Kiev

Kiev (Ukrainian: Київ - Kyiv, Russian: Киев - "Kiev") is the capital and largest city of Ukraine with - officially - over 2.7 million inhabitants (unofficially claimed number is up to 4.0 million inhabitants). The city is located in north central Ukraine on the Dnipro (Dniepr) river.

[edit]Understand

Ukrainians are understandably very proud of their capital's role in establishing European civilisation in Eastern Europe.

Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, its official history dating back to the 5th century, although settlement on this location was present since much earlier. By late 9th century Kiev became the chef-lieu of the emerging state of the Eastern Slavic tribes, and between the 10th and early 13th century, it reached its golden age as the capital of the first Ukrainian state known today as Kievan Rus, (Kyivan Ruthenia, or Rus-Ukraine), which predated modern Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

In the middle of the 13th century Kievan Rus was overrun by the Mongols, and later this century Kiev became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1654 Kiev was liberated from the commonwealth by Cossack Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who then promptly signed the city over to become a protectorate of Russia.

In 1775 it was completely annexed by the Russian Empire. The city remained under Russian rule, with brief, but uncertain, periods of independence in between 1918 and 1920. During these two centuries, Kiev experienced growing Russification and Russian immigration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kiev became the capital of independent Ukraine and is now quickly learning the role of a large European capital.

According to the last census (2001) Kiev has a population of 2,600,000, although it's generally acknowledged that, in 2006, that the population is over 3 million. About 85% declare themselves as Ukrainians, 12% as Russians, there are also Armenian, Azeri, Belarusian, Jewish, Georgian, Polish, Romanian and Tatar minorities. Today, not only has the population of Kiev likely increased, but also percentage of Ukrainians declaring Ukrainian nationality, as a result of the strong nationalist movement after the October 2004 Orange Revolution. Nevertheless, even most ethnic Ukrainians in Kiev tend to use Russian more frequently than Ukrainian both in business and in everyday conversation.

About 40% of the population has secondary education.

The average summer temperature is 24°C, and in winter is -4°C.

Russian is widely spoken in Kiev, particularly in business, including shops and restaurants. The common English name for the city, "Kiev," is a transliteration from the Russian language. The transliteration of the city's name from Ukrainian is "Kyiv", and this variation is used in many English language materials in Ukraine.

Many people in Kyiv are hospitable and will be eager to help you. However, if you're from Western Europe or North America, you may find service in restaurants and shops less attentive than you're accustomed to.

Apartment Rentals Kiev

Day of decision!

Finally after 15 months, numerous documents notarized, apostilled, translated into Ukrainian, then notarized in Ukraine, submitted to government, redoing some of the documents because of some technicalities, meeting with a lawyer, paying court fees and an hour in the courtroom with the judge – the decision has been announced that Sergei and Valera are part of the Kuenzli family. Well, at least in 10 more days as Ukraine requires a 10 day waiting period before it’s all signed sealed and delivered.

Now you may be asking – it that the end? Nope! After the 10 days are over we begin the task of getting new Ukrainian documents with their new names. Which by the way are – Will Peterson and James Peterson Kuenzli. On 19 May we’ll start getting their new birth certificates, tax IDs, and then medical exams (required by the US govt), Ukrainian passports and finally the all important US visa. That should be all finished by 29 May, if all goes as we have planned.

Probably the best part of this whole thing was when Sergei (Will) asked me as the judge was reading the official court decree in its entirety – “if the judge says yes, does that mean we now have a Mom and Dad?” When I told him yes he got a HUGE smile on his face. There was absolutely no doubting what he wanted the outcome to be!

Please continue to pray as we finish the documents and as the boys begin transitioning! Thanks!!

ps. Appartment Kiev Ukraine

Christmas Traditions in Ukraine.

Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated January 7 according to the Gregorian calendar as in most of other Orthodox Christian countries.

During the Soviet time it was not officially celebrated in Ukraine. Instead communist government tried to substitute Christmas with the holiday of New Year. But people did not forget their traditions. After gaining it’s independence in 1991 Ukraine started to celebrate Christmas officially as well.

There are numerous Christmas traditions here. They vary significantly at the different parts of Ukraine.

In most parts of Ukraine on the Christmas Eve people create so-called ‘Vertep’ (means cave in ancient Greek). These are scenes from Bible of Jesus birth. They show little Jesus in manger, Mary, strangers offering their gifts and Bethlehem star in the sky. Those verteps are exhibited at public places, usually near or inside churches. At night candles are installed inside verteps for people who come to church for the night service can observe them.

The Christmas Eve is called in Ukraine ‘Sviaty Vechir’ (Holy Evening) sometimes also called ‘Sviata Vecheria’ (Holy Supper). People usually cook some tasty foods for this evening. There should be at least 12 different foods on the table. Those should mandatory include ‘Kutia’ -- the ritual food which is prepared from cooked wheat and special syrup containing diluted honey, grated poppy seeds, raisins and sometimes walnuts.

Flat in Kiev

Russia and Ukraine forge new ties

Ukraine's pro-Western president has said talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin represent a new chapter in relations between the two states.

Mr Putin is visiting Ukraine for the first time in nearly two years amid signs of improving ties.

Relations have been strained since the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko defeated the Kremlin-favoured candidate for the presidency two years ago.

Mr Putin described the talks as both friendly and businesslike.

'Political will'

Speaking after his meeting with Mr Yushchenko, he said that only co-operation between the two countries could guarantee energy security in Europe.

