Ukrainians in Transdniester and Russia expand activities (05/29/05)

Ukrainians in Transdniester and Russia expand activities

Ukrainian World Congress

TORONTO - While the presidential election of last year in Ukraine proved largely successful, it also exposed a number of deficiencies within our communities in the diaspora, in particular in Moldova (Transdniester) and the Russian Federation. The elections there were greatly influenced (even controlled) by the government there and resulted even on December 26, 2004, in a vote favoring Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych by 92 percent and 81 percent, respectively.

Following the November 21, 2004, election day fiasco, rules were put in place in Ukraine to preclude both fraud and an uneven playing field in Ukraine. However, this did not apply to the polling stations in the diaspora since those had been fixed and foreign government influence, particularly Russian, in such places as the Transdniester region of Moldova and the Russian Federation could not be addressed.

In Transdniester, a breakaway region where the Ukrainian community is essentially separatist, Russia has created the impression of being the protector from Moldova, suggesting that protection depended upon support for the pro-Russian candidate.

In the Russian Federation, the Russian government established a "Ukrainian" newspaper urging Ukrainian citizens in Russia to vote for Prime Minister Yanukovych and portraying opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko as a fascist and the candidate of American imperialism.

Despite pervasive Russophilism predicated on a perception of Russian protection, because of its proximity Ukraine remains a very significant factor in Transdniester. Nevertheless, open support for the separatists by the Yushchenko government would be problematic. Ukrainian community leaders in Transdniester have expanded activity to stem complete Russification of the Ukrainian population there, for example, opening a Ukrainian school (grades 1-10) in Bendery. They hope to increase enrollment and provide additional grades, by providing transportation, school lunches, etc. for both students and teachers.

The cultural and educational pro-Ukraine activities of the Ukrainian community in Russia are coordinated by the Association of Ukrainians in Russia. Their main mechanisms for outreach to the grassroots are periodic visits, which often prove difficult as the Russian Federation spans 11 time zones.

Another tool is a non-periodical publication named Ukrainian Review. Only six issues of this publication have appeared since 2001. The aim is to publish periodically, at least bimonthly in the beginning, increase circulation and expand its reach from Kalinigrad to Kamchatka, particularly in ethnographic Ukrainian territory such as the Kuban region, and to arrange for publication online. The estimated cost for this is $25,000 annually.

The UWC has established a special Eastern Diaspora Fund for this and other projects benefitting the Ukrainian diaspora in such countries as Moldova, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Contributions may be forwarded to the UWC offices in Toronto or New York (please make checks payable to Ukrainian World Congress and note "Eastern Diaspora Fund"). The addresses are: Ukrainian World Congress, 145 Evans Ave., Suite 207, Toronto, Ontario, M8Z 5X8; Ukrainian World Congress, 203 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003.

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