Ukraine-The Future

[JayH]

Grow Ukraine

[JayH]

  The wrestle for democracy continues internally( as well as from the external threat). One if the biggest and hardest issues faced by Ukraine is for the people to have the patience and endurance to give the time for government reforms to have some effect.
   Even some on this forum are sceptical of the internal intent for reform. This last week has seen quite a lot written on  different aspects in Ukraine--there is so much change happening  it is hard to give it all the space it deserves.

 Below is interesting  discussion- of note again--it is the younger dynamic assessment-  there is an interesting interview embedded in link-


"Our aim is to interest people and get them care about Ukraine"

"We saw during the Maidan people were reflecting on what we are fighting for. And this is the change. Because we are growing up as a nation. As a political nation. And we want to know not only what we're fighting with, but what we are fighting for. And this agenda is just emerging now.

"We don't need our own Ukrainian path. We need to re-think the path out of a totalitarian regime and to democracy. We need to re-think what democracy is. And when we have threats to liberalism and we have euro-skepticism in Europe, we also need to develop our strong arguments why liberalism is worth fighting for."


'Values have changed even if we haven't seen concrete reforms'



Trust in institutions is low and rule of law is missing - so is the country really moving forward?

Some two years after Ukraine's Euromaidan revolution, the jury is out on whether or not its aims have been achieved. Has the sudden break from Russia's orbit and the sharp turn toward the West been worth the bloodshed and the upheaval? US President Joe Biden recently told Ukrainian MPs that whilst they do have America support, the White House needs to see more progress on reforming Ukraine and setting it on a democratic path. Others have a more positive outlook.

Sociologist Viktoriya Bryndza joined UT in the Viewpoint studio to tell us why even if the Ukrainian people haven't seen as many concrete reforms as they would have liked, the transformation in society's values has been profound.

"We see our government still as a threat. Institutional trust is very low. But I see changes. And those are more qualitative than quantitative. We cannot count them in big numbers yet. But what I see, especially in Lviv, is that there are some groups of young people who are not living in this mode of survival. They really believe that democracy is worth fighting for.

Watch also UT's Viewpoint with Alya Shandra, the managing editor at Euromaidan Press: "Our aim is to interest people and get them care about Ukraine"



http://uatoday.tv/society/progress-after-euromaidan-values-have-changed-even-if-we-haven-t-seen-concrete-reforms-552121.html

[Anotherkiwi]

...US President Joe Biden recently told...

Have the Republicans here finally got their wish?

[mendeleyev]

Jay, the video that you posted above on "Grow Ukraine" is demonstrative of why Russia cannot allow Ukraine to look to the West.. It is telling that Russia's much smaller neighbor outpaces Russia in so many areas. I understand Ukrainian corruption, but this is a reminder of how systemic corruption simply does not allow Russia to perform at such levels economically.

[JayH]

Jay, the video that you posted above on "Grow Ukraine" is demonstrative of why Russia cannot allow Ukraine to look to the West.. It is telling that Russia's much smaller neighbor outpaces Russia in so many areas. I understand Ukrainian corruption, but this is a reminder of how systemic corruption simply does not allow Russia to perform at such levels economically.

The people of Ukraine have shown they are prepared  to fight for the freedom to create a future-- by way of contrast-- the Russian kleptocracy has shown it is prepared to do anything to retain the status quo of corruption-- virtually diametrically opposing philosophical standpoints!!

Many who do wish the best for Ukraine are still sceptical of the Ukrainian governments ability to take it there-- but amongst all the negatives there are many examples of progress -- and in fact economic growth is being forecast for the next year.

[krimster2]

when I was about 6 years old, I took upon myself the task of informing my fellow 6 year olds that Santa Claus wasn’t real.  when I explained to them the truth of the matter, most accepted this information, but a few still preferred to believe in the fairy tale version.

the moral of this story is that there are some people who will always prefer to believe in fairy tales despite evidence of the contrary.

Merry Christmas!