The Russian president's visit comes nearly a year after Russia briefly cut off natural gas supplies to the former Soviet republic over a price dispute.

Last month, Moscow announced that Ukraine - which remains heavily dependent on Russian gas - would have a smaller increase in the price of gas imports than its neighbours.

Mr Yushchenko, said that trust, mutual understanding and political will were needed to tackle many of the disagreements between the two neighbours.

"On many issues there is pure politicisation that stands in the way of removing them from the agenda," he said.

But he said the lack of a confrontational attitude in addressing these issues was "the biggest breakthrough of today."

Power struggle

The visit comes amid an escalating power struggle between Ukraine's president and prime minister.

The pro-Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych, is increasingly edging out the president.

Since his election, Mr Yanukovych has made it a key part of his policy to improve ties with Moscow, damaged after the 2004 Orange Revolution.

The BBC's Helen Fawkes, in Kiev, says that the trip has been seen by some as an attempt by Russia to boost its influence over Ukraine now that a prime minister seen as friendly towards Russia is in place.

During the meeting, the two presidents also discussed Russia's Black Sea fleet, which is currently based in Ukraine.

The lease for the naval base is due to run out in 10 years' time, and Moscow is keen to extend this.

Mr Putin said the Black Sea fleet was an important factor in regional security and stability, but said that the interests of both countries should be taken into account.

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Ukraine still feeling gas pressure

Ukrainian householders have seen gas bills double

It was a year ago that Ukrainians woke up to discover that Russia had gone ahead with its threat to cut off gas supplies.

Kiev had refused to meet demands by Moscow to substantially increase the price.

A few days later Ukraine agreed to almost double what it paid, and the gas was turned back on.

A repeat of the gas crisis is unlikely as the two neighbouring countries have agreed a deal for 2007 which puts the cost up by another 40%.

It is ordinary Ukrainians who are being hit the hardest by the consequences of the dispute.

Life is desperate and with the energy bills going up, it's going much, much worse Galina Alekseeva Pensioner

In the last year, energy bills paid by householders have gone up by more than 100%. That has sparked anger, as Ukraine is one of the poorest countries in Europe.

There has been a wave of action across the country.

Thousands gathered in the capital recently to demonstrate about the price they have to pay for gas and other utilities, which is set to increase again in January.

"My pension is worth $75 (£38) a month but the council wants me to pay almost all my pension on bills," complains Galina Alekseeva.

"Already we can't afford to eat or drink properly. We can't afford to get sick and pay for medicine."

"Life is desperate and with the energy bills going up, it's going much, much worse," she adds.

'Chain reaction'

There is now speculation in the media that some people may simply stop paying their bills.

"This problem may lead to a negative chain reaction," says political commentator Volodymyr Fesenko.

"If the public doesn't pay, this may cause a shortage of funds for the energy companies. This is fraught with political problems and risks."

Ukraine gets 30% of its gas from Russia

At the same time the cost of living in this former Soviet state is also going up.

"In the past prices were kept artificially low, but these have started to become more realistic. And so, for example, the cost of food and transport is increasing, which has been a great shock for people," says Eldar Gazizulin, an economist at the Institute for International Policy Studies in Kiev.

Ukraine remains one of the biggest consumers of gas in Europe. Its industry is dominated by steel and chemicals producers.

These sectors use high levels of gas and there were fears some of these businesses would be destroyed by the increased price of energy.

World prices for chemicals and steel have however remained good, limiting the impact, but should the prices drop there are concerns these companies would no longer be able to compete so effectively on the international stage.

"It's the chemicals sector which is likely to be the first to suffer and who will face the threat of bankruptcy," says political analyst Oksana Shulier.

Wake-up call

Ukraine continues to be one of the most energy-inefficient countries in Europe.

The wake-up call that urgent action was needed to transform its Soviet-era energy systems came on New Year's Day in 2006.

It is estimated that those reforms will cost Ukraine more than $20bn, but in the last year the government spent less than $500m. "It feels like little has changed," says Mr Gazizulin.

"There have been lots of public statements about energy efficiency since the gas crisis, but the state just can't afford to spend the huge sums of money needed to properly introduce power saving measures."

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Kiev becomes latest property hotspot

When you think about property hotspots in Eastern Europe, Prague, Warsaw or even the Baltic states may spring to mind.

Most new flats are sold with unfinished walls and floors

Few people would necessarily put the capital of Ukraine in the same category.

Yet Kiev is now believed to be the most expensive city in Eastern Europe in which to buy a home.

Prices increased by 10-25% in just the final two months of 2006.

New blocks of flats are springing up across the capital of this former Soviet republic.

Concrete shell

One such is the Triumph apartment complex.

It overlooks rolling hills and golden-domed churches on the edge of the city, and according to TMM, the company responsible, will have a swimming pool, spa and underground parking.

It makes me feel hopeless and helpless... there is no place for young professionals like me in this city Tanya Voroshko

Although months remain till the building is complete, much of it has been sold already.

And although the flats remains a concrete shell - as with most flats in Kiev, it is up to the owners to fit floors and doors and finish the walls - a three-bedroom unit is valued at about $1m.

This kind of price is estimated to be about three times what it would have been two years ago - although, with no public register, no-one is entirely sure of the exact figures.

The cost of apartments has already overtaken some EU cities like Amsterdam.

