Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich announced $2 billion worth of pension increases and other handouts on March 7 as his Party of the Regions prepared for a tough parliamentary election in October.
The Regions, which dominate the current parliament together with allies, are being run close in opinion polls by the opposition Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party amid a worsening economic climate.

Yanukovich said the government was increasing monthly payouts to 9 million pensioners by at least 100 hryvnias ($13) from May and would also boost other payouts such as those provided to disabled miners and retired military officers.
He also ordered 1,000 hryvnia ($125) reimbursements to be paid out to 6 million depositors of the Soviet Union’s Sberbank who had lost most of their savings as the Soviet rouble crashed in the 1990s.
These two steps will cost the state budget 16 billion hryvnias ($2 billion) this year, Interfax news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Tigipko as saying after the government meeting.

“The Finance Ministry has enough funds for this,” it quoted him as saying.

The IMF, back in talks with Ukraine after halting the flow of aid early last year, says that the government should rather hike gas and heating prices for households that are currently heavily subsidised by the state budget.
With talks with Russia on the price of gas also dragging on, and the interest rates Kiev pays to borrow from the private sector close to double digits, analysts say the country is badly exposed to any further international financial turbulence.

Yanukovich also ordered his cabinet on March 7 to set up a state mortgage programme that would allow Ukrainians to borrow money at 2-3 percent per annum, with the remainder of interest rate payments subsidised by the budget.

“The president has de facto launched the election campaign,” Pavel Rozenko, a political analyst with the Razumkov Centre think tank in Kyiv, said.
“These steps may result in a higher deficit of the state budget and the (state) Pension Fund as well as higher inflation.”

TIGHT RACE

Yanukovich’s party holds 191 seats out of 450 in Ukraine’s parliament and faces stiff competition in the upcoming election from Batkivshchyna’s bloc, which currently holds 103 seats, and other opposition parties.
Last October, a Ukrainian court sentenced Batkivshchyna’s leader, former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, to seven years in prison on charges of abusing her power while forcing through a 2009 gas supply deal with Russia.
Tymoshenko has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, a view shared by the European Union which has put off the signing of bilateral agreements on political association and free trade over the issue.

Yanukovich narrowly beat Tymoshenko in the 2010 presidential election and polls indicate support for her rose as she was arrested, tried and convicted.
According to a poll carried out in February by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, only 26.3 percent of Ukrainians who were willing to vote would have voted for the Party of the Regions.
This was an improvement from 23.8 percent last November but still down from 31.9 percent a year ago and just over 34 percent when it won power in 2007. Changes to how parliament is elected make it hard to predict how many votes will be needed to win this time.
Batkivshchyna was second in the poll with 22.3 percent, up from 19.3 percent last November.
From her prison cell in the eastern city of Kharkiv, Tymoshenko called on her party faithful last month to join forces with other opposition parties to oust the Regions in October, although the prospects of such a union are unclear.

The Fairmont Grand Hotel Kiev opened its doors this week, making it the luxury chain’s first property in Eastern Europe.

Located in the centre of Kiev’s historic Podil district, the hotel features 258 rooms including 56 suites, two restaurants, a Champagne bar, a spa and more than 1,200 sqm of meeting and function space.

In addition, the property features a Fairmont Gold executive floor, offering additional amenities including a private guest lounge serving free food and drink throughout the day and a personal reception desk. There is also a fully equipped business centre with 24-hour access and secretarial services.

Recreational facilities include a 641sqm spa, as well as a fully equipped fitness centre, group exercise classes and access to an indoor/outdoor tennis club.

The opening of the hotel comes in time for the one million fans expected to attend the three-week UEFA Euro 2012 competition starting on June 8. The football championships will be the biggest international sporting event Ukraine, or its partner host, Poland, has ever held, with Kiev hosting the final on July 1.

Meanwhile in Donetsk, which will host group matches and one of the championship’s semi finals, works to modernise the city’s airport have been underway since 2007, in order to meet the requirements set in place by UEFA for airports “to ensure a [possible] flow of 3,100 passengers per hour on Euro 2012 match days”, according to the Ukrainian government’s website.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts operates more than 60 hotels around the world including London’s The Savoy, New York’s The Plaza and Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel. The group will also be opening the Fairmont Baku in Azerbaijan later this year.

Ukraine pays about $3.8 billion too much every year for Russian gas when compared with neighboring countries, President Viktor Yanukovych said on Wednesday.

“Taking into account [the gas prices] of our neighbors, we pay nearly 30 billion hryvna more for Russian gas. These funds could have been used for improving the social standards and development of our state,” Yanukovych told the government meeting.

Russia and Ukraine have been embroiled in a drawn-out dispute over the price and volume of Russian gas purchased by Ukraine. Kiev insists the current price is too high, while Moscow is pushing for control of Ukraine’s system of gas transit to Europe, as part of a deal to cut prices.

The Ukrainian president also said that high gas price is detrimental to the country’s economic development. The Government is seeking to resolve the issues of debt risks and “the shameful gas contracts of the previous government” to a minimum for recent two years, the country’s leader said.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko announced this January that the country was seeking to cut Russian gas imports to 27 billion cubic meters from the 2012 contracted volume of 52 bcm. Russian gas giant Gazprom reacted by saying the current contract did not stipulate unilateral changes in gas purchases.

