#38_1-8

JUNE 19, 2018 ISSUE No. 38 (1170) 

Tel.: +38(044) 303-96-19, 

fax: +38(044) 303-94-20 

е-mail: time@day.kiev.ua; 

http://www.day.kiev.ua 

Victorious quick 

march in Scotland 

Photo by Borys KORPUSENKO 

Den’s journalists met at 

Boryspil Airport the Ukrainian 

soldiers and veterans who took 

part – for the first time and 

successfully – in the Cateran 

Yomp international competition 

Photo by Ruslan KANIUKA, The Day 

Will Russia 

2 

Continued 

on page 

Continued on page 4 

release its prey?

2 

No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 

DAY AFTER DAY 

WWW.DAY.KIEV.UA 

By Serhii HRABOVSKYI 

On the opening day of the 

soccer World Cup, the All- 

Russian Center for the 

Study of Public Opinion 

(known by the Russian 

acronym VTsIOM) unveiled a survey 

of the main features of the image of 

the Russian people as perceived by the 

Russians themselves. One could mark 

up to five such features out of the list 

proposed by the pollsters. Thus, it 

turned out that the Russians saw 

themselves mainly in a positive and 

very positive light. According to 

respondents, the main quality of the 

Russians is hospitality (it was named 

by 45 percent), followed by capacity for 

hard work (41 percent), and 

spirituality (33 percent). The Top 5 

also includes generosity (named by 

26 percent of respondents) and 

sociability, which was noted by 

25 percent of respondents. The 

strength of Russian people almost 

made it to the top, named by 23 percent 

of those polled. 

Interestingly, only 18 percent noted 

high education level as a characteristic 

feature of the Russians, while 

17 percent of respondents named religiousness 

as one. Finally, 5 percent 

of the Russians consider themselves 

enigmatic, and 4 percent ironic. 

Regarding negative qualities, 

heavy drinking is the leader, having 

been named by 16 percent of respondents. 

Moreover, young people (those 

aged between 18 and 24 years) characterize 

the Russians as drunkards 

more often (25 percent) than do other 

age groups. Laziness is in the second 

The features of an image 

position of this “anti-ranking” with 

13 percent. The lack of discipline 

among Russians was noted by 6 percent 

of respondents, rudeness and 

wiliness each by 5 percent of the respondents, 

and only 2 percent mentioned 

weakness. 

It seems that these Russians are 

pure angels, except for being drunkards 

and sluggards. Of course, it is 

predicated on trusting the data of a 

state-sponsored polling agency. Unlike 

the websites of the leading 

Ukrainian pollsters (say, Rating), 

where one can easily access the most 

complete materials of the polls, the 

VTsIOM’s website does not provide 

access to these materials, citing software 

failures... But it would be very 

interesting, for example, to see how 

the question about the qualities of the 

Russian people was framed, in which 

order – alphabetically or otherwise – 

the proposed answers appeared in 

the questionnaire (there were 30 of 

them in total). There are other issues 

with it as well, but they are of a 

purely expert nature. And in general: 

how much can one trust any opinion 

poll dealing with matters of ideological 

importance for the regime in 

a neo-totalitarian state? 

However, if a significant part 

of respondents listed exactly those 

values that they believe to be most acceptable 

to the authorities (or those 

suggested by the state-sponsored 

pollsters), this is also an extremely 

significant indicator of the real social 

situation. “I think one thing, say 

the second, and mean the third” was 

the common practice in the Soviet 

time; at the same time, the majority 

of the USSR’s population genuinely 

ascribed to certain ideological dogmas 

and political myths that they felt 

comfortable with, which was famously 

described as “the unique 

pride of the Soviet citizen.” 

One could stop here, if not for the 

fact that three years before the justdiscussed 

all-Russian poll, theVTsIOM 

conducted another poll that dealt with 

a similar subject. The respondents 

were asked to mark the qualities of the 

Russian national character, separately 

grouped as positive and negative 

ones. It turned out that the most important 

positive features of that character 

were listed as kindness and honesty, 

nobility and decency; they were 

marked by 41 and 26 percent respectively. 

Readiness to assist each other 

and sociability were named by 13 percent, 

tolerance and dependability by 

12 percent, capacity for hard work also 

by 12 percent, hospitality by 10 percent, 

courage and perseverance, steadiness 

and purposefulness by 9 percent 

each. Such qualities as trust, peace- 

Do the Russians 

evaluate themselves 

adequately? 

fulness, optimism, patriotism, talent, 

justice, generosity were named by 1 to 

6 percent of respondents, and 14 percent 

hesitated to answer and failed to 

name any positive qualities. Meanwhile, 

the worst negative qualities of 

the Russian character were listed as the 

passion for alcohol and drugs (by 

43 percent of those polled) and carelessness, 

laziness, lack of initiative 

(23 percent). The Russians also named 

lack of culture, rudeness, boorishness 

(11 percent), brutality, anger, jealousy 

(11 percent), irresponsibility, mismanagement, 

disorganization (9 percent). 

A few percent each chose slowwittedness, 

excessive simplicity, character 

weakness, slavish obedience, excessive 

forgiveness, promiscuity, 

slovenliness, laxity, and indifference. 

A total of 17 percent of those polled 

failed to answer. 

As you can see, the Russian statesponsored 

pollsters have drawn some 

conclusions from that earlier poll: in 

this year’s questionnaire, the negative 

qualities of the Russians were not 

put into a separate rubric, so it resulted 

in a beautiful picture showing 

them as almost angels. However, it 

was only according to their “almost angelic” 

self-evaluation. I do not doubt 

that the devils in hell, if offered the 

questionnaire of 2018, would also 

portray themselves positively... 

But there was another important 

question in the 2015 survey. Respondents 

were asked to note the main positive 

and negative qualities of the modernWesterners. 

I donot know howhonestly 

Russians responded to the statesponsored 

pollsters’ questions, but... 

However,judgeforyourself:42percent 

of respondents could not name any 

positive qualities inherent in the Westerners. 

Those who mentioned such 

qualities chose high capacity for work, 

business efficiency (16 percent), responsibility, 

ability to keep themselves 

in good shape (10 percent), respect for 

each other and the law (9 percent), 

confidence in their strengths and abilities, 

purposefulness (8 percent), politeness,attentiveness(6percent).Afew 

percentofrespondentsnotedtheculture 

of behavior, thriftiness, prudence, 

pragmatism, vigor, honesty, tolerance. 

Among the main negative features of 

Western people, 15 percent named excessive 

fondness for money, 10 percent 

– arrogance and swaggering, presumptuousness 

and haughtiness, 7 percent 

– wiliness, rationalism, and selfishness, 

5 percent – indifference, lack 

of spirituality, insensitivity, heartlessness,promiscuity, 

debauchery.Less 

than 5 percent of respondents noted aggressiveness, 

individualism, contempt 

for people of other ethnicities, dislike of 

Russians, and the desire to interfere in 

other peoples’ affairs, brutality and insincerity. 

This is how, according to 

the VTsIOM, the Westerners were evaluated 

by ordinary Russians. And it 

does not really matter whether they 

spoke their hearts or were guided by the 

stereotypes of state propaganda, as the 

result is same: xenophobia and imperial 

haughtiness. 

By Ilia FEDOSIEIEV 

The very presence of political 

prisoners in any country is a 

shame in itself. Protesting 

it and demanding that they be 

freed do not need any justifications, 

explanations, or any 

special reasons. 

