PRESIDENT'S BLOG - KYIV, 28.08.2014.


KYIV.  Today  the 28th August is a seminal day for Ukraine. I have been worried for several weeks that while the worlds attention was focused on the crisis in the Middle East, Russia would take advantage of the situation and invade the East of Ukraine as it has done today.

The response to this in Ukraine hasn't been panic but defiance, more so than it already was.

The President has asked for calm but also for an extraordinary meeting of the EU and if possible in Kyiv to show they are one with Ukraine.

At the same time a thousand citizens have volunteered today to defend Ukraine, whilst in Dnipropetrovsk the regional council has put the region on a war footing and vowed they will defend Mariupol against Russian aggression. A similar call was made by several politicians but was dismissed by the President who viewed such a move would play into Russia's hands.

On a more human note a four year old gave all his pocket money he was saving for a new toy to his uncle to repair his van which he used to ferry injured troops from the front line - Ukrayinas new hero.

On top of the financial crisis Ukraine is going through this is the most difficult period imaginable, but given the spirit of the people they are defiant and that defiance is growing daily which manifests itself into  such simple things as seeing the majority of books on sale being in Ukrainian, even a couple of years ago that was rare.

There is no hiding the fact that Ukraine is going through a torrid time, but from what I've seen over the last two days suggests  Mr Putin has bitten off more than he can chew.

Zenko Lastovetsky



Ukrayinska Dumka

