https://ukrainiancrusade.blogspot.com/2017/05/kyiv-city-council-rejected-application.html

Religion in Ukraine (Razumkov 2016 survey)

Eastern Orthodox (65.4%)

25% Orthodoxy of the Kievan Patriarchate
21.2% just Orthodox
15% Orthodoxy of the Moscovian Patriarchate
1.8% Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
2% other types of Orthodoxy

Just Christian (7.1%)
Greek Catholic (6.5%)
Protestant (1.9%)
Islam (1.1%)
Roman Catholic (1.0%)
Jew (0.2%)
Hindu (0.2%)
Not affiliated with these religions (16.3%)
Other religion (0.2%)

The capital today. Ukraine's faithful protesting encroachment of Moscow Patriarchate upon Kyiv Patriarchate churches, raiding property. pic.twitter.com/CCONR8dNLW

— Roman Skaskiw (@Roman_Skaskiw) May 18, 2017

The head of Ukraine’s Institute for National Memory, Volodymyr Vyatrovych, is attempting to follow model of Nazi persecutions and go after, Boris Steckler, a 94-year-old ex-NKVD agent who murdered the Ukrainian nationalist artist who made decorations for the Ukrainian nationalist resistance to the Soviet regime. Volodymyr immediately got accused of anti-semitism, even though it was nowhere in his accusation.

In an unprecedented move, Ukrainian authorities are opening a criminal investigation into 94-year-old Jewish WWII hero, Col. Boris Steckler, who is accused of having killed a Nazi collaborator.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4955865,00.html

Ukraine’s prosecutor general has opened a murder investigation against a 94-year-old Jewish Red Army veteran over the 1952 killing of a nationalist insurgent who has been accused of collaborating with Nazis.

The case comes amid a “decommunisation” campaign by the Ukrainian government, which has celebrated nationalist groups who fought the Soviets. If charged, the veteran could face a prison sentence.

The prosecutor general opened the investigation into the “intentional killing of two or more people on the territory of Rivne region in March 1952 by members of the administration of the state security ministry”, according to a copy of a letter posted on the website of the National Human Rights Centre, an organisation which has assisted nationalists facing prosecution.

The website said the case was that of Nil Khasevych, a member of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA) who, along with two other fighters, was killed by Soviet security forces in a standoff at that place and time.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/03/ukraine-investigates-soviet-veteran-death-red-army-boris-steckler

Incidentally, Russia, which in certain circles portrays itself as a great ally of nationalists, is usually the first to throw around accusations of nazism and anti-semitism when there’s any expression of national pride or identity in Eastern Europe.

Huge! Ukraine to block access to Russian Social networks and other sites: https://meduza.io/en/news/2017/05/16/ukraine-blocks-access-to-russian-websites-yandex-vk-and-odnoklassniki

(They are run by the FSB.)

What percentage of Ukrainians use these sites?
https://www.unian.ua/politics/1924464-v-ukrajini-zablokuyut-dostup-do-yandeksu-vkontakte-i-odnoklassnikov-ukaz-poroshenka.html

A marble nine-foot monument of President Ronald Reagan is set to be unveiled May 10 in Bulgaria’s capital city of Sofia. The monument, which transpired with key input and advice from Young America’s Foundation and the Reagan Ranch, was erected in order to honor President Reagan’s critical contribution to the country’s liberation from communism. The ceremony honoring Ronald Reagan will take place at the entrance to Sofia’s famed South Park, one of the largest green spaces in the city. The idea was first forwarded by Konstantin Aradbadzhiez, former mayor of Sofia, and approved by municipal officials in February of 2014. The Bulgarian people revere President Reagan for spearheading international efforts to topple the Soviet bloc, ushering in their transition to democratic rule.

http://www.yaf.org/news/bulgarian-capital-unveils-statue-ronald-reagan-honor-victory-communism/

Skeptics who believe a border wall will not stop illegals from entering the United States may want to look at what’s happening in Hungary.

