Friday, February 28, 2014

Russian Federation admits its troops are moving in Crimean Peninsula



February 28, 17:43 The Russian foreign ministry has admitted that armoured units from the Black Sea Fleet base near Sevastopol had entered Crimea in order to protect fleet positions. “The Ukrainian side was also passed a note regarding the movement of armoured vehicles of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, which is happening in full accordance with the foundation Russian-Ukrainian agreements on the Black Sea Fleet,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website on Friday afternoon. In the same note the Russian foreign ministry said it had declined a Ukrainian request for “bilateral consultations” on events in Crimea because they are “the result of recent internal political processes in Ukraine.”

Few hours ago it was noticed by Ukrainian border guards that a group of app. 10 military helicopters is heading from Kerch (Russian Federation) to somewhere in Crimea. You may look at these choppers at
Read more about it at

Ex-President Viktor Yanukovych’s first public appearance

Ex-President Viktor Yanukovych has called press conference in Rostov (Russian Federation) not far from Ukrainian border. Nothing but rumors was known about where he is since last week. It was said that he was "not overthrown", but was forced to leave Ukraine after threats to his life. He told a news conference that he will fight for his country. As about those who removed him from leadership he called them as "young neo-fascist thugs". Victor Yanukovich also said that he got a refuge in Rostov from his old friend.
Read more about this press conference at:
See video about the press conference at:

The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday approved a cabinet headed by new Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk




KIEV, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday approved a cabinet led by new Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk (1). The new interim government, which has gathered well-known politicians and prominent figures of the anti-government protests, was supported by 331 lawmakers of the 411 present in the parliament. Earlier in the day, 358 legislators supported a bill to dismiss the former government. The parliament approved Vitaly Yarema (2), a lawmaker from the "Fatherland" party, as first deputy prime minister. Meanwhile, far-right politician Alexandr Such (3) and businessman Vladimir Groysman (4) were appointed deputy prime ministers. Former Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk (5) was named deputy prime minister for European integration, while Ostap Semerak (6), a former adviser to Yatsenyuk, became minister of the cabinet. Andriy Deshchytsya (7), a veteran diplomat, was given the foreign affairs portfolio, while Admiral Igor Tenyukh (8), former commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, became defense minister. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov (9), who was appointed earlier this week, has kept his post. Pavlo Sheremeta (10), a well-known political analyst and founder of the Kiev-Mohyla Business School, was made economy minister, while Alexandr Shlapack (11) took the post of finance minister. Oleg Musiy (12), the coordinator of the protesters' medical camp, was named health minister; actor Eugene Nischuk (13), a narrator who was cheering protesters from the stage during the anti-government rallies, became culture minister, while Dmytro Bulatov (14), an activist who was severely beaten during the protests, was appointed as youth and sports minister. Maksym Burbak (15), a lawmaker from the "Fatherland" Party, was approved as infrastructure minister and his comrade Lyudmyla Denysova (16) became social policy minister. Lawmaker Pavlo Petrenko (17) was appointed as justice minister and Sergiy Kvit (18), president of the National University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy, took the post of education and science minister. Lawmaker from "Svoboda" party Igor Shvaika (19) became agriculture minister, his party ally Adnriy Mokhnyk (20) became ecology minister, while Yury Prodan (21), who served as energy minister in 2007-2010, was appointed as minister of fuel and energy. Earlier in the day, Yatsenyuk said that the main task of his government is to lift Ukraine's economy, preserve the territorial integrity of the state and follow the course toward European integration. Describing the members of the new cabinet as "political kamikaze," Yatsenyuk said that his government has to make unpopular decisions, which would displease many Ukrainians in the short term.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-02/27/c_133148411.htm

There is no more monument to Lenin in Poltava




The rising tide of demolition of remaining monuments to Vladimir Lenin has finally reached Poltava. On February 21, soon after the bloody events on EuroMaidan in Kyiv the monument in Poltava was toppled by furious crowd. You can see this video at

Two years ago I happened to visit Seattle (Washington). United States of America was always in the forefront of struggle against communism. Nevertheless the monument to Lenin in Seattle was erected in 1988 shortly before the fall of Czechoslovak communism during the 1989 Velvet Revolution.   

