t 

think that they could become victims themselves. 

The threat usually comes in the guise 

of an opportunity to work abroad, especially 

for students during school vacations. In a 

country racked with a high unemployment 

percentage, this is an attractive proposition. 

The film helps educate young people by 

creating awareness and outlining the specific 

requirements for working abroad so that 

they can ensure that offers they entertain are 

legitimate. 

Orysia Sushko outlined the efforts of the 

Blue Heart campaign and what Chicago’s 

community organizations can do to combat 

this atrocious crime against humanity. Mrs. 

Sushko is a Ukrainian Canadian community 

activist, chair of the Anti-Trafficking 

Commission of the World Federation of 

Ukrainian Women’s Organizations 

(WFUWO), appointee to the prestigious 

Order of Canada, and immediate past-president 

of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. 

Rachel Durschlag, founder and executive 

director of the Chicago Alliance Against 

Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), continued 

the discussion from a local perspective. Ms. 

Durschlag made the startling revelation that 

trafficked women pass through our very 

own neighborhoods and that we must reach 

out to advocacy groups like CAASE, an 

organization that works to eliminate sexual 

exploitation through litigation and advocacy, 

organizing and policy reform, and prevention 

and resource development, to help 

these victims. 

Victor Malarek, a Ukrainian Canadian 

journalist and author of two internationally 

published books about the travesty of sexual 

enslavement of women, “The Natashas” and 

“The Johns,” gave the closing remarks. Mr. 

Malarek travels the globe speaking out 

against the epidemic of modern-day slavery 

and chastises governments for their lack of 

action on the matter. He does not sugarcoat 

the human rights violations endured by trafficked 

persons. 

After the program, the enthusiastic audience 

asked questions of the panel of speakers. 

Finally, a basket generously donated by 

The Body Shop was raffled off as a door 

prize. Representatives from The Body Shop 

were on hand throughout the evening to collect 

signatures for a petition that calls on 

governments throughout the world to give 

children greater protection against trafficking 

and to increase “safe harbor” laws. 

Earlier in the day, WADFFU hosted a 

luncheon with Mrs. Sushko and Mr. 

Malarek to discuss what the Ukrainian community 

at large can do to combat human 

trafficking. Among those in attendance were 

Chrystya Wereszczak, head of the national 

executive of WADFFU, and Olya Kolody, 

president of the Alla Horska WADFFU 

branch in Chicago. 

The day’s events were a success in that 

they educated people on the issue of human 

trafficking and all of its forms – sexual 

Sue Kryzanowicz-Milanez 

Members of the Alla Horska branch of the Women’s Association for the Defense 

of Four Freedoms for Ukraine with guest speakers (seated, from left) Orysia 

Sushko, Victor Malarek and Rachel Durschlag. 

exploitation, harvesting of human organs, 

involuntary servitude, illegal migrant work, 

mail-order brides and mercenaries. 

The Alla Horska branch is encouraging 

other WADFFU branches and Ukrainian 

National Women’s League of America 

(UNWLA) branches throughout the U.S. to 

take up this issue and inform the public of 

the crimes committed against women and to 

reach out to their local organizations to help 

stop the “traffick.” Adding a link to the Blue 

Heart campaign on organizational websites 

also helps raise awareness. 

Readers can find more information about 

the Blue Heart Campaign by visiting the 

websites of the World Federation of 

Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (www. 

wfuwo.com/Projects-Serdenko.html) and 

the United Nations Office on Drugs and 

Crime (www.unodc.org/blueheart/index. 

html). 

The Board of Directors of the Ukrainian Institute of America 

cordially invites you to meet the artist and view the exhibition 

URBAN LANDSCAPES 

by 

Valery Tsarikovsky 

Sue Kryzanowicz-Milanez 

Orysia Sushko, Victor Malarek and Rachel Durschlag field questions from the 

audience. 

Artist’s reception on Friday, February 11, 6 - 8 PM 

The exhbition continues through March 6, 2011 

Exhibition hours are Tuesday - Sunday, 12 - 6 PM 

“Art at the Institute” is presented by the 

Ukrainian Institute of America 

2 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075 

T 212.288.8660 • F 212.288.2918 

Programs@UkrainianInstitute.org 

www.UkrainianInstitute.org 

Ukraine's Unity Day... 


Sophia Square. 

“There’s a significant portion of opposition 

voters who don’t trust either 

Tymoshenko or Tiahnybok,” Mr. Fesenko 

said. “That’s a potential electorate for 

Yatsenyuk. From his own political interests, 

he’s supposed to separate himself and act 

independently.” 

For doing that, however, Mr. Yatsenyuk 

has drawn suspicion from other opposition 

leaders who say he’s cooperating with the 

Party of Regions to act as a controlled opposition. 

Those claims are baseless when considering 

Mr. Yatsenyuk’s sharp and vocal 

criticism of the 2011 budget, Mr. Fesenko 

said. 

“It’s incorrect to think there’s one opposition, 

and everyone else is against 

Tymoshenko and on the side of the government,” 

he said. “I don’t support monopolizing 

the status of opposition, or the notion 

that if Tymoshenko’s under attack, then 

she’s the only true opposition.” 

Among the redeeming events of Unity 

Day was a human chain formed across the 

Paton Bridge in Kyiv to symbolically unite 

both sides of the Dnipro River, which are 

typically divided on geo-political issues. 

Hundreds of Ukrainians of all ages and 

backgrounds waved Ukrainian flags, painted 

their faces blue-and-yellow, sang folks 

songs and locked their arms across the 

bridge in unity and love for Ukraine. 

No political parties were involved.

No. 5 


17 

Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art prepares to mark 40th anniversary 

by Andrij Hudzan 

As another productive and eventful 

year comes to an end, we look forward 

with excitement to celebrating the 40th 

anniversary of the Ukrainian Institute of 

Modern Art. Much as for individuals, 40 

years of an institution’s existence is a 

remarkable threshold, which validates the 

ideas and efforts of those who founded it. 

During the past 40 years, UIMA has 

hosted hundreds of cultural events that 

include countless modern art exhibitions, 

concerts of classical and experimental 

music, literary programs, creative meetings, 

theatrical plays, international artistic 

and educational programs, and political 

lectures and discussions. 

Early on, the Institute outgrew its original 

mission of serving as a gallery where 

artists of Ukrainian origin with experimental 

and unconventional vision could 

exhibit their works as well as propagate 

modern Ukrainian art. 

