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Last week, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko indicated that the snap election scheduled for December 14 will be delayed until 2009. Yushchenko said it would not be reasonable to hold elections during the holiday season.
That may be his public line, but the real reason for delay is Yushchenko’s inability to get the government to approve funds to hold the election. Political Analyst Volodomyr Fesenko said that Yushchenko is waiting until the country’s deepening financial crisis chips away at Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s popularity and influence.
If this is true, it is the latest move by Yushchenko as he tries to position himself for a run at a second term of President.
That may be his public line, but the real reason for delay is Yushchenko’s inability to get the government to approve funds to hold the election. Political Analyst Volodomyr Fesenko said that Yushchenko is waiting until the country’s deepening financial crisis chips away at Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s popularity and influence.
If this is true, it is the latest move by Yushchenko as he tries to position himself for a run at a second term of President.
The second half of my interview with former Chernobyl liquidator Sergei B is now online. I have also added an extra paragraph to Part I - I forgot to mention that Sergei wrote a novel about his Chernobyl experiences. Currently, it is only in Russian, but Sergei hopes to translate it to English and publish it in the US. If Sergei is able to get an English-language copy of his story published, I will post all the information here.Photo: (c) Corbis/Verlag Antje Kunstmann - Liquidators preparing to go on roof of Reactor 3
Earlier this year I conducted an interview with a former liquidator who now lives in the US. In the summer of 1986, Sergei B. spent approximately one and a half months working on cleanup at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. His work included several trips to remove highly radioactive materials from the roof of Reactor 3.Sergei recently consented to my posting our interview on this site. This two-part interview contains some fascinating revelations about why people volunteered to be liquidators, life as a liquidator in the Chernobyl Zone, life after completing service as a liquidator, and thoughts about the Soviet government’s handling of the accident and nuclear power.
It is my pleasure to present the first half of this two-part interview with a Chernobyl liquidator. Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of this intriguing interview.
Photo: © Igor Kostin/NOVOSTI - Liquidators on the roof of Reactor 3
The following video is a 2:52 slideshow of photos taken in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in 2006. Unlike most of the photos you have seen, this set is exclusively shots of elderly residents of the Exclusion Zone (samosels).
The photos were taken by photographer Serge Van Cauwenbergh as part of a larger project.
You can also read some background on Serge’s visits with these people on his blog (the links are to Google translations into English for each blog entry):
Ganna
Olga
Olena and Sava
Maria and Micah
The photos were taken by photographer Serge Van Cauwenbergh as part of a larger project.
You can also read some background on Serge’s visits with these people on his blog (the links are to Google translations into English for each blog entry):
Ganna
Olga
Olena and Sava
Maria and Micah
On October 31, 2008, four residents of the Kyiv region were found guilty of trying to removed 15 tons of contaminated, radioactive scrap metal from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. A judge in the Ivankov District Court of Kyiv found the individuals in violation of the requirements of radiation safety. Radiation from this scrap was found to be hundreds of times higher than permissible limits.Two residents of the Ivankiv District were arrested while trying to remove 15 tons of scrap metal from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone without proper documentation.
In late May, the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office revealed that prosecutors in the Kyiv region and the General Directorate had begun combating organized crime and corruption in the Ukrainian Security Service. A task force investigating the crime found that two other people involved in the crime were members of the police force.
The prosecutor’s office instituted criminal proceedings under Article 267-1 of the Penal Code, which covers violations of radiation safety when removing items from the Exclusion Zone without providing statutory authorization, committed with the purpose of marketing.
The verdict, announced on October 31, found all four guilty of the crimes and pronounced sentence in accordance with the appropriate sanctions according to the Penal Code, including imprisonment.
Photo Credit: Pripyat.com
At a meeting of the UN General Assembly, Vitaly Churkin, permanent Russian representative to the United Nations anounced his country’s intention to provide $17 million for improved safety at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The funds will also be used to accelerate decommissioning of the plant.
The funds will be provided to the Nuclear Security Fund for the Chernobyl Shelter, which is managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The funds will be provided to the Nuclear Security Fund for the Chernobyl Shelter, which is managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
On October 23, staff of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant took part in a training exercise designed for actions to be taken in case of a radiological accident. The training included the evacuation of several stations at the facility in case of high radiation in the area of the plant.During the training, staff left their jobs wearing personal respiratory protection and taken to the local train station. Personnel displayed excellent skills for the implementation of emergency preparedness signals involving transport crews and dosimetric investigation.
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant regularly holds such exercises in strict accordance with the facility’s plan in response to the 1986 accident. These trainings are aimed at increasing the readiness of personnel to competent and timely action in the face of emergency situations.Photos: courtesy of ChAES
Back in February, I wrote about a new project associated with Pripyat.com called “Virtual Pripyat”, a site that acts as an address book/directory of Pripyat and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.Last spring I helped translate parts of the site into English and am pleased to say that, even though it is still a work-in-progress, the English-language version of "Virtual Pripyat" is now available (as you can see in the above screen shot). Note: you will see some Russian interspersed with the English.
English is currently limited to parts of the Pripyat and Chernobyl town directories, but it is a good start. Check it out when you get a chance - you may learn a little bit more about Pripyat or other towns/villages in the Zone. There are also a lot of great photos from both before and after the accident.
