1. A simple recap of the day’s events with typical US sensationalism
2. A simple recap of the day’s events with incorrect background as to what’s really going on there.

How did this happen? Well, when you’ve got “journalists” who are more concerned about Justin Bieber’s latest idiotic tirade than a peaceful protest (yes, this all started out as a peaceful protest) then of course they will miss all the minute details that have led to this mess. It’s the little details that really help paint the picture as to how we got here and what is really going on.

This post is here to educate the masses as to what is really happening. I hope to fill in the details that most every news agency has missed. This will be a culmination of what I’ve ready daily from various news sources, personal experience of my time in Ukraine, discussions with friends and acquaintances in Ukraine, and even conversations and picture sharing with acquaintances I’ve met on Instagram.

What you see today in Ukraine has been slowly building to the point it’s at now. Kyiv didn’t suddenly erupt into violent protests. It’s also not as simple as one issue (the main theme “journalists” like to report on is that this is ALL because of Ukraine’s President, Viktor Yakunovych’s refusal to join the EU. It’s much more than that.

So…here’s your typical timeline but with commentary included to help piece all the parts together.

Ukraine Not Joining the EU

Ukraine was in talks to join the EU. However, Yanukovych had been hemming and hawing and many wondered if he was actually going to sign the agreement but the deal was still on the table. Vladimir Putin had been trying for years to rebuild a Soviet-style empire by getting former Soviet states to join the Russian Customs Union (think a competing trade union to the European Union). So far it’s already comprised of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

November 21, 2013 is when Yanukovych formally announces Ukraine will not join the EU and instead seek closer ties to Russia.

Side note: Yanukovych is traditionally more Russian-leaning and is from the eastern region of Ukraine which is also more Russian-leaning.

Opinion: I couldn’t really blame Ukraine for balking on the EU agreement as it wasn’t a full-on EU agreement. Ukraine had to make many concessions just to join and still wasn’t going to reap all the benefits of membership.

Prior to this point, many Ukrainians were fairly indifferent to the agreement. In fact, many Ukrainians were fairly indifferent to politics as the country is basically in shambles. It’s rated as one of the most corrupt nations in the world, the economy is suffering greatly and a great majority of the masses figure “what can we do about it?”. They’re used to living in these conditions of poor economy and a blatantly corrupt government.

Immediately after Yanukovych walks away from the EU deal protest begin in Maidan (Independence Square) in Kyiv. At first there were just a few hundred people voicing their unhappiness with this.

Protests Grow

On November 24, 2013 the protests have grown to roughly 100,000 people. Opposition leaders called on citizens to gather in Maidan over the weekend to formally protest Yanukovych’s decision. At this point the protests are now called Euromaidan.

Note: Keep in mind, it’s late November here and the temperatures in Kyiv are pretty cold. The protesters are staying all day and night in this frigid weather to voice their displeasure. It’s obvious by now that these protests may last a while.

On November 30, 2013 police launch a raid on the protesters and arrest a few dozen protesters. If you’ve been paying attention at this point you would have been seeing a few brutal acts by the police while protesters throw rocks back at the police. A few days later the protesters take over Kyiv City Hall and begin setting up a huge encampment in Independence Square full of tents, barricades, food tables, etc.

By December 8 there are nearly one million protesters in Independence Square (more than a million based on some accounts). The large metal Christmas tree has now become a huge cone of flags comprised of the EU flag, Ukrainian flag and even banners of Yulia Tymoshenko (former Prime Minister of Ukraine who was arrested and jailed in 2010 after Yanukovych took office. Officially she was charged on fraud charges but it’s been highly regarded around the world that she’s a political prisoner).

On December 17 Ukraine signs a deal with Russia where Russia will purchase $15 billion of Ukrainian debt and lower the cost of Russian gas to Ukraine.

Note: Russian gas has been a huge contention point between Ukraine and Russia. In the winters of 2006 and 2009 Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine because of various disagreements. Last numbers I remember seeing was that 80% of the Russian gas that flows to Europe makes its way through Ukraine. Obviously Ukraine is a vital part of Russia’s economy.