   A Christmas Tale
Once upon a time there was a bookkeeper at a poultry farm in Western Ukraine.  One day he awoke to find that he had magically become the director of the National Bank of Ukraine.
He shrewdly invested his earnings to hire an American Public Relations firm.  He gave them a simple mission, “find out what the people of Ukraine want”.  After conducting a lot of surveys and operating various “focus groups”, they arrived at a simple conclusion.  “They want an end to corruption, and to have a lifestyle like the people in Western Europe”.  The PR agency also gave a lot of practical advice like, “you can sell politics exactly the same way you sell beer”!
“Tak” everyone said as they created the new “Orange Brand” the trademark of which would be owned by the banker’s 18 year old son.  Not surprisingly the promise was made to consumers, er I mean citizens that if you buy the Orange Brand you will be putting an end to corruption and you will live just like Western Europeans.  Wow! What a swell idea, all slickly presented!  Customers took it to heart they BELIEVED it the same way little children believe in Christmas!  Soon the Orange Brand became the most popular brand in all Ukraine. 

Unfortunately, the Orange Brand only lasted about 6 months before it collapsed, and the opposing Blue Brand slowly gained popularity.  What happened?  To consumer citizens the Orange Brand was about “putting an end to corruption, and to have a lifestyle like the people in Western Europe”  However, to the owners of the Orange Brand it was about getting into power so that they could continue looting Ukraine on an even grander scale.  Just like when companies sell products to consumers their true goal is to make money, it was no different with the Orange Brand.  So when two of the leading figures of the Orange Brand got into a fight over how they were going to “carve up” their Ukrainian turkey, the fight got so bad that the whole company, I mean political party fell apart.

the moral of this story is that there are some people who will always prefer to believe in fairy tales despite evidence of the contrary.

Merry Christmas!

 
 

[mendeleyev]

And then there are those who refuse to lay down and accept the same old-same old. Ending systemic corruption is not a fairy tale. It is a valid dream. That doesn't mean that the West is perfect, because we both know it isn't, however we also both know that the extent of corruption next door is an influence that most ordinary citizens would like to see come to an end as they clean up their own country.

[JayH]

This is an important piece of writing and assessment of the current political situation. I hope all Ukrainian patriots( even if not participating here at the moment) read this, Much of what is written here are likely scenario's of what will unfold-- in effect--this is the battle for change/progess/future against    the old/do nothing /corrupt ways of the backward looking self interested.


Battle lines within the political reformers and the old nefarious hands are drawn and matters are coming to a head.  A “Maidan” within the Verkhovna Rada seems inevitable – and very soon.  The only question is whether a majority coalition can remain solid enough to emerge on the other side as and when this happens.

The VR fait accompli – in layman terms

Internally of Ukraine, the President’s Solidarity Party, theoretically could come to a deal with the Prime Minister’s Party regarding its assimilation post Yatseniuk departure, offering the same ministerial posts as agreed under the current party quota agreement within the current coalition agreement.  There is a but however – even if this be so, come the next scheduled Verkhovna Rada elections, Solidarity will in no way win by such a margin that all those assimilated could hope to return under the presidential banner.
Why?  Because naturally Governor Saakashvili will at some point launch “Team Saakashvili” as a political party – and it will be successful.  Probably very successful.  It will undoubtedly pull from Solidarity, People’s Front, Batkivshchyna and Samopomich constituencies – with serious constituency injuries for all concerned.
There will be no home for the majority of existing MPs within “Team Saakashvili” to be sure.  There will be a few exceptions should they show a desire – the obvious and untainted reformers – but otherwise Governor Saakashvili has a list of vetted, western education/western business experienced people from his appeals to help in Odessa.  That list is in the hundreds when it comes to vetted, competent and uncorrupted 25 – 45 year old Ukrainians.  Indeed the most controversial name on his party list would probably be his own.


http://www.odessatalk.com/2015/12/vr-fait-accompli-layman-terms/#comments

[JayH]

It has taken time for the bigger picture issues to be obvious to all( except Putin's Kremlin) and I wonder how much longer it will be before Russians cry"enough" of all this nonsense.
For Ukrainians--Russia's actions have taken the ambiguity out of the views Ukrainians held of Russia-it is over abundantly clear that Russian interest was only in exploiting Ukraine and Ukrainians and that is now widely recognised.
In extremely difficult internal( and external) circumstances the government has and is making progress-even if this is not apparent to everyday Ukrainians who are really hurting from the inflation and price rises  it is they who are bearing the brunt of years if mismanagement and incompetence- and now from the cost of fighting an unnecessary invasion and loss of resources and people.
The fight to reform is more important than ever today-the short term pain for Ukraine is the  cost of creating a future

"While Russia will remain a much wealthier, stronger country than Ukraine in 2016, Ukraine will be on a relative upswing even if it fails to do anything about its stifling corruption and incompetent governance. It still has support from the International Monetary Fund, despite recent squabbles over the 2016 budget and new tax laws, and it has agreed debt reductions and delays with most of its creditors. The abolition of European visas will also provide a much-needed morale boost.