And nevertheless, those who went 

to picket the Russian embassy in 

Kyiv on June 16 had such reasons. 

But we will cover them below shortly, 

after saying more about the event 

itself. 

The protest organized by the community 

Free Political Prisoners of the 

Kremlin could not be called especially 

massive, but the word “littleattended” 

was also not suitable for it. 

The community gathered up to a 

hundred people, mostly young, since 

active youths are still quite numerous 

in Kyiv. The picket’s participants included 

relatives of the prisoners 

themselves, but for the most part 

they were activists without any personal 

connection. 

The only cause for regret was 

the fact that the protest was, in fact, 

directed into a void, as the embassy 

was closed for the weekend. Nobody 

could hear the demands of the protesters 

or answer them, and it is a 

pity, since it would be very interesting 

to hear such an answer. On the 

other hand, perhaps, it was precisely 

thanks to this that the picket went 

on without any incidents, and the police 

was frankly bored with inaction. 

Perhaps, this protest will not 

play a major role in itself, but it is 

likely that it will be the beginning of 

a much more significant process. Its 

organizers urge people to hold flash 

mobs around the world, picketing 

Russian diplomatic missions with 

the demand to release political prisoners. 

It cannot be ruled out that the 

Kremlin will at least partially satis- 

Photo by Borys KORPUSENKO 

Will Russia release its prey? 

fy these demands, as it cares about its 

international image. Incidentally or 

not, this initiative coincided with the 

head of Ukrainian diplomacy Pavlo 

Klimkin suggesting that the release 

of prisoners can occur during the 

World Cup. Well, let us wait and see. 

One of the additional reasons 

mentioned above is obvious. Mykola 

Karpiuk, Oleksandr Kolchenko, 

Yevhen Panov, Oleh Sentsov, Roman 

Sushchenko, and other prisoners 

of the Kremlin, who the protesters 

were talking about, are Ukrainians 

and suffering for Ukraine, so it 

is natural that their fellow citizens 

should be the first to stand up for 

them. Even if there was only one 

Ukrainian political prisoner in Russia, 

this would be a worthy cause for 

the whole of Ukraine. 

The second circumstance is not so 

noticeable, but if you look closely, it 

is more amazing. I mean the fact that 

from the point of view of the Russian 

law, the overwhelming majority of 

humanity is made of criminals. The 

only exceptions are those who recognize 

Crimea as Russian (yes, it is 

linked to Ukraine as well), but there 

are not many of them. And, of 

course, Ukrainians are criminals almost 

to a man. 

Now, if a Russian, a Ukrainian, 

a European, or an African considers 

the peninsula to be a legitimate part 

of Ukraine and expresses their opinion 

aloud, they are already guilty of 

the crime described by Article 280- 

1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian 

Federation, “Public calls for actions 

aimed at violating the territorial integrity 

of the Russian Federation.” 

It is punishable with up to four years 

imprisonment, and if committed using 

the Internet, it is described by 

Part Two of the same article, and 

punishable with up to five years. At 

the same time, it should be remembered 

that Russia itself is a universally 

recognized state, and consequently, 

judgments of Russian courts 

are recognized throughout the world 

as legitimate and valid. 

In practice, of course, most earthlings 

have nothing to fear, since the 

“hand of Moscow” is still not so long 

as to reach everyone. But nobody 

actually wants to do so. The principle 

of the Russian state’s actions is not 

to imprison everyone, but to let 

everyone know that they can be imprisoned 

at any time. To the greatest 

extent, this applies to those Ukrainians 

who are permanent residents of 

Russia or enter it, as they are very 

likely to be arrested, tried, and imprisoned. 

Finding a suitable post or 

comment on a social network is a simple 

task, and the find will be an irrefutable 

piece of evidence for the 

Russian court. This is true despite 

the individual in question only stating 

what the whole civilized world 

agrees with. Note that this is not terrorism, 

which Sentsov and other 

prisoners stand accused of. To prove 

terrorism, they need to collect evidence, 

while in the former case, they 

can grab anybody without even looking 

at them twice. 

And this makes the issue of political 

prisoners even more acute. Of 

course, it is possible and necessary to 

seek the release of those who are 

currently behind bars in Russia. But 

we must not forget that the article 

about which we are talking is an inexhaustible 

source of new political 

prisoners. What prevents Russia 

from grabbing two or three people under 

Article 280-1 tomorrow, having 

released one such prisoner today? 

The hope for a “worldwide flash 

mob” making an impact is certainly 

there. However, it is still desirable 

that its participants demand not only 

the release of prisoners, but also 

the repeal of the law that labels most 

Ukrainians criminals.


DAY AFTER DAY No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 3 

By Mykola SIRUK, The Day 

One could hear a lot of interesting 

opinions at the 

recent conference “Israel’s 

Experience of Nation-Building: 

Lessons 

for Ukraine” held in Kyiv by New 

Europe Center and the Ukrainian 

Jewish Encounter. In particular, 

the audience in the Hotel Hyatt’s 

packed hall could hear from some 

leading Israeli politicians about the 

secrets of Israel’s success and, 

moreover, about how that country, 

which constantly faces terrorism, 

manages to remain democratic and 

provide security for its citizens 

without violating human rights. 

What testifies to a friendly nature 

of relations between the two 

states is an exchange of jokes. Israeli 

Ambassador Eliav Belotserkovsky 

told the audience that he once heard 

it said that Odesa is Israel’s northern 

city. On the other hand, Georgii 

Logvynskyi, co-chair of the Verkhovna 

Rada Group for Interparliamentary 

Contacts with the State of 

Israel, said that if the EU does not 

admit Ukraine, the latter must join 

Israel or, on the contrary, Israel 

must annex Ukraine. 

Opening the conference, New 

Europe Center director Aliona Hetmanchuk 

pointed out that Israel’s 

experience became especially attractive 

for Ukraine after Russia 

had begun a war against this country 

in the spring of 2014. “This may help 

us not so much to win the war as to 

carry out reforms,” she emphasized 

and expressed a hope that “after the 

conference, not only Israel will be 

more understandable to Ukraine but 

Ukraine will also be more interesting 

and understandable to Israel.” 

● “ISRAEL DEMONSTRATES 

HOW TO DAILY DEFEND ITS 

TERRITORY AND PEOPLE” 

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, 

Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for 

European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, 

also spoke of the importance 

of Israel’s experience for 

Ukraine. “Israel demonstrates and 

inspires how to daily defend its territory 

and people, how to do this successfully 

and confidently,” she emphasized. 

In her words, Israel can, as 

no one else, understand Ukraine 

which has to live in a state of constant 

tension and military threat 

from a hostile neighbor. 

Ukraine is facing a lot of challenges 

that Israel knows, she said, 

and we hope to be inspired by the 

ability of Israelis to make effective 

international diplomatic efforts and 

to make use of Israel’s experience in 

the field of education and innovations. 

In her words, there are many 

things Ukraine can learn from Israel 

which, even though being in unfavorable 

climatic conditions and a 

difficult security situation, manages 

to invest in innovations, find 

technical solutions, and be one of the 

Top 10 IT countries, whereas 

Ukraine is the 40th on this list. 