Opinion: Seeing Yanukovych lean once more toward Russia is unnerving to many people. The combination of accepting Russian money as well as cheaper gas seems to show that Ukraine will be creating even more ties to Russia…which some Ukrainians like (generally in the east and southern Ukraine) and infuriating other Ukrainians (generally toward the middle and west Ukraine).

Note: At this point many Ukrainians who once didn’t care about politics are now taking notice. One of my friends over there used to ask if I was interested in politics when I was visiting. I said yes but she said she didn’t really care because it didn’t matter. However talking to her on the phone in December you could hear the frustration in her voice and she was clearly interested in the political scene in Ukraine now. This has become true with many other Ukrainians and has also been a polarizing event as some are pro-east and some are pro-west and tempers flaring amongst friends as this all unfolds.

Anti-Protest Laws Passed

On January 16, 2014 Yanukovych’s government hastily passes (i.e., without formal legal procedure) a bunch of anti-protest laws. Examples of such laws are:

• making it illegal to wear a mask
• illegal to wear a helmet
• illegal to gather in groups of more than five
• illegal to set up a sound stage

Breaking one of these laws could lead to up to 15 years in prison. This of course infuriates the protesters and many Ukrainian citizens in general as they view these as draconian measures.

Note: It’s around this time that some of the more radical groups begin to join the protests. These groups are more apt to throw molotov cocktails at the police and get into more scuffles.

The First Deaths

On January 22, with more tempers flaring after the passage of these new laws, the scuffles between protesters and police finally turn deadly. Two protesters die from gunshot wounds, one man hangs himself and and activist is found dead (after being abducted a week before).

Opinion: This is when I began getting fairly concerned about my friends and acquaintances in Ukraine. By now I’ve been watching all these activities unfold…watching the government lean more toward Russia and watching peaceful protests turn deadly. After talking on the phone to a friend in Ukraine she warns me that I may not hear from her in a while as there are talks that the government will shut down the internet and shut down phone service and the only TV stations that will remain up are the government run stations.

Note: Throughout this time more and more protesters are showing up to Kyiv. They’ve begun taking over government buildings, building huge barricades of tires (and often burning those tires) and the protests are spreading to other cities around the country (mostly on the western side of the nation).

The government passes an amnesty bill that states the protesters who have been arrested will be released if the remaining protesters vacate the occupied government buildings. The protesters reject this. Later, the government releases the arrested protesters but charges against them remain.

On February 16 the protesters agree to leave the occupied Kyiv City Hall in a show of faith and the government grants the arrested protesters amnesty.

Opinion: At this point, I’m thinking “great, maybe the tension will subside a bit”. I’m still not really sure what to think by now though. Take note, the protesters have been calling for Yanukovych’s resignation and nothing less than that would be acceptable. It’s no longer about joining the EU (it hasn’t been for a while now) but is more about the Yanukovych’s government and its treatment of the people.

Note: At some point in January or early February Yanukovych offered Prime Minister spots to some of the opposition leaders. This was another time I thought “great, maybe we have some traction here” yet the opposition leaders declined this. One was quoted as saying “I will not drink from your poison chalice”.

More Violence Ensues

On February 18 the uneasy calm erupts into violence again. Reports of 28 people dead (the numbers vary widely based on the source). This is the worst violence since the beginning of the protests. It appears as if Kyiv is burning as the entire encampment looks to be on fire and both sides waging brutal attacks.

On February 20 a truce is called yet is short-lived. In this round of violence at least 100 are reported dead and over 500 injured. Disturbingly enough, about 20 of the dead look to be killed by police sniper fire (the snipers were seen on rooftops, the bullets found in the dead were the caliber of Ukrainian sniper rifles, most of the shots were single shots to the head).