Due to a severe economic downturn, Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchennko postponed the upcoming pre-term parliamentary election by one week, to December 14.
Yushchenko issued a decree to allow the now dissolved Parliament to work for several days on legislation to aid the country’s economy, which has been hit hard by the world financial crisis. The decree also set up a 1 billion hryvnia fund ($200 million) to help Ukraine’s banking sector.
The election delay is most likely due to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s attempts to block preparations for the vote. The original December 7 date cannot be met due to appeals filed by Tymoshenko in court.
Yushchenko issued a decree to allow the now dissolved Parliament to work for several days on legislation to aid the country’s economy, which has been hit hard by the world financial crisis. The decree also set up a 1 billion hryvnia fund ($200 million) to help Ukraine’s banking sector.
The election delay is most likely due to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s attempts to block preparations for the vote. The original December 7 date cannot be met due to appeals filed by Tymoshenko in court.
Following Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s dissolution of Parliament and calling for new elections on December 7, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko filed suit in court to block the election. A Kyiv court ruled in favor of Tymoshenko, but a higher court reversed that decision. Additional hearings are expected next week.
The court hearings along with Tymoshenko’s initial refusal to free up funds for the election have put the December 7 date in peril. Andriy Magera, deputy head of Ukraine’s Central Election Committee confirms the problem, indicating that the delays are causing the body to miss deadlines for getting things ready for the vote, making it more difficult to meet the target date.
As usual in Ukrainian politics, things get more chaotic, confusing and unbelievable. First, a Kyiv court initially suspended Yushchenko’s decree calling for a new election. In a bizarre move, Yushchenko in a blatant abuse of power, acutally had the nerve to issue decree 922/2008, which abolishes and reorganizes the Kyiv District Court that suspended his decree. A higher court has since overturned the district court’s ruling, leaving the election in limbo.
In another incident, a criminal case has been filed against members of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT), alleging they pressured the Kyiv District Court to block the election. According to acting Security Council Chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the court chairman said he had been subject to intimidation by BYuT members. Specifically, four BYuT members stayed in the court chairman’s office throughout October 11, threatening to throw him out the window and beating on his hands to prevent him from using his computer. The judge now has round-the-clock protection.
On October 16, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers finally approved the disbursement of funds for the early election. The relevant amendments to the state budget should come up for a vote in the Verkhovna Rada next Tuesday.
Finally, Tymoshenko announced her willingness to accept any conditions from President Yushchenko to re-form the majority democratic coalition and cancel his decree for the pre-term election.
I really don’t know what to say about all this. It is hard to believe Yushchenko would reorganize a court just because he did not like their decision. I also find it shocking that BYuT members would actually threaten a judge to rule in their favor.
Unfortunately, things have gotten to the point where nothing in Ukrainian politics should surprise us. Obviously, the country’s politicians will do anything to get their way. Whether looking back to the Kuchma regime, the 2004 Orange Revolution or today’s shenanigans, it’s all more of the same. A reader from Ukraine recently wrote me and said if the election occurs, even if people do not go to the polls and vote, fraudulent votes on their behalf will still be counted. I just don’t understand how the Ukrainian people can continue to put up with this kind of activity. I guess reform is still a long ways away.
The court hearings along with Tymoshenko’s initial refusal to free up funds for the election have put the December 7 date in peril. Andriy Magera, deputy head of Ukraine’s Central Election Committee confirms the problem, indicating that the delays are causing the body to miss deadlines for getting things ready for the vote, making it more difficult to meet the target date.
As usual in Ukrainian politics, things get more chaotic, confusing and unbelievable. First, a Kyiv court initially suspended Yushchenko’s decree calling for a new election. In a bizarre move, Yushchenko in a blatant abuse of power, acutally had the nerve to issue decree 922/2008, which abolishes and reorganizes the Kyiv District Court that suspended his decree. A higher court has since overturned the district court’s ruling, leaving the election in limbo.
In another incident, a criminal case has been filed against members of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT), alleging they pressured the Kyiv District Court to block the election. According to acting Security Council Chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the court chairman said he had been subject to intimidation by BYuT members. Specifically, four BYuT members stayed in the court chairman’s office throughout October 11, threatening to throw him out the window and beating on his hands to prevent him from using his computer. The judge now has round-the-clock protection.
On October 16, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers finally approved the disbursement of funds for the early election. The relevant amendments to the state budget should come up for a vote in the Verkhovna Rada next Tuesday.
Finally, Tymoshenko announced her willingness to accept any conditions from President Yushchenko to re-form the majority democratic coalition and cancel his decree for the pre-term election.
I really don’t know what to say about all this. It is hard to believe Yushchenko would reorganize a court just because he did not like their decision. I also find it shocking that BYuT members would actually threaten a judge to rule in their favor.
Unfortunately, things have gotten to the point where nothing in Ukrainian politics should surprise us. Obviously, the country’s politicians will do anything to get their way. Whether looking back to the Kuchma regime, the 2004 Orange Revolution or today’s shenanigans, it’s all more of the same. A reader from Ukraine recently wrote me and said if the election occurs, even if people do not go to the polls and vote, fraudulent votes on their behalf will still be counted. I just don’t understand how the Ukrainian people can continue to put up with this kind of activity. I guess reform is still a long ways away.