● “WE EITHER SUCCEED 

OR FAIL” 

Dan Meridor, President of the Israeli 

Foreign Affairs Council, Vice 

Prime Minister of Israel in 2009-13, 

noted that the goal – to transfer a nation 

from one place to the land of ancient 

Israel and to establish a new 

state in spite of military obstacles and 

hatred – exceeded the limits of the 

possible. “We had to receive people of 

different cultures from various nooks 

of the globe. We were to knit these 

people together and create a single nation. 

We had no other choice: we either 

succeed or fail. There were dif- 

“If you don’t have 

freedom of thought and 

action,nothingwillgrow” 

lice which find new ways of preventing 

acts of terror and cyber threats, we 

managed to boost an economy that encourages 

entrepreneurship, broadens 

horizons for people, and promotes 

innovations, as a result of which we 

have reached the per capita income of 

40,000 dollars,” Meridor said. 

In his view, the main lesson of nation-building 

Ukraine can learn from 

Israel is as follows: “If you don’t have 

freedom – freedom of thought and 

freedom of action – nothing will 

grow.” 

Besides, he pointed out that the 

main test for Israelis was their attitude 

to the granting of equal rights to 

minorities. “A democracy must not 

have a dictatorship of the majority,” 

Meridor stressed. 

● “WE HAD NO OTHER THAN 

HUMAN RESOURCES” 

Eliav Belotserkovsky, who has 

stayed in Ukraine for almost four 

years, confessed that Ukrainians often 

ask him about the secret of Israel, 

about how the country managed to 

ferent visions of how to do so, and now 

you can see a more or less united 

country, and this was done in a democratic 

way,” he emphasized. 

In his words, the judicial branch 

of power is fully independent in Israel 

– an example of this is the 

Supreme Court’s ruling that governmental 

actions to ensure the security 

of citizens must not lead to human 

rights abuse. “We managed to restore 

confidence in the army and pomake 

such headway in difficult conditions. 

“I began to think over this 

question and made a certain analysis. 

We were very happy to create a state 

in the desert, surrounded by hostile 

countries. We paid a high price for 

this. From the very outset of stateformation, 

we had no other than human 

resources.” 

“All we could do was to invest in 

people,” he said. “What does it mean 

in practice? Firstly, it was necessary 

What lessons Ukraine can learn from 

Israel’s experience of nation-building 

By Natalia PUSHKARUK, The Day 

June 17, 2018. San Antonio. 

During their stay in the US, 

King of Spain Felipe VI and 

his wife Queen Letizia visited 

New Orleans and San 

Antonio, marking the 300th anniversary 

of these cities’ foundations. 

The states of Louisiana and 

Texas, where these cities are 

located, were Spanish colonies in 

1763-1802 and 1690-1821 respectively. 

“Examining this era highlights 

just how far back Spain’s 

mark on the US reaches, and how 

deep its roots are, as reflected in 

the close bonds of friendship 

between our two nations,” the 

King remarked during the celebration 

in New Orleans, the royal 

family’s website reports. His 

Majesty added that this visit 

would make the bonds of friendship 

between the US and Spain 

even stronger, because there were 

“solid reasons” for it. The monarchs 

will complete their visit in 

Washington on June 19, where 

they will meet with US President 

Donald Trump and First Lady 

Melania Trump at the White 

House, according to a statement 

on the White House’s website. 

to create conditions in Israel which 

would encourage people, including 

the Jews who came from other countries, 

to stay behind and work for the 

state and respond to challenges. It 

was a difficult task. In particular, establishing 

an up-to-date infrastructure 

was a great challenge.” 

Another achievement of Israel, 

the ambassador says, is a high level 

of health care – even people from the 

countries that maintain no diplomatic 

relations with Israel come to 

receive treatment in that country. 

“We have compulsory medical insurance, 

which gives a lot of food for 

thought,” he said. 

Among the successes of Israel, 

the ambassador goes on, is free and 

compulsory education at the age of 

5 to 18. “Schools apply up-to-date 

teaching methods, and we emphasize 

that education is an important part 

of our life,” he said. 

Noting that another important 

thing for Ukraine is the army, Mr. Belotserkovsky 

shared the secret of 

what makes the Israeli armed forces 

successful. “We have compulsory 

service, and all those who reached 18 

agree to voluntarily risk their lives 

for the state which, on its part, promises 

these young people security. 

They know that if they are wounded, 

the government will do its best to provide 

them with the best medical care, 

and if they are taken prisoner, every 

effort will be made to free them. In 

other words, Israel takes care of every 

citizen,” he emphasized. 

● “IT IS IMPORTANT 

TO INVEST IN PEOPLE” 

“Ukraine has a tremendous human 

capital. I believe that, after the 

Revolution of Dignity, it is important 

to focus on the individual and 

invest in people. Then Ukraine is 

sure to achieve success,” Belotserkovsky 

said. Incidentally, the 

ambassador made a very appropriate 

remark about the conference’s name, 

saying: “Lessons for Ukraine is exactly 

correct, for it is lessons for both 

Ukraine and Israel, and we will learn 

about many things that occurred 

here.” 

On her part, Ms. Klympush- 

Tsintsadze pointed out that Ukrainians 

have at last begun to build a political 

nation. They are rallying to 

form a state that focuses on man. It 

would be good if this began to be put 

into practice as soon as possible. 

This also means a new quality of 

medicine, education, and social security, 

when Ukrainians will not 

have to look for a better life in other 

worlds. 

The Spanish mark on the US 

REUTERS photo 

Another well-known problem of 

Ukraine is corruption. Israel seems to 

be able to give a recipe for fighting 

this evil. Major General Yaakov 

Amidror, Chairman of the National 

Security Council of Israel (2011-13), 

shared this recipe. “There is corruption 

in every populated area. It also 

existed in Israel. But the question is 

not whether there is corruption but 

whether the law-enforcement bodies 

are strong enough to bring corruptionists 

to justice, and whether the 

court is independent enough to pass a 

sentence,” he stressed. 

● “IT IS TIME FOR UKRAINE TO 

RECEIVE DIVIDENDS” 

In the opinion of Natalia 

Popovych, president of the PRP 

Group in Ukraine, co-organizer of 

the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, 

Ukraine ought to learn three lessons 

from Israel. “It is, above all, the 

history of Zionism, the history of a 

people defending its independent 

existence. Besides, it is the potential 

of the people who can muster 

strength to come up with new innovations 

and further develop the 

state,” she underlined. 

Meanwhile, Yevhen Zakharov, 

director of the Kharkiv Human 

Rights Group, believes that “one of 

the key areas, where Ukraine can 

learn from Israel, is attitude to people. 

The Ukrainian authorities 

should take more care of the people 

who are the country’s most valuable 

asset.” 

Logvynskyi spoke in quite an 

original way on this matter. “No 

doubt, it would be useful for Ukraine 

to learn from Israel which has positive 

experience in IT. But the main thing 

to invest in is people. Immigrants 

from Odesa and Kharkiv once built Israel, 

and now it is time for Ukraine to 

receive dividends,” he says. 

In his words, closer ties between 

the two countries have formed a system 

of coordinated relations. “If the 

EU does not admit us, Ukraine 

should either join or annex Israel,” 

Logvynskyi said. He explained his 

view as follows: “Ukraine has the 

world’s largest synagogue in Uman 

and largest Jewish community center 

in Dnipro, half a million Ukrainians 

immigrated to Israel and formed 

a very closely-knit commune there. 