Opinion: It’s only going to get worse before it gets better. Yanukovych doesn’t want to give up his power but that’s the only condition the protesters want. What are Yanukovych’s options here? Pass more laws to quell this? He has already called the actions “acts of terrorism” and “coup attempts”, thus threatening to bring in Russian anti-terrorist troops and other such troops.

As of now, Yanukovych has agreed to hold early elections (which he SHOULD lose if there is no blatant ballot-stuffing). If this is enough for opposition leaders still needs to be seen.

Opinion: Luckily Putin is occupied with the Olympics right now. I fear that once the Olympics are over he will raise all hell to squash the resistance and pull Ukraine back into Russia’s influence. Ukraine is a nation rich in natural resources as well as a major gas thoroughfare to Europe. Of course Putin doesn’t want to give up Ukraine to western influence.

Putin is a smart man. He’s made the US look like bumbling idiots in the situations with Iran and Syria. Can (and more importantly, WILL) the EU and US do anything or will everyone stand by and watch Putin pull Ukraine into its own sphere?

Conclusion

This is simply a recap with of the events with all the minor details. To understand this even more one will have to do research and see how tumultuous the region has been since the dawn of time. Ukraine is a beautiful nation with beautiful people. It saddens me to see them torn apart in so many different directions, to not prosper as much as they should. Smart, kind, determined people. They deserve a chance to flourish.

So the next article you see that says this is all about not joining the EU, move along until you get to the real facts.

Imagine the neighborhood bully…constantly taking your lunch money and calling you names. You’ve dealt with this for years but no change has happened. One day the bully takes your football and it finally gets you and your friends mad enough to do something about it. You protest, you gather round, and all the events that transpire afterwards snowball into bigger events. Is this simply about the football? No. The football was just the straw that broke the camel’s back and years of pent up frustration have finally taken their toll.

Pray for Ukraine.

By now people in the US are finally starting to hear about what is going on in Ukraine. They see pictures of burning mountains of tires, of molotov cocktails being thrown around, and reading reports of the number of people (26 at this writing) that have perished as well as the hundreds (thousands?) that have been injured. It’s truly a tragedy to watch…my stomach has been in knots since this all began in November. This post isn’t a recap of all the events that lead to this (hint: it’s not simply about a few Ukrainians being upset about not joining the EU) but instead this is to help put some perspective on things and let you know why I’ve been following this so intently since November last year.

First off, Ukraine is a beautiful country with beautiful people (beautiful inside and out). Every day families who are struggling to survive in a nation with a fairly poor economy. Once a rather stable and powerful country it has sadly fallen behind the times thanks to years of corruption from the top.

Now picture your friends or family in New York, Miami, Atlanta, San Francisco, Toronto, Sydney…wherever you may have friends and family. You may not talk to them every day, but they are dear to you and when you suddenly see that many are gathering in the town square, you take notice. You check to see if they are ok. You follow the news more (which isn’t always easy because the news is filled with more crap about Kanye or Bieber than it is of a nation on the bring of revolution) trying to see what’s going on. You try to get more news from your friends to hear about what’s really going on (i.e., you may not hear from them in a while because the government is talking about shutting down the phone systems, the internet, and all TV stations except for the state-run ones). These aren’t things that sit well with you while hoping your friends are doing ok.

Are you still picturing your aunt and cousin in Philadelphia now? And beginning to see how each progression of tension makes you more and more uneasy? So far things have mostly been peaceful, just a few clashes between police and protesters here and there but for the most part, peaceful.

Peaceful until yesterday. When all hell broke loose, when the clashes got extremely violent with dozens of people getting killed and hundreds of getting injured. Was that your cousin in that mess in Atlanta? I hope not. Are things going to escalate even further? Please no.

When you have ties to a particular place, it stings even more. For many, seeing clashes in a remote place is just another spot on the nightly news (if they aren’t busy talking about Bieber’s latest incident). For others, when you see yet another friend or another common resident simply stating “Please pray for us and our beautiful country”, it stings bad.

Send your prayers and good thoughts to the people of Ukraine. They need all the help they can get right now.

