Meet the new and democratic Mayor of Kherson

By Ivan Oberemko
05.31.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Image
The man in the photo is Volodymyr Mykolayenko. This picture was taken on February 18, 2014. The fire in the background is from the burning headquarters of the Party of Regions. After this, Volodymyr survived a night on Maidan, throwing tires into the forward barricades. The days he spent on the Kyiv Maidan were the only days he missed of the Kherson Maidan.

Today Mykolayenko became the official Mayor of Kherson. And for me, personally, it is still the only real, tangible result of Euromaidan which can be considered heavenly justice. Does [Petro] Poroshenko becoming President signify a victory? Not for me. If Yulia [Tymoshenko] had become the President, orOleh or Vitaliy [Klitschko]–I would have grimaced more. Is Chernovetsky’s people taking positions in Kyiv City Council the result of Euromaidan? No; it is the result of exhaustion, not aspiration. Mykolayenko becoming the mayor of Kherson–this is a real result which one is not ashamed of; we can point it out to people and we can say–here we are. Finally! Let’s continue in this manner; or we can do better; but now all is measured from here, from these kinds of people; not from what we had before.

Mykolayenko got approximately 43% of the real vote in the [local] elections. Approximately, because 7% of the vote was stolen from him by: (a) carousel voting (b) cynical shifting of ballots from his pile into another, at a number of sites. But to no avail. 36% in the final standings; and a gap of 20% above his nearest competitor.

While campaigning, Mykolayenko got to work by using public transport, despite a packed schedule and the availability of a “company car”; because that was what he did before, and so he’s going to do it in the future. For him it is not a problem to walk alone without guards in the markets or the night-time streets of Kherson; or to sit in the Crystal football stadium among regular Khersonians. A three-room Soviet-style apartment is not too small for he and his wife. He doesn’t need a yacht, plane or gold baguette; for him it is not a problem to speak Ukrainian, although his native language is Russian. He is just a good person. An average Ukrainian. Among us there were always more good people than bad, and one of us just became the main man in Kherson.

Friends, Glory to Ukraine. Everything is possible.

Source: Ivan Oberemko FB

Posted in "Voices" in English, English, English News, Maidan Diary, Other, Pictures | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

EYEWITNESS: Muslims of Ukraine

By Rayana Volha Charnykh
05.24.2014  Facebook
Translated and Edited by Voices of Ukraine

 

10402671_771724319534400_1394274647281884946_nI just came from Kyiv. And all I can say is that it was an amazing trip. Muslims in Ukraine are a true example for all Muslims. They work perfectly, are wonderfully organized, and are friendly and hospitable. Every time I come to Ukraine, whether Kyiv, Simferopol, or any other city, I feel myself to be at home. And all thanks to you, my dears.

In a relatively short time, Muslims in Ukraine were able to organize the work of several Islamic centers across the country. In Kyiv, it’s a huge five-story building, where there is a mosque, a large library, classrooms, sport halls, and there will be secondary school soon, inshallah.

Muslims in Ukraine actively supported the democratic changes in the country, providing all possible support to their countrymen and have always had a position in the events happening in the country. Ukrainian Mufti Said Ismagilov willingly, has answered non-Muslims’ questions, lectured and given sermons on Maidan, all of which have enjoyed great popularity.

The Muslims of Crimea have actively defended the integrity of the country with deed and word. Instructive posts of Sheikh Seyran Arifov are on Facebook with his exhortations and preaching. And every single word is connected only to Islam, Islamic morals and the rules of Allah. Mashallah.

Muslims are showing in practice what Islam means, and how cool it is to be a Muslim. They show, by their own example, the beauty of Islam and the justice of God. Let us pray for them, ummah, so that they all turn out in the best way.

Subhanallah, I can talk about them for hours. Ukrainian Muslims.

It was the most beautiful trip, guys! You’re great! You’re awesome! You’re an example for all of our Umma. May Allah bless you and help you in absolutely everything.

Source: Rayana Volha FB

Posted in "Voices" in English, English, Eyewitness stories, Maidan Diary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dmitry Tymchuk’s Military Blog: Summary – June 10, 2014 

Dmitry Tymchuk, Coordinator, Information Resistance.

06.10.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Brothers and sisters!

information_resistance_logo_engHere’s the Summary for June 10, 2014 (for the previous summary, please see the Summary for June 6).

The bad news:

1. Today the Donetsk Regional State Administration reported the death of two children in Sloviansk: a 12-year old boy and a 6-year old girl. 

The ATO [anti-terrorist operation] headquarters insists that the children were killed in a mortar attack by insurgents in Sloviansk from the courtyard of the church on June 8, the day when the ATO artillery wasn’t involved.

It doesn’t matter who did it. The death of a child is the worst that can happen. If our land gets soaked in the blood of children–we have reached a limit.

Sloviansk today:

 2. Russian Presidential advisor Sergei Glazyev argues that Russia should strike the Ukrainian Army. As in, we wouldn’t deploy tanks on Kyiv yet, but it’s vital to seize Ukrainian airspace and by using aircraft destroy its army. 

It has been noted a long time ago: what is on Putin’s mind is on the tongues of the likes of Zhirinovsky, Glazyev and other riff-raff. These “sixes” [snitches], pardon, don’t go to the toilet without permission from their godfather, so what else can I say about these statements. And what peace with Russia can any one of us be dreaming about?