Russia, of course, is far from a lost cause: It has rebuilt itself after worse crises. Neither is Ukraine a likely big winner: Its political and economic fabric may be too rotten for redemption. In 2016, however, Ukrainians have more to look forward to than Russians."





Russia and Ukraine Finally Break Up

 Even this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin contended that "Russians and Ukrainians are one nation." It's no longer true: The last two years, since Ukraine's "Revolution of Dignity," the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Russian-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine, have seen perhaps the biggest breakup between neighboring, closely interconnected countries in post-World War II history. In 2014, only 4.6 million Ukrainians traveled to Russia -- less than two-thirds as many as to Poland. This year's statistics are not in yet, but another drop in travel to Russia is highly likely, because Moscow has been tightening regulations to make it harder for Ukrainian migrant workers to stay indefinitely and because, as of last summer, there are no more direct flights between the two countries. Besides, starting in mid-2016, Ukrainians will be able to travel visa-free to the European Union, which will likely make travel to Europe vastly more popular.



Russia and Ukraine have spent most of their post-Soviet history as Siamese twins, but for the last two years they've been undergoing political and economic separation surgery. It will probably be more or less complete in 2016, and though both twins are in for a grim period, the weaker one, Ukraine, has the better prospects in some ways.

Ever since Ukraine declared independence in August 1991, it sought to establish an identity that would set it apart from Russia. Its second president, Leonid Kuchma, even published a book called "Ukraine Is Not Russia" in 2003. In practice, however, Ukraine kept following its bigger neighbor even through its failed Westernization period of 2005 to 2010. It inherited the same basis for its legal system and government -- the Soviet bureaucracy -- and even attempted reforms often imitated Moscow's moves. When I moved from Moscow to Kiev in 2011, I felt no discomfort: Everything, from bureaucratic procedures to the pervasive corruption that made a mockery of them, was largely the same in the two countries

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-12-30/russia-and-ukraine-finally-break-up

[krimster2]

“one more chance”, this is what Vice President Biden told the Rada a few weeks ago.  One more chance for Ukraine to get rid of corruption or Ukraine will lose all future funding from the US and the IMF, and if this funding is cut, it’s likely that other Western governments will follow suit.
If this happens, Ukraine would have to default on all loans and bonds, and would completely lose all ability to borrow in the future, and borrowing is something Ukraine heavily depends on.

When it comes to Ukrainian corruption, the numbers speak for themselves. Over $12 billion per year disappears from the Ukrainian budget, according to an adviser to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau.  And in its most recent review of global graft, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Ukraine 142 out of 174 countries on its Corruption Perceptions Index — below countries such as Uganda, Nicaragua and Nigeria (seriously, Ukraine is below Nigeria!).   Average Ukrainians have to endure paying petty bribes in all areas of life. From vehicle registration, to getting their children into kindergarten, to obtaining needed medicine, everything connected to government has a price. (I personally have done all of that while living in Ukraine!).  The worst corruption occurs between business oligarchs and government officials. A small number of oligarchs control 70 percent of Ukraine’s economy, and over the years have captured and corrupted Ukraine’s political and judicial institutions.
While there are numerous examples of high-level corruption in Ukraine, a few stand out. In one case, $1.8 billion of an IMF loan to Ukraine meant to support the banking system instead disappeared into various offshore accounts affiliated with PrivatBank in Ukraine, which is owned by Ihor Kolomoisky — one of Ukraine’s leading oligarchs.  Thanks to the anticorruption group Nashi Groshi (“Our Money”) the details have come to light. Forty-two Ukrainian import firms owned by 54 offshore entities borrowed $1.8 billion from PrivatBank. The offshore firms then used the IMF money to order goods from fictional “suppliers,” with the $1.8 billion in loans from PrivatBank secured by the goods on order.  However, when the fictional suppliers inevitably did not fulfill their end of the bargain, PrivatBank was left holding the bag with its $1.8 billion gone offshore. As a Nashi Groshi investigator noted, “this transaction of $1.8 billion abroad with the help of fake contracts was simply an asset siphoning operation.” Unfortunately for Ukrainians — as well as Western taxpayers who fund the IMF — neither Kolomoisky nor anyone else in Ukraine has been held accountable and the case faded from public view in Kiev. (awww shucks, you mean to tell me that not only is there no trial, that there’s not even an investigation?)

