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Principled Ideas from the Centennial Institute

Volume 7, Number 5 May 2015

UKRAINES AGONY AND

AMERICAS INDIFFERENCE
By Jillian Kay Melchior
On a chilly April morning last
year, a 19-year-old girl sat across
from me in a booth in Kiev. She
looked like an Urban Outfitters
modellong red hair, red
lipstick, short skirt, knee-high
stockings, combat boots.
We sipped coffee and made
small talk about F. Scott
Fitzgerald. She loved him, she
said, but wasnt it weird that such a beautiful writer could be
a communist? And then we delved into the real reason we
wanted to meet: to talk about Molotov cocktails, Sophias
new specialty.

Publisher, William L. Armstrong

Editor, John Andrews

Yanukovych reigned with a level of corruption that must

be seen to be believedand it can be literally seen, easily,
on a 12-mile drive from downtown Kiev. A city of almost
3 million, its traffic is abhorrent even in times of stability.
But Yanukovych never had to experience the jam.
When he wanted to drive, he simply ordered that selected
roads in the city be shut down altogether, creating a
commuters nightmare in the already tangled traffic.
On the highway to his mansion estate, Mezhgorye,
Yanukovych designated the middle lane for his exclusive
use, haughtily zipping past his citizens.
Monument to Corruption
Mezhgorye stands today as a monument to corruption,
the product of more than a billion dollars pilfered Russianstyle from the Ukrainian people during Yanukovychs
four-year tenure. It is objectively hideous, a testament to
money not buying taste.

The autocrat began building his castle in a

The world
Sophia had acquired this skill during Maidan,
Greco-Roman style, then changed his mind
the 2013-2014 revolution where Ukrainians
and switched to a Victorian theme. Builders
should
fought back against a corrupt and increasingly
managed to finish the first floor before
take note.
despotic leader, Viktor Yanukovych. And they
Yanukovych changed his mind again, finishing
succeeded in deposing him. But more than a
the rest of his house as a log cabin.
year later, Ukrainians are still fighting for their country and
The rest of the estate sprawls equally dissonant and
their liberty, this time against an external force.
warped. Mezhegoryes menagerie included more than
The threat of the Islamic State and instability in the Middle
2,000 exotic animals, many smuggled into Ukraine
East have too often eclipsed the crisis in Ukraine in the
illegally, including African elands, mountain goats, a wildnews. But as a new generation struggles for their most
boar-domesticated-pig hybrid, and white ostriches.
fundamental liberties, America and the world should take
No animal lover, Yanukovych kept these rare animals
note.
merely as a show of wealth: Hed butcher them and serve
Torn and Bitter Europe
them to friends he wanted to impress, including, perhaps,
Putin, who had a cabin of his own on Yanukovychs
As Petro Poroshenko, Ukraines new president, told the U.S.
premises.
Congress last September: The outcome of todays war will
determine whether we will be forced to accept the reality of
a dark, torn, and bitter Europe as part of a new world order.
Furthermore, how the United States responds to this crisis
says much about our countrys changing role in world
affairsand its consequences for people who share our
values.

Jillian Kay Melchior is a Wyoming native and a 2009 graduate

of Hillsdale College. She writes for National Review, the Franklin
Center, and the Independent Womens Forum. She previously worked
for Commentary, the Wall Street Journal Asia, and News Corporation.
Melchior gave this talk at Colorado Christian University on April 8, 2015.

The story of the Ukraine crisis begins with Russian president

Vladimir Putin on the sidelines, pulling the strings of his
puppet Yanukovych, who became president in 2010.

Centennial Institute sponsors research, events, and publications to enhance

public understanding of the most important issues facing our state and nation.
By proclaiming Truth, we aim to foster faith, family, and freedom,
teach citizenship, and renew the spirit of 1776.

A mile down the road, a priest in an old church got wind

of the police assault on the students. He climbed up to the
rooftop, grabbed the rope, and began ringing the bell. In
olden days, the church bells unexpected peal warned of an
attack on the city. Kievs residents woke up to the clanging
and got the message: Yanukovych had turned on his own
people, committing violence even against teenagers.
Ukraine was under attack.

Fed Up
As Mezhegoryes decadent disorder deepened, Ukraines
house also grew more divided. Observing the corruption of
Yanukovych and his oligarch cronies, Ukrainians pondered
their own circumstances. Ukraines per-capita GDP in 2013
was just $3,900, less than 8 percent of ours here in America
according to the World Bank. Youth unemployment rates
hovered around 20 percent, and corruption kept qualified
workers from landing jobs or gaining promotions.

Suddenly, Maidan was no longer about a trade dealit was

about the rejection of Putin and Russia, about a country
sick of corruption and oppression, about the embrace of
Western ideals and opportunities. Hundreds of thousands
of Ukrainians poured into Maidan, building barricades to
protect themselves and continuing their peaceful protest.
Everyone wanted to help, bringing tires to melt for
barricades, food, blankets, and supplies.
As the winter continued, police often roughed up protesters.
Gangs of thugs beat them up, too. Many Ukrainians think
Yanukovych freed violent criminals from prison on the
condition theyd terrorize the protesters. But the Maidaners
persevered, remaining in Independence Square and
protesting no matter what.