The UIMA enlarged its commitment to 

modern art by exhibiting the works of 

diverse artists and trends in contemporary 

art by trying to cover a larger sphere of 

international talents. 

Now the UIMA is well respected 

among Chicago artists and throughout 

America, and has earned international 

recognition as one of the leading artistic 

institutions in our city. 

The UIMA is truly unique. While 

many institutions in the United States and 

internationally were founded by 

Ukrainian immigrants who were active 

collectors and exhibitors, none of them 

are fully focused on modern, contemporary 

and experimental art of multiple 

artistic forms. 

The UIMA’s permanent collection is 

notable for its quality and quantity; it 

Andriy Hudzan is administrator of the 

Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art. 

A view of the exhibit “Synchronized Combination of the Three Artists: Corinne 

Peterson, Anna Antonovych and Malgorzata Niespodziewana.” 

“Dialog III” by Vasyl Yarych of Lviv. 

contains over 800 pieces by well-known 

artists of Ukrainian origin, and prominent 

artists from Chicago and around the 

globe. Its permanent collection has been 

praised often by noted critics and collectors. 

But for the UIMA, its valuable collection 

is of far greater significance as an 

invaluable and irreplaceable repository of 

memories that define our roots and 

achievements, our community, our country 

and our voice. 

As the anniversary year approaches, 

let’s take a moment to assess 2010 and 

the many events mounted at the UIMA 

that attracted a wide range of visitors who 

were introduced to bold, young and even 

unknown talents. 

Let us recall some of them. The retrospective 

exhibit of Andriy Kovalenko, a 

relatively unknown artist, showed us a 

multi-faceted world. He was born in 1913 

in Ukraine, lived from 1947 to 1956 in 

Belgium, and then immigrated to 

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago. 

America and settled in Chicago. He lived 

modestly, studied in the Ukrainian community, 

and remained completely devoted 

to his muse until his death in 1989. 

While some regarded him as a 

reserved, quiet, almost hermit-like person, 

others recognized him as a man with 

a good heart and an intellectual frame of 

mind. The exhibit revealed his wideranging 

craftsmanship – early watercolors 

and oils created in 

Europe reflecting the influence 

of Cubism and made 

with the use of “found 

objects.” Viewers were 

impressed by his multitechnical 

abilities and 

unique, emotional and 

unconventional vision. 

The exhibit of the wellknown 

Chicago artist 

Anatoly Kolomayets, in 

contrast, presented works 

by an artist of considerable 

experience and professional 

excellence. His works stand 

out for the richness of technique 

and impressive colorism. 

Some viewers were 

surprised to see the works 

“not in his style.” 

Even as every person 

experiences some kinds of 

changes in their life, artists 

radiate on canvas or paper 

their particular concerns 

and feelings. Especially 

memorable in this sense 

were two works by Mr. 

Kolomayets that were created 

shortly after the death 

of his father, and they evidence 

the emotional distress 

this loss meant to him. 

The anniversary exhibit 

of Gladys Nillson’s work 

was a joint collaboration by 

UIMA and the Illinois 

Committee for the National 

Museum of Women in the 

Arts. Her work is wellknown 

in Chicago’s art 

world, as well as throughout 

America, and the exhibit 

at the UIMA resonated 

with our viewers. 

In the late 1960s, she 

became a member of the 

artistic group, Hairy Who, 

which was linked to the 

Chicago Imagists. Ms. 

Nillson was instrumental in 

winning national attention 

for Chicago-based artists. 

Her works are filled with 

humor and rich imagination. 

The exhibit served to 

bring together numerous 

skilled professionals and students. 

Particularly memorable was an evening 

interview with Ms. Nillson during which 

she shared her recollections and revealed 

some of her artistic secrets. 

“Neosymbolism – Bridges into the 

Unknown: brought together a group of 

international artists: Tom Besson, Klaus 

Aytinh, Thor Detviller, William Platz, 


Icon by Andriy Kovalenko created with found 

objects. 

“African Motif 1” by Chicago artist Anatole 

Kolomayets.

18 


No. 5 

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE 

Greater Boston celebrates extended Christmas (Rizdvo) season 

by Peter T. Woloschuk 

BOSTON – On the first two Sundays in 

December 2010 the Ukrainian Catholic 

community of greater Boston kicked off 

the traditional Christmas season with visits 

by St. Nicholas and Santa Claus to St. 

John the Baptist Parish in Salem, Mass., 

and St. Nicholas to Christ the King parish 

in Boston while the Ukrainian Orthodox 

community of Boston celebrated its patronal 

feast of St. Andrew the First Called 

with a traditional fish dinner at the same 

time. They continued the festivities on 

January 1, 6 and 16 with festive dinners. 

After a sung liturgy which used 

Ukrainian, English and Old Church 

Slavonic, the Salem community gathered 

in the parish hall for a festive buffet that 

was prepared by the parishioners and 

then watched a play, delivered in English, 

which featured Santa Claus meeting St. 

Nicholas in heaven and discussing Salem 

and the good people of St. John’s. 

The play was written and produced by 

Eva Sacharuk, who also played an angel. 

Stephanie Wolfe provided a musical 

interlude, playing both American and 

Ukrainian carols on the piano, and she 

was joined by those in attendance who 

caroled along. 

A week later the sung liturgy at Christ 

the King in Boston was followed by a 

presentation of a Christmas play written 

in Ukrainian by the students of the 

“Ridna Shkola” (School of Ukrainian 

Studies) in the parish house and a visit by 

St. Nicholas who came bearing gifts. 

That same day, the parishioners of St. 

Andrew’s gathered in their church hall 

following the sung liturgy for their annual 

commemoration of the parish’s patron 

with a fish dinner prepared by the men of 

the community under the supervision of 

chef Michael Maggiani (a non-Ukrainian, 

non-parishioner) who has been volunteering 

for the event for a number of years. 

The ambitious menu included lobster 

bisque and filet of sole. During the dinner, 

the youth of the parish put on a play 

in English titled “Charlie Brown’s 

Christmas Dilemma.” 

Each of the two New Years – old and 

new calendar – was celebrated with pot 

luck luncheons in the appropriate parishes. 