Powerful politicians and businessmen in Ukraine can ALWAYS count on Ukrainian officials to protect them from European prosecutors. After a two-year investigation, Swiss prosecutors recently opened a criminal case against Mykola Martynenko — a close Parliamentary ally of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenyi Yatsenyuk — for allegedly accepting a $30 million bribe through a Czech company and attempting to launder the money through Switzerland. However, despite repeated requests from the Swiss for assistance, Ukrainian officials are protecting Martynenko, according to a report in the Kyiv Post, and Ukraine’s prosecutor general publicly refuses to pursue the case.


http://harpers.org/blog/2015/08/undelivered-goods/      
a must read

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294474-d6781766-Reviews-Yanukovych_s_Private_Mansion-Kiev.html
a growing industry in Ukraine with a bright future is turning mansions of fleeing oligarch’s into tourist attractions, but oligarch’s will keep sprouting in Ukraine, when one runs away it creates opportunities for those who remain

[JayH]

Despite those who are intent on painting any and everything Ukraine in a negative light-- there is now much wider recognition that change is real-- and positive.There is no doubt that it is a complicated process and is and will create a lot of pain in the process for Ukrainians it is clear now that progess is being made.

Vladimir Putin’s aggression has transformed Ukraine into an ethnically Ukrainian state. Russia’s war against Ukraine has also imbued those Ukrainians with a sense of identity and patriotism that they failed to develop on their own. Both trends are likely to be mutually reinforcing in the years ahead—which bodes well for Ukraine’s nation and state building efforts as well as for its ability to sustain painful reforms. As many social scientists argue, culturally solidary communities are more prone to agree and to sacrifice than culturally fragmented communities.

The seemingly unchanging nature of Ukraine’s dysfunctional politics can easily mask the reality: Ukraine itself is changing. Three sets of data illustrate the point.


Promising Structural Change Begins to Show in Ukraine


Kyiv’s reforms have been sluggish, but there may be more going on than meets the eye. That at least is what the indispensable website VoxUkraine suggests in a recent article measuring the degree of personnel change in Kyiv’s state bureaucracy. The results are heartening:

The Central Apparatus of the Central Executive Authorities has been downsized, but the change is minor. Average reduction for the period from the beginning of 2014 till mid 2015 is 5 percent.
 
At the ministry level, the picture is more nuanced and heterogeneous. Some authorities have cut the number of employees: Ministry of Economic Development and Trade—34 percent, Ministry of Social Policy—15 percent, State Property Fund—13 percent, Anti-Monopoly Committee, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agrarian Policy—11 percent, Ministry of Ecology—8 percent, Ministry of Regional Development and Trade—3 percent, Ministry of Culture—2 percent.
 
Others have increased the number of employees of their central offices from the beginning of 2014 till mid 2015: e.g. NBU [National Bank of Ukraine] increased for 3 percent, Ministry of Justice for 12 percent, Prosecutor General Office for 11 percent, and Ministry of Youth and Sports for 15 percent.
 
Some Authorities have substantively reduced their regional units. The leaders are law enforcement authorities and the central bank. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has cut 14 percent of local people, the Ministry of Justice and Prosecutor General Offices reduced their sizes for 22 percent, the central bank—21 percent.
 
The renewal rate among the top levels of the government (ministers, deputies, heads of departments) is about 80 percent, benchmarked to the beginning of 2014. The management of the State Fiscal Service and the Prosecutor General Office are renewed at 91 percent.
 
The renewal rate drops dramatically for lower levels of the hierarchy in the government.
In other words, the bureaucracy is getting streamlined, though not evenly, and outsiders are increasingly getting positions of authority. The current Poroshenko-Yatseniuk government may be indifferent to rooting out corruption and introducing radical reform, but the proverbial facts on the ground may be making systemic change inevitable.





http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/alexander-j-motyl/promising-structural-change-begins-show-ukraine

[AkMike]

Frontier Markets: Ukraine, A Promising Future
January 04, 2016, 08:54:18 AM EDT By


