Stories about Ukraine from May, 2006
Ukraine: GUAM Founds ODED
Vilhelm Konnander writes about a new organization whose founding members are Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM): the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (ODED), to be based in Kyiv, Ukraine. GUAM-ODED is intended as an alternative to the Commonwealth of Independent States
Ukraine: Books on Ukraine
Dan McMinn of Orange Ukraine has started a Ukrainian book section of his blog: “[…] a list of good (or at least popular) reading material about Ukraine or involving Ukraine. The section includes a number of useful links and things for each book, and categorizes the books a number of...
Ukraine: New Parliament's First Day
LEvko of Foreign Notes writes about the first day of the newly-elected Ukrainian parliament.
Ukraine, Russia: Financial Aid for Mothers
As Vladimir Putin promises to increase financial aid to Russia's new mothers in order to change the demographic situation for the better, Scott W. Clark of Foreign Notes points out that in Ukraine, the significantly increased payments have not led to a baby boom.
Ukraine: President's Son Misbehaving Again
Andriy Yushchenko, president Yushchenko's son, seems to be making trouble again: this time, he, allegedly, almost caused a car crash, verbally abused a high-ranking law enforcement official and didn't prevent his bodyguard from shooting the man in the leg with a rubber bullet. LEvko of Foreign Notes reports on this...
Ukraine: Village Life Videos
Ukrainian-American blogger Stefan of Dykun now has a vlog, but he'll be cross-posting Ukraine-related entries to his blog. The first two videos – both shot in Sept. 2005 – have to do with West Ukrainian farming and village life: an old woman feeding fowl in Ternopil region and villagers gathering...
Russia, Ukraine: Misspelled Name & Border-Crossing
Stephan of Everybody I Love You writes about his “extreme Russia” adventure: dacha, banya – and problems at the Russian-Ukrainian border caused by a misspelled name on his Russian entry visa.
Muscovites in Kyiv: Pizza Delivery Fiasco
On weekends, Kyiv teems with tourists from Moscow. Train tickets for overnight Friday and Sunday rides between the two capitals have to be ordered well in advance. The number of Muscovites settling in Kyiv permanently to do business is growing, too. To make the new migrants’ lives easier, a special...
Ukraine: Books on Crimean Tatars
Otto Pohl posts a list of English-language publications on Crimean Tatars.
Image from Ukraine: “Waterbottle Football”
By Dan McMinn of Orange Ukraine These resourceful football fans in Ukraine's Carpathian Mountains are using a 2-liter bottle as a ball. Dan's report on his trip to the Carpathians is here, more photos are here. Dan's other Ukrainian travel reports – including the one from Chernobyl – are here.
Russia: Blogger Dies on Mount Elbrus
Aleksandr Antonov (aka LJ user caesar_rb) 1979-2006 Aleksandr Antonov's last LJ post was a very happy one: he was going on a two-week vacation to conquer Mount Elbrus. Here's what he wrote on April 30 (RUS), as LJ user caesar_rb: I'm going to Elbrus! So, my dear comrades, I'm leaving...
Ukraine: 62nd Anniversary of Deportations of Crimean Tatars
J. Otto Pohl writes about the deportations of the Crimean Tatars, which took place 62 years ago: “In the early hours of 18 May 1944 some 32,000 members of the NKVD and NKGB began the systematic round up the entire Crimean Tatar population. These armed units went from house to...
Ukraine: Support for Yushchenko Low
LEvko of Foreign Notes cites an opinion poll, according to which support for president Yushchenko is much lower than it was in February 2005, when he first elected.
Ukraine: New Mayor Against Teachers
Scott W. Clark of Foreign Notes writes about Kyiv's new mayor's alarming first steps: “We know someone who is a teacher in the Kiev district. She tells us that Chernovetsky [new mayor] has taken away the bonus that Omelchenko [ex-mayor] gave them for some reason. She says he's anti-teacher but...
Ukraine: Obstacles in the Foreign Adoption Process
Cristin of the Ukraine Adoption blog reports that many American families willing to adopt Ukrainian children are losing patience after many months of waiting for the Ukrainian government agency to start issuing paperwork needed to finalize the adoptions. To fight red tape, Cristin suggests writing letters to the president of...
Ukraine: Vote for Tina Karol
Oleksandr of Messages From Canada calls to his non-Ukrainian readers to vote for Tina Karol, a Ukrainian contester in today's semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens.
Ukraine: New Government Likely to Emerge Soon
Vilhelm Konnander thinks Ukraine is about to get its government, at long last: “Seven weeks after the March parliamentary elections, Timoshenko again declares that she stands as victor and new Prime Minister.”
Ukraine: Photographer Victor Suvorov Remembered
Abdymok.net remembers Ukrainian photographer Victor Suvorov, who died May 11 of injuries sustained in a car crash April 26: “. . . he was blunt, and plowed ahead like a tank . . . […] and never asked permission to take a picture.”
Banned White-Red-White Flag of Belarus Travels Abroad
This flag used to be the official state flag of Belarus from 1991 to 1995. Following the controversial referendum of May 14, 1995, president Aleksandr Lukashenko banned it and reintroduced a variation of the Soviet-time Belarusian flag. During their visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, in early May, Belarusian LJ users lysaye-dzyaucho...
Belarus: Political Refugees; Disinformation on Asylum Seekers
Leo Finkel of Maidan International writes about a press conference given by Belarusian political refugees in Kyiv; according to him, the number of Belarusian political asylum seekers will grow in the coming months. TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the false information spread by certain Russian news agencies: according to them,...
Ukraine: Kyiv's New Mayor
Scott W. Clark of Foreign Notes writes about Kyiv's new mayor: “Sometimes the mayor makes a lot of sense and sometimes he sounds crack-brained.”