On Epiphany (Theophany/Yordan) 

evening, January 6, both Boston parishes 

held services; Christ the King a liturgy 

Vsevolod Petriv 

St. Andrew Parish youth present “Charlie Brown’s Christmas Dilemma.” 

marking Epiphany and St. Andrew’s pre- 

Christmas vespers, which were followed 

up with the traditional “Sviata Vechera” 

(Holy Eve Dinner) for parishioners who 

opted not to celebrate at home. Because 

Christ the King follows the new calendar 

and yet has numbers of Fourth Wave 

immigrants who follow the old calendar, 

its meal marked both Epiphany and 

Christmas. 

The men of St.Andrew’s Parish cook dinner. 

Vsevolod Petriv 

Tania Mychajlyshyn-D’Avignon 

Little angels who welcomed St. Nicholas to Christ the King Parish. 

Trenton UAYA donates $100,000 to campground in Ellenville, N.Y. 

by Oksana Bartkiv 

NEW YORK – A meeting of the Trenton, 

N.J., members of the Ukrainian American 

Youth Association with UAYA national 

board members, Andriy Bihun (president) 

and Bohdan Harhaj (former president), was 

held on January 13 at the home of Mychajlo 

and Daria Laszyn. 

Trenton UAYA Branch members present 

included Mykhajlo Dzubas (branch president), 

Daria Lashyn (recording and finance 

secretary), Nadia Lytwyn, Mykhajlo Lashyn 

and Volodymyr Lytwyn. The branch presented 

a donation of $100,000 for the 

Capital Improvement Project Campaign at 

the UAYA camground in Ellenville, N.Y. 

The main focus of this meeting was to 

update the branch on the latest progress, 

infrastructure projects and updates that are 

being done at the UAYA grounds in 

Ellenville, which are known as “Oselia.” 

Within the past two years, the UAYA 

national board and the UAYA Oselia board, 

who under the direction of Roman Kolinsky 

(director) and Andrij Stasiw (administrator), 

put in place a main goal to raise $1 million 

towards capital improvements and restorations 

of the Oselia. 

The plan was approved by the UAYA 

national board and information of the fund 

raising campaign was quickly disseminated 

to all the UAYA branches throughout the 

country. 

The UAYA oselia in Ellenville has been 

operating for over 50 years. It has allowed 

summer and occasionally winter camps to 

be held on its premises for UAYA youth. 

The oselia also holds several other yearround 

functions such as jamborees, congresses, 

sporting events, festivals, familyoriented 

events and other Ukrainian community 

events. 

The feedback towards the Capital 

Improvement Project Campaign has been 

positive. Foremost, generous contributions 

have been obtained by UAYA members and 

branches throughout the entire United 

States, as well as financial institutions such 

as SUMA (Yonkers) Federal Credit Union, 

Self Reliance New York Federal Credit 

Union, Self Reliance Ukrainian American 

Federal Credit Union, Ukrainian Legacy 

Foundation of Chicago, as well as members 

of the Ukrainian community throughout the 

country. 

The UAYA Trenton branch understood 

the dire need for campaign funds and therefore 

pledged and donated $100,000, earning 

them the title and status of “Visionaries of 

Mykhajlo Dzubas (right), president of the Trenton, N.J., branch of the Ukrainian 

American Youth Association, presents a $100,000 donation to UAYA National 

President Andriy Bihun (second from right). Looking on are (from right): Daria 

Lashyn, Volodymyr Lytwyn, Nadia Lytwyn and Mykhajlo Lashyn. 

the UAYA National Board.” 

UAYA National President Bihun humbly 

accepted the donation, thanking and recognizing 

the founders and members of the 

UAYA Trenton, branch for their hard work 

throughout the years. He acknowledged that 

the branch’s efforts and generous donation 

was made possible by all prior members of 

the branch and thanked them for their years 

service.

No. 5 


19 

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE 

St. Nicholas Parish of Passaic celebrates its centennial 

At the centennial gala of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church (from left) are: 

Dr. Michael Lewko, the Rev. Andriy Dudkevych, Ken Wanio, and Vice-President 

in charge of operations Jaroslaw Fedun and CEO Val Bogattchouk of the Self 

Reliance (NJ) Federal Credit Union. 

by Tom Hawrylko 

PASSAIC, N.J. – St. Nicholas Ukrainian 

Catholic Church of Passaic, N.J., celebrated 

its 100th anniversary on October 24, 2010, 

with a liturgy celebrated 

b y A r c h b i s h o p - 

Metropolitan Stefan Soroka 

of the Archeparchy of 

Philadelphia; Bishop Hlib 

Lonchyna, Eparchy of 

Great Britain; Bishop Basil 

Losten, eparch emeritus of 

Stamford, Conn.; Bishop 

William Skurla, Ruthenian 

Diocese of Passaic; and St. 

Nicholas pastor, the 

Rev. Andriy Dudkevych. 

Afterwards, a centennial 

program and gala dinner, 

with over 300 guests 

attending, was held at the 

Royal Manor in nearby 

Garfield. 

Among the distinguished 

guests present 

were local officials and 

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell 

(D-N.J.), who was present- 

ed with a commemorative pysanka by the 

Rev. Dudkevych. 

Self Reliance (NJ) Federal Credit 

Union made a $10,000 donation to the 

church at the gala. 

The Rev. Andriy Dudkevych presents a commemorative 

pysanka to Rep. Bill Pascrell. 

Making contact with The Weekly 

Readers/writers who send information to The Ukrainian Weekly 

are kindly asked to include a daytime phone number and a complete 

mailing address. Please note that a daytime phone number is essential 

in order for editors to contact correspondents regarding clarifications. 

Youth of the parish offer a traditional Ukrainian greeting. 

Wilmington parish holds “Prosfora” 

WILMINGTON, Del. – On Sunday, 

January 16, over 250 parishioners and 

friends gathered in the church hall of St. 

Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in 

Wilmington, Del., for “Prosfora” Christmas 

dinner. At St. Nicholas the parishioners gather 

several times throughout the year for various 

events to celebrate as a church family. 

Guests of honor included the current pastor, 

the Rev Volodymyr Klanichka as well 

as former pastor, the Rev William Gore. The 

occasion also marked the first birthday of 

Father Klanichka’s twins. Marko and 

Deanna. 

