EuromaidanPR

Date: September 20, 2014 Location: Kiev, Ukraine Length: 6:06 Residents of Ukraine are facing the danger of living in the cold during this coming winter. The threat of the gas supply being cut off brought panic among Kievians. The prices for electrical boilers jumped ten-fold due to the increase in demand. Heating of dwellings depends on the supply (including from Russia) of the natural gas, which is used for heating and hot water. In view of the devaluation of the national currency, pension payment delay and lack of jobs, many families cannot afford another big expense. This video was filmed in Solomenka, one of the old districts of Kyiv, a neighborhood with a low quality of life, inhabited mostly by working class, state workers and many retired. The district is dominated with the blocks of Khrushchev and Brezhnev from 60s and 70s with outdated infrastructure. Obviously, the multi billion loans by World Bank and IMF provided to Ukraine at the EU taxpayers’ expense were not used for updating those infrastructure facilities. Short List: A woman in her kitchen pours water into a pan, whilst holding her child and puts in on a gas hob to boil A woman plays with a child near the electrical heater A school building A young man with a child standing on the steps of the entrance A street road Public transport in the street A Ukrainian balcony Façade of old multistory building with the gas pipes (yellow pipes installed externally) Façade of old multistory building with a number of balconies Big picture of the gas pipeline Stickers on the wall of the building advertising house and flat insulation Stickers advertising electrical boilers installation A yellow gas pipe on the façade of the building, grates on the ground floor windows An entrance of the residential apartment block painted in the colors of the national flag of Ukraine Gas pipes on the façade of the residential buildings Balconies with drying laundry and Ukrainian flags A general plan of a residential apartment block Story #1 Kyiv woman with a child in her apartment The woman has a decent apartment, however, heating, electricity and gas supply system is a standard one, shared with all other people residing at the apartment block. Current situation requires changes to enable electrical heating, however, current power allowance will not sustain simultaneous use of electric heating by the residents. SOUNDBITE 1 “At present, our family uses an electrical kettle or we heat the water on the gas hob. However, if we install the electric boiler we will have to pay significantly more for the electricity. It would be a big hit on the family budget. We cannot pay more that we pay now, says the woman. Furthermore, when all the residents rely exclusively on electricity the system can get overloaded and not only will they be unable to use an electrical kettle, but electrical heaters either.” Story #2 A woman with a stroller in the street The woman in the street is seriously considering spending winter out of town, where wood/coal heating is available and the electricity prices are one and a half times lower compared to those in the Capital. She mentions the price of the boiler being over 5,000 UAH, plus the cost of installation. This amount equals to her salary for two months or a retiree pension for half a year. SOUNDBITE 2 “Naturally, I am against gas and the hot water cut off. Maximum that we can do is to insulate our windows, exactly what we’ve done. I am not letting us get cold in the winter, we will fight the cold. We will either use the electric heaters or, maybe, we will have to leave the city and stay with relatives in the country. This would be possible if the winter break will be longer than usual. We certainly will get a boiler installed at home because we are a family of four. Journalist: did you research already the availability and the price of boilers? Last time we inquired about the price in the summer, when we were carrying out a refurbishment. It was expensive even then: around 5-6,000UAH. Scary to think how much they may cost now.” Story #3 A woman in the street The woman in the street tells about the cooperation between the residents, that many make a joint decision to install gas and water meters and are trying to come up with the best financial solution. Many insulate windows and walls. Residents do not believe that gas storages can be filled in quantities sufficient for the winter. People do not trust authorities and the new mayor of Kyiv, world boxing champion, Vitaly Klichko. SOUNDBITE 3 “The fact that there is no hot water in the whole city is incredibly inconvenient, so what maintenance companies do to improve the situation? They blame the water supply authorities. The water supply authorities blame electricity suppliers. As for us, we have no idea who is really responsible. As a result there is not hot water, however the gas prices went up and we have to pay for both, the gas we use to heat the water and for the hot water we do not receive. As a result, we are paying twice. Our residents are very unhappy with that. We had to buy plenty of synthetic foam to insulate the walls. What else can we say? When it comes to the electrical heater, the energy consumption is not their main downside, rather drying the air and burning the oxygen are. Especially this is noticeable in connection with my little granddaughter, whose skinis getting very dry when the electric heaters are in use. I borrowed such a heater a few days ago and returned it. Do not want to use those.” Story #4 Two aged women, sitting on the bench. Nevertheless, not all Ukrainians complain, many are prepared to face the hardship, as they understand that the country is at war. And living in cold is the lesser evil than being bombed by the Russian Army. That’s what the aged ladies are talking about sitting on the bench near the apartment block they live in. SOUNDBITE 4 “Cold winter is better than the war. Peace is the most important thing. One can survive the winter, but hot water and radiators will be of little use against shelling. That is it. If there is electricity one can turn the heater on, if not – we will have to rely on warm duvets, coats and hats. I want to stress once again: I am not afraid of the cold. But I am very much afraid of the war. I am afraid that they will shoot and we don’t know where to hide. We have nowhere to run. That’s why all we can do is sit here and wait.”

