I'm a Kyiv native; divide my time between Kyiv, Moscow, Istanbul and the Croatian island of Vis; lived in St. Petersburg in 2003-2005; attended Rutgers University in 1993-94, did my master's in journalism at the University of Iowa in 1996-98.
Latest posts by Veronica Khokhlova
Police Brutality in Macedonia: Two Years On
On Thursday, June 6, in the center of Skopje, the Movement Against Police Brutality will mark two years since the murder of Martin Neshkovski, which sparked massive grassroots protests in Macedonia in the summer of 2011. The Facebook event [mk] about the memorial service states: On Thursday, June 6, at...
Istanbul Protests Through the Eyes of a Ukrainian Journalist
As the anti-government protests and police brutality in Turkey are making top headlines globally, many Ukrainians have started to follow the situation there with much interest, expressing support and admiration for the peaceful protesters. Their primary source of updates, photos and insight from Istanbul is Ukrainian journalist Osman Pashayev, the Istanbul bureau chief of the Crimean Tatar ATR TV channel.
Macedonian Journalist's Arrest Stirs Protest
Macedonian journalists gathered [mk; video and text: sq, mk] in front of the Criminal Court in the capital Skopje today to protest against the arrest of their colleague, Tomislav Kezarovski, according to this note [en] posted in the Macedonian Facebook group titled “Journalists and citizens in defense of the right...
Journalists Fight Hired Hooligans and Police Indifference in Ukraine
May 18 was an eventful day in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. But of all the highlights of that day, only one incident - an attack on journalists that the police first failed to prevent and then failed to investigate properly - still remains in the spotlight, fueling online discussions and real-life protests.
69th Anniversary of Crimean Tatar Deportations: Memory and Politics in Crimea
On May 18, some 30,000 people gathered at a rally in Crimea's capital Simferopol to honor the memory of the victims of the 1944 Crimean Tatar deportations and to demand the immediate resignation of Anatoly Mogilev, the chairman of Crimea's Council of Ministers.
Ukrainian Blogger's Bobs 2013 Award Revoked
Ukrainian blogger Olena Bilozerska's User Winner prize in the Bobs 2013 Best Blog Ukrainian nomination has been revoked, writes [ru] Mustafa Nayyem, the Ukrainian member of the Bobs 2013 jury, on his Facebook page, linking [ru] to the official statement [uk] posted on the Bobs 2013 website. The scandal (more...
Ukraine's Freedom Party Crusades Against Gay Pride Parade
On May 25, Ukraine will once again attempt to hold its first gay pride parade ever. The previous attempt failed a year ago, when the event was cancelled shortly before it was to begin and one of its organizers was beaten by a group of masked men. Judging from the online reactions that began to appear as soon as the upcoming Equality March was announced, things may not go very smoothly this year as well.
Ukraine's TVi Saga: 31 Journalists Resign
On FT.com's beyondbric blog, Graham Stack writes [en] about the “murky takeover” and “a tangled history of offshore ownership” of the Ukrainian TV station TVi, 31 of whose journalists resigned [uk] on April 29.
RSF Addresses the Situation at Ukraine's TVi Channel
On April 26, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement [en; fr; uk – .pdf] on the situation at the Ukrainian TV station TVi: Reporters Without Borders condemns the sudden change of management at the opposition TV station TVi, announced three days ago, and is disturbed to learn that ensuing...
Chernobyl: “The Most Horrifying Phone Talk of the Century”
April 26, 2013, marks the 27th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Andriy Pryimachenko of peredova.com has created a video transcript [ru] of the audio recordings of the conversations that took place shortly after the blast between the dispatchers of the plant's firefighting unit and other firefighting...
“Manipulative” Coverage of Macedonia's Media Law
“Practice indicates that responsible and ethical journalism is never the result of state legislation and regulations, but of the voluntary compliance with the code created by the media community itself.” This statement from the Guide on Ethics in Journalism [mk] opens Žarko Trajanoski's analysis [en] of the “manipulations” by Macedonia's...
Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Dark Times, Black Humor”
A Sarajevo-based Boston native writes on Notes from Sarajevo Tumblr blog that “the last few days [since the Boston Marathon bombings] have served as a reminder of Bosnia’s particularly dark brand of humor”: […] To be sure, friends and colleagues here have been kind and considerate, asking if everyone I...
Running 1,000 Miles for Europe's Trafficked Children
This month, Rob Martineau, Tom Stancliffe, and Guy Hacking are running 1,000 miles from Odessa to Dubrovnik, via Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Croatia, as part of the Run For Love 1000 campaign, whose aim is to raise funds for Love146, a UK charity that “gives care...
Ukraine's Language Issue: Voices From the Ground
Ukrainian politicians' views on the language issue are well-known. But what do ordinary Ukrainians think of it? And how does it affect the people who reside in the predominantly Russian-speaking areas of Ukraine - those who are the target audience of the politicians who, in 2012, voted in favor of the language law?
Croatia's Sports Lesson for Ukraine
Ukraine, with its population of 45 million people, has much to learn from Croatia, population just over 4 million, in terms of organizing affordable and accessible sports activities for children.
Macedonia's Media Law Lacks Media's Input
The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) explains [en] why Macedonian journalists are demanding an open debate “on the scope and the contents” of the draft Law on the Media (via @Macedonia_en): […] It was prepared, in its entirety, by the Government and is offered today to the public to...
VIDEO: Ukrainian Power Plant Ablaze, Town's Future Uncertain
At least one person was killed and five injured on March 29 in a major fire at the Vuhlehirska Thermal Power Plant in the Ukrainian town of Svitlodarsk, whose survival is now at stake.
‘Good Morning Earth!': Tweets from Space
Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield), a Canadian astronaut “currently living in space aboard ISS as Commander of [Expedition 35],” has been tweeting his amazing photos of the Earth daily since Dec. 2012.
INFOGRAPHIC: More Money for Ukraine's Bloated Police Force
The infographics on Ukraine's law enforcement that many Ukrainian Facebook users have been sharing this month tells us that the country's police force is a bit too numerous and has been receiving more and more state funding over the past few years.
RIP Nora Šitum, “Brave Little Lion” Who United Croatia
In early February, thousands of Croatian citizens managed to raise enough money in just over a week to make it possible for Nora Šitum, a 5-year-old Croatian girl, to travel to the United States to receive treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nora passed away a month and a half later, on March 20, 2013.
