· December, 2009

Stories about Ukraine from December, 2009

Ukraine: Election and Freedom of Speech

  30 December 2009

Foreign Notes writes about the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine and the impact that its outcome may have on the freedom of speech: “It must be dispiriting for journalists to know how little impact is made by their revelations of Ukraine's leaders’ systematic abuse of power, and a worry to...

Ukraine: The Pickle Project

  25 December 2009

The Uncataloged Museum introduces The Pickle Project, “an ongoing effort to document and share traditional foodways in rural communities in Ukraine as a way of understanding issues of sustainability, change and community.”

Ukraine: Bureaucracy and Incompetence at Defense Ministry

RuNet Echo  12 December 2009

Sergei Maximishin, an award-winning Russian photographer, has recently tried to get the Ukrainian defense ministry's assistance in doing a photo story on the Ukrainian navy and army for a German magazine. He ended up defeated by the Ukrainian bureaucratic monster, but posted a detailed account of the ordeal on his blog.

Ukraine: “Bumpy Road to Democracy”

  11 December 2009

At OpenDemocracy.net, Andreas Umland writes about two books that “cast light on what the Orange Revolution was really about, and review its significance against the background of developments in Russia.” At Jamestown Foundation Blog, Tammy Lynch covers the issues brought up during the recent EU-Ukraine summit – here and here.

Ukraine: Emotions and Politics

  11 December 2009

Emotionally charged Ukrainian politics – at Ukrainiana: a “shocktivist” women's movement FEMEN on a popular TV talk show; and a televised quarrel between the Ukrainian president and the interior minister.

Ukraine: UK Ambassador's Blog

  8 December 2009

Leigh Turner, UK Ambassador to Ukraine, blogs about an annual charity bazaar in Kyiv and the need to establish the “world-wide recognition for Brand Ukraine.”

Ukraine, Afghanistan: Mayors and Corruption

  8 December 2009

Petro's Jotter praises Kabul residents for having their mayor sentenced for corruption and misappropriation of $16,000 – and offers a Ukrainian perspective: “Imagine how full the Kyiv jails would be if the corruption bar was dropped to a paltry USD 16,000 — wouldn't even cover ONE of the Oligarch's watches.”

Ukraine: Morality Commission vs Writer Oles Ulyanenko

  8 December 2009

IZO highlights an “example of the new Ukrainian morality committee (NEK) at work” by translating LJ user dadakinder‘s post (RUS) on the “compromise” reached between NEK and the Ukrainian author Oles Ulyanenko, whose novel had been deemed “pornographic.”

Ukraine: Arts Updates

  3 December 2009

A few last month's updates at IZO: artist and writer Vagrich Bakhchanyan dies in NYC; Ukrainian artist Aleksandr Gnilitsky dies in Kyiv; a Ukrainian Euro-2012 icon.

CEE: “Social Media and Social Memory”

RuNet Echo  3 December 2009

Evgeny Morozov writes about “social media and social memory” – and a Facebook project involving a 22-year-old Lublin resident posing as a 7-year-old Jewish boy who was killed by the Nazis during WWII. Vaviblog (ENG) is a similar project, which “gives voice” to Russian scientist Nikolai Vavilov: “…if Vavilov were...

Ukraine: Charity

  2 December 2009

Stories of some Ukrainian street children who have received assistance at ChildRescue's rehabilitation center – at Scenes from the Sidewalk. Stories of some adults who have received humanitarian aid from Hope Center – at Matty's Place.

Ukraine: “We Remember”

  2 December 2009

Ukrainiana, Kyiv Scoop, and LJ user igordaily (UKR) write and post photos and video from this year's commemoration of Holodomor, the famine of 1932-33; Nash Holos writes about the National Holodomor Awareness Week in Canada. Natalia Antonova reflects on a recent visit to Babi Yar.