The monument to Lenin in Seattle
Despite popular belief, the monument to Lenin in Seattle was not toppled in the demonstrations during the fall of communism. Furthermore, it is pretty well cared by the local community. There is a cozy cafe next to the monument and I must say that such a neighborhood doesn’t annoy visitors at all. There are monuments to Lenin in Las Vegas, New York City, Atlantic City (New Jersey). In Sweden there is a monument to Lenin in Vittsjö.
The monument to Lenin in Vittsjö

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Armed men storm Crimea parliament



About hundred men armed with Kalashnikov rifles and grenades seized the Crimean parliament and government buildings early on Thursday morning. They hoisted a Russian flag over a barricade. Those who occupying the parliament building in the regional capital, Simferopol, did not come out to voice any demands. They wore black and orange ribbons, a Russian symbol of the victory in World War II. The men also put up a sign saying “Crimea is Russia.” Anatoly Mogilev, Crimea’s prime minister, tried to hold talks with the rebels but they refused to explain their action or negotiate, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. An estimated 2,000 ethnic Tatars gathered outside the Crimean Parliament in Simferopol to show their support for Kyiv and a united Ukraine. There were scuffles with pro-Russian separatists who denounced what they called “the bandits” who had seized power in the Ukrainian capital.

Read more at

President Vladimir Putin puts troops in western Russia on alert in drill



( February 25, Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of his armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, flexing Moscow's military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine. Russia said the exercises were not linked to events in Ukraine, where the ouster of a president who turned his back on the European Union and sought closer ties with Moscow has raised worries in the West over possibility of military intervention.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the training drills were not linked to events in Ukraine, and Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said they had been previously planned. He said they would involve about 150,000 military personnel. The western district encompasses most of western Russia and borders Ukraine, which lies between NATO nations and Russia. Forces must "be ready to bomb unfamiliar testing grounds" as part of the drill, Shoigu told a Defence Ministry meeting.
The United States and European nations have warned Russia against military intervention in Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that Putin has called a "brother nation" and wants to be part of a Eurasian Union he is building in the region.
Russian officials have said Moscow will not interfere in Ukraine, while accusing the West of doing so. Interfax cited the speaker of the upper parliament house, Valentina Matviyenko, as saying on Wednesday it would not use force. But Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that Russia's interests and its citizens in Ukraine were under threat, language reminiscent of statements justifying Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008, when he was president.
Shoigu said the drill would also test the counter-terrorism measures in place at military units. Russian officials have referred to some of the Ukrainian opposition forces whose protests pushed Yanukovich from power as "terrorists".

The full article is available at
 

Berkut police unit disbanded

On 25 February 2014 acting Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov signed a decree on the dissolution of the elite Berkut police unit. The unit had 4,000-5,000 members stationed across Ukraine. It is still not clear what will happen to many Berkut officers, but acting interior minister said more details would be given in a briefing on Wednesday.
The history of Berkut Police Unit
The order to organize the OMON (Special Purpose Police Unit) in the USSR was issued in 1987.  The first units in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic were formed in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Lviv and Donetsk and were based on selected units of Soviet Internal Troops of the Ministry of Interior Affairs. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union it was decided to organize such units in every regional center as part of the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine. On January 16, 1992 the order was issued to create quick reaction force (QRF) units "Berkut", which was fully implemented by the start of 1993.



Defensive line of "Berkut" unitmen in riot gear by the building of the Cabinet of Ministers during 2013 Euromaidan protests.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Have you seen something like that?



A video that is still circulating on social media shows Yanukovich’s toilet in his former 129-hectare estate at Mezhgirya near Kyiv. The following link will let you to see this video (sorry for comments told in Ukrainin language, but as it comes to visiting a toilet, probably it is not so much important ).


