Month: March 22, 2019 11:49 am

March 18 marked the fifth anniversary of the Russian takeover of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. Why March 18? That was the date when Russian President Vladimir Putin, with great fanfare in Moscow, signed a treaty that made Crimea part of the Russian Federation. That spectacle followed the March 16 “referendum” in Crimea, which purported to show that nearly 97 percent of voters in Crimea favored “reunification” with Russia – no matter that the voting took place under conditions of military occupation, literally at gunpoint.

Twenty years ago on March 25, Vyacheslav Chornovil, a longtime leader of the Popular Movement of Ukraine (known as Rukh), died in an automobile accident while returning from a political meeting in Kirovohrad (now known as Kropyvnytsky). He was 61.

In the month since Ukraine received autocephaly, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate has seen more than 300 of its parishes transfer their allegiance from Moscow to the Ukrainian autocephalous Church, or some 2.5 percent of the total number of Moscow parishes in that country.

“Why Do So Few Presidential Candida-tes Support NATO and EU Member-ship?” by Taras Kuzio, Ukraine Alert blog, Atlantic Council, March 4

Out of 42 candidates who are running for president in the Ukrainian elections on March 31, only 11 support NATO and EU membership. This represents a lower proportion of supporters than the over 300 deputies who voted on three occasions to change the Constitution to include those two goals. Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party and the Radical party voted for those constitutional changes, but neither Yulia Tymoshenko nor Oleh Lyashko – who lead these parties, respectively – include NATO and the EU in their election programs. …

The following release was issued by the Ukrainian World Congress on March 16.On March 16, 2014, under the watchful eye of the Russian militia, the people of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula were forced to vote in favor of union with Russia.  Five years have passed since Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula was invaded by the Russian military and illegally occupied. This sham referendum has been unanimously condemned as illegal and illegitimate by the European Union and every democracy around the world.  This Ukrainian territory today continues to be occupied by the Russian Federation in contravention to international law and multiple security agreements. 

The statement below was issued by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress on March 16.Five years ago, on March 16, 2014, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and occupation of Crimea, Russian “authorities” staged an illegal and illegitimate “referendum.”

Does this heading make you yawn? If so, I hear you. I do not mean that I hear you yawning. Rather, I understand that the average reader is not excited by the prospect of reading about parish picnics, canonical visitations, administrative regulations and pastoral letters. 

NEW YORK – How do you define success? This was one of the many questions that entrepreneurs Leonard Mazur and Yaroslav Azhnyuk addressed during a far-ranging discussion at the inaugural event of the Ukrainian American Business and Professionals Association (UABPA). 

MIXED MARTIAL ARTSWelterweight Amosov wins by decisionWelterweight Yaroslav Amosov (21-0, 8 KO) won by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds against Erick Silva (20-10, 4 KO) of Brazil on February 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Unvasville, Conn. Amosov’s wrestling skills were the deciding factor in the win, as Silva attempted to keep the Ukrainian at a distance with punches and kicks. 

Kyiv’s new sanctions on RussiansUkraine has imposed economic and other sanctions on hundreds of individuals and entities for their alleged roles in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia over the Crimea region and the war in eastern Ukraine. President Petro Poroshenko on March 20 signed the order to implement the sanctions against 294 legal entities and 848 individuals, overwhelmingly Russian, as approved by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine the previous day.

PHILADELPHIA – A solemn memorial service and commemorative concert in tribute to the Heavenly Hundred took place on Sunday, February 24, here at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

NEW YORK – The New York branch of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization had a very busy and fulfilling winter season in 2018-2019, with a visit from St. Nicholas, Christmas caroling, a ski trip and more.