Day: December 3, 2018

29.11.2018. The Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate approved a constitutional charter for the Ukrainian church

vraevski

The Synod also approved the text of the Tomos on the provision of autocephaly to the Ukrainian church. This is another step that brings us closer to the creation of a unified church in Ukraine and demonstrates the irreversibility of this process. The texts of these two documents have not been made public and their contents will become known only at the Unifying Sobor (Council), which will have to establish a new Orthodox Church.

However, this Synod did not announce the date for the Unifying Sobor. This may indicate that the parties concerned failed to agree on all issues related to autocephaly.

More >>

28.11.2018. Aggravation of the political struggle. An attack on Anatoliy Hrytsenko, a potential candidate for the presidency of Ukraine, took place in Odesa

vraevski

In Odesa, about 30 masked people attacked Anatoliy Hrytsenko, the leader of “The Civil Position” party and his party fellows. As a result of the incident, three people were injured — two members of “The Civil Position” party and an activist.

The police detained five suspects in the attack. Criminal proceedings have been initiated on “hooliganism” and “violence against a public figure”. A. Hrytsenko currently has one of the highest rates among the candidates for the presidential election in 2019.

The use of violence against a politician of such a level has not been practiced in Ukraine for several years and is an indication that the election campaign is intensifying and rivals are going to use the dirtiest instruments.

At the same time, the situation is in favor of A. Hrytsenko, since it lets him claim political persecution and thus get an additional percentage of electoral support.

More >>

28.11.2018. In 10 regions of Ukraine, martial law was introduced for 30 days

vraevski

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the Decree of the President of Ukraine on the introduction of martial law in 10 regions of the country bordering on Russia, on the unrecognized Trans-Dniester Moldavian Republic and those having an access to the sea.

The introduction of martial law is connected with the Russian Federation’s capturing three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait. In most of these regions, law enforcement agencies have moved to heavy security, sales of alcohol have been limited and block posts on the roads have been reinforced.

In addition, a ban on entry into Ukraine for all men with Russian citizenship aged 16–60 was introduced at the national level.

These measures cannot be considered a full-fledged martial law, but rather training on its introduction.

More >>

25.11.2018. Russian border guards captured three ships of the Ukrainian Navy in the Kerch Strait

vraevski

Russian border guards fired and captured two small armored artillery boats “Berdyansk” and “Nikopol” and a tugboat “Yany Kapu” of the Navy of Ukraine in the Kerch Strait. The so-called “FSB border service in the Crimea” said that the three ships of the Ukrainian Navy crossed the state border of Russia. Later, the Russian forces blocked the Kerch Strait.

Russia’s actions are hostile and contradict the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait.

Unlike Russia’s actions in the Donbas, where it still does not recognize its presence, an attack on Ukrainian ships is an open act of aggression.

More >>

24.11.2018. Within the framework of the Holodomor Memorial Day, “Ukraine Remembers — The World Acknowledges!” International Forum took place in Kyiv

vraevski

The agenda of the Forum was to inform the international community about the Holodomor of 1932–1933 in Ukraine and to join efforts to condemn the Holodomor as an act of genocide. Apart from the Ukrainian leadership, the Presidents of Latvia and Slovakia, Raimonds Vejonis and Andrej Kiska, Prime Minister of Moldova Pavel Filip, Vice-President of the European Parliament Zdzislaw Krasnodebski and Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser took part in the Forum. Representatives of the Parliaments of Slovenia, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, government officials and parliamentarians from the United States, the European Union and Macedonia also attended the event.

The commemoration of the victims of the Holodomor with the emphasis on the Soviet regime’s (which is the successor to modern Russian power) being responsible for it, is an important component of the formation of the national identity of Ukrainians.

More >>

23.11.2018. The forum “A New Social Doctrine”, organized by Yulia Tymoshenko, took place in Kyiv

vraevski

The forum was intended to work out ways to reorient the state policy to ensure a decent standard of living for the population. This is already the fourth such event within the framework of the “New Course of Ukraine” initiative. The previous forums discussed amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, issues of state security and defense, as well as economic policy.

In this way, Yulia Tymoshenko is trying to intercept from Petro Poroshenko the initiative of forming the agenda in Ukraine.

More >>

19.11.2018. Nationalist forces failed to nominate a single candidate for the presidency

vraevski

The nationalist political forces — Svoboda, the Right Sector, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists and the “C14” — signed a joint statement on the support of Ruslan Koshulynskyi, a representative of “Svoboda”, as a candidate for the presidency of Ukraine in the 2019 elections. At the same time, the candidacy of R. Koshulynskyi was not supported by the “National Corps”, whose leader Andriy Biletskyi himself plans to stand for election.

Despite the strong electoral support, nationalist forces create conditions for inner competition, thus giving up the struggle for power, instead of becoming one of the key political players, especially in case of destabilization of the internal political situation in Ukraine.

More >>