"It's been amazing," says Tanya Plemenyuk from NAI Pickard Commercial Real Estate Services, who is showing a prospective investor round the flat.

"Kiev has experienced such a property boom. I bought a flat three years ago for $30,000, and now its worth up to $200,000."

Speculators

Part of the story is simply a rising demand for accommodation as wages go up and the economy grows - a demand for which supply cannot keep up.

Many sites operate 24 hours a day

"People simply want to move out of their old Soviet style housing, and move into something more comfortable," says Jaroslav Kinach from property developers XXI Century Investments.

In addition, many Ukrainians don't trust banks, preferring property as a way of securing their savings.

And then there is also a new class of super-rich Ukrainians looking for ways to invest their money: a tiny, but incredibly wealthy, group of business people who have done well since the collapse of the USSR, often in traditional industries such as steel production.

But the main driver for the property boom is speculation.

Investors tend to snap up new flats, then leave them unfinished and empty - adding to the imbalance between supply and demand.

At the offices of agents Parker and Obolensky, prices start at $500,000.

"In my experience the most expensive places cost $25,000 per square metre," says Parker and Obolensky's Ruslan Suchkoe.

"That's not a joke. Apartments of this price are about 100 to 300 square meters in size."

Such a valuation would put the top of the market at around $7.5m.

Out of balance?

But despite the building frenzy, Ukraine remains one of the poorest countries in Europe.

For many living in Soviet-era blocks, the new flats remain out of reach

The cheapest one-bedroom flat in Kiev costs in the region of $100,000- far beyond the reach of most people in a city where the average salary is about $200 a month.

At the age of 30, Tanya Voroshko still lives with her mother.

For her, buying her own home seems like an impossible dream.

"It makes me feel hopeless and helpless," she says.

"No matter how hard you try, taking into account I make pretty good money, still I can't afford it.

"It makes me feel angry and like there is no place for young professionals like me in this city."

Even as darkness falls across the capital, the building work continues.

Some building sites operate 24 hours a day.

But with so much speculation, and such an imbalance between prices and salaries, many fear that the residential property market in Kiev is in danger of overheating.

It could be a bubble - and if so, there is no way of knowing when it might burst

apartment kiev ukraine

Yushchenko: How Low Can He Go?

KIEV, Ukraine -- We all know about the rise and fall of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. He was respected as the head of the National Bank, then trusted during his short stint as prime minister, and finally swept into the presidency during the country's Orange Revolution.

SBU security service armed men, sent by Viktor Yushchenko, stand in the headquarters of Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz in Kiev on March 4, 2009.
It seemed like a fairy-tale political career - and indeed it was. A common thread that runs through Yushchenko's fairy tale is inaction: As the nation's top banker he was a technocrat, as prime minister he bowed to the corrupt President Leonid Kuchma (who ironically may go down in history as a more capable Ukrainian leader), and as president he has allowed himself to be manipulated by allies and bullied by opponents, many of whom are former allies.

Yushchenko isn't only the hero of his fairy tale gone wrong, he is one of the few people who still believes it. At one time, his fellow countrymen, with more hope than experience in democracy, also believed in Yushchenko. Now his public approval ratings are in the single-digit range.

He was hailed as 'the messiah' upon taking over the country in 2005. Part of the reason that Yushchenko was honored with this seemingly blasphemous appellation is that he suffered like a messiah during his rise to the presidency, particularly when his face was disfigured by poison during the 2004 election campaign. But despite the treachery and indignity of it all, Yushchenko showed himself to be more of a patient sufferer than an indomitable hero.

Over the succeeding years, the pro-Western Ukrainian president managed to squander the confidence of voters, foreign leaders and - most importantly - the vast majority of his political allies. His faction in parliament is no longer his, or apparently anyone else's; his appointments in the government are assailed and then dismissed, often later joining one of Yushchenko's political opponents. But Yushchenko's biggest mistake has been current Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, his one-time co-revolutionary turned unrelenting competitor for the presidency.

Either because of her or in comparison to her, Yushchenko has come to be known as weak, incapable and indecisive. In turns and sometimes in league with the villain of the Orange Revolution, former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, Tymoshenko has isolated the president from his power base while stripping him of his power. The presidential authority enjoyed by Yushchenko is a fraction of that wielded by his predecessor Leonid Kuchma.

As the road to the next presidential elections shortens, flanked by economic chaos, trench political warfare and sour foreign relations, it appears that Yushchenko is trying to consolidate his legacy. Resigned to electoral defeat, he might at least be trying to lay the foundations for future stability - European integration, NATO membership, Orthodox unity, confidence in Ukrainian culture, etc.

Whatever his drawbacks in terms of teambuilding, resolve and decisiveness, the man's integrity has never seriously been challenged, either because it is unassailable or because most Ukrainians wouldn't believe otherwise. Instead, Yushchenko's opponents have almost always accused him of surrounding himself with corrupt advisors and fellow travellers, thereby making him guilty of only bad judgment.

But now, after years of inter- and intra-factional instability, Yushchenko's enemies (i.e. Prime Minister Tymoshenko) are going for the juggler. No longer just the guy who failed to fulfill the values of the Orange Revolution, failed to reign in political infighting, failed to deliver economic prosperity, and ticked off the Russians to boot, Yushchenko is being painted as a desperate man willing to ally with the foulest of characters and betray the most basic of national interests in order to keep his job. And worst of all, the president himself is holding the paint brush.