Also in attendance were longtime secretary 

of Ukrainian National Association 

Branch 173 Peter Serba, along with his son, 

UNA Auditor Eugene Serba. 

presents 

UTRECHT STRING QUARTET 

from the Netherlands 

performing: 

Schubert - String Quartet No. 8 in B Flat Major 

J. P. Sweelinck/Ch. Meijering - Mein junges Leben hat (k)ein End. 

Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 2 in F Major 

on February 12 at 8 pm 

at the Ukrainian Institute of America 

2 East 79th Street, New York City 

Admission: $30, UIA members and Seniors $25, students $20 

Concert will be followed by a reception 

Eugene Serba 

The Rev. Volodymyr Klanichka, his wife, Natalia, and their year-old twins, 

Marko and Deanna, at the “prosfora” of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church 

in Wilmington, Del. 

For tickets or information please call 212-288-8660

20 


No. 5

No. 5 


21 

Ukrainian pro sports update: vintage football 

Mike Ditka: More than a Hall of Fame player 

Mike Ditka was a rugged competitor 

on the gridiron and a disciplined coach 

on the sideline. In many ways Ditka personified 

the vintage years of yesterday’s 

football. He had a quick temper, usually 

showing up everywhere in a nasty mood. 

He was Mr. No-Nonsense as a coach, yet 

very respected by his players. 

For the Hall of Fame tight end coaching 

was the next obvious step, given he 

had a great understanding of the X’s and 

O’s of the game. His coaching success 

paralleled that of his playing career – the 

highlight being winning the 1985 Super 

Bowl, the ultimate reward in a football 

player’s or coach’s life. Ditka’s love and 

passion for the game of football has 

earned him a permanent spot in National 

Football League history. 

Old-school attitude 

Coach Ditka was a perfect example of 

the classic football coach – the meaner 

the look, the more fearsome the team. 

During his run with the Chicago Bears 

the mustachioed mastermind expected 

perfection from his players. Any doubts 

regarding the high level of expectations 

was met with a frightening look on the 

sidelines that promised immediate ramifications 

for poor play. Ditka ruled with an 

iron fist as a football authority from a 

prior era of old-school warriors who 

commanded respect. 

Ditka’s coaching philosophy mirrored 

his style as an active player: defensively 

stingy, relentless in pursuit of the opposition; 

offensively conservative, preferring 

to grind it out by running the ball. He 

believed in detailed preparation, always 

having his team on a search-and-destroy 

mission. The 1985 Bears defense was 

built out of the Ditka mold, one of the 

best ever. 

Ditka played the final four years of his 

career with the Dallas Cowboys where he 

was a vital part of the Cowboys’ first 

Super Bowl championship team in 1971. 

The time he spent in Dallas provided him 

with additional benefits, serving as 

Ditka’s introduction to coaching. After 

Ditka retired following the 1972 season, 

head coach Tom Landry hired him as an 

assistant coach, in Dallas where he dutifully 

worked for nine years. The assistant 

coach was part of Landry’s second Super 

Bowl winning team in 1977. 

Coaching da Bears 

Ditka departed Dallas in 1982, when 

his dream job was realized with an opportunity 

to return to Chicago as head coach. 

He went on to coach the Bears for over 

10 feisty and quite controversial years. 

He suffered through several disputes with 

the NFL and many controversies with the 

media, and his temper got him into trouble 

with his own players. The 10 year 

training program under Landry in Dallas 

did not smooth out Ditka’s rough edges. 

Ditka’s coaching personality was more 

maniacal, like George Halas, his first 

coach as a player, than the stoic demeanor 

of Landry. 

Ditka’s coaching highlight was the 

1985 season, when his Bears lost only 

one game all season before thoroughly 

routing the New England Patriots in one 

of the most lopsided Super Bowls ever. 

Ditka became just the second person ever 

to win Super Bowls as a head coach, 

assistant coach and player. The first, Tom 

Flores, didn’t play in a Super Bowl, but 

dressed as a third-string quaterback in the 

1969 game. 

After 1985 the Bears turned in strong 

seasons and were perennial contenders, 

but never made it back to the Super 

Bowl. Time eventually took its toll on 

Ditka as the physical punishment from 

his playing days caught up to him. He 

had a noticeable limp on the sidelines 

toward the end of his stint with Chicago. 

Being the testy, temperamental type, 

Ditka’s relationship with the Bears’ front 

office deteriorated and he was ultimately 

fired. Thirty-plus years in the NFL as a 

player and coach came to an end – but 

only for five years. Ditka was hired by 

the struggling New Orleans Saints franchise 

in 1997, the final entry on his 

coaching resume, which lasted three 

years. A hugely controversial trade more 

or less sealed his destiny during those 

three losing years. After the Saints job, 

Ditka returned to Chicago to babysit his 

famous restaurant and resumed a successful 

broadcasting career he had begun a 

few years back. 

His tendency to freely speak his mind 

made him a natural for the bright lights of 

television. While on NBC with Bob 

Costas, his personality injected humor 

and insight to the game of football. These 

days he speaks of football on ESPN, 

offering an encyclopedia of knowledge 

gathered over the course of 50-plus years 

involved with the sport. 

Have fun and win. Be loose, enjoy the 

competition, but show your grit. Ditka’s 

Chicago Bears were part of a brotherhood, 

inspired by their head coach. His 

1985 Super Bowl Champions even 

recorded a best-selling song, “The Super 

Bowl Shuffle,” strictly for the fun of it. 

This was all part of the coach’s let’s have 

fun, let’s win mentality that made him a 

winner. 

One of his greatest strengths was 

Ditka’s ability to understand his players 

and eliminate stress. As an ex-player, he 

completely understood the preparation, 

techniques and motivation from the point 

of view of a player, and was good at sharing 

his expertise with them. Most NFL 

coaches were not blessed with great success 

on the gridiron. Ditka knew what it 

was to get hurt and to be part of a big 

by Ihor Stelmach 

play. He was truly a player’s coach. 

No Saintly move 

Ditka’s two biggest career gambles 

came late in his coaching career and neither 

one paid off. His 1997 return from 

retirement to coach the horrendous New 

Orleans Saints were, by his own admission, 

“the three worst years” of his life. 

His drafting of running back Ricky 

Williams in 1999 was his bottoming out 

moment. 

Williams was an all-time NCAA rushing 

record breaker at the University of 

Texas in 1999, a superstar NFL prospect. 