To see another amateur video showing the same restroom click at

Inside the extravagant palace of Ukraine's former president




The line of automobiles starts more than a mile away. as thousands of Ukrainians pour into the neighborhood of Mezhyhirya, about 10 miles from the center of Kiev. They are on a pilgrimage to see the palace of former President Viktor Yanukovych, a man on the run. "Palace," it turns out, is an understatement. The massive estate is estimated at 340 square acres, with a main home, a guest house, an enclosed garage the size of an urban parking deck, a spa, a meeting hall, a zoo, a golf course, a ballroom (still under construction) and a galleon on the Dnieper River. Nearly every interior surface of the palace is stamped with gilding. Inlaid floors, marble mantels, and phalanxes of statues adorn the rooms. A white baby grand Steinway stands at the ready in a yawning entertainment hall with 20-foot ceilings and winking chandeliers. A coat closet bigger than many New York apartments still holds clothing—a half dozen men's dress coats in a palette of hues, many woven of fine cashmere. More casual coats bear labels by well-known European designers such as Loro Piana and Bruno Cucinelli. Guarding the house is a volunteer militia—young men in their teens and 20s—sporting patchwork uniforms. They appear to have successfully protected it from looters, as the interior is in relatively undisturbed condition.
Ukrainians aren't allowed into the main house, but the young militia give tours to journalists, including a group from CNBC. "He thought he was the king," one of the guards, Alexey Tolovid, 21, said of Yanukovych. "But then, it all came to an end." 


CNBC's chief international correspondent, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, tours the palace of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. You may attend it by clicking at


 Soon you will get an opportunity to visit an "ordinary restroom" in this palace!

 

Marines Deployed to Guard U.S. Embassy in Kiev


Nine Marines have been deployed to the U.S. Embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, at the request of the State Department, an official said Tuesday. There was no immediate word on any specific threat to the American facility beyond the turmoil that has gripped the city and driven out former President Viktor Yanukovych. The Marines are from a unit based in Quantico, Va., that is dedicated to reinforcing security at embassies worldwide.



http://www.nbcnews.com
 

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Yulia Tymoshenko released from prison in Kharkiv



Ukrainian opposition leader and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been freed from the hospital where she was held being under prison guard after being convicted in 2011. Ukraine opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko said "a dictatorship has fallen" following her release from prison. "All must be done to ensure protesters did not die in vain", she added.




Ukraine opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko hugs someone as she is released from prison.  
Credit: REUTERS/Stringer

Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko reacts after she was freed .  
Credit: REUTERS/Stringer

Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko was in a wheelchair when she spoke to journalists.  
Credit: REUTERS/Inna Petrykova
 

Klitschko calls on MPs to pass resolution on president's impeachment

KYIV, February 22 /Ukrinform/. UDAR Party leader Vitali Klitschko has called on MPs to meet the demand of the Maidan and adopt a resolution on the president's impeachment. He said this from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada on Saturday, a Ukrinform correspondent reported. "The opposition initiates the adoption of a Verkhovna Rada resolution demanding that Viktor Yanukovych step down [as president], which will be a legitimate reason for setting the date for early presidential elections," Klitschko said.

He said that the elections should be held, in accordance with the Constitution, no later than May 25, 2014.
Klitschko called on all Ukrainian citizens to maintain peace and in no way yield to provocations to inappropriate actions. "The parliament will do its best to return the situation in the country to normal," he said.

Hot news from Ukraine



KYIV, February 22 14:02
The Verkhovna Rada on Saturday adopted resolution No. 4166 on the implementation of Ukraine's international obligations regarding the release of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from prison.
KYIV, February 22 13:32
Batkivshchyna MP Arsen Avakov has been appointed acting Ukrainian interior minister. A total of 275 MPs voted for such a decision on Saturday.
KYIV, February 22 12:55
Batkivshchyna MP Oleksandr Turchynov has been appointed chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. A total of 288 deputies voted for such a decision on Saturday. Independent MP Petro Poroshenko was also nominated for this post, but he withdrew his candidacy in favor of Turchynov.
KYIV, February 22 11:30 
The law on reinstating certain provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, which envisages the return to the country's main law of 2004, has been sent to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych for signature, according to the website of the Verkhovna Rada. As reported, on February 21, 386 MPs voted for the law on a return to the 2004 Constitution. The main law of 2004 envisages a return to a parliamentary-presidential form of government in Ukraine.
KYIV, February 22 10:36
Volodymyr Rybak has tendered his resignation as Verkhovna Rada chairman for health reasons. Verkhovna Rada Deputy Speaker Ruslan Koshulynsky said this at a parliament meeting on Saturday. "Rybak has written a statement due to an illness with the request to relieve him of the duties of the Verkhovna Rada chairman," Koshulynsky said.
KYIV, February 21 19:14
The Verkhovna Rada has passed a law that helps release former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from criminal liability. A total of 310 MPs voted for bill No. 2023 introducing amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on the introduction in national legislation of the provisions of Article 19 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Party of Regions MP Hanna Herman said that she had always wanted Tymoshenko to be released. However, she expressed regret that this bill had been submitted by independent MP Inna Bohoslovska, who, she says, "put Tymoshenko in prison." Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Rybak closed a parliament session after the adoption of the bill.
Read more news at 
http://www.ukrinform.ua

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Bloody scenes in Ukraine clashes. Chaos returns to Kiev as parliament meets to debate constitutional reforms.