Last week, the battle between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko for power reached a new low, when the nation's spy service, the SBU, raided the offices of its national energy company, Naftohaz-Ukrayiny. The SBU, which is controlled by President Yushchenko, claimed that Naftohaz, which is controlled by Ms. Tymoshenko, had "stolen" 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas from now redundant intermediary gas dealer RosUkrEnergo.

With no pipelines or gas fields of its own, RosUkrEnergo had made billions of dollars trading gas between Russia and Ukraine, before Tymoshenko agreed with Moscow earlier this year to get rid of the Swiss-registered company.

Connected in numerous media reports to a Russian gangster, RosUkrEnergo is championed and half owned by a previously little-known Ukrainian businessman named Dmytro Firtash.

Tymoshenko has made Firtash out to be a parasitic middleman, but RosUkrEnergo was also half-owned by Gazprom, and the gas-trade contracts were approved by the Kremlin and Mr. Yushchenko.

But up until now, everyone has sort of given Yushchenko the benefit of the doubt when he said that it was the Kremlin that included Firtash and company in the Russian-Ukrainian gas trade.

Then why - the question goes - is Yushchenko trying to protect the interests of Mr. Firtash by forcing Tymoshenko to turn over the 11 billion cubic meters of gas (about a fifth of what Ukraine imports annually)?

When customs chief Valery Khoroshkovsky refused to clear the "stolen" gas, Tymoshenko fired him. Yushchenko, however, rehired him as deputy head of the SBU, from whose ranks Khoroshkovsky began to try to get control of the gas from Tymoshenko.

Khoroshkovsky, who formally owns a major Ukrainian TV stations de facto controlled by Firtash, even went so far as to arrest the customs official who eventually cleared the gas, but lawmakers from Tymoshenko's faction in parliament pulled "a raid" of their own to free the official from the remand center where he was being held.

On the one hand, this incident is just the latest battle between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko over state revenues, which both suspect each other of planning to use to finance their presidential ambitions.

If we give Yushchenko the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is trying to stop Tymoshenko from commandeering state resources, the question remains as to the president's connection to Firtash.

If Yushchenko really isn't trying to help Firtash in return for the controversial businessman's financial backing, the president is really making it look that way.

As for Tymoshenko, she comes out relatively well either way: either she is robbing a man who is seen by many as having robbed Ukraine, or she is trying to keep gas prices low for ordinary Ukrainians.

Another issue is the lawlessness of it all. Yushchenko pushed the limits of legality before, during his power struggles with former Prime Minister Yanukovych. But Yanukovych had been trying to usurp presidential authority.

Tymoshenko, at worst, is trying to finance her campaign against a man destined to lose his re-election bid anyway. Surely these aren’t grounds for sending the nation's spy service into action?

We may never know who actually benefited from Ukraine's shady gas trade - except of course Mr. Firtash - but with the Kremlin having distanced itself from RosUkrEnergo, Yushchenko may end up holding the bag.

He's going to lose the presidency anyway, and his visions of Western integration may be lost as well, but the hero of the Orange Revolution's reputation is now in the air, along with the question: how low can he go?

Source: Eurasian Home

Apartment Kiev

KYIV, THE CAPITAL OF UKRAINE

Kyiv (also known as Kiev), a scenic city of close to 3 million people situated on the Dnipro River, is the bustling capital of Ukraine. Ancient Kievan Rus, which reached its greatest period of ascendancy during the 11th and 12th centuries, was a center of trade routes between the Baltic and the Mediterranean. The city of Kyiv and the power of Kievan Rus were destroyed in 1240 by Mongol invaders and the lands of Kievan Rus were divided into principalities located to the west and north: Galicia, Volynia, Muscovy and later, Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. Once a powerful force on the European scene, Ukraine's fate in modern times has been decided in far-off capitals. As a result, modern Ukrainian history, for the most part, has been defined by foreign occupation.

The art and architecture of Kyiv are world treasures. The Cathedral of St. Sophia, where the princes of Kyiv were crowned in the years of Kyiv's grandeur, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century. Overlooking the old section of Kyiv, Podol, stands the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew, much beloved by Ukrainians. The Percherska Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, a short trolley ride from the center of town, has two 11th-century cathedrals on its grounds, in addition to its world-famous catacombs, bell tower, and museum collections. Close to the center of town stands the Golden Gate, a structure which dates back to 1037. This recently reconstructed remains of the former fortified wall of the city defined the limits of the city in centuries past. Several blocks away, stands the magnificent 19th-century Cathedral of St. Volodymyr.

Theater buffs will find much to choose from here. Most performances are in Ukrainian or Russian. The recently renovated Kyiv Opera House presents very good opera as well as a broad repertoire of ballets. The Kyiv Young Theater is very popular and stages innovative plays in Ukrainian or Russian. The Ivan Franko Theater is the center of Ukrainian drama, comedy, and musicals. This repertoire has just opened its 75th season and includes brilliant versions of Aeneid and Teve Tevel, the original version of Fiddler on the Roof.

The modern center with surviving parts of the old city are on the hilly west, or right bank, of the Dnipro River. The main street, Khreshchatik, runs between two steep hills. Parallel about half a kilometer west, is vulytsya Volodymyrska, the main street of the Old Kyiv area (Staryj Kyiv). From the north end of Khreshchatik, vulytsya Hrushevskoho rises southeast along a ridge to the Caves Monastery at Perchersk. Woods and parks cover most of the steep right-bank slopes. The capital's newer sections stretch out on the flat left bank. These are characterized by large housing developments and industrialized neighborhoods.

