Ukrainians in United States protest Russian actions near Tuzla Island, Ukraine: Washington (11/09/03)

Ukrainians in United States protest Russian actions near Tuzla Island, Ukraine

Washington

by Serhiy Zhykharev
Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON - On Wednesday, October 29, on the initiative of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) held a protest demonstration in Washington in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation. The aim of the demonstration was to bring attention to the continued aggressive policies of the Russian Federation in building a dam in the Kerch Strait connecting the Black and the Azov seas. Construction of such a dam would not only compromise Ukraine's territorial integrity but also lead to a deterioration of the economic situation in the adjacent regions of Ukraine and damage biological variety of flora and fauna found in the Kerch Strait.

According to Michael Sawkiw Jr., president of the UCCA, the protest was an opportunity to "express indignation at the Russian Federation's policy toward Ukraine, but also to demonstrate that the Ukrainian community, particularly in the United States, is carefully following these events and calls upon the U.S. government to condemn Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine."

Representatives of the metropolitan Washington Ukrainian community gathered in front of the Russian Federation's Embassy at 1 p.m. Over a dozen protesters held signs reading "Hands off Ukraine!," "Czar Putin the Encroacher" and others. Protesters also waved Ukrainians flags and chanted slogans to stop continued Russian aggressive policies vis-á-vis Ukraine.

Participants of the Washington protest included representatives of the Ukrainian American community, including many new immigrants from Ukraine. Various media outlets such as the Voice of America, Window on America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Ukrainska Pravda provided coverage of the demonstration and interviewed many of the demonstrators.

Further actions on this issue by the UCCA and its Washington office, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), include monitoring events in the Kerch Strait and actively informing the U.S. Congress and the presidential administration about the Ukrainian American community's concerns regarding Russia's encroachment on Ukraine's territory.

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