Therefore, we must draw up a shortterm 

and a long-term strategic plan.” 

King Felipe and Queen 

Letizia have completed a 

tour of former colonies

4 

No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 

TOPIC OF THE DAY 


the Ukrainian competitors. 

And when we saw a uniformed 

guy with flowers, who came to 

meet his friend, we finally 

made sure that all was OK and 

waited on calmly by the exit. 

Our cameras attracted attention, 

and passengers kept asking 

what kind of “interesting 

people” were arriving in Kyiv. 

By Maria PROKOPENKO, 

photos by Ruslan KANIUKA, The Day 

Could you walk 

54 miles (about 

87 kilometers) 

across a rugged terrain 

– hillocks, 

swamps, stones – in 

24 hours? And 36 or “only” 

22 miles? These distances are 

covered by wounded European 

and US veterans and 

soldiers who participate in 

the Cateran Yomp (a military 

term for a long-distance 

march). This international 

competition is held annually 

in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Those who endure 22, 36, and 

54 miles win bronze, silver, 

and gold, respectively. 

This is the first time 

Ukraine took part in the Cateran 

Yomp. Out of the six 

competitors, five – Maksym 

Muzyka, Pavlo Mamontov, 

Oleksii Chushkin, Oleksii Korotchenko, 

and Dmytro Fesenko 

– won gold, and one, Serhii 

Romanovskyi, won bronze. 

Serhii’s achievement astonished 

everybody, for he was 

the only competitor with an 

above-knee amputation. 

● EXPECTATIONS 

In the morning, we were at 

first taken aback in Boryspil 

Airport’s international arrival 

lounge. The participants were 

returning on an indirect flight 

via Istanbul. We were afraid 

that we might be waiting for a 

wrong flight, but then we saw 

UA First Channel journalists 

(incidentally, there were no 

representatives of other media) 

who were also waiting for 

Victorious quick 

march in Scotland 

Den’s journalists met at Boryspil Airport the Ukrainian soldiers 

and veterans who took part – for the first time and 

successfully – in the Cateran Yomp international competition 

● “WE WONDERED UNTIL THE 

VERY FINISH WHEN IT WILL 

BE EASIER” 

National Guard of Ukraine 

serviceman Dmytro Fesenko 

was the first in the Ukrainian 

team to cover the “golden” distance: 

it took him 22 hours 

18 minutes to do so, while the 

other guys needed 23 hours 

30 minutes. 

“There were very many 

slopes 750-800 meters high 

on the average, moorland, 

mountains with rivers – you 

walk on them as if it were a 

swamp, too. The route is very 

difficult and very interesting, 

landscapes are incredible, 

the mood was always elated,” 

Dmytro says, sharing his 

impressions. 

Experienced competitors 

say the “bronze distance” is 

the most difficult one. “We 

were told that if we pass the 

‘bonze distance,’ it will be 

very easy on the ‘silver and 

golden distances.’ So, we wondered 

until the very finish 

when it will be easier, but it became 

easy only after the finish,” 

Dmytro says grinning. 

To tell the truth, the 

Ukrainians planned to confine 

themselves to the “bronze distance.” 

But then they were either 

fascinated with landscapes 

or overwhelmed with sporting 

ardor, and they went forward. 

● “I CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE 

MYSELF” 

Serhii Romanovskyi, an air 

assault officer at the National 

Academy of Ground Forces, 

stood down at the first distance 

but then supported his 

team, driving up to checkpoints 

on a car. “The distance 

was very difficult, but it was 

incredibly fascinating. By the 

end of the ‘bronze distance,’ 

my battery had discharged, we 

had another six kilometers to 

go – through the highest peak 

and slope, – but we still managed 

to finish,” the guy says. 

Serhii has served in the 

Armed Forces of Ukraine 

since he was 16. He commanded 

a company in the 80th 

Independent Airmobile 

Brigade and was wounded in 

2014 near the town of Shchastia. 

He had his leg amputated 

above the knee, which does 

not prevent him from going in 

for sports, doing business, 

and serving at the Ground 

Forces Research Center.


TOPIC OF THE DAY No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 5 

“The military train throughout 

their lifetime. So I’ve undergone 

uninterrupted training. 

In general, I constantly 

challenge myself. This includes 

participation in Heroes’ Games, 

marathon, triathlon, continuous 

workouts, military service, 

etc. – always moving forward. 

This year I will try myself out 

in the US Marine Corps 

Marathon. I have already applied,” 

Serhii said. “A sound 

body means a sound mind. One 

must not be developed one-sidedly. 

If your brains develop, so 

does your body, and vice versa.” 

● “THIS KIND OF 

COMPETITIONS DRAW 

YOU OUT OF LAZINESS” 

One more winner of gold, 

Pavlo Mamontov, has already 

got used to international competitions. 

Last year he took 

part in the Invictus Games in 

Canada. “I competed in the indoor 

rowing and cycling. I ran 

short of a second to win a medal. 

Rowing was not top on my agenda, 

so I did it in the evening, on 

the same day with cycling. I expected 

nothing special and did 

not train much. But, much to 

my surprise, I won bronze,” 

Pavlo recalls. The veteran continued 

to keep himself in shape 

after the Invictus Games – particularly, 

to do 15-km-long jogs. 

This increased motivation, so he 

trained more seriously for the 

Edinburgh competition. 

In 2014 Pavlo joined the 

Azov volunteer battalion. He 

received a mortar shell wound 

in early 2015 near the village 

of Hranitne, Mariupol raion. 

“I was a mortar man, we had a 

mortar duel, and a shell landed 

on our position, killing two 

and wounding six of us, including 

me. I had all my hand 

bones shattered, fingers broken, 

and pieces of flesh torn 

off, I had burns, etc.,” Pavlo 

says. “As artillery shelled villages, 

we drew the fire in order 

to conduct an evacuation operation, 

surround and mop up 

the enemy. We were sort of 

kamikazes. In principle, we 

knew what awaited us and 

were doing it deliberately.” 

Before the war, Pavlo did 

not go in for professional 

sport, but trained to his heart’s 

content. He practiced Muay 

Thai, sport tourism, skating, 

cycling, and running. “It was 

very difficult after I was 

wounded,” the veteran confessed. 

“I had a serious wound. 

It took me about a year to undergo 

surgeries and rehabilitation. 

I lost some functions of 

the hand, and my overall 

health condition worsened. 

Then laziness came – ‘my hand 

aches, so I’d better do no workout…’ 

And such measures as 

these competitions gradually 

draw you out of this. You first 

have an external motivation, 

KATERYNA MASHKO, ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT’S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE FOR REHABILITATION OF 

WOUNDED ATO VETERANS, LEADER OF THE UKRAINIAN GROUP IN EDINBURGH 

OLEKSII CHUSHKIN, SENIOR LIEUTENANT AT THE 81st INDEPENDENT AIRMOBILE BRIGADE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF 

UKRAINE, WON A GOLD MEDAL 

NATIONAL GUARD OF UKRAINE SERVICEMAN DMYTRO FESENKO WAS THE FIRST UKRAINIAN TO COVER THE “GOLDEN” 

DISTANCE OF 54 MILES 

but it vanishes then, and you 

go on training for yourself.” 

Shortly before flying to Edinburgh, 

Pavlo completed his 

diploma thesis. He studies public 

administration at the 

Ukrainian Catholic University. 