Finally, another installment from my trip to Ukraine. This will be recapping my first full day in Novograd-Volynski…a small town about 200km west of Kiev. It’s been just over a year now and I’m itching to go back but I don’t think I’ll be able to get there too soon, so instead I’ll make sure my next trip out is even more wondrous than this one was.

I woke up early that day (Tuesday morning)…

Full article can be seen at www.sendmeonatrip.com/chia-in-novograd-volynski-ukraine-day-1-part-1/

Ukraine has been on my mind a lot lately. Well, it tends to be on my mind a good bit considering it’s the screen saver for my Apple TV and also the lock screen on my phone (this nice picture of Kiev below).

Kiev at Night. It’s been the lock screen on my phone for nearly a year.

It’s also nearing that time of year that I made my venture into the wild unknown and I’ll admit I’m really wanting to go back sooner rather than later…

Full posting can be found at www.sendmeonatrip.com/chias-first-day-in-ukraine-part-3/

Now for a long-overdue continuation of my trip to Ukraine (if you want to start from the beginning, go to My Life Changing Trip to Ukraine). I just realized that we’re quickly approaching a year since I went over there and I still have yet to scratch the surface of my trip. The interesting thing is, it’s not because I forgot about the my trip over there or that it became less of a memory. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, as time continues on, I find myself thinking about it more and more. The desktop photo on my computer is from Novograd-Volynski. Here…this is my desktop.

The River Sluch in Novograd-Volynski. My computer desktop for months.

The background on my iPhone is from my last night in Ukraine…

Full article continued at www.sendmeonatrip.com/chias-first-day-in-ukraine-part-two/

However, there are new days and new things that I think you would enjoy. I’m trying to make sure nobody ever has to fill your shoes for the virtual slap and instead am working on keeping life’s crazies away on my own. Awww yeah! I’m also getting ready to carry on your legacy of creating beauty. I’m thinking of working on some art projects and using the techniques you have used.

One thing I always loved about you was that you could see beauty in EVERYTHING and everyone. Your child-like wonder, your innocence, your creativity is still such an inspiration to me and I want to make sure I carry that on as well. Your heart was pure…loving life and loving everything about life. Sure, people or things may have annoyed you here or there but that didn’t make you stop loving. You just dealt with it and carried on with a smile, a laugh, and plenty of love. I strive to live my life in the same way.

Dad and I enjoy telling good stories together, sharing ideas and just being good buds now. You are such a great link that both of us loved so dearly and have helped us to love each other and love life just as you have. I can see that he too continues to learn from you even though neither he nor I have the chance to talk with you anymore. I’m guessing Dad may talk to you just like I do when I’m thinking about you…

You’ve been a good teacher Mom. I’m continuing to simplify life as much as possible and to actually enjoy life instead of “stuff”. Taking simple pleasures in working in the yard, singing and humming while doing chores around the house, smiling at random people, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, looking around at everything with a new innocence and seeing beauty no matter where I may be. I’m finding so many new pictures to take with that last one alone…suddenly a walk to the grocery store will present itself with a thousand photo opportunities.

I miss you terribly mom. You were clearly taken from us far too soon. The world needs more good souls like you. Why someone this good was taken is beyond me, but I’m determined to not let it all end here. Everyone that knew you loved you, and even people that have never met you are starting to love you when I talk about you. You have been, and you still are, a very amazing and wonderful mother to me. Thank you for that and for many other things.

I love you Mom…thank you for looking over me. Keep laughing and touching the souls all around you wherever you are. You are truly a gift to us all.

Alas, the time has finally arrived where I get to experience Ukraine for what it really is. I’ve done my research online, asked a bunch of friends and acquaintances what they knew about Ukraine (either from personal experiences or from their friends and family) and am ready to immerse myself in this land that has captivated me on and off for many years…

Full article can be seen at www.sendmeonatrip.com/chias-first-day-in-ukraine/

Finally…some time (and getting over a cold) to start posting about my trip to Ukraine that I’ve been gushing about to everyone. Even though I’ve been back in the US for a week and a half, buried in work, and sick as hell…this trip is still finding ways to redefine me.