He was still available at No. 5 in the first 

round of the NFL draft, and Ditka went 

all out to get him for the Saints. He made 

an offer the Washington Redskins could 

not refust for their fifth overall pick. The 

Redskins received all of New Orleans’ 

draft picks that year and an added bonus 

of the No. 1 and No. 3 picks in 2000. The 

football world was stunned. 

Promoting the deal as a new page in 

Saints history, Ditka wore a dreadlock 

wig on TV (mimicking Williams’ look), 

then later posed with Williams on a magazine 

cover wearing a wedding dress 

(symbolizing a marriage made in heaven). 

In his rookie year, Williams rushed for 

884 yards with two touchdowns and six 

fumbles. The Saints went 3-13, and Ditka 

was fired. 

Today, he’s still involved, mixing his 

serious attitude and wealth of intelligence 

with his funny, low-key approach as an 

analyst and occasional commentator. 

When it comes to football, Ditka, the son 

of a Ukrainian coal miner from Carnegie, 

Pa., has done it all. He played, he 

coached and he continues to cover his 

sport in the broadcast media. 

One might say he’s a triple threat. 

Ukrainian Institute... 


Stanislav Grezdo and Christina Katrakis. 

Through their creativity, they responded 

to the psychological, social and political 

forces of a rapidly changing culture in the 

20th and 21st centuries. 

In their figurative and conceptual art 

they use both simple and sophisticated 

symbols and images, revealing their artistic 

and humanistic position in today’s 

global society. The exhibition encouraged 

viewers to engage in serious discussions 

In the press... 


build his own power hierarchy. … 

“The Ukrainian government has just 

been changed and slimmed down. In 

terms of structure, this makes much more 

sense. The balance between the 

RosUkrEnergo camp (billionaire co-owner 

Dmytro Firtash, Energy Minister Yurii 

Boiko, presidential chief of staff Serhiy 

Lyovochkin and Security Service of 

Ukraine chief Valeriy Khoroshkovsky) 

and the Donetsk group (wealthy and 

influential businessmen Rinat Akhmetov, 

Andriy Kliuyev and Borys Kolesnikov) 

appears to be maintained… 

“With Yanukovych supremely in 

charge, one question is whether he will 

remove Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. 

and thereby capture the essence of creative 

execution. 

A significant event for the UIMA as 

well as the city was an exhibit of imprints 

titled, “Anchor Graphics and Chicago 

Print Makers Collaborative – 20 Years of 

Printmaking,” which emphasized the 

commonalities among the best masters of 

this craft in Chicago. This exhibit also 

caught the interest of both professionals 

and students who jointly benefited from 

the art on view. 

“Synchronized Combination of the 

Three Artists: Corinne Peterson, Anna 

My suspicion is that he will do so, 

because Yanukovych has appointed 

Sergei Arbuzov as chairman of the 

National Bank of Ukraine and two other 

young loyalists as heads of the State Tax 

Administration and the tax police. … 

“Yanukovych undermined Azarov by 

vetoing the tax code and changing it substantially. 

Azarov has repeatedly objected 

to raising the retirement age, which 

Yanukovych supports publicly. … 

“If Azarov would be ousted, I think 

that Deputy [Vice] Prime Minister Sergiy 

Tigipko is likely to take his place, not 

because he is strong but because he is 

weak. Yanukovych wants a prime minister 

who is a moderator rather than a force 

in his own right, and he does not have 

any person purely of his own to appoint 

as yet. …” 

A n t o n o v y c h a n d M a l g o r z a t a 

Niespodziewana” was the UIMA’s concluding 

exhibit in 2010. Each of these 

artists has had different life experiences 

and works with different materials and 

techniques. Yet in the gallery they were 

united by a harmony of space, composition, 

color and philosophical thought. 

Ms. Peterson did not initially choose 

the artistic life. As a student of Carl Jung, 

she became interested in analyzing her 

own dreams and decided that she should 

work with clay. The rest, as they say, is 

history. Today, she occupies a worthy 

place among Chicago’s sculptors. 

Ms. Antonovych, on the other hand, 

traveled the physical world and discovered 

beauty in everything she saw – in 

the cracked walls of old buildings and the 

debries of wrecked roads. 

Ms. Niespodziewana, a Polish artist, 

had always been fascinated by the human 

body, and its depiction by the culture and 

philosophy of India. The graciousness of 

forms, compositions and colors presented 

by her art served to created a perfect 

background for a contemporary music 

concert by the Maverick ensemble. 

Creative work can also be collaborative, 

as evidenced by the artistry of 

Svitlana and Vasyl Yarych, a married 

couple from Lviv. They are connected 

and inspired in both their married and 

artistic lives. Their works are filled with 

warmth and color, and reflect the eternal 

themes of life and love. 

During this anniversary year, the 

UIMA will continue with fund-raising to 

support its programs and to complete the 

renovations of its building. The second 

phase of renovation involving the museum’s 

main entrance and office is completed, 

and the new space is light and 

airy. 

Future plans will focus on the creation 

of an educational-research center, a 

sculpture garden, and the expansion of 

storage space for the museum’s holdings. 

(We’d like to know that our members and 

benefactors support these expansion ideas 

and we invite everyone to comment and 

share their thoughts.) 

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art 

was pleased with the success of its 

December 4, 2010 event, “Members of 

the Institute Invite New Friends!” – a 

reception during the beginning of the 

UIMA’s 40th anniversary. 

During 2011, the UIMA will kicks off 

a series in which we reflect on specific 

periods in UIMA’s its history, We’ll be 

profiling major donors and supporters, 

highlighting groundbreaking exhibits 

from the past, while striving throughout 

to encourage enthusiasts to become members 

by joining us in volunteer activities 

that support our its mission to present 

innovative art from the Ukrainian and 

larger American communities. 

And the UIMA will cap off the year 

with a gala banquet in October celebrating 

its 40th anniversary and heralding the 

next 40 years.

22 


No. 5 

Toronto Ukrainian festival 

set for September 16-18 

TORONTO – The annual Bloor West 

Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival will 

be held Friday, September 16, through 

Sunday, September 18. Located on Bloor 

Street West between the Runnymede and 

Jane TTC stations, this event in 2010 

attracted 514,000 people eager to experience 

a new culture, get in touch with their 

roots or just be part of one of the city’s 

best annual street events. 

With its goal of being bigger and 

better every year, the 2011 festival will 

be especially grand, as it celebrates the 

120th anniversary of Ukrainian settlement 

in Canada as well as its own 15th 

anniversary. 