“I’m trying to take an active 

part in various projects, not 

only in sport – some business 

schools, classes, etc.,” he says. 

● A BIT OF AN EDUCATIVE 

MISSION 

“We managed to carry out 

this project thanks to heedful 

people who wanted to take part 

in and helped us organize it. It 

is, first of all, the Ministry of 

Defense and the National 

Guard. The British Embassy in 

Ukraine also supported us – 

they helped prepare visa documents,” 

says Kateryna 

Mashko, Assistant to the President’s 

Authorized Representative 

for Rehabilitation of 

Wounded ATO Veterans, who 

coordinated the Ukrainian 

team. “We were also supported 

by the Presidential Administration 

and the Soccer Federation 

of Ukraine. The latter 

helped make the uniform designed 

by Yurii Pysarchuk. 

Yurii took part in the US Marine 

Corps Marathon last year – 

he ran 42 kilometers with an 

orthosis on.” 

Cateran Yomp teams consist 

of 4 to 6 persons. In 

Ukraine, the selection criteria 

were as follows: a wound, a 

physical shape that allows one 

to cover a distance, and knowledge 

of the English language. 

“The latter is very important, 

for when the veterans were 

in Scotland, they could mingle 

with representatives of other 

countries and perform an educative 

mission, speaking 

about the situation in 

Ukraine,” Mashko points out. 

Although most of the participants 

in the quick march were 

in the know, some of them did 

not understand what is wrong 

with the World Cup in Russia 

and were unaware of the Donbas 

situation. 

“Frankly speaking, I am 

stunned. We mostly mingled 

with the military, and almost 

all of them are in the picture. 

If only you heard the way they 

called the aggressor! They 

know which country is the aggressor 

and show solidarity 

with us,” Fesenko adds. 

Ukrainian veterans are going 

to train now for the 43rd 

Marine Corps Marathon to be 

held in Washington in late 

October. There are also plans 

about the next Cateran Yomp. 

“I hope two teams, about 

10 veterans, will represent 

Ukraine next year. Organizers 

do not object so far, but it remains 

to be seen how many 

places they will give us by the 

quota,” Mashko says.

6 

No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 

CLOSE UP 


By Oleksandra KLIOSOVA 

Photos from Maria RYPAN’s archive 

Recently, Ukrainians marked 

the first anniversary of the 

departure into eternity of 

the former head of the 

Ukrainian Greek Catholic 

Church (UGCC) His Beatitude 

Lubomyr Husar. He was one of the 

most prominent and most respected 

moral authorities of the recent 

decades, and not only for the Greek 

Catholics, but also for believers of 

other denominations and nonreligious 

people. Cardinal Lubomyr 

Husar was called a great prince of the 

Church, a preacher, the spiritual 

father of the nation and a man who 

was an entire era. However, for some 

he always remained just Uncle 

Liubko... 

The Day spoke to the niece and 

goddaughter of His Beatitude Lubomyr, 

Maria Rypan, who lives in 

Toronto, but often visits Ukraine to 

research the Husars’ family roots 

and spread some more facts about His 

Beatitude’s life. This year, Rypan 

tours Ukrainian cities introducing a 

new book, entitled My Dearest Mommy! 

(Correspondence of Father 

Lubomyr Husar with His Mother), 

which was launched at this year’s 

Book Arsenal fair in Kyiv. His Beatitude 

corresponded with his mother 

Rostyslava and sister Marta for many 

years (1975-76 and 1985-92), which 

saw a lot of fateful events in the life 

of the Ukrainian people and the 

UGCC. So, the bishop offered his vision 

of these historical events in the 

letters to his family, evaluated them, 

but also revealed his inner world not 

only as a church figure, but also as a 

human being. 

● “HE HAD A SAINTLY 

ATTITUDE TOWARDS 

HIS FAMILY” 

On the instructions of His Beatitude 

Lubomyr Husar, you have 

recreated the genealogy of your family, 

even discovered some pages that 

were little known even to him. 

Whom he remembered and respected 

most, which of his relatives he was 

similar to? 

“He greatly respected his father 

Yaroslav. He especially loved to 

tell about his dad’s habit to remember 

on Christmas day which 

corners of the world had been visited 

by members of the Husar family. 

And believe me, they visited a lot of 

places. He remembered well his 

grandfather Lev, who was a notary 

in Halych for many years. Unfortunately, 

Liubko did not know him 

personally, since he was born 

10 years after the death of his 

grandfather, but heard a lot about 

him from his father. He remembered 

warmly his other grandfather 

as well, Father Luka Demchuk, 

who was the parish priest in Kalne, 

where Liubko’s mother was born. In 

general, he knew everything about 

everyone and had a saintly attitude 

towards his family. He always knew 

who was there, who got married, 

died or was born. And all the materials 

about our family that I have 

now came to me thanks to the uncle. 

My grandmother began to investigate 

our genealogy, but Liubko, 

too, was interested in this, supplemented 

her findings and could tell 

more on his own, because he had 

contacts in other milieus. If people 

wanted to convey some information 

about the Husars, he immediately 

directed them to me and said: 

‘When you will be going to visit me, 

stop in this or that place as well, 

speak there and talk to those people.’ 

In the end, when I did it all, Liubko 

was very angry that I was 

staying with him for such a short 

time. So during my last visits, I 

stayed in Kyiv for two weeks in or- 

“He was always himself” 

MARIA RYPAN AND HIS BEATITUDE HUSAR 

Maria Rypan 

about 

childhood, 

interests, 

and character 

of her uncle 

Lubomyr Husar 

CELEBRATING THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF LUBOMYR’S SECRET EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION BY PATRIARCH JOSYF 

SLIPYJ IN ROME AT HOME, IN THE RESIDENCE OF HIS BEATITUDE IN KNIAZHYCHI NEAR KYIV ON APRIL 1, 2017 

MONK LUBOMYR WITH NOVICES OR FELLOW BROTHERS IN FRONT OF THE STUDION MONASTERY NEAR ROME (1973) 

der to have time to do research and 

spend time with the uncle as well. 

Moreover, I saw how he planned 

many meetings in different places. 

I also learned it from him.” 

His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar 

was a very educated man. How did 

he do at school? What did he study, 

what interests and hobbies did he 

have? 

“In general, the uncle was an 

ordinary child. He had fun and 

joked like all the children. However, 

he studied a lot and had diverse 

interests, which actually 

shaped him: music, literature, religion, 

culture, sports. I think 

this is evident from what man he 

eventually became and how he behaved.” 

● “MY DEAR YOUR BEATITUDE, 

UNCLE LIUBKO…” 

How did your family holidays go 

when Bishop Husar came to visit? 

“The uncle arrived to family 

holidays very rarely. However, it is 

interesting that he never forgot 

anyone and always tried to greet us. 

We lived on different continents, so 

the time difference was six hours, 

or even seven hours (with Ukraine). 

And Liubko asked us all the time: 

‘When do you sit down at the 

table?’ so as to wake up at night and 

call us. It was important for him to 

personally bless us and wish us 

happy holidays. Later, we began 

to use Skype for communication, or 

the uncle greeted us in writing. 

Sometimes we even recorded it on a 

tape recorder and translated greetings 

into English, because some 

relatives did not understand 

Ukrainian. So, Uncle Liubko was always 

with us.” 

How did you call him at home? 