On the day its border fence was completed, the influx of illegals entering Hungary went down from 6,353 one day to 870 the next. For the remainder of that month, illegal border crossings were steadily below 40 per day, officials said.

“They don’t even try,” a local border guard told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “We haven’t had a Syrian in six months.”

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s pledge to stop illegals from flowing into the country appears to be a spectacular success.

Hungary’s 96-mile long, 14-foot tall double-line fence includes several layers of razor-wire capable of delivering electric shocks. The barrier features cameras, heat sensors and loudspeakers ready to tell migrants they’re about to break Hungarian law if they as much as touch the fence, the April 30 Daily Caller report said.

http://www.worldtribune.com/they-dont-even-try-hungarys-new-border-fence-called-spectacular-success/

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/torch-wielding-protesters-gather-at-lee-park/article_201dc390-384d-11e7-bf16-fb43de0f5d38.html

No matter what your ideology, if you’re a protester in the West, Russia is indeed your friend.

Are things finally looking up in Ukraine as it struggles to match the reform expectations of the 2014 Revolution of Dignity? While substantial challenges remain, a recent nationwide municipal poll conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI) indicates clear progress on reforms at the local level, despite continuing pessimism on the national level.

The poll, made possible with the support of the Government of Canada, is the third annual nationwide municipal survey of its kind carried out by the IRI. It draws from a sample of more than 19,000 respondents from 24 Ukrainian cities representing oblast centers across the country, including Mariupol and Severodonetsk close to the frontlines in the east Ukraine conflict zone.

Fruits of Decentralization

With so much attention focused on Ukraine’s national political and economic ratings, this regional municipal survey provides a rare and enlightening below-the-surface look at the issues and political developments impacting the largest regional cities in Ukraine, including those on the contact line with Russian-backed forces. The results are as striking as they are surprising. Despite the fact that the full legislative package of decentralization measures has not yet been implemented across the country, it seems the decentralization processes that have begun are already having a positive impact on local Ukrainian communities.

Comparisons with the results of previous years highlight evidence of changing attitudes towards local government throughout Ukraine. Approval ratings for local authorities have increased significantly year-on-year. Growing support for city mayors was one the biggest changes, with the figure rising from 14 percent in 2015 to 49 percent in 2017. Similarly, city councils rose to 25 percent, while even the less visible municipal executive committees saw a seven-point increase in public approval (from 25 percent to 32 percent) over the past three years.

Public views of city services are also on the upswing.

http://bunews.com.ua/society/item/ukraines-decentralization-dividend-signs-of-regional-reform-progress-amid-frustrations-at-national-level

http://carnegieendowment.org/2017/05/03/assessing-russia-s-reorganized-and-rearmed-military-pub-69853

For Russia, the “Great War” was 1941-1945. The years 1939 and 1940, like so many other things, have been discarded.

Russia has been provoking regional conflict among its neighbors for centuries.

On April 26, 2017 a monument to the soldiers of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was destroyed in the Polish village of Grushovitsa. Photos of the ruined monument was posted by the employee of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory Pavlo Podobed on his facebook, the photos have also appeared on a number of Polish web recources.

Two years ago, unknown persons had tore off a sign from the monument, which served as a formal reason to consider the monument as an emergency one.

https://ukrainiancrusade.blogspot.com/2017/05/kremlin-is-behind-demolition-of.html

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed 12 high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Investigative Committee and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM).

As reported on the official information portal, those who lost their positions include Vladimir Artamonov, deputy minister of civil defense and emergency situations, and Rim Gabluddin, colonel of justice and first deputy head of the Russian Investigative Committee for the Republic of Bashkortostan. Yuriy Rykov, Prosecutor General for the Kostroma region, also lost his position.

Others who were dismissed include general-major Sergey Vorontsov, deputy head of EMERCOM, Alexey Evdokimov, head of the investigative committee on the Ulyanovsk region, as well as general-lieutenant Grigory Zheludov, head of the Federal Penitentiary Service for Perm Krai.

http://uawire.org/news/putin-fires-12-high-ranking-generals#