Understandably, Ukrainians were fed up

A famous Ukrainian artist recalled one
with this corrupt, Russian-centric system.
Peaceful
uncanny moment where he and fellow
They yearned for opportunities and growth.
Maidaners squared off against the Berkut.
protesters
They thought that by building an economic
The protesters wore scavenged helmets, but
met death.
relationship with Europe, they could maybe
each had been lovingly painted, transformed
become more Western. But when the chance
into works of art. Opposite them stood the
for that trade deal came around, Yanukovych vetoed it,
riot police, replicas of each other, armed to the teeth. The
kowtowing to Putin and favoring Russia instead.
artist was breath-taken: It was literally a picture of the
individual standing up to faceless authoritarianism.
So in late 2013, Ukrainians took to the streets to protest.
The protesters were young, mostly college students and
The Dark Days
high schoolers who had caught word of the gathering
That stand had fatal consequences. Among the first to die
on Facebook and headed to Maidan, the city center in
was Sergei Nigoyan, a 20-year-old Armenian from a small
downtown Kiev. They camped out with signs and blankets,
village near Dnipropetrovsk. Hed bought a train ticket,
and it was even fun for the first few days.
calling his parents to let them know his whereabouts only
What Maidan was About
after hed arrived in Maidan.
Then Yanukovychs troops showed up on Nov. 30. The
They were nervous, but Sergei said he wanted to be there
Berkut, the riot police, carried tear gas and batons, and
for the sake of his country and his future. Weeks later,
they attacked these peaceful protesters. One man vividly
riot police shot him four times in the head and neck on
recalled hunching over a teenage girl. He tried to shield
Hrushevsky Street, just on the outskirts of Maidan.
her from the blows, more than he could count. Four, five
As the violence escalated, the Maidaners held their ground,
police surrounded lone high-school protesters, beating each
camping out through what they now refer to as the Dark
relentlessly.
Days, which began on Feb. 18. Yanukovych and his troops
CENTENNIAL REVIEW is published monthly by the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University. The authors views are not necessarily
those of CCU. Designer, Bethany Bender. Illustrator, Benjamin Hummel. Subscriptions free upon request. Write to: Centennial Institute, 8787
W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood, CO 80226. Call 800.44.FAITH. Or visit us online at www.CentennialCCU.org.
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Centennial Review May 2015 2

knew the protesters werent backing down, so they resorted

to deadly violence.
The tragedy and courage that unfolded there cant be
understood without first grasping the geography: Maidan is
a sunken city center, surrounded by hills and bridges and tall
buildings. Yanukovychs Berkut forces stood above, dropping
grenades and firing tear gas down on the Maidaners. Then
came the bullets from the sky, hitting and killing protesters.
Makeshift Hospitals
Over the next few days, 100 men, many barely adults,
perished. Despite their commitment to peace, the protesters
understood that they had the choice to defend themselves,
leave, or die on the spot.
That was when Sophia, the 19-year-old, volunteered to make
Molotov cocktails, mixing jellied petrol, chemicals, stones,
and red pepper in bottles from the protesters headquarters on
the outskirts of Maidan. Yanukovychs troops knew roughly
where the Molotov cocktails were being made, and they sent
snipers to aim at Sophia and her friends.
The bullets usually ricochet, someone told her. Thats
comforting, she quipped, rolling her eyes. Despite the frigid
weather, she wouldnt venture near the open bonfires to warm
up, reeking of petrol and afraid shed immolate by accident.
Another young woman, Galyna, 23, described volunteering to
provide emergency care to protesters injured by Yanukovychs
troops. The wounded couldnt go to the
regular hospitalthe Berkut would seize
Russia is
them. Some injured captives went to
48 times
prison. Others simply disappeared, never
to be heard of again.
stronger.

Galyna and her friends set up secret

hospitals in churches and homes, raising money for stateof-the-art equipment. Doctors and nurses volunteered to
provide treatment. Private citizens and businesses chipped in
for supplies. Ukraines medical system has long been lacking,
but these protesters managed to build makeshift hospitals
even better than the real hospitals.
Putin Pounced
The protesters eventually won, with Yanukovych fleeing to
Russia in late February 2014. At that moment, Ukraine had
its best chance in a century for establishing a real democracy,
a political order that would protect the rights of its citizens
rather than violating them.
But at precisely that key juncture, Putin pounced. Russia
attacked, seizing Crimea in the south and invading
Eastern Ukraine. Yanukovych had cut the nations alreadyoutnumbered military forces severely, and the Ukrainians
remain against tough odds as war continues.
I met a Ukrainian army officer named Dmitry, who had
been based in Crimea when Russia invaded, transferring to
Kiev after it was lost. His pretty blonde wife was beside him