Selective justice... 


leaders. 

The selective application of law is the 

main feature of the system they have built. It 

is at the heart of the institutionalized blackmail 

whimsically employed as a tool of state 

domination. The system was correctly analyzed 

more than 10 years ago by Keith 

Darden as consisting of three major elements: 

(1) widespread corruption that is tolerated 

and even encouraged by the authorities; 

(2) tight surveillance that enables the 

authorities to collect compromising materials 

against everyone and keep each subject 

on the hook; (3) selective punishment of any 

politically disloyal subject for seemingly 

non-political wrongdoings. 

Former President Leonid Kuchma had 

gradually constructed such a model. The 

Orange Revolution shook the system, but 

failed to dismantle it and replace it with 

functional democratic institutions based on 

the rule of law. Hence, the old system did 

not work because it required the full control 

of all branches of power by the executive 

that neither President Viktor Yushchenko 

nor Prime Minister Tymoshenko had. Yet, 

no new system was introduced in its place. 

So, the country became, as a result, virtually 

unmanageable. 

President Yanukovych has successfully 

monopolized power, subordinated all the 

branches of government, the Parliament and 

the judiciary to his office, and re-established 

a kind of order. He has made institutions 

more or less manageable, but this has meant 

moving back towards Kuchma-era authoritarianism 

than any step forward toward 

functioning democracy. Stagnation, backwardness, 

lawlessness and rampant corruption 

are likely to be preserved and 

entrenched in such an environment. 

The only conclusion Mr. Yanukovych 

seems to have made from Mr. Kuchma’s 

failure is that the system was not repressive 

enough. Indeed, Mr. Kuchma lost because 

he had not completely marginalized the 

opposition – as Russia’s Vladimir Putin or 

Belarus’ Alyaksandr Lukashenka did – and 

had not prevented his allies from overt and 

Friends mourn... 


ing ideas and helped other playwrights with 

advice.” 

Ominous feeling 

Ms. Yablonska’s fame had started spreading 

beyond the former Soviet Union. The 

Royal Court Theater in London plans a 

reading of “The Pagans” in April. 

The play tells the story of a young 

woman who slowly regains a taste for life 

after a failed suicide attempt. Although her 

work largely focused on the difficulty of 

human relations, particularly between close 

The festival features world-class 

entertainment, savory traditional 

Ukrainian cuisine and international delicatessens, 

awe-inspiring musicians and 

dancers in costumes that dazzle, a midway 

filled with games for children, a 

colorful parade, and vendors offering 

cultural treasures, jewelry and many 

other goods. Each evening ends with a 

“zabava” during which visitors can 

dance under the stars to a live band 

right on the street. 

For more information, readers may 

call 416-410-9956, e-mail info@ukrainianfestival.com 

or log on to www. 

ukrainianfestival.com. 

covert defection to the opposition camp. So, 

we are likely to witness more clampdowns 

on the opposition and the independent 

media, disguised as a “fight with corruption” 

and “restoring order” and, of course, 

“reforms.” 

The red line, however, that separates 

Ukrainian authoritarians from their Russian, 

Belarusian and Central Asian counterparts 

has not yet been crossed. So far, the government 

in Ukraine, unlike elsewhere in the 

Commonwealth of Independent States 

(CIS), can be changed peacefully, in more 

or less democratic elections. 

Mr. Yanukovych and his associates seem 

to be rather reluctant to cross that line 

despite a very strong temptation. 

Remarkably, all the criminal accusations 

against their predecessors and political 

opponents concern some misuse of funds 

(which was actually typical for all Ukrainian 

governments, with traditionally low budget 

discipline), but not their appropriation and 

personal enrichment. This means that the 

punishment for these crimes, if they are 

proven, would be rather mild, with the sentences 

probably suspended. 

They may reflect an informal agreement 

among Ukrainian elites to avoid harsh penalties 

against their opponents, simply 

because of a fear that the wheel may turn 

around and today’s opponents might 

become tomorrow’s authorities who would 

implement the same harsh measures against 

them for the same misdeeds. Not a single 

Ukrainian top official has been imprisoned 

over the past two decades, no matter what 

accusations of theft, embezzlement or money-laundering 

have been raised. 

If we happen to see this informal agreement 

broken, it would mean that Ukraine 

has become either a full-fledged democracy 

based on the rule of law, or a full-fledged 

authoritarian state with a firmly entrenched 

repressive regime that would never step 

down peacefully. The first development 

under the current regime looks unlikely. The 

second is possible but still uncertain. The 

sentences given to Ms. Tymoshenko and her 

associates will probably signal the real political 

ambitions – and perspicacity – of 

today’s rulers. 

relatives, her writing was often humorous. 

Her friends say Ms. Yablonska, who 

leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter, may 

have had an ominous feeling ahead of her 

flight to Moscow. 

On December 21, 2010, she wrote in her 

LiveJournal blog: “It seems to me that I 

have very little time left.” 

Copyright 2011, RFE/RL Inc. Reprinted 

with the permission of Radio Free Europe/ 

Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 

Washington DC 20036; www.rferl.org. (See 

http://www.rferl.org/content/moscow_airport_bombing_domodedovo_ukraine_playwright/2287944.html.) 

New volume... 


He concludes with an assessment of the hetman 

and his age that has long been controversial 

in Ukrainian historiography. 

The volume shows how Ukraine’s relations 

with Muscovy were strained by the 

Muscovites’ failure to help fend off devastating 

Polish and Crimean attacks, which 

prompted Ukrainian leaders to seek support 

elsewhere. Tensions were exacerbated by the 

Ukrainian-Muscovite dispute over 

Belarusian territory. 

When Charles X of Sweden attacked the 

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1655, 

while Khmelnytsky was seeking to recover 

the western Ukrainian lands, a Swedish- 

Ukrainian alliance seemed to be in the making. 

A military convention was concluded, 

but Charles, under pressure from his allies 

among the Polish nobility, would not cede 

western Ukraine to the Kozaks. 

After the Vilnius accord between 

Muscovy and the Commonwealth 

(November 1656), Khmelnytsky sought to 

form a Swedish-Transylvanian-Ukrainian 

league and supported the abortive effort by 

György Rákóczi II of Transylvania to gain 

the Polish throne. Hrushevsky’s exhaustive 

discussion of diplomatic affairs greatly 

advances understanding of the role of 

Ukraine and the countries of East Central 

Europe in the political crisis of the mid-17th 

century. 