Date: September 29, 2014 Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine Length: 11:22 Background 390 Lenins have been taken down across Ukraine in the last 10 months. Story In 1956, on the 300th anniversary of the City of Kharkiv, the cornerstone was laid in the center of the round part of what was then called Dzerzhinsky Square, today Ploshcha Svobody at a celebratory rally. The monument itself was only unveiled on November 5, 1963 on the 46th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. On this memorable soviet date, an official wreath-laying ceremony was held at the feet of the Great Leader. When Ukraine became independent, calls to remove the monument to Lenin, a symbol of totalitarianism, from the city’s center began to circulate. But for a long time the idea had little support among Kharkiv residents. But on September 28, 2014, Ukraine’s largest monument to the “leader of the proletariat,” standing more than 20 meters high, came down. It all started with a march down vulytsia Sumska. At around 19:00 that evening, the march arrived at Ploshcha Svobody, near the Lenin monument. Some demonstrators climbed onto the pedestal and used a grinder to carve out the words “Slava Ukrayini,” meaning “Glory to Ukraine,” into the granite. Then somebody decided to use the tool to carve up Lenin’s legs. The police did not get in the way of the activists who obviously intended to take the statue down. To speed up the demolition, the monument was wrapped in cables. The crowd began to pull on the 20-meter statue. But nothing happened. The activists tried a few more times to pull Lenin down off his pedestal. But it was 22:25 before the massive monument began to give way. The crowd then threw itself on the fallen Lenin and began to cut the sculpture to pieces. Today, there is no trace of the monument on Ploshcha Svobody. Freedom Square contains only the pedestal on which Lenin’s shoes can still be seen. The people of Kharkiv have gathered on their main square to say what they think of this event. Shot List: Long shot of the Lenin monument surrounded by people with Ukrainian flags, as well as flags from the famous Azov Battalion and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). On the monument’s pedestal, men in balaclavas and someone has used a grinder to carve out “Slava Ukrayini” on it. Medium shot of men in balaclavas cutting off the statue’s legs with a grinder. Long shot of the Lenin monument. Men in masks continue to cut off the statue’s legs. People grow impatient near the monument, waiting for it to be toppled. At Lenin’s feet, people are standing with the national flag and the flag of the Azov Battalion. An ordinary Kharkivite approaches the monument, looking upset at what’s going on. He’s against toppling Lenin. The men in the balaclavas respond aggressively and push him roughly away from the monument. A man in a balaclava holds a rope tied to the monument. The men around the monument continue to dismantle it. A man points at a fragment of Lenin’s leg noting that it’s bronze. Men in masks continue to saw off the legs with the grinder while the crowd chants, “Ukraina ponad use.” Ukraine above all.” Ploshcha Svobody, filled with people. Medium shot. A man on the monument unwinds a rope. Long shot. A man on the monument unwinds a rope. At Lenin’s feet are people with Ukrainian and Azov Battalion flags. Long shot. The monument is being dismantled. Close-up. Men in balaclavas cut Lenin’s legs with grinder. A man in the crowd threatens a woman who says she is against taking down the monument. A fisticuffs near the monument. People pull on the Lenin monument with cables. Men wrap the face up in gauze. As the cables break the monument, Lenin’s eyes pop out. The statue falls to the ground and people rush towards it, rejoicing. The crowd chants “Ukraine Ukraine!!” SOUNDBITE 1 Marharita Vasylieva “Our opinion is that this was banditry. How can you go and knock down the best monument in Europe/ Whom was he bothering? The beauty of Kharkiv? This was banditry and it was taken down by the bandits who came to power. We’re absolutely against this. If we were young, we would defend our Ukraine, but not the bandits. We’re against bandits.” Journalist: Tell me, what’s going on there now? Marharita Vasylieva “They’re washing it, but you can see for yourself that they scratched ‘Slava Ukrayini’ on it, it’s all scratched up, but the tryzub [trident] is being washed off.” Journalist: You don’t know who’s washing it down? Marharita Vasylieva “Some young people. Two young guys with foreign faces, they’re dark. We’re standing pretty far away and it’s hard to see. We’re crying, we’re in mourning.” SOUNDBITE 2 Sasha “For these pensioners, these communists, Lenin is their leader, their idol. But I have to live in this country. Of course it’s a shame for them,, but when they die, I don’t plan to live my life under these symbols or under this idol who killed the Ukrainian people. I have different ideals. The flag of Ukraine is in my heart, while their hearts have the flag of Russia. We’re from different countries. They’re from the Soviet Union and I’m from Ukraine.” SOUNDBITE 3 Anatoliy Petrovych “Well, I think evolution led to this situation. The situation brought about an evolutionary process. It had to happen sooner or later.” Journalist: How about you, are you for or against knocking down the monument? Anatoliy Petrovych “Well, if this monument represented the solidarity of the Ukrainian nation, I’d have been against demolishing it, but because it actually represents discord in our country... well, you can draw your own conclusions.” SOUNDBITE 4 Oleksiy Vasyliovych “I think this is the real face of the government today—barbaric. Journalist: Tell me, what’s the square like today, without Lenin? Oleksiy Vasyliovych “Ah, not to worry, it’ll be replaced. This is barbaric. When somebody takes something down, those in power are at fault. It’s a real shame.” Journalist: Tell me, why is all this happening anyway? Oleksiy Vasyliovych “I don’t get you. It’s barbaric, do you understand? They want to piss people off, so that we start attacking each other.”

Refugee children from conflict zone of eastern Ukraine celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on Dec 18 2014 in Kiev’s Lutheran Church. Celebration organized by volunteers on donations collected around the world.