Apartment in rent Ukraine

Culture of Ukraine

For decades, the Western world perceived Ukraine as simply a part of Russia. But borscht, painted eggs and many of the famous Cossack song and dance traditions originated in Ukraine. Western Ukrainians consider themselves to be 100% Ukrainian and the vanguard of their culture, speaking their language and trumpeting their nationalism. In the east, where over 10 million ethnic Russians live, nationalism is less intense, and most people speak Russian.

Ukrainian, like Russian and Belarusian, is an Eastern Slavic language. It's arguably the closest of the three to the original 9th century Slavonic used in Kiev before the more formal Church Slavonic from Bulgaria was introduced with Christianity in the 10th century. Despite being watered down by Russian and Polish and being banned by Tsar Alexander II in 1876, the Ukrainian language persevered and is becoming more widespread. It was adopted as the country's official language in 1990, though Russian is understood by almost everyone.

The origins of Ukraine's national literature go back to medieval Slavic chronicles such as the 12th century Slovo o polku Ihrevim (The Tale of Ihor's Armament). The beginnings of modern Ukrainian literature stem from mid-18th century wandering philosopher Hryhorii Skovoroda, the Ukrainian Socrates. Skovoroda wrote poems and philosophical tracts in Ukrainian, aimed at the common person rather than the elite. Taras Shevchenko, an ardent nationalist who was born a serf in 1814 and became a national hero, was the first major writer in Ukrainian. His work launched a golden age of Ukrainian literature. The most talented and prolific writer of the early 20th century was Ivan Franko, whose work spanned fiction, poetry, drama, philosophy and children's stories. Many writers made the Soviet occupation their subject, and many suffered for it. Vasyl Stus' Winter Trees (1968) and Candle in the Mirror(1977) set the agony of dissidence to poetry; Stus eventually was killed in a Soviet labour camp. The Union of Ukrainian Writers in Kiev was instrumental in bringing about independence from the USSR in 1991.

Ukrainian music has its roots in centuries-old oral traditions of bylyny (epic narrative poems) and dumas, which were long lyrical ballads glorifying the exploits of the Cossacks. The roots of Ukrainian folk music lie in the legendary kobzar, wandering minstrels of the 16th and 17th centuries who accompanied their songs of heroic exploits (mostly of the Cossacks) with the kobza, a lute-like instrument. The bandura, a larger instrument with up to 45 strings, replaced the kozba in the 18th century. Bandura choirs were soon all the rage, and the instrument became the national symbol. Today, the Ukrainian Bandura Chorus from Kiev performs worldwide. Mykola Lysenko is probably the best known Ukrainian classical composer, famous for basing piano works on Ukrainian folk songs. Popular contemporary musicians include the punk band Plach Yeremiyi and the singer-songwriter Nina Matvienko, who draws heavily on Ukrainian folk traditions.

Christianity came to Ukraine late in the 10th century. The Catholic and Orthodox churches split in 1054, and Orthodoxy itself later split into three main branches, each one with a different relationship to Moscow-controlled Russian Orthodoxy and to Roman Catholicism. Church buildings dominate Ukrainian architecture. One unique genre is the wooden church, featuring gables and wooden-shingled onion domes and cupolas - all held together by complex joinery without nails. As part of their campaign to crush Ukrainian identity and nationalism, the Soviets demolished hundreds of sacred buildings in the 1930s, including four 12th century cathedrals. Painting also has its roots in religious themes. Until the 17th century, the key expression was the icon - a small image of Christ, the Virgin, angels or saints, painted on a limewood panel and attributed with healing and spiritual powers. Church murals, mosaics, frescoes and illuminated manuscripts developed at the same time as the icon. The rise of the Cossacks in the 17th century stimulated new schools of secular painting with nationalist themes. After the deadening chill of decades of Soviet Realism, stylistic experimentation and nationalist themes are once again rampant.

Ukrainian cuisine stems from peasant dishes based on grains and staple vegetables like potatoes, cabbage, beets and mushrooms. Meat is typically boiled, fried or stewed. Desserts are usually laden with honey and fruit, mainly cherries and plums, and often baked into sweet breads. While the small dumplings known as varenyky are by far the most popular Ukrainian snack, the sacred dish is salo - pig fat. Salo consumption goes back centuries, and Ukrainians age and prize it as obsessively as the French do wine. Borscht originated in Ukraine and is still the national soup; the beet and mixed-vegetable broth is typically served with cream. Ironically, good Ukrainian food is hard to find in Ukraine, as most top-end restaurants serve trendy Euro cuisine. The best Ukrainian cooking is found in the home; if you get invited to someone's house for a meal, you're in for a treat. Alcohol is plentiful and the drink is usually vodka, a clear distilate of wheat, rye or sometimes potatoes.

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Tymoshenko Wants Kiev Mayor Out

KIEV, Ukraine -- This week, the Ukrainian parliament called an early election for the post of mayor of Kiev. This is a victory for Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s bloc (BYuT), which spearheaded a campaign to oust Kiev Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky, accusing him of corruption.

Yulia Tymoshenko (R) wants to oust Kiev Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky (L).
However, there is no unity in the Orange camp, so Chernovetsky may win if he runs for re-election. He can also appeal against parliament’s decision, which apparently was not legally sound.

