Capriccio written by Johann Sebastian Bach for the participant of the Battle of Poltava.

In 1703 famous German composer and organist Johann Sebastian Bach was invited to inspect and give the inaugural recital on the new organ at St. Boniface's Church in Arnstadt (see photo). The year after Sebastian's arrival in Arnstadt, his brother, Jacob, left Saxony to become oboist in the guard of Sweden's king, Charles XII. Within five years Jacob had accompanied king Charles into battle against Russia's Peter the Great, seen defeat at Poltava, escaped to Turkey, and returned again to Sweden. On the occasion of Jacob's departure Sebastian composed a capriccio. The several movements of Capriccio on the Departure of His Most Beloved Brother contain subtitles such as: "A coaxing by his friends to dissuade him from his journey," "A picturing of the various calamities that might overtake him in foreign parts," and "Now come the friends--since they see that it cannot be otherwise--and take leave of him." The Capriccio concludes with one of Bach's earliest known fugues.

Berlin Wall fragment to be erected near German embassy in Kyiv

A fragment of the Berlin Wall is to be put up near Germany’s embassy in Kyiv. "The 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall is marked this year. This event prompted big changes in Europe, including those of great consequence for Ukraine. In this connection, there’s an idea to put up a fragment of the Berlin Wall in Kyiv," German Ambassador to Ukraine Hans-Jurgen Heimsoeth said as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine at a meeting with Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky Wednesday. Heimsoeth said Germany had proposed putting up an original portion of the Berlin Wall near the embassy’s building at 25 B. Khmelnytskoho St. in Kyiv. "The issue concerns an original fragment as a symbol of Germany’s freedom and unity," he said. Heimsoeth also said that similar fragments had already been put up in New York and London, and added that the embassy was planning to pay for the transport of the fragment to Kyiv using its own funds.
ProUA.com

That is all about Russian gas and coming cold winter

Sweden downplays EU gas payment loans to Ukraine
WASHINGTON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The European Union is not responsible for loaning money to Ukraine to help the country pay for Russian natural gas supplies this winter, Sweden's Enterprise and Energy Minister said on Wednesday. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has repeatedly called on the European Union to help with Ukraine's gas problems by providing financial assistance. "That's not our role," Sweden's Maud Olofsson told Reuters TV in Washington. "The role for the European Union is to secure the energy supply for Europe," she said. Olofsson, whose country currently holds the rotating 6-month EU presidency, said Putin's warnings that Russian gas supplies to Ukraine may be disrupted if Kiev does not make its energy payments should be taken seriously. "But on the other hand, this is a matter of discussion between Ukraine and Russia," she said. Olofsson said the European Union is focused on developing its own energy sources "so we are more secure by ourselves." The European Union depends on Russia for its winter natural gas supplies, a big chunk of which is transported by pipeline through Ukraine. Russia cut off natural gas supplies to Western Europe via Ukraine in January 2006 and again in January 2008 because of a dispute with Ukraine over gas prices and payments. (Reporting by Tom Doggett; Editing by Christian Wiessner)

Sweden, Finland okay Russia's Nord Stream pipeline
STOCKHOLM (AFP) – After years of procrastination, Sweden and Finland agreed on Thursday to allow the Russian-led Nord Stream pipeline to pass through their waters in the Baltic Sea, a crucial step for the project destined to supply Europe with Russian gas. The breakthrough approvals come as new tensions have been playing out between Moscow and Ukraine, raising fears for a new row between the countries that could jeopardise Russian gas supplies to Europe.
By going under the Baltic Sea, Nord Stream's pipeline could free the European Union of the risks posed by disputes between Moscow and the Ukraine, through which 80 percent of Russian gas currently transits on its way to Europe. One quarter of all gas consumed in Europe comes from Russia. "The government authorises Nord Stream to build a pipeline in international waters inside the Swedish economic zone," Swedish environment minister Andreas Carlgren told reporters in Stockholm.

Ukraine Stops Russian Missile Truck

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine, Nov. 3 Ukrainian traffic police Tuesday stopped a Russian truck carrying anti-ship missiles belonging to the Black Sea Fleet, military officials say. A spokesman for the fleet told the RIA Novosti news agency that it was unknown to them why the Ukrainian officers stopped a vehicle convoy traveling through the Crimea region, because they had the proper authority from Kiev to move the missiles as part of Russia's lease of the naval base at Sevastopol. "For reasons unknown to us, Ukraine failed to notify the police, in particular traffic police and security service officers", the Black Sea Fleet spokesman said, adding the traffic stop was the fifth such incident this year. The spokesman said the truck was taking the missiles to be decommissioned and asserted the convoy was in full compliance with Ukrainian safety requirements.
RIA Novosti noted that Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has been calling for Russia to make preparations to withdraw the fleet from Sevastopol when the agreement on the base expires in 2017.

Only survived sword (saber) of Hetman Ivan Mezepa is preserving in the Russian State Hermitage (St.Petersburg)

Since the end of February 2009, the Ukrainian printed source «Blik» and Ukrainian USA Diaspora sources published the information about an Ukrainian relic, the only survived sword (saber) of Hetman Ivan Mazepa, «being kept in negligence in the cellars of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg». The story beginning was several years ago, when some Ukrainian collector of antiques stated that the sabre of Mazepa, must be kept in Canada. It is known that it was presented by Count Perovsky to Emperor Nicholas I in 1849 and kept in the Imperial Armoury in Tsarskoye Selo (Tsar Village). American «Cossacks» started to study the archives, but only discovered that later it was preserved in one of the Polish museums up till 1945, and then vanished. The new research took one year more. It was discovered that the sword was taken from Poland by the Soviet secret services after the end of WW II. The Hermitage associates confirmed the fact that the Hetman’s sword is kept in their museum. It is in excellent condition and was thoroughly restored. The last time, when the relic was exhibited was at an exposition in Poland in 1990s. According to the reporters there is no hurry in returning the relic to Poland. Both the Hermitage and the Ukrainians decided that though the item will not be passed to the Ukraine, nevertheless, it will be exhibited in a temporal exposition in one of the country’s museums.

A new e-album dedicated to Dresden

Augustus II the Strong, the Elector of Saxony (1694-1733) and the King of Poland (1697-1706, 1709-1733), was well known among his contemporaries as a big connoisseur of fine arts and architecture. During his reign many palaces in baroque style with unique art collections were built in Dresden. Being a big fond of porcelain he founded the manufacture of fine porcelain at the Meissen and Dresden. Why don’t you browse some of pictures taken by me recently in Saxony’s capital Dresden by clicking at
http://picasaweb.google.ru/Poltavabloggen/Dresden ?

Learn more about him at http://www.battle.poltava.ua/svensk/augustus.htm

A Swedish village in Ukraine.

Not everyone, even in Sweden, are aware of its existence. But in south Ukraine there is a small village Zmievka where some people still speak an old version of Swedish. Gammalsvenskby (Old Swedish village) is its another name. Stockholm News paid a visit to the village in late June this summer. Read an interesting article, printed in Stockholm on-line news by clicking at
http://www.stockholmnews.com/more.aspx?NID=4219