In a comprehensive introduction to the 

Moscow moves... 

Russia Black Sea... 


addition, one Mistral-class amphibious 

attack ship (out of four planned for procurement 

from France) is supposed to be allocated 

to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. 

Russia’s naval presence in Ukraine underscores 

the Ukrainian government’s lax interpretation 

of the country’s non-bloc status. 

Ukraine’s current authorities have legislated 

for this status, and drastically curtailed the 

country’s cooperation with NATO, without 

developing a clear definition of the non-bloc 

status, or an international legal-political 

framework to ensure its observance. Within 

this grey area, Russia suggests that it would 

consider modernizing and operating the 

Ukrainian radars in Sevastopol and 

Mukachive, as contribution to a common 

anti-missile defense system (Hryhory 

Perepelitsya, “Ukraine’s Non-Bloc Status 

Evolution,” Diplomatic Academy of 

Ukraine International Weekly, December 28, 

2010). 

Russia’s entrenchment in Crimea has 

caught NATO, the United States and the 

European Union distracted and wrong-footed. 

Some other actors now seek to develop a 

soft-security answer. 

volume, Dr. Fedoruk considers issues of foreign 

policy, as well as the larger problem of 

national historiographies and their limitations 

with regard to the highly complex 

European situation. Dr. Sysyn analyzes 

Hrushevsky’s assessment of Khmelnytsky’s 

rule in Chapter 13 as a polemic with the conservative 

historian Viacheslav Lypynsky 

(1882-1931). 

Volume 9, Book 2, Part 2 of “History of 

Ukraine-Rus’ ” is available in a hardcover 

edition for $119.95 (plus taxes and shipping; 

outside Canada, prices are in U.S. dollars). 

The full set of the history is available at 

a subscription price of $1,100. Volumes 7 to 

10 (in six books), representing the “History 

of the Ukrainian Cossacks,” are available at 

a subscription price of $600. 

Orders can be placed via the secure online 

ordering system of CIUS Press at www. 

ciuspress.com or by contacting CIUS Press, 

430 Pembina Hall, University of Alberta, 

Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2H8; telephone, 

780-492-2973; e-mail, cius@ualberta.ca. 

* * * 

The Canadian Institute of Ukrainian 

Studies (CIUS) is a leading center of 

Ukrainian studies outside Ukraine that conducts 

research and scholarship in Ukrainian 

and Ukrainian-Canadian studies. For more 

information on the institute, readers may 

visit the website www.cius.ca, phone Dr. 

Bohdan Klid at 780-492-2972; or e-mail 

cius@ualberta.ca. 


13, insisted that “no one has closed the 

library of Ukrainian Literature.” But he 

added that “there really were seized several 

books which are now being studied on the 

basis of our legislation which prohibits the 

distribution of nationalistic ideas.” 

In discussing both these cases, Grani.ru 

commentator Vitaly Portnikov says that “in 

contemporary Russia one must not be surprised 

by anything.” But in order to make 

sense of what Russian officials are now 

doing against Ukrainians, he recalls an event 

in which he was a participant at the end of 

t h e 1 9 8 0 s ( g r a n i . r u / o p i n i o n / 

portnikov/m.185343.html). 

At that time, the Moscow city Komsomol 

organization summoned representatives of 

the recently founded Jewish, Ukrainian and 

Belarusian youth groups in the Russian capital 

to a meeting. The Komsomol city organization 

secretary wanted to know why Mr. 

Portnikov, who is Jewish, was involved with 

a Ukrainian club. 

“I somewhat angrily noted,” Mr. 

Portnikov recalls, “that until recently for the 

study of Hebrew, Jews had been sent to the 

camps, and now Jews are being blamed for a 

knowledge of Ukrainian. ‘Ukrainians are 

worse than the Jews,’ the secretary responded. 

‘Jews will at least leave, but Ukrainians 

want to destroy our great land.’” 

At the time, Mr. Portnikov says, he “did 

not devote importance to this insane dialogue 

because I could not imagine that 

Ukrainians in Russia could find themselves 

in the position of Jews of the 1940s and 

1950s, that [Moscow officials] would stomp 

on their books with dirty boots” or close 

Ukrainian institutions as they had done earlier 

with Jewish ones. 

But as the latest events show, he concludes 

with obvious sadness, “it turns out 

that even this is possible.” 

On January 20 in Strasbourg, the 

European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs 

Committee adopted a resolution on the full 

range of security challenges in the Black Sea 

region. Inspired by Romanian members of 

the European Parliament, and intended for 

submission to the European Parliament’s 

plenum, the resolution expresses particular 

concern about the extension of the Russian 

Black Sea Fleet’s lease on Ukrainian territory. 

The resolution suggests that the 

EU should develop a conflict-prevention and 

early-warning system. This would serve to 

build confidence throughout the region 

and help prevent threat of force, its use or 

escalation. Such a system would focus on 

arms transfers and naval activities. The proposal 

regards Russia as a desirable partner in 

such a system, alongside the EU and the 

Black Sea region’s countries (members or 

non-members of the EU). This area today 

faces key challenges that the EU cannot 

ignore (European Parliament press release, 

January 20). 

The article above is reprinted from 

Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission from 

its publisher, the Jamestown Foundation, 

www.jamestown.org.

No. 5 


23 

OUT AND ABOUT 

January 31 

Cambridge, MA 

February 1 

Cambridge, MA 

February 4-27 

Chicago 

February 5 

Randolph, MA 

February 5 

Philadelphia 

Seminar by Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern, “Blanks 

from Starokonstantinov: Lenin’s Jewish Roots?” 