I sat down as usual on Sunday afternoon to write my article for today, fully intending to continue the series on developing market economies that I believe will do well in 2016. But my thoughts were diverted by an
I quickly noticed that even though Russia was mentioned in the article, with the exception of the larger economies of Hungary and Poland, none of the other Eastern European countries made it onto the list. I wasn't sure whether this was because, using the author’s methodology which includes CAPE and P/E ratios, the other countries in that region were either way too cheap and therefore highly risky, or way too expensive and therefore investors would not be compensated for the political and economic risks that are so pervasive there. But on closer look, I concluded that the author was actually naming the countries he did or did not feel justified investing in.
So I decided today’s article would be about the missing country that I would have included on the list. And not because I think this country isn't fraught with danger of all kinds, because it is, but because there appears to be on the horizon a faint ray of sunshine that this country is tired of being everyone's punching bag and has decided to take a stand.


That country is the Ukraine, or what remains of it.
Think about it. Here is a country that has had everything thrown at it, from civil wars to civil disobedience, to having their oil and gas cut off by Russia, to thugs with nothing better to do then forcing tyranny on their sector of the country, to the downing of the Malaysian aircraft. And while the West, and the U.S. included, Russia didn't pretend, they just attacked. After all that, they are still standing. And not only standing, but beginning to fight back and exert their sovereignty. Good for them.

Ukraine recently signed a trade agreement with the EU, which came into effect on January 1, and in retaliation President Putin ordered the special trade agreement between the Ukraine and Russia to be suspended as of the same date. In my opinion, Russia will suffer more from this move, as the EU is a far bigger market for Ukraine. But just to make sure the Russians didn't have the last word, Ukraine banned the importation of certain Russian goods.


For the rest of this interesting story click the link.[/size]Read more: [/color]http://www.nasdaq.com/article/frontier-markets-ukraine-a-promising-future-cm560821#ixzz3wMccGUsU[/font]

[krimster2]

JayH,
"Despite those who are intent on painting any and everything Ukraine in a negative light..."

Just the facts, are all I presented...

"...it is clear now that progess is being made".

Did you actually read the article you quoted?

"The Ukrainian Week recently published numbers on the changes in Ukraine’s ethnic composition brought about by general demographic trends and, above all, Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and occupation of one third of the Donbas".

So because they no longer count the Russian population of Crimea and Donbas, as a result the total ethnic Russian population of Ukraine has declined and  as a logical consequence, Ukraine is now more ethnically Ukrainian.

Maybe you can find an article that says, "Japanese demographic survey found big drop in unemployed people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945".


"Structural Change Begins to Show in Ukraine"

they’re called “lay-offs”, google “government austerity” and read what economists think about it.

[LAman]

JayH,
"Despite those who are intent on painting any and everything Ukraine in a negative light..."

Just the facts, are all I presented...

"...it is clear now that progess is being made".

 

Krimster, you do know that only positive things are happening in Ukraine now....just read what Jay and Akmike say!!!!!  While things are better ( barely?).....not all is rosy!!! What is that saying...as much as things change, they still stay the same:

http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-lawmaker-seizes-pm-yatseniuk-rowdy-parliament-scenes-120415338--business.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-22/this-time-it-s-not-putin-ukraine-flirts-with-political-suicide

[AkMike]

No one has said that things are rosy here. Yes things are tight but I've seen the improvements. 


More will come after the Russian invasion is thwarted and UA can return to a peacetime economy and concentrate on getting rid of the corruption.

[krimster2]

"More will come after the Russian invasion is thwarted and UA can return to a peacetime economy and concentrate on getting rid of the corruption."

and then Ukraine can create a faster-than-light spaceship and join the United Federation of Planets!

[JayH]

JayH,
"Despite those who are intent on painting any and everything Ukraine in a negative light..."

Just the facts, are all I presented...

The facts--I need to get a few "facts" correct.  Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?
How long ago was that exactly--7 years ago? 8?10?
You were last in Ukraine when?
Lets get a couple of those "facts" sorted before I comment further.

[krimster2]

"Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?
How long ago was that exactly--7 years ago? 8?10?"

Well I have had SO MANY COUNTLESS Ukrainia deavotchkie putting their rookies on moy jhoppa and elsewhere that  it's kinda hard to remember, so I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about, and obviously it has no relevance to the posts, you don't like the message so you try to shoot the messanger.  Gee, I thought it was only Russians that did that, I guess not, at least they get it right... 

BTW, the source for the info on corruption I posted originated from the Ukrainian anticorruption watchdog group Nashi Groshi (“Our Money”), who have a web site in Ukrainian http://nashigroshi.org, and yes they live there!  hopefully that will satisfy you?