“We called him only Uncle Liubko, 

and everyone liked it. My 

mother Marta, the elder sister of the 

bishop, called him Liubko or Liuban. 

Even at the funeral, when 

my brother Roman spoke, he began 

his speech by addressing the deceased: 

‘My dear Your Beatitude, 

Uncle Liubko.’” 

● “HE TREATED EVERYONE 

EQUALLY” 

Why did His Beatitude Lubomyr 

belong to the Plast scouting movement 

since his school years, and 

supported this organization afterwards? 

“The uncle’s mom was in the 

Plast, as well as the whole family. In 

addition, at the time when he studied 

at the gymnasium in Salzburg, 

the Plast was the only organization 

for Ukrainian youth. Almost 

everyone was a member. The Plast 

instills spirit, good training, and patriotism. 

Later, when Liubko moved 

to America, he joined the Red Viburnum 

Plast squad and was a lifelong 

member. Of course, he could not actively 

participate in the organization’s 

activities, but still made efforts 

to visit its camps to celebrate 

mass. He always supported them 

spiritually.” 

Did he stay in touch with any 

childhood or youth friend? 

“The uncle maintained contacts 

mostly with his mates from the 

gymnasium and Plast. He liked attending 

reunions very much and 

did not want to be addressed ‘Your 

Beatitude’ or ‘My Lord Bishop’ at


CULT URE No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 7 

these meetings. For them, he 

was just Liubko. The uncle treated 

everyone equally, regardless 

of age or status, because he considered 

himself to be just a regular 

Plast member. And all the 

warmest memories he had, except 

for the family, were connected 

with the Plast. The rest of his 

childhood friends had got lost 

over the years as they scattered 

throughout the world.” 

● “HE BELIEVED IN THE 

BRIGHT FUTURE OF THIS 

COUNTRY” 

His Beatitude Lubomyr was a 

moral authority, even for non-religious 

people. I remember how 

the bishop came to bless the 

Ukrainians in the early days of 

the Euromaidan, on December 1, 

2013, when a car was used instead 

of the scene. He could not 

climb onto the car and stayed below 

with the crowd. I was there 

and saw the extraordinary attention 

and respect with which 

people listened to him, even 

though they could not see the 

cardinal. Why did people trust 

his opinions so much? 

“I think that people treated 

him as a starets, a spiritual 

teacher at that moment. But despite 

his venerable age, Uncle 

Liubko was interested in everything 

and believed in the bright 

future of this country. It was 

necessary to show it to people. I 

am convinced that his words were 

coming from the heart, and people 

saw that the starets came, 

dared to come and speak among 

the first leaders to do so. Then, 

perhaps, they began to respect 

him even more.” 

The first words that come to 

mind when recalling His Beatitude 

Lubomyr Husar are wisdom 

and simplicity. How did he 

manage to preserve his ability to 

listen to people and see them, to 

express global and important 

thoughts with absolutely simple 

words which were understandable 

to all? 

“It is simple: he was an ordinary 

person. Now people are exaggerating 

and artificially creating 

a majestic image, but in 

fact, Uncle Liubko just prayed a 

lot and was an ordinary, kind 

and diligent person. He did not 

like to see people being treated 

differently, all were equal for 

him, and he could speak with 

anyone. This skill came naturally 

to him. He did not need to 

pretend to be someone, because 

he was always himself. So he was 

shaped by the environment in 

which he grew up. It all came 

from the family, from childhood.” 

You recently delivered lectures 

in various cities across 

Ukraine about the Husars’ genealogy 

and introduced four 

books about His Beatitude, the 

last of them called My Dearest 

Mommy! What are your impressions 

of these meetings? 

“I had very interesting meetings 

in each community and each 

city I visited. Many of the facts 

that I talked about had been unknown 

to the general public. 

But I wanted to show as much as 

possible and tell people what 

kind of a family it was and who 

my uncle was. In particular, I 

was very pleased to go to the village 

of Kalne, where my grandmother 

was born, and to talk to 

the locals. I had the honor of 

knowing His Beatitude Lubomyr 

intimately, so now my job is to 

share knowledge about him with 

everyone...” 

By Tetiana POLISHCHUK, 

photos by Ruslan KANIUKA, The Day 

This thematic concert can be 

called a high-society rout, 

where different languages, 

especially Turkish and Ukrainian, 

were spoken. The Philharmonic 

gathered the diplomatic, 

political, and artistic beau monde. 

The idea to hold this event belongs 

to Yonet Can Tezel, Ambassador 

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary 

of the Republic of Turkey to Ukraine, 

and his wife. “Over centuries, various 

events and personalities have linked 

Turkey and Ukraine. Roxelana, known 

as Hurrem Sultan in Turkey, was an 

outstanding woman in the history of 

not only the two countries, but also of 

the whole world,” the diplomat said. 

● BETWEEN MYTHS 

AND LEGENDS 

It will be recalled that Roxelana 

(1505-58) was the first commoner 

who managed to win the heart of Sultan 

Suleiman I the Magnificent and become 

the mother of the successor to the 

throne, Selim II. It looks fantastic 

that a Ukrainian girl, who was brought 

to Istanbul to be a harem concubine, 

gradually turned into one of the 

world’s most influential women. 

In particular, the soiree heard 

fragments from the book Roxelana’s 

Letters: Love and Diplomacy by the 

well-known art critic and historian 

Oleksandra Shutko who translated 

into the Ukrainian language some 

unique 16th-century documents. Incidentally, 

Ms. Shutko said after the 

concert that Roxelana had been abducted 

by the Tatars, when she was a 

9- or 10-year-old girl. At first she was 

brought up at the Crimean khan’s 

palace and then carried to Istanbul at 

the age of 14 or 15. This is why the 

child did not remember well her native 

land. It is the sultan’s mother, Ayse 

Hafsa Hatun, who selected the girl for 

Suleiman’s harem. She asked her 

Crimean relatives to bring the most attractive 

and smart concubine for her 

son. The beautiful Ukrainian gave 

birth to her first son, Mehmed, at 16. 

Roxelana was not an intriguer, as 

some writers and filmmakers portray 

her, but a quick-witted woman 

who had a thirst for knowledge: she 

learned the Old Ottoman, Arabic, and 

Persian languages. Whenever Sultan 

Suleiman I was away fighting, she 

wrote him marvelous letters (seven of 

which have survived) that included 

wonderful ghazal and rubaiyat verses. 

Incidentally, Turkish art researchers 

are in rapture over the ability 

of a foreign woman to master the 

subtleties of Oriental poetics. Hurrem 

Sultan died of a malignant lung tumor, 

but the memory of this outstanding 

personality still lives on. A 

lot of Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, 

American, and Turkish academics 

have been researching the life story of 

Roxelana, an enigmatic woman, full 

of myths and legends. Particularly, 

such well-known writers as Adnan 

Nur Baykal, Pavlo Zahrebelnyi, Osyp 

Nazaruk, Ozen Yula, and others 

touched the theme of Hurrem Sultan 

on their works. 

The audience heard the Ukrainian 

Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted 

by Volodymyr Sheiko play the music 

of five classical and contemporary 

composers inspired by the image 

of beautiful and wise Roxelana. The 

concert, begun with Joseph Haydn’s 

Symphony No. 63, also included 

“Dance of Three Girls” from the ballet 

Hurrem Sultan by the Turkish 

composer Nevit Kodalli, and spectacular 

fragments (“The Sultan’s 

Harem” and “Dance of Roxelana”) 

from the ballet Roxelana by Dmytro 

Akimov. This program also presented 

a world premiere. Particularly for 

this concert, the contemporary 

Ukrainian classic Yevhen Stankovych 

rearranged for the orchestra the 

CLASSICS YEVHEN STANKOVYCH AND MYROSLAV SKORYK 

Theonerememberedfor 

five centuries on end! 