Harvard University, 617-495-4053 

Lecture by Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern, “Between 

Exile and Redemption: The Case of the Ukrainian 

Jewish Poet Moisei Fishbein,” Harvard University, 

617-495-4053 

Art exhibit, featuring works by Volodymyr 

Ilchyshyn, Ukrainian National Museum, 

312-421-8020 

Malanka, featuring music by Hrim, The Lantana, 

Ukrainian American Educational Center of Boston, 

Skostecki108@comcast.net or 

www.ukrainiancenter.org 

Presentation of debutantes and ball, featuring 

music by Fata Morgana, Ukrainian Engineers’ 

Society of America – Philadelphia Chapter, Hyatt 

Hotel at the Bellevue, 610-277-1284 or 

215-635-7134 

February 5 

Movie night, “John Wayne ‘The Early Years,’” 

Lehighton, PA Ukrainian Homestead, 610-377-4621 

February 5 

New York 

February 6 

Whippany, NJ 

February 7 

Cambridge, MA 

February 10-11 

Stanford, CA 

February 12 

Perth Amboy, NJ 

Lecture by Valerii Zemba, “Edificatory Prose of 

the Kyivan Metropolitanate Between the Union of 

Florence and the Union of Brest,” Shevchenko 

Scientific Society, 212-254-5130 

Super Bowl viewing party, Ukrainian American 

Cultural Center of New Jersey, www.uaccnj.org 

Roundtable discussion, “Undoing Ukraine’s Orange 

Revolution? The First Presidential Year of Vktor 

Yanukovych,” Harvard University, 617-495-4053 

Film screenings, hosted by Yuri Shevchuk, “New 

Films and New Names from Ukraine,” Stanford 

University, http://creees.stanford.edu 

Valentine’s Day dance, featuring music by Anna- 

Maria Entertainment, Assumption Ukrainian 

Catholic Church, 732-826-0767 

February 12 

Valentine’s Day dinner and dance, Ukrainian 

Lehighton, PA Homestead, 610-377-4621 

February 12 

Whippany, NJ 

February 12 

New Haven, CT 

February 14 

Cambridge, MA 

Valentine’s Day dinner and dance, featuring music 

by Grupo Yuri Jazz, Ukrainian American Cultural 

Center of New Jersey, 973-867-8855 

Valentine’s Day dinner and dance, St. Michael 

Ukrainian Catholic Church, 203-865-0388 or 

stmichaels@snet.net 

Lecture by Viktor Ostapchuk, “Toward the 

Roksolana / Hurrem Sultan Quincentenary, In 

Search of Roksolana / Hurrem’s Origins: The 

Source of Evidence,” Harvard University, 

617-495-4053 

February 19 

Winter ball, featuring music by Hrim, L’Enfant 

Washington Plaza Hotel, zabavadc@gmail.com or 800-635-5056 

February 20 

Lehighton, PA 

February 26 

Parsippany, NJ 

February 28 

Cambridge, MA 

March 5 

Pittsburgh 

Geneology presentation by Mike Buryk, Ukrainian 

Homestead, www.buryk.com or 

Michael.Buryk@verizon.net 

Debutante ball, featuring music by Hrim and 

Vorony, Ukrainian American Youth Association, 

Sheraton Hotel, 

http://cym.org/us/archives/Deb2011/2011Deb.asp 

Lecture by Jessica Allina Pisano, “Stalinism and the 

Tyranny of the Houshold Cow in Post- War 

Transcarpathia: Exploring Critical Alternatives to 

Concepts in Social Research,” Harvard University, 

617-495-4053 

Pre-Lenten dance, featuring music by Chervona 

Kalyna, Ukrainian Community of Western 

Pennsylvania, Best Western Parkway Center Inn, 

412-897-0741 or www.ucowpa.org 

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 

from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors 

and as space allows. Please send e-mail to mdubas@ukrweekly.com.

24 


No. 5 

ARE YOU A FORMER MEMBER 

OF THE NEWARK BRANCH 

OF PLAST? 

The Newark Plast branch will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a 

JUBILEE CAMPFIRE AND GET-TOGETHER on March 26, 2011, 

at its new home, the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey 

(located in Whippany, NJ). 

Current and former members of the Plast “stanytsia” will be invited to 

attend this jubilee celebration. In order to be included on the invitation 

list, former members are asked to e-mail or call event organizers: 

Christine Kochan, chrystia@optonline.net 

Zoriana Stawnychy, 973-283-0024. 

Group photos of Newark Plast debutante balls are being sought for a photo 

display. Anyone having such photos is asked to contact the organizers. 

PREVIEW OF EVENTS 

Saturday, February 5 

NEW YORK: The Shevchenko Scientific 

Society invites all to a lecture by Valerii 

Zema, research fellow, Institute of Ukrainian 

History, National Academy of Sciences of 

Ukraine on the subject “Edificatory Prose of 

the Kyivan Metropolitanate Between the 

Union of Florence and the Union of Brest.” 

The speaker is presently a visiting Fulbright 

Scholar at the Ukrainian Research Institute, 

Harvard University. The lecture will take 

place at the society’s building, 63 Fourth 

Avenue (between Ninth and 10th streets) at 5 

p.m. For additional information call 212- 

254-5130. 

Sunday, February 20 

LEHIGHTON, Pa.: Mike Buryk, a 

Ukrainian American family researcher, 

will offer a workshop on Lemko and 

Ukrainian genealogy focused on the Sanok 

region of Poland. The talk will cover local 

historical background, how to research 

your family tree, archives, online resources, 

and software and hardware tools. This 

session takes place at 1-4 p.m. at the 

Ukrainian Homestead on Sunday, 

February 20. Snow date is February 27th. 

For travel directions: http://www. 

ukrhomestead.com/directx.html . For a 

flyer: http://www.buryk.com/our_patch/ 

docs/ukrlemkogentoolkit022011.pdf . An 

exhibit of books and maps is included. 

There is a $10 workshop fee. For additional 

information contact michael.buryk@ 

verizon.net. 

PREVIEW OF EVENTS GUIDELINES 

Preview of Events is a listing of community events open to the public. It is a 

service provided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the 

Ukrainian community. 

To have an event listed in Preview of Events please send information, in English, 

written in Preview format, i.e., in a brief paragraph that includes the date, place, type 

of event, sponsor, admission, full names of persons and/or organizations involved, 

and a phone number to be published for readers who may require additional 

information. Items should be no more than 100 words long; longer submissions 

are subject to editing. Items not written in Preview format or submitted without all 

required information will not be published. 

Preview items must be received no later than one week before the desired date of 

publication. No information will be taken over the phone. Items will be published 

only once, unless otherwise indicated. Please include payment for each time 

the item is to appear and indicate date(s) of issue(s) in which the item is to be 

published. 

Information should be sent to: preview@ukrweekly.com or Preview of Events, 

The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; fax, 

973-644-9510. NB: If e-mailing, please do not send items as attachments; 

simply type the text into the body of the e-mail message.

Ukrainian Weekly, January 30, 2011 - The Ukrainian Weekly

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