[JayH]

The facts--I need to get a few "facts" correct.  Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?
How long ago was that exactly--7 years ago? 8?10?
You were last in Ukraine when?
Lets get a couple of those "facts" sorted before I comment further.

"Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?
How long ago was that exactly--7 years ago? 8?10?"

Well I have had SO MANY COUNTLESS Ukrainia deavotchkie putting their rookies on moy jhoppa and elsewhere that  it's kinda hard to remember, so I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about, and obviously it has no relevance to the posts, you don't like the message so you try to shoot the messanger.  Gee, I thought it was only Russians that did that, I guess not, at least they get it right... 

Note--my questions are not answered.
There was no question about girls in general--but it was about "your" failed marriage - is that you?
Funny that you try the 'shoot the messenger defence" while attempting it on others !
My questions are being asked so I can get reply in context-do I need to spell that out for you?

That question has a ' YES   or a NO answer.

How long ago were you last there-- pretty simple question that I want answered.

[fathertime]

The facts--I need to get a few "facts" correct.  Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?
How long ago was that exactly--7 years ago? 8?10?
You were last in Ukraine when?
Lets get a couple of those "facts" sorted before I comment further.

Are you the same Jayh that is 60 years old, and STILL unsuccessfully looking for the 'love of your life' in Ukraine?  Are you sure you aren't just mongering around disguised as an earnest guy?


 Aren't you the same guy who throws fits when anybody doesn't agree with all your warped assertions?


Fathertime!   

[fathertime]

Note--my questions are not answered.
There was no question about girls in general--but it was about "your" failed marriage - is that you?
Funny that you try the 'shoot the messenger defence" while attempting it on others !
My questions are being asked so I can get reply in context-do I need to spell that out for you?

That question has a ' YES   or a NO answer.

How long ago were you last there-- pretty simple question that I want answered.

Your 'questions' are not relevant to the points the man was making. You must just be upset that he has something relevant to say, and you do not, as usual.   


Fathertime!   

[mhr7]

According to the latest gallup poll, only 17% of Ukrainians are satisfied with their standard of living and 72% consider themselves poor. Thirty six percent are considered to be "suffering". Things are a tad bleak in Ukraine.
(I'm in Ukraine now)

http://europe.newsweek.com/gallup-ukraine-411868?rm=eu

[krimster2]

JayH,

"The facts--I need to get a few "facts" correct.  Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?"

seriously, you have me confused with someone else, for all my sexual innuendo, I have been happily married to a woman from Sevastopol for 16 years, our 17th  anniversary will be this coming October 11, if you want to send a card...

I think you have me confused with ScottinCrimea, he WAS divorced from his UA wife.  All ist Klarr??

Dude, you're making me kinda feel sorry for you now, c'mon now can't we all just get along?
Why can't we be friends ....  ?????

[JayH]

JayH,

"The facts--I need to get a few "facts" correct.  Are you the same krimster that got his arse handed to him on a plate by a Ukrainian girl?"

seriously, you have me confused with someone else, for all my sexual innuendo, I have been happily married to a woman from Sevastopol for 16 years, our 17th  anniversary will be this coming October 11, if you want to send a card...

I think you have me confused with ScottinCrimea, he WAS divorced from his UA wife.  All ist Klarr??

Dude, you're making me kinda feel sorry for you now, c'mon now can't we all just get along?
Why can't we be friends ....  ?????

Ok--Thanks for answering. there is another poster with a not dissimilar story-- ie- Crimea-returned to US etc I was not sure-hence my questions/ ( not the names you mention). I did see your recent posts that did not equate with my recollection-- so it started me wondering.There was no sexual innuendo intended.
Congratulations on staying married for 17 years-that makes you a success story in this endeavour!

Feeling sorry for me--if that is based on the inane ignorant comments of a personal nature above-- the attempt to insult is based on zero knowledge and only designed to elicit a specific response that diverts threads --nothing is known like that- so -please feel no sorrow for me on that basis!

I am however--still interested as to when you were last in Ukraine?

[krimster2]

OK, the last time I was in Ukraine, was March 14, 2007, in the early evening as I crossed the border into Poland via train accompanied by wife and children, went to Berlin stayed at a 5 star Hotel on Kaiser Willhelm Strasse for a few days before heading to NYC.  and of course this bit of information changes everything