(ps – this is part two of the series. The beginning can be found here at My Life Changing Trip to Ukraine.

So here we are…ready to embark on my journey…

Article is continued at www.sendmeonatrip.com/chias-ukraine-trip-travel-day-1/

I just returned from a trip to Ukraine and have to share this life changing experience as I can’t shake it from my mind and heart. Even though it’s been nearly a week since my return, my head still reels from everything I saw, tasted, experienced, and felt there. I only hope that the words I share here with you are enough to convey the magnitude of beauty, simplicity, and purity that I surrounded myself with for a week. My life has already been affected and I know there will be many more changes coming forth.

The interesting thing is…

Article continued at www.sendmeonatrip.com/my-life-changing-trip-to-ukraine/

It’s Mother’s Day 2012, my third Mother’s Day without you. Let me start off by saying I miss you so terribly much. So much has happened in the years that passed since you were taken from us. So much to tell, both good and bad. You were the best mother I can ever imagine having and I guess that’s why I wanted to share EVERYTHING with you. I’m glad I disobeyed you on Mother’s Day 2009 when you told me not to come over because you were feeling like crap. We didn’t know you had cancer yet, we just knew you weren’t feeling well. I showed you though…I came over and we had an enjoyable day together. I am VERY glad I did that…

Like I said Mom, I miss you terribly. Fear not though…I don’t dwell on it. Your great motherly advice about not dwelling on the bad or not dwelling on things that you can’t change usually sticks with me. I do miss picking up the phone and calling you at the first sign of news (again…good or bad, you were my go-to gal!).

I do want you to know things are better than they were when you left us. I fear that the condition of my life weighed heavy on you in your last days and I really really hope that you know, as usual, I would overcome. I grabbed another job after you passed (I sure didn’t want one while you were sick…didn’t want to miss any days with you). Granted, that unscrupulous businessman that put me deeper into debt still owes me gobs of money but I’m managing to survive despite that. I do love the nickname you came up for him…heh heh, you always knew how to put a funny spin on anything.

There are so many things I walk around thinking “geeze, I wish I could show Mom this”. Like LocaJot, the iPhone app Aken and I put out. I know you would have been so supportive as we went through the entire process together, learning as we went, and creating something cool. I created something cool, in your honor, and just like you enjoyed doing…creating. Sometimes when I’m walking around my new neighborhood or house I think “geeze, Ma would love these windows” or “I know Ma would go nuts on this yard”.

See, that’s just it Mom, I’ve always wanted to make you proud. Growing up, I wasn’t too terribly bad…not because fear of punishment but because I wanted nothing more than your prideful hugs, your words of encouragement and praise, and to make you proud. THAT is the sign of a good mother, and you certainly were one.

Doing my best to brush off the bad and take the best out of any situation. Your death has been and forever will be the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I will make you proud however in how I handle this as well as other times of adversity. You’ll love this…I moved in with Dad for a bit after you were gone. As you can imagine, there were times of tension here and there. However, after it was all said and done, we are closer than we have ever been in my entire life. We’ve both learned a lot from you, and also share the same loss. It’s another one of those things I wish you could see…but I do have the feeling you know it already. You always had that keen insight…and I know you’re looking down on us and continuing to guide us when our eyes and hearts are open.

Thank you Mom. Thank you for EVERYTHING. You always made sure I was fed and clothed. You ALWAYS made sure I felt loved. You showed me how to be self-sufficient and you showed me that not only is it ok to be different, but that it’s actually a good thing. You taught me how to laugh in the face of adversity, to buckle down and work hard, to love without remorse, and to see the beauty in practically everything out there. These are the signs of an amazing mother and you clearly were…and still are, the best.

I love you Mom.

One of my favorite pictures of my mom and I. Nothing but love as she tries to smush food all over my face.