Voi ces of CCU

THIS IS EUROPES CRISIS TOO
By Vitalie Diaconu
The Ukraine crisis poses a major threat
to European security. It seriously
challenges the international order
based on principles enshrined in
the UN Charter and the Helsinki
Final Act. Those include respect for
sovereignty and territorial integrity of
states, inviolability of borders, non-use
of force or threat to use force, and peaceful settlement
of disputes.
All have been violated by Russias illegal annexation of
the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and its continuous
support of the separatist movements in the eastern
regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Although the crisis was generated by Russias actions
in defiance of international law, its resolution must
address the broader crisis in Europe. Ukraine is not a
stand-alone issue.
It arose in the context of such developments as the
differing views of Russia and the West on NATO
enlargement and the deployment of missile defense
systems in Europe, lack of progress in resolving frozen
conflicts in the former Soviet republics, and erosion of
the conventional arms control regime in Europe.
The level of trust between East and the West has
significantly diminished. There is the impression of
having returned to the Cold War period. The only way
forward is a meaningful dialogue encompassing the
overall European context and seeking full adherence to
international norms and commitments, in particular by
the Russian Federation.
Military escalation would only worsen the situation on
the ground in Ukraine without resolving the crisis. The
Wests primary objective should be focused on preserving
unity among the U.S. and European allies in their
relations with Russia and ensuring full implementation
of the Minsk agreements from September 2014 and
February 2015.
Vitalie Diaconu is a Moldovan currently living in Vienna.
He is an M.A. graduate of the Monterey Institute of
International Studies. He visited CCU this spring as a
guest of Prof. Wlliam Watson, continuing their friendship
begun when the latter was a Fulbright Scholar in Moldova
on Ukraines southwestern border.
Centennial
Institute
Colorado Christian University

Centennial Review May 2015 3

Ukraines Agony and

Americas Indifference
By Jillian Kay Melchior

Forty million Ukrainians in a

proud land the size of Texas,
independent since the fall of the
Soviet Union, recently threw off a
corrupt dictator only to face a new
wave of Russian aggression. Where
is the Western help promised in
post-Cold War accords?

when we talked, their toddler dozing on her lap as he grimly

discussed his countrys odds.
At the start of the conflict, Russia had four times as many
soldiers and a military budget up to 48 times bigger than
Ukraines. Without military help from the [West], it would
be very difficult for Ukraine to protect its independence in a
war like this one, Dmitry solemnly concluded.

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also led their own war-support efforts. Ilya Tymtchenko, a

young man in Kiev, recently did an Indiegogo campaign
to raise money for coagulants and bandages, an effort to
stop soldiers and volunteers from bleeding to death. Other
projects have raised money for food, helmets, body armor
,and vehicles.
Learning to Self-Govern

Yet Western help remains meager. Despite repeated appeals

These volunteer efforts do not only support the fight against
from Kiev, both the United States and Europe have limited
Russian aggression. In the process, amidst grim adversity,
military support to non-lethal equipment. Even after
Ukrainians are learning to self-govern. In partnering with
Congress passed legislation authorizing
strangers as they work toward a common
the United States to provide armaments to
goal, the people are rebuilding civic trust.
Will might
Ukraine, the White House has been refused
Thats a major development in a country that
again trump
to provide more than skimpy intelligence,
ranked 144th on Transparency Internationals
right?
non-lethal aid, and sanctions against Russia.
2013 corruption index. And as we know
Empty Promises

This lack of support has continued despite the United

States prior commitments to Kiev. After the Cold War,
when Ukraine was home to the worlds third-largest nuclear
arsenal, it yielded those weapons on the basis of nowforgotten promises that America, Britain, and Russia would
guarantee its security.
Putin continues to chip away at Ukraines territory, sending
troops across the borders and arming pro-Russian rebels
with the lethal weapons Kiev craves. As of March 2015,
the death toll from the conflict had surpassed 6,000. Yet
the West continues to respond with ineffective diplomatic
efforts and insufficient aid.
Ukraines patriots are trying to make up the difference.
Young people repeatedly told me that all they wanted was
rule of law and freedom for our countrya dream theyve
proven willing to sacrifice for. After the slaughter at Maidan,
they understand the cost of freedom.
The Ukrainian military launched a text-message campaign
where citizens could donate money by phone to pay for
logistics or military support. In the first five days alone, it
raised $2.3 million via 50-cent donations, an impressive sum
for a country already in a deep economic rut. Citizens have
Centennial Review May 2015 4

from Tocqueville, citizens who meet societal needs through

privatesector initiatives and charitable associations are
strengthening their own capacity to live in freedom.

Ukraines ultimate fate has yet to be determined. Might

has trumped right many times in history, and Kievs
undertrained, undersupplied forces form a rag-tag band
against militants well-equipped by Putin.
But there is reason for hope in the commendable grit and
valor Ukrainians have demonstrated in standing up to
Putins naked aggression. Would that America were doing
even half as much.

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