Chernovetsky came to politics from the business world. He founded Pravex Bank in the early 1990s and he was elected to parliament. Chernovetsky sided with future President Viktor Yushchenko during the 2004 Orange Revolution.

In March 2006, he surprisingly won the mayoral election in Kiev. His opponents alleged that Chernovetsky won the hearts and minds of the poorest residents by distributing foodstuffs free of charge ahead of the election.

Having no big party behind him, Chernovetsky has had to walk a fine line between the main players in the city council, trying to be on good terms with both Yushchenko’s team and the Party of Regions (PRU) of former prime minister Viktor Yanukovych.

Chernovetsky’s opponents on several occasions have accused him of bribing city council deputies by illegally allotting them choice plots in Kiev for construction projects. Chernovetsky always denied those accusations.

Early this year, Chernovetsky had a quarrel with Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko. The two accused each other of corruption, and Lutsenko punched him in the face.

Relations between the mayor and Lutsenko’s People’s Self-Defense group – the junior partner in Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense bloc (NUNS) – were seriously damaged.

Chernovetsky also failed to find a common language with Tymoshenko, who at some point was rumored to harbor mayoral ambitions herself.

Tymoshenko was prompted into action by a mass defection of city council deputies from BYuT to Chernovetsky’s team. When Tymoshenko tried to replace the defectors with other BYuT members, appealing to the law on binding mandates that forbids deputies to change caucuses, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) refused to back her.

A furious Tymoshenko demanded the dismissal of both Chernovetsky and CEC chairman Volodymyr Shapoval, a Yushchenko appointee.

On March 7, the BYuT pushed through parliament a resolution to set up an ad-hoc commission to investigate “violations of the constitution and laws” by Chernovetsky.

On March 12, the Cabinet voted to approach Yushchenko with a request to dismiss Chernovetsky over alleged illegal land deals. All BYuT representatives in the Cabinet backed the motion, but five NUNS ministers abstained, arguing that Yushchenko has no legal power to dismiss the mayor.

The head of Yushchenko’s secretariat, Viktor Baloha, said that the Cabinet had failed to come up with any documents to substantiate their charges.

Chernovetsky helped Yushchenko save face. On March 13, he sent a letter to Yushchenko suggesting a temporary absence. Yushchenko then suspended Chernovetsky for 15 days and set up a government commission to probe Chernovetsky.

Tymoshenko, however, was not satisfied. On March 16, she threatened a BYuT walk-out of parliament if lawmakers failed to call an early mayoral election.

This is necessary, she said, because the “Kiev mayor and his entourage created colossal corruption schemes in selling and distributing land and other property.”

Baloha and the PRU dismissed Tymoshenko’s demand as too radical, arguing that the commission set up by Yushchenko should first report on its findings and accusing Tymoshenko of undermining political stability.

However, on March 18 parliament voted in favor of conducting early elections for mayor and city council in Kiev. The motion was backed by 246 votes in the 450-seat body, including the votes of BYuT, NUNS, and the Communists.

Commenting on the motion, politicians from different camps agreed that Chernovetsky will likely appeal in court. Anatoly Matvienko, one of the leaders of NUNS, said that parliament had acted illegally, as the law allows the calling of an early mayoral election only if the illegal activities of a mayor were proved in court, which is not the case.

It is possible that Chernovetsky will win re-election, which will most probably be held in June, in line with legislation that gives 70 days to conduct a campaign in case of an early mayoral election.

The PRU and the Communists have weak positions in Kiev and will hardly field strong candidates, while the situation in the Orange camp is the opposite: too many hopefuls and no unity. BYuT reportedly rejected NUNS’s proposals on coming up with a single candidate.

There are at least five popular politicians among the Orange camp who do not conceal mayoral ambitions.

These are Lutsenko (NUNS); Kiev Council deputy Vitaly Klichko, who is a former world boxing champion (unaffiliated); former deputy prime minister and former deputy speaker of parliament Mykola Tomenko (BYuT); former mayor Oleksandr Omelchenko (NUNS); and former vice-mayor Mykhaylo Pozhyvanov (BYuT), who chairs the state committee for material reserves.

Source: Eurasia Daily Monitor

Apartement for Rent Kiev

Apartment for Rent in Ukraine

Find out about available options.

Looking for accommodation in Ukraine you have to take into consideration a few important things.

• Before 1991 tourism in Ukraine was not even considered as a branch of the State economy. It was just a neglected part of "the sphere of services". Foreign tourists were allowed to visit officially designated "open" cities only. Practically no Soviet citizens were allowed to travel abroad.
• In the present day tourist industry became one of the fastest growing branches of the Ukraine's economy.
• Ukraine tourism has huge potential: over 500 cities of Ukraine are more than 900 years old, 4500 villages were founded more than 300 years ago. More than 150 thousands monuments of culture, history, archeology reflect the remarkable history of the Ukrainian people. But Ukraine tourist industry still has a long way to go to reach the best world standards.

How does it relate to finding accommodation in Ukraine? Rental services in Ukraine are still not competitive enough to strive to offer their customers the best price/quality ratio.

Economics is a stubborn thing. If demand is higher than supply, people are willing to pay higher prices in order to get decent place to stay. But from the other side rental industry in Ukraine attracts a lot of investors and situation is changing for the better.

What should you expect looking for place to stay in Ukraine? There are a few accommodation options available.