Kyiv hosted Ukrainian-Turkish soiree “The 

Music Roxelana/Hurrem Sultan Inspired” 

THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF THE UKRAINIAN RADIO PLAYED THE MUSIC 

OF FIVE CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS INSPIRED BY THE 

IMAGE OF BEAUTIFUL AND WISE ROXELANA 

THE IDEA TO HOLD THIS EVENT BELONGS TO YONET CAN TEZEL, 

AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE REPUBLIC 

OF TURKEY TO UKRAINE 

“Symphonic Picture” he had composed 

for the TV serial Roxelana (directed 

by Borys Nebieridze and starring 

Olha Sumska and Anatolii 

Khostikoiev). The last item on the program 

was Aytekin Atas’s opening 

theme from the super-popular Turkish 

serial The Magnificent Century: 

Roxelana. 

Thanks to the video slides that 

demonstrated the views of Istanbul’s 

Topkapi, the portraits of Hurrem 

Sultan and Suleiman I, and the actresses 

who played Roxelana in serials, 

the audience seemed to visit the 

fairytale the orchestra created. 

● “IT TOOK TWO YEARS TO 

PREPARE THIS ARTISTIC 

PROJECT” 

“It took two years to prepare 

this marvelous artistic project. The 

idea came up when we were preparing 

the concert ‘European Music in 

a Turkish Palace’ which we successfully 

held in the Grand Hall of the 

National Music Academy of 

Ukraine,” art critic Olesia OLIINYK 

said. “It was the initiative of the 

Turkish Embassy, and I must say 

that Ambassador Yonet Can Tezel 

has a special inclination to art and 

musical culture. That program revealed 

for the first time the works 

composed by sultans’ sons and reproduced 

the music of that era’s 

Turkey. Even then, diplomats 

showed that their country had its 

own original roots, but it is a highly-civilized 

state which knows classical 

works of European composers 

very well. After the success of that 

concert, we hit upon the idea to conceive 

new projects that would involve 

the two countries’ artists. 

“We first planned to put on the 

opera Roxelana by Denys Sichynsky 

at the Opera Studio of the National 

Music Academy of Ukraine 

and request the outstanding composer 

Myroslav Skoryk to do the orchestration 

and the editing, but it is 

a very complicated process, and it is 

difficult to put such a large-scale 

production on our stage. So we came 

up with the idea of holding the thematic 

concert ‘The Music Roxelana/Hurrem 

Sultan Inspired.’ It 

was a wonderful soiree at the Philharmonic. 

“The program showed our famous 

compatriot in various images 

and musical dimensions. First came 

a classical piece by Haydn, then original 

Turkish music by Kodalli and 

Atas, the Oriental coloring from 

Kyiv’s Akimov, and a wonderful 

“Symphonic Picture” by Stankovych. 

The latter had amply demonstrated 

his colossal talent in the action film 

Roxelana. The prominent maestro’s 

music absolutely differed from that 

of others! It was a composition about 

great love between Sultan Suleiman I 

and Roxelana. Stankovych does not 

illustrate – he conveys inner human 

emotions and feelings in his opus. It 

was an example of a lyrical and romantic 

love story. 

“It’s an interesting coincidence, 

you know. In her excellent book Roxelana’s 

Letters: Love and Diplomacy, 

Oleksandra Shutko spotlights folklore 

sources and shows that Roxelana 

was captured 500 years ago. Sichynsky 

wrote his opera 110 years ago, 

and this year we are marking the 

20th anniversary of the popular TV 

serial Roxelana…” 

This soiree shows a respectful attitude 

of Turkey’s diplomatic representation 

in Ukraine to the history 

and culture of our country, as well 

as a search for contacts that can 

further unite the two countries.

8 

No.38 JUNE 19, 2018 

TIMEO U T 


By Oleksandr CHEPALOV, Kharkiv 

Outwardly, the principal 

director of the Kharkiv 

Afanasiev Puppet Theater 

looks like... a ballerina, being 

as thin, slim, and stylish. 

Meanwhile, Dmytriieva’s profile view 

reminds of her Greek origin a bit. In 

conversation, she gets inspired, and 

then one only needs to be fast enough to 

record the thoughts that define her 

productions. The Kharkiv Puppet 

Theater had good directors before 

Dmytriieva as well, but the theater 

which she has built over recent years is 

just unique! Her performances are full 

of fantasy, music, poetry, they animate 

objects and matter... This is not some 

low-brow show of puppet passions, but 

an oasis of spirituality: the more 

theatrical companies clog the scene with 

pieces made to suit an undemanding 

spectator and tasteless staging techniques, 

the more works of high classics 

and its bright, figurative incarnations 

appear in the puppet theater’s repertoire. 

Recently, Dmytriieva received the Les 

Kurbas Award, marking an unconditional 

and well-deserved triumph of the 

director and her theater... Incidentally, 

each of her productions resonates with 

spectators of all ages, and critics write 

complimentary reviews with enthusiasm! 

● A LABYRINTH TRAP 

Tell us, please, about your latest 

work first, I mean William Shakespeare’s 

Hamlet. Quite a few directors, 

especially of the puppet theater, would 

not dare do such a project! 

“I still do not understand how I 

came to do it, whether out of lightmindedness 

or insolence. Probably it 

was just because now is the time for this 

piece. It reflects what is happening 

today, asks the questions we are trying 

(and failing) to answer... I love the classics, 

since it speaks of everything that 

will happen to us, as well as everything 

that has already happened.” 

Hamlet is an enigmatic play, a 

litmus test of its time, its accurate cardiogram. 

What have you seen in it today? 

“History of the Danish state was 

tragic from the very beginning. After 

all, Hamlet Senior, in essence, conquered 

that land, even though he won 

it in an honest duel. Therefore, all 

who rule that state are strangers there. 

And Hamlet, who was absent for many 

years, is also a stranger in the land. He 

is not ready to face what is happening 

there: ‘Something is rotten in the state 

of Denmark…’ Having accepted the 

mission of revenge for his deceased father, 

he falls into a labyrinth trap, from 

where no one can get out alive. Hamlet, 

having decided to take revenge on the 

murderer, himself involuntarily becomes 

a murderer as he is forced to master 

mechanisms of bloody executions. 

This is a terrible story, because in the 

world that surrounds him, there is no 

light or love. Ghosts are getting more 

numerous. The world is sick, it is obvious. 

But is it even curable?” 

You share the success of your productions 

with the theater’s art director 

Natalia Denysova, who is your colleague 

and associate. I remember 

Denysova saying in an interview that 

the main thing in the performance 

was the director’s concept, and the 

artist’s work just “accompanied” it. 

“Denysova is a fantastic master, a 

philosopher artist, so working with 

her is joy and pleasure. The process of 

us inventing a play together is an incredible 

time when we turn into conspirators, 

and it does not matter at all 

then who ‘accompanies’ whom.” 

