Once, in Donetsk, the poet Dmitry Pavlychko came up to the group of local youth that was picketing with communist banners the building where he was citing his poems. He asked, ‘Did you read at school the works of Pavlychko-poet? It’s me’. – ‘Yes, we did …’ ‘Maybe, that’s the problem…’ the author of these lines thought. The poet Andrey Khadanovich won’t be read at schools. He is from another poetry an from...

Russians seize the Ukrainian markets, and they order music. Donetsk has become the second city after Kiev to have the specialized shop of musical gear for show business. The presentation of the musical saloon owned by the famous Russian network ‘MuzTorg’ took place in Donetsk. On...

The campaign on external testing has been completed. Bu despite all assurances of offcials, bribing could last more and schools and universities could lose their adjusted for years the educational consistency. All that is on the background of price rise for education and complete indifference of business to the educational institutions’ needs. Rector of the Donetsk National University Vladimir Shevchenko...

The field commander of Maidan, deputy of People’s Self-Defense,Taras Stetskiv made quite unexpected proposing in one of his interviews about the roots of today’s crisis. In his talk with ‘Ostrov’ correspondent, Taras Stepanovich explained the logics of his statement and analyzed the possible versions of events’ development. - What do you think of the coalition destiny? - The coalition...

The emergency at Karl Marx Mine in Yenakiyevo will, perhaps, the most ambiguous extreme event at Ukrainian mines, It seemed that there was no hope to find anyone alive there, under ground, after the most fearful blast in the history of Ukraine, the real miracle happened. The gas blast at Karl Marx Mine on 8 June was the most powerful in the history of emergencies at Ukrainian mines. Old-timers do not remember...

The main premise for formation of classical two-party system in Ukraine should be uniting of ‘Our Ukraine’ with the Party of Regions and pushing out of the Communist Party by Yulia Tymoshenko’s Bloc from its ideological niche. Such opinion was expressed in the last year conversation with ‘Ostrov’ by the doctor of psychological sciences, chief of the laboratory of he Institute of political...

The decision of the National Security and Defense Council of 30 May this year was validated by the direction of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko of 4 June. Then the direction of the NSDC has become known and accessible for reading and studying of the issues on sharing hydrocarbons that would be produced in Kerch area’s continental shelf of the Black Sea between state of Ukraine and company ‘Vanco...

After statements of two deputies Igor Rybakov (BYuT) and Yuriy Booy (PUOU) on leaving the Democratic coalition, the political program of the country has again been suspended. Due to legislation contradictions, nobody an say for sure what will become later, what destiny expects the parliamentary majority and Verkhovna Rada itself. We decided to summarize the points of view of politicians and political analysts...

The morning in Rada started with the statement of the BYuT people deputy Igor Rybakov of his leaving democratic coalition. That document caused bewilderment rather than sacndal. It became clear later when he speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk declared that there was treachery in the coalition. TWO deputies announced their leaving. The second ‘traitor’ was named Yutiy Boot. After that the vain words acquired the evil sense. Rybakov’s...

The Director General of Ukraine’s Insurants’ Association of Ukraine Leonid Khorin, ‘One should perceive the insurance company not as friendly partner but as commercial organization, which sole purpose is not the well-being of the client but getting profits at the cost of that client’. Perhaps, many of our readers had to spend much money, tie and nerves for attempts to get their legal compensation. At the...

Around vaccination in Ukraine, passions don’t calm down. The obligatory vaccination against measles and rubella brought to multiple cases of health deterioration. On 13 May the senior class pupil from Kramatorsk died after the inoculation against measles and rubella. On 19 May he Ministry of Public Health suspended the campaign of mass immunization of young people against measles and rubella. At the same time,...

Some experts state that the power has established (or restored, whatever you like) the total control over the courts and supervisors of legality. Fron recent times, it is impossible to resolve any important question without Bankova Street… People, who have known Tymoshenko long, have noticed some fright in her eyes…. A couple years ago the writer was unlucky to get involved in long arguments with one well-known...

Inhabitants of the half-million sea city of Mariupol are reading summaries of the production increase by metal giants with horror, though the official statistics states the improvement of ecological situation in the city. The citizens are sure of the contrary – it is much harder to breath now. Unreasonable location of works and city arrangement in soviet times resulted in smog emitted by the 'Azovstal' complex...

In the country, there is going a war between the President, the Party of Regions and BYuT for distribution of control over the power bodies. Following the Constitutional Court, Prosecution General’s Office, Central election committee, parliament and Cabinet, the goal of that fighting became the National Property Fund. The attempt of raiser's seizure of the Fund, criminal cases because of that, the situation of uncertainty...

'Ostrov' s last attempt to get the interview from Boris Kolesnikov was unsuccessful. It was April 2007, the period between the first and next directives issued by the president on dissolution of the parliament. When revising the interview, Boris Kolesnikov, refused it. I found an explanation in his bad humor; he seems to explain it with the journalist's dullness. In general, the talk was nervous. Now he looks different,...

It seems that coal mining in Ukraine managed to combine socialism with capitalism. Just think: 'You pretend to be working and they pretend paying to you' – such economic formula of 'developed socialism' was invented by people's political economists at the end of the USSR. They also were aware that the monster of capitalism is 'when there is money – there are services (goods); no money – go away'. Our mines...