Fighting has erupted in central Kiev after pro-European protesters marched on the Ukrainian parliament to show support for a demands for constructional reform being debated today. Clashes broke out at at least three separate locations in the city centre as marchers converged on parliament at about 11 AM this morning. Police used stun grenades, tear gas and baton round in a bid to hold protesters back, while protesters set fire to true barricades and attacked with stones and fireworks, local media reported. Footage from the city centre showed activists throwing riot officers out of a police van which was later set on fire. As fighting escalated the central office of President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions was also set ablaze.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Saving Ukraine



A ribbon with the colours of the Ukraine flag which symbolises the revolution is placed at a road block at Kiev's Independence square on February 4, 2014. The crisis has sparked tensions between the West, which is considering sanctions against Ukrainian officials, and Russia, which has accused the EU and US of interference in Ukraine. AFP PHOTO / Angelos Tzortzinis


The United States and Europe may finally be ready to put some real emergency  aid on the table as part of an effort to resolve the political crisis in Ukraine and to tie the country more closely to the West. Without such an offer of financial support, Russia will continue to have leverage to bully Ukraine into its geopolitical orbit. The standoff over economic policy and whether Ukraine will ally with Europe or Russia is more than two months old and has led to violent protests in which at least six people were killed.
Details of the aid package are still under negotiation in Europe and the United States, but there should be little doubt about the need. Ukraine’s economy is on the brink of failure and its politics has been in turmoil since the president, Viktor Yanukovych, rejected an economic pact with Europe in favor of an offer from Russia for $15 billion in assistance. Russia, playing hardball after Mr. Yanukovych announced plans to replace his cabinet to appease protesters, last week suspended a portion of the aid and thus left an opening for the Americans and Europeans to make their own offer.
The Western package is mainly intended as bridge financing to get a new Ukrainian government, if one is formed, through a transition period so it can make the sufficient reforms needed to qualify for a long-delayed loan from the International Monetary Fund. The West is looking for a government of experts, possibly led by an opposition leader.
There is undoubtedly risk because it is not at all clear that Mr. Yanukovych and the opposition can find any basis for real compromise, or, if they do, make it work over the long term. But the West needs to be even more committed than Russia in offering Ukraine a compelling path forward. And it needs to move quickly. Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, told The Wall Street Journal over the weekend that the package could include not just money but loan guarantees, investment and currency stabilization.
In the past two weeks, Vice President Joseph Biden Jr.; Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany; and José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, the European Union’s executive body, have been in daily and rotating contact with Mr. Yanukovych.
It was reassuring to hear Secretary of State John Kerry tell a security conference in Munich over the weekend that “nowhere is the fight for a democratic, European future more important today than in Ukraine” and to affirm that the United States and Europe “stand with the people of Ukraine in that fight.” That will mean providing the parties in Ukraine with whatever mediation and support might be useful.
During the Munich conference, Mr. Kerry met with Ukrainian opposition leaders as did the German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Diplomatic contacts are essential. But as long as the situation remains volatile, with the potential for all-out civil war, the West must also be prepared to impose sanctions on any party that uses force but especially the government. The Obama administration has already revoked the visas of some Ukrainian officials and is preparing other sanctions if needed. The Europeans have been far more reluctant to threaten penalties, although, on Tuesday, Mr. Steinmeier raised the possibility of sanctions.
Ukraine, one of the most important countries to emerge from the former Soviet Union, is at a critical point. Mr. Yanukovych’s grip on power is slipping, yet, even after offering the opposition some concessions, he is still playing for time under the sway of Russian and Ukrainian hard-liners. The opposition also needs to negotiate seriously on a way out of the current turmoil.

The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/opinion/saving-ukraine.html?_r=1