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Donbas war veterans to go coast to coast in North America to raise awareness

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KYIV – After World War II, the freedom fighters of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) carried out a series of “raids” to break through Soviet-occupied areas and reach Western Allied forces to tell them they’re fighting for independence. 

The operations led to huge losses. But the UPA partisans who made it to U.S. or British-held territory succeeded in establishing ties and relaying their cause. This led America and Britain to eventually devise a plan and parachute exiled UPA fighters and supplies into western Ukraine. 

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As new phase of Donbas war begins, Ukraine starts training with Javelins

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KYIV – Official command-and-control authority of the Donbas war in Ukraine’s far eastern region was transferred to the armed forces on May 1, following a presidential decree. 

It is now called the Joint Forces Operation (JFO), and its headquarters has authority over all law enforcement bodies located in the two easternmost oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk, in addition to military branches. 

Canada

Ukraine on G-7 foreign ministers’ agenda at Toronto meeting

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OTTAWA – While the Group of Seven (G-7) foreign ministers presented a united front against Russia in their recent two-day meetings at the University of Toronto (U of T), they could have gone even further in condemning the “threat to democracy” posed by the country, according to the founder and director of the G-7 Research Group at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the university. 

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Poroshenko pushes for independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church

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KYIV – When President Petro Poroshenko called the leaders of parliamentary factions to his office on April 17 after their morning plenary session, political pundits began to speculate. 

Would Ukraine’s first wartime president finally deliver on creating a much-needed anti-graft judiciary? Push for establishing an independent financial crimes unit, perhaps call snap parliamentary elections or voice alarm over Russia’s post-Easter military escalation in the Donbas war?

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Moscow Patriarchate Church members investigated for anti-Ukrainian activity

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KYIV – The sprawling 11th century Monastery of the Caves, or Pecherska Lavra, was getting ready for Easter according to the Julian calendar. 

On the grounds utilized mostly by the Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, monks, seminarians as well as gardeners were seen clipping tree branches, tending greenery and trim-painting the grounds on April 4, when The Ukrainian Weekly visited the UNESCO cultural heritage site. 

Ukraine

Poroshenko tells soldiers: “Thank you for protecting every piece of Ukrainian land”

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KYIV – During a working visit to the Donetsk region on April 1 (Palm Sunday, according to the Julian calendar), President Petro Poroshenko met with the servicemen of the 79th assault brigade and the warriors of the National Guard who defend Ukraine in the east and presented them Easter baskets prepared by his wife, Maryna, as well as talismans from children of the Sumy region. “Today, when the whole country celebrates Palm Sunday, I would like to convey words of sincere gratitude not only from myself, but also from my entire family,” Mr. Poroshenko said. “Thank you for protecting every piece of Ukrainian land.”

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Over 150 Russian envoys ejected worldwide after Skripal poison attack in England

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KYIV – In a unified policy decision, 27 countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) banished 151 Russian diplomats over the alleged assassination attempt of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. 

Moscow has denied it was behind the March 4 attack in Salisbury that United Kingdom authorities suspect was committed using a lethal nerve agent developed by the Russian government. 

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Hero of Ukraine Nadiya Savchenko arrested on coup, terrorism charges

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KYIV – Nadiya Savchenko once embodied Ukraine’s courageous defiance before Russia – a far superior foe that historically has tried to subjugate the Ukrainian nation and eliminate any notion of statehood and cultural identity. 

As a prisoner in the Moscow-instigated Donbas war at its outset in 2014, Ms. Savchenko went on hunger strikes and endured 709 days of brutal Russian captivity that never broke her indestructible spirit.

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Chief EU envoy sees no “fatigue” in support for Ukraine during visit

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KYIV – The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, urged Ukraine to double down on anti-graft efforts and push ahead with reforms that include meeting policy commitments for the Association Agreement in her second visit in that capacity on March 12.

During separate joint briefings with President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, she emphasized giving existing graft-fighting institutions the independence and “enough powers and resources to investigate, prosecute and eventually ensure the conviction of those responsible for corruption.”

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Kyiv fends off renewed Russian gas war

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KYIV – Ukraine averted another full-blown natural gas war with Russia after a Stockholm arbitration court ruled in favor of energy conglomerate Naftogaz Group over its three-year dispute with Gazprom.

After the Russian government majority-owned company was ordered to pay Ukraine’s state-run Naftogaz $2.56 billion on February 28, Moscow refused on the next day to supply Kyiv with gas for which it had prepaid.