3. Five days ago Ukraine closed eight border checkpoints. About which it notified Russia. As we reported today, at least one of them the “Dolzhansky” checkpoint is currently being “serviced” by terrorists. Russian border guards must block their checkpoints in these instances in accordance with the agreement between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. But, no–they continue to kindly cooperate with the insurgents.

For starters, there are questions for the Ukrainian border guards and other law enforcement officers–everyone who is to blame for full border exposure along dozens of kilometers. As if it’s not clear that every minute of the open border accounts for another day of bloody confrontation.

But there are much bigger questions for Russia. Although as to this question, everything is nonetheless clear. The Russian FSB prepares mercenaries at its bases near Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in Rostov-on-Don. The Russian Border Control Service is part of the FSB. Not surprisingly, the Russian border guard is a terrorist’s best friend.

The good news:

1. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced that the tripartite members of the contact group (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE) have come to “a common understanding of the key stages of implementation” of the President of Ukraine’s plan for the peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas.

Peaceful settlement is always good. Only two things [about it] are bad.

The first point: the participation of Russia, the aggressor and initiator of this very situation in Donbas, is in this group. I understand that it’s impossible to solve this problem without Russians, as long as Moscow doesn’t rest, we won’t see peace. But then the question should be put differently–not the “peaceaful settlement plan” but the “plan to end Russian aggression against Ukraine.” We shouldn’t be afraid to call a spade a spade, we are not [competing] in a beauty contest.

The second point: is the incomprehensible secrecy of the plan. Why hasn’t the Ukrainian government, by offering the plan to Russia and Europe, put it up for public discussion? I don’t know how everyone else feels about it, but this is alarming to me.

2. The attempt of the Communists [Communist Party] to hold an anti-Ukrainian rally in Zaporizhzhya ended up in a dispersal. I was particularly pleased with the phrase used by the media that “self-defense and passersby” scattered Putin’s fans.

There is more hope for the patriots, and less hope for the state authorities. Sometimes it seems that our ATO will only end after casual “passersby” come over and drive away all these “South-East Armies,” “DPR” and “LPR” [Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics], forcing them to escape to Mother Russia. Which, incidentally, is what is gradually happening.

3. Today, an ATO convoy was ambushed at the boundary between Donetsk and Kharkiv Oblasts. A mine exploded in front of the first vehicle, then the attackers started firing from machine guns. The attack was repulsed with no casualties on our side. 

There is nothing good in the attack, of course not. Especially since it happened almost on the territory of Kharkiv Oblast.

What’s positive is the fact that all recent attacks on ATO convoys were extremely unlucky for terrorists (remember at the beginning of the operation, they infamously destroyed these convoys). This means that the security forces are learning to act correctly, in this case with respect to operations of troops on the march.

This experience is paid in blood but it is indispensable.

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB
Image Source: RIA Novosti via drugoi.livejournal.com

Posted in Dmitry Tymchuk, English, English News, News summary, Pictures, South&Eastern Ukraine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Welche Sprache ist hier gefährdet? Die Geschichte der ukrainischen Sprache: Eine Chronik der Repressalien der letzten 400 Jahre.

fnws's avatarEuromaidan PR

ukrmova

Vorwort des Übersetzers

Gewiss war die ukrainische Sprache lange nicht die einzige im eurasischen Raum, die Verbote und Unterdrückungen erleiden musste. Generell war die Unterdrückung von Kultur und Sprache ethnischer Minderheiten eine bewährte Methode, um große Imperien zusammenzuhalten und den Drang nach Unabhängigkeit der jeweiligen Minderheiten zu zügeln. Wenn wir beispielsweise die sowjetische Zeit herausgreifen, so wurden während dieser die meisten Sprachen der im sowjetischen Raum lebenden ethnischen Gruppen zugunsten der russischen Sprache stark eingeschränkt – dies spiegelt sich auch zum Teil in dieser Chronik wider.

Jedoch ist die Kenntnis dieser Geschichte – der Geschichte der Verbote und Einschränkungen der ukrainischen Sprache – enorm wichtig, um den gegenwärtigen ukrainisch-russischen Konflikt besser verstehen zu können.

Die Geschichte der ukrainischen Sprache: Eine Chronik der Repressalien der letzten 400 Jahre

1622 – Anordnung des Zaren Michail auf Bitte des Moskauer Patriarchen Filaret, alle Ausgaben des in der Ukraine gedruckten “lehrreichen Evangeliums” von K. Stawrowezkij zu verbrennen.
1690 – Verurteilung und Anathema seitens der…

View original post 1,173 more words

Posted in Analytics, Analytik – Deutsch, Deutsch, Languages, Reblogged | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Russia and Racism – Twin Sisters

chornajuravka's avatarEuromaidan PR

sshot-2

Vladislav A. Litosh

Even though Russia is not unknown for producing world famous scientists (e.g. Lomonosov, Mendeleev, Butlerov, Markovnikov, Povpov, Sakharov) and doctors (e.g. Pavlov, Sechin, Mechnikov), these people can hardly represent the Russian Society that is hopelessly stuck in America of 1860, to say the least!

View original post 581 more words

Posted in Reblogged | Leave a comment