• State-run or privately owned hotels. Depending on the city and level of service their price range is enormous - from $10 to $600 for a room. There is a shortage of 3, 4, and 5-star hotels in Ukraine. Very often private hotels have better quality and a little more expensive. Perhaps the best developed net of small and non expensive family-run inns with excellent living conditions exists in theCarpathian area. There is a good chance to find good private hotels in Crimea.
• Short-term or long-term apartment rentalsis a real alternative to hotels. They are especially popular in Kiev due to a lack of quality hotels. The companies running apartments provide pretty the same set of services as hotels do. The prices for apartments are usually 50-60% less for the same area and quality than hotels.
• Youth hostels are a low-cost alternative for those who are on a tight budget. Price range is from $6 to $35 per person. There are no too many of them in Ukraine yet. The most exhaustive list of hostels and booking service can be found at Ukraine Youth Hostels page. Hostels accommodate anyone - not only young people. Highly recommended for students or the adventurous backpackers.
• Ukraine Timeshares are your opportunity to make your favorite region of Ukraine a home away from home when you buy a vacation property in the area. These vacation properties tend to be more cost-effective, over time, than paying for nightly accommodations every time you travel because they allow owners to divide the cost of property ownership among several parties.

Apartment for Rent in Kiev

What You Should Know About Money Issue - Kiev

Ukrainian currency is called Hryvna and is divided into 100 Kopecks. For an average exchange rate, count that a dollar is worth 8.00 -10.00  Hryvnas, Euro about 11.00-12.00 Hryvnas and British Pound 10 Hryvnas. It is best to bring USD or EUR in cash to Ukraine for easy exchange, but you can also safely withdraw money from ATMs featuring the international banking/credit symbols. Always carry small bills to pay for items such as cigarettes or taxi fares. You can withdraw hryvnas (UAH) and, in some ATMs, USD. Many prices (such as airline tickets) are stated using an abbreviation y.e. in Cyrillic, pronounced oo yeah:-) One y.e. is one American dollar. Spend all hryvnas before leaving the country as you can't take them out.

ATM's: The NBU has decreed that commercial banks must ensure uninterrupted operation of their ATM's  and put cash in them in order to ensure prompt payment of wages, pensions, stipends and other social benefits as well as to dispense cash on payment cards issued by other banks. 

Exchanging money
Exchanging money is easy, especially in the city center where exchange points are plentiful. The most common currencies exchanged are USD, EUR, Russian rubles and British pounds. Banks will exchange most other major European and international currencies. A non stop exchange point is located in the Furshet supermarket in the Arena Shopping Mall on Krasnoarmyiska Street.

Credit Cards and traveler checks
Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, American Express rarely so. Travelers checks can be cashed in branches or affiliates of most major banks. See list below.

Sending money
To send or receive money in Ukraine, you can use Western Union, the services of which are available in many exchange points, banks, post offices and other places. See: Western Union

Opening a bank account
To open a bank account in Ukraine, you need your passport and a document to confirm your registration (such as an apartment rental contract or confirmation from the hotel of your stay). Accounts may be in UAH, USD or EUR. Internet banking is available with some banks, including with personal deposit accounts. The highest percentage is given on deposits in UAH, then USD and least in EUR.

Accomodation Kiev

American Chamber Of Commerce: Investors Want To See Ukraine's Successful Eurointegration

KIEV, Ukraine -- Foreign and domestic investors want to see Ukraine gaining membership of the European Union, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine Jorge Zukoski has said.

AmCham's President Jorge Zukoski
"Both foreign and domestic investors are interested in seeing the successful integration of Ukraine with the European Union. This will significantly increase the competitiveness of Ukraine and help it find its proper place in the global community," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

Zukoski said that one of the determining factors in the country's Eurointegration would be "successful talks on its associated membership and joining an agreement on a free trade area."

"The whole business community should have a sufficiently clear intention to provide all of its support to Ukraine to ensure the successful outcome of these talks," he said.

Source: Kyiv Post

Accommodation Kiev - For those Who is going to visit Ukraine

No Hope To Reconcile Yushchenko And Tymoshenko, Speaker Lytvyn Says

KIEV, Ukraine -- “Unfortunately, I have to admit that there is no hope to reconcile President Yushchenko and Premier Tymoshenko,” Speaker Lytvyn told his voters in the Ternopil oblast. As soon as any decision is taken by the cabinet, a counter decision follows at once. The situation in Ukraine is worsening at a catastrophic speed, Lytvyn admitted.


He stressed that the bitter stand-off [between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko] is explained by their inability to make up and shake hands.

Lytvyn also commented on Pres Kravchuk’s appeal to Yushchenko to step down and call a pre-term presidential election. Kravchuk’s statement “definitely, mirrors the feelings of Ukrainians,” Lytvyn opined.

“I realize that, given the circumstances, it seems impossible to reconcile Yushchenko and Tymoshenko. However, they must be forced to keep working, Lytvyn said, adding that he has always acted on the following principle: if you’re at a loss what to do, go by the law.

The speaker stressed the importance to comply with the constitution. “It is not without faults, but we have to comply with it. One cannot violate it right, left and center.”

The president, premier, Verkhovna Rada and the opposition must be forced to a roundtable to draw up a roadmap for Ukraine, Lytvyn added.

“It is a long way to the presidential election. Calls for Yushchenko’s resignation and snap presidential election will be futile, unless the situation worsens dramatically and [Ukrainians] hit the streets,” Lytvyn warned.