The skill with which artists of the 

puppet theater convey the poetry lines 

of Shakespeare to the public is, in my 

To think, fantasize, and wonder 

Photo by the author 

Oksana Dmytriieva 

is the best Ukrainian 

puppet theater 

director of 2018 

opinion, unattainable today for any 

drama theater company, and not only 

in Kharkiv. I can assume that you 

work with actors based on your own 

methodology during rehearsals. How 

do you look at a rehearsal? 

“Not all rehearsals are the same. 

Sometimes everything goes smoothly at 

first, but then you realize that the 

artists have got confused about the 

plan’s roots, lost track of their original 

task. There are times when I am unhappy 

and rail at them. I can be both affectionate 

and angry. I come in different 

shapes.” 

● THE OBVIOUS AND 

THE UNSAID 

The company, in my opinion, 

should be grateful to you for such extraordinary 

tasks, for your demanding 

approach and creative inspiration. 

I like your actors from Hamlet 

By Alisa ANTONENKO 

An exposition of over 20 pictures 

by the well-known 

Transcarpathian master 

Serhii Biba and his schoolboy 

son Davyd has opened at 

the Consulate General of Slovakia in 

Uzhhorod. 

“To create is to search. Our life is 

a never-ending process, movement, 

and learning. This is why the exhibit 

is named so. Maybe, the next one 

could be named “Process 2,” for we will 

go on looking for something new, 

moving, and, hence, being in process. 

I’ve been in abstract art for many 

years, and every time I’m trying to 

find a different line, a different harmony, 

for it is interesting. But my son 

is searching for himself, and he’s also 

trying a realistic manner. In my 

view, the process of drawing a picture 

is communication. My work and I 

communicate: we reciprocally complement 

each other,” zakarpat.brovdi.art 

quotes Serhii BIBA as saying. 

The exposition consists of oil and 

acryl pictures in an abstract style. Slovakia’s 

Consul General in Uzhhorod 

Miroslav Mojzita emphasized that it 

is not the first year works by Transcarpathian 

and Slovak masters of 

the paintbrush are displayed on the 

consulate’s premises. 

Incidentally, Serhii Biba is member 

of the National League of Ukrainian 

Artists and winner of the Yosyp 

Bokshai and Adalbert Erdeli Prize 

(for the “Shifts” series). 

He works in the genre of painting, 

graphics, and installation. His main 

artistic trend is avant-gardism that 

has dozens of varieties. The artist 

experiments with the form, colors, and 

texture. He is always in a creative 

search of new techniques and ways of 

self-expression. 

Almost geometric multicolored 

planes and semi-abstract forms dom- 

very much – Oleksandr Markin, 

Tetiana Tumasiants, Viacheslav 

Hindin, Hennadii Hurinenko, Olena 

Hrabina, Oleksandr Koval... The show 

makes one think again about the 

usual phenomena, the essence of 

“Process” 

which the actors are rethinking before 

our eyes, as they first optically 

bring it closer to us, but then shove it 

back to the global level. The puppet 

theater becomes a model of the world, 

a metaphysical instrument for its 

This is the name of Serhii and Davyd 

Biba’s joint exhibit in Uzhhorod 

Photo illustration by Natalia PAVLYK 

inate in the compositions. The author 

boldly plays with them, often without 

naming his works, thus giving the 

viewer an opportunity to feel and interpret 

what he sees on his own 

(“Cross,” 1995; “Psychomatics,” 1996; 

“A Time to Fly,” 1997; “A Bright Beginning,” 

1998; “Lost Sounds,” 1999; 

“Communicative Solution,” “Sunlight 

Spot 2,” 2001). The role of color is not 

only a constructive element for the 

artist, but also the strongest emotional 

factor of his canvases. 

The artist’s works are kept in the 

museums, galleries, and private collections 

of Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech 

Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania, 

former Yugoslavia, Germany, the 

Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, 

Denmark, Israel, Japan, and the 

US (https://zakarpat.brovdi .art/khudozhnyky/myttsi-zakarpattia/bibasergij). 

Davyd Biba is still a schoolboy, 

but he has already done a lot of works. 

The boy works not only with oils and 

acryl – he is also trying himself out in 

graphic, pastel, pencil, and watercolor. 

The exhibit will remain open for 

two months. 

comprehension. Tell me, in what relationship 

are you with the traditional 

puppet theater? Have you 

switched to the animation theater 

completely? 

“I continue to love the traditional 

puppet theater, and I would have never 

preferred pure acting theater to it. 

But I and Denysova have staged some 

purely puppet shows as well, such as 

Hedgehog Out of the Mist, based on 

Sergei Kozlov’s story, or Chevengur, 

which is an adapted Andrei Platonov’s 

novel. In performances with an active, 

living plan, the ‘sound’ of the 

puppet is extremely important for me. 

Where a person is faced with the incomprehensible, 

mysterious, a puppet 

must necessarily appear. It picks up 

the theme of the hero and makes the 

unsaid obvious. For example, the puppet 

of Hamlet is led by others for the 

entire performance, as if it was led by 

the fate itself. It is only in the final of 

the show that it finds himself in the 

hands of the actor playing Hamlet: a 

union of soul and body happens at 

last. It is a sign of a person’s readiness 

to accept their destiny. Hamlet and 

Laertes do not fight live in the final, 

but with the help of medieval puppets. 

And this is probably more accurate 

than the most spectacular fencing.” 

You studied at the University of 

Arts in Kharkiv, and then returned 

here via some complicated route with 

a currently unusual status of the 

Honored Artist of Crimea... 

“Yes, even though I earlier attended 

an acting course in 

Dnipropetrovsk. Then, I worked for 

the magnificent Simferopol Puppet 

Theater, led by Borys Azarov. It was 

on his initiative that I started to stage 

plays. Speaking of the Kharkiv school, 

I studied simultaneously at the theater 

studies and directing faculties there. 

For several years, I worked as the 

duty director for the Kharkiv Puppet 

Theater and only then became the 

principal one.” 

What, in your opinion, is the main 

thing in theatrical directing? 

“Of course, it is the possibility of 

inventing. It is a creative profession, 

just like that of writer or composer. 

Les Kurbas had such a concept as 

‘transformation.’ The very sound of 

this word is magical, as something 

must transit from one quality to another. 

I am glad that today our team 

is in such a condition that we can afford 

to invent a spectacle. To fantasize, 

think – and to play. To be a 

‘smart Harlequin.’” 

■ The Day’s REFERENCE 

Oksana Dmytriieva was born on 

August 22, 1977. As a director, she 

staged plays at puppet theaters in 

Kaunas, Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, 

Cherkasy, Ternopil, and other 

cities, and specialized schools’ training 

theaters in Kyiv and Kharkiv. 

Dmytriieva has staged 45 productions, 

including adaptations of Chekhov’s 

works Simple Stories of Anton Chekhov 

and The Cherry Orchard; Nikolai 

Gogol’s May Night as well as Marriage, 

adapted Gogol’s play; Platonov’s 

novel Chevengur; Casanova, based on 

works of Marina Tsvetaeva and Giacomo 

Casanova; Shakespearean King 

Lear and Hamlet, and Moliere’s The 

Imaginary Invalid... 

Dmytriieva’s shows were entered 

in more than 50 national and international 

festivals, where they repeatedly 

won high awards. In 2018, 

she became the first winner of the 

newly reestablished Les Kurbas 

Prize – a prestigious Ukrainian theatrical 

award. 

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