Lytvyn said he has to lean over backwards to keep the legislature going and thus ensure a dialog among the branches of power.

“There is a plan to rock the boat in Ukraine,” he warned.

Looking for accomodation in Kiev?

History of Kiev

According to the ancient legend, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was founded by three brothers, Kyi, Schek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybed, at the end of the 5th-beginning of the 6th centuries. The city was named after the eldest brother Kyi. Kyiv means the city of Kyi. Kyiv is a Ukrainian spelling and Kiev is Russian, more known worldwide since the Soviet times. 

Many ancient tribes gathered around Kiev, and at the end of the 9th century the city became the political center of the Eastern Slavs. In the year 988 Christianity, introduced by Great Prince Vladimir, became the official religion of the Kievan Rus. This helped to establish political and cultural relations with such states as the Byzantium Empire and Bulgaria. At that time almost 50,000 people lived in the city; there were about 400 churches and 8 markets. When Vladimir Monomakh died in the year 1152, the mighty Kievan Rus began to decay. In 1240 Kiev was demolished by Baty-khan. Only in the 14th century Kiev began to revive. But in 1362 Great Duke of Lithuania captured the city. For more than one hundred years it was under the command of Lithuanian and Polish dukes. People's liberation war of 1648-1654 against the Lithuanian-Polish Yoke led to liberation. But Cossack armies, headed by Hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, couldn't manage to conquer the enemy without help from Russia. As a result, Ukraine plunged under a long period of domination by the Russian Empire. Since that time the history of Ukraine and Kiev was closely connected with Russian history.

Archeological excavations show evidence of the first settlements on the territory of Kiev 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. The early settlers of Kiev built their citadel on the steep right bank of the Dnepr River to protect themselves from Nomadic tribes. Later, Kiev's Grand Dukes built their palaces and churches on Starokievskiy Hill, while artisans and merchants settled next to the wharf on the Dnepr. By the end of the 9th century, when the Grand Dukes of Kiev united scattered Slavic tribes, Kiev became the political center of the Eastern Slavs. The city maintained wide foreign and commercial trade links due to its favorable position in the middle of trade routes between the Vikings and the Greeks (strict way from Northern Europe and the Baltics to the Mediterranean). Kiev`s development accelerated during the reign of Grand Duke Vladimir the Great (980-1015). In 988 Vladimir established Orthodox Christianity as the official religion of the realm in order to strengthen the power of Kiev on the broader international arena. During that time the first stone temple in Russia, Desyatinnaya church, was constructed.

During the 11th and 12th centuries ancient Kiev Rus reached its greatest period of ascendancy. By the 11th century Kiev was one of the largest centers of civilization in the Eastern christian world. At that time, there were about 400 churches, 8 markets and more than 50,000 inhabitants in Kiev. For comparison, at the same time the population of London, Hamburg and Gdansk was about 20,000 people. Kiev was among the most prospering craft and shopping centers of Europe. After the death of Kiev`s great Prince Vladimir Monomakh in 1125, Kiev Rus became involved in a long period of feudal wars. Foreign powers were quick to take advantage of this situation. In the fall of 1240, the Tatar-Mongols headed by Baty-khan, captured Kiev after series of long and bloody battles. Kiev fell into a prolonged period of decline. The Tartar-Mongols ruled for almost a century. Despite a foreign rule, Kiev retained its artisan, trade and cultural traditions and remained an important political, trade and cultural center. In the 14th century, the Kiev region became the cradle for the modern Ukrainian nation.

In the 15th century Kiev was granted the Magdeburg Rights, which permitted greater independence of the city in matters of international commerce. Until the 14th century Kiev paid tribute to the Golden Horde. Then it passed under the control of Great Lithuaninan Duchy, which in 1569 was united with Poland. With the establishment of the Kiev-Mogilyanskaya Academy in 1632, the city became a center of Ukrainian learning and scholarship.

The long road to the independence of Ukraine began with Cossack military campaigns. In 1648-1654 Cossack armies, headed by Hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Ukraine's Cossack leader, waged several wars to liberate Ukraine. In 1648, when the Ukrainian Cossacks rose against Poland, Kiev became for a brief period the center of the Ukrainian State. But soon, confronted by the armies of Polish and Lithuanian feudal lords, Bogdan Khmelnitsky sought the protection of the Russian Tsar in the Treaty of Pereyaslavl. After Ukraine's union with Russia in 1654, however, the city was acquired by Moscow. During a long period of domination by the Russian Empire Ukraine in the 17th and 18th centuries managed to preserve and enjoy some of its rich political, economic, cultural, and religious achievements.

In January 1918 after the fall of Russian Empire, the independence of Ukraine was proclaimed and the Ukrainian National Republic was established. During the Civil War that followed the October Revolution Bolshevik Party seized power and expanded their sphere of control into Ukraine. Ukraine becomes a part of the Soviet Union.

Kiev suffered severely during the World War II, when many unique architectural and artistic treasures were destroyed. Earlier, in the 1930s, the Soviet authorities systematically destroyed many churches. Extensive restoration of the after-war days has revived much of Kiev's historical and cultural heritage. Despite repressions, suffering, political turmoil, and ecological disasters, Ukraine's spirit and national identity have never died. On August 24, 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine proclaimed its independence. This was the beginning of the whole new period in the history of Ukraine and its beautiful capital. 

Today the capial of Ukraine is open for people from all over the word. There are many good apartements for rent in Kiev. Just find the right compay providing such services. 

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