Last week Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that Moscow had sent a new gas proposal to Kiev stipulating a 10 percent discount in the price of gas, which Ukraine was considering.

Ukraine is unable to buy Russian gas at current prices, which are “wrong and unfair,” Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said in an interview with a Russian TV channel.

“I believe we will have the political will and wisdom needed to solve this issue,” Yanukovych said in an interview go to air at 17:00 Moscow time on Sunday [13:00 GMT] on the Rossiya 24 TV channel. “We are unable to pay such unjustified price for the gas. This is wrong and unfair.”

Ukraine has been seeking a revision in the 2009 gas deal with Russia since last spring. Russia has tied the price for gas to the international spot price for oil, which has been rising strongly recently due to the instability in the Middle East.

According to Naftogaz, Ukraine will pay $417-418 per bcm in 2012.Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that a fair gas price for Ukraine amounted to $200 per 1,000 cubic meters, while Gazprom has said that the company sees no reasons for a revision.

Ukraine has started talks with Germany, Romania and Turkey to buy 2-3.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from each country in a bid to reduce imports of more expensive Russian gas, Kommersant-Ukraine reported on Monday, citing sources in the Energy Ministry.

Naftogaz, the Ukrainian national energy company intends to purchase about 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas in Europe or about one third of gas supplies to the ex-Soviet republic, its head Yevheniy Bakulin said on March 17.

Bakulin said the price of natural gas in Europe was about $30-40 per 1,000 cubic meters lower than the price fixed in the 2009 contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom.

Russia and Ukraine have been embroiled in a drawn-out dispute over the price and volume of Russian gas purchased by Ukraine. Kiev insists the current price is too high, while Moscow is pushing for control of Ukraine’s gas transit system to Europe, as part of a deal to cut prices.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that Ukraine annually pays about $3.8 billion more for Russian natural gas supplies than the price paid by European countries or about 8 percent of Ukraine’s total budget spending in 2012.

Yanukovych said $250 per 1,000 cu m was a fair price for Russian natural gas supplies compared with over $400 per 1,000 cu m paid by Ukraine in the fourth quarter of 2012.

More Ukrainians are in favour of a union with Russia and Belarus than in favour of joining the EU, public opinion polls carried out by the Kiev International Sociology Institute have shown.

According to the polls’ results, a referendum held on whether a union should be formed with Russia and Belarus, 55% would give an affirmative answer and 27% a negative one.

If  a referendum was held on whether Ukraine should join the EU, 40% would be prepared to vote in favour and 33% against such a move.

The apathy among England supporters over Euro 2012 is such that the FA have used less than a third of their allocation of tickets for the three group games in Ukraine.

The FA are in the process of informing England fans whether they have been successful with applications for the two matches in Donetsk and one in Kiev.

But there will be no London Olympic-style disappointments. England are traditionally one of the best supported teams wherever a major tournament takes place, and the FA had 7,000 seats reserved for them in Donetsk and 9,000 in Kiev.

In the event, between 2,000 and 2,500 fans have bought tickets for the games against France, Sweden and Ukraine, with the high cost and difficulties over transport and accommodation being blamed for the low take-up.

UEFA will offer the surplus to the opposition countries, but French fans are showing a similar lack of interest.

No Becks appeal for adidas

When adidas announced their London 2012 sponsorship five years ago they had a hologram of David Beckham as the main attraction at the launch.

However, the brand’s biggest name won’t be there either personally or virtually when designer Stella McCartney reveals the Team GB kit – expected to be predominantly royal blue with red and white trimmings – at the Tower of London on Thursday.

Showing off the team strip will be Olympic competitors including Phillips Idowu, Lewis Smith and Christine Ohuruogu.

Not due to attend is UK Athletics chief Charles van Commenee, who still converses with Idowu through intermediaries as the triple jumper continues to snub attempts by the Dutchman to make peace following a conflict that dates back to last June.

Idowu wants a public apology for Van Commenee accusing him of announcing his withdrawal from the European Team Championships on Twitter.

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych has named a confectionary tycoon the new economics minister as part of a government reshuffle ahead of parliamentary elections in the fall.

Petro Poroshenko, aged 46, was one of the leaders of the 2004 Orange Revolution that threw out Yanukovych’s fraud tainted victory in the presidential vote. But he has drifted away from the Orange camp since then and has cooperated with Yanukovych, who was elected president in 2010.

Estimated at $1 billion by Forbes magazine, his business assets include a number of confectionary plants, shipbuilding and auto-making enterprises and a TV channel.

Poroshenko will have to deal with a cash-strapped economy after the International Monetary Fund froze a $15.6 billion loan over the government’s refusal to implement austerity measures.

Ukrainian doctors have said that jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko needs hospital care, reports Armenpress citing Euronews.

Authorites have always insisted medical facilities in her prison are adequate to treat the 51-year-old. Suffering from a spinal hernia, she is said to be in constant pain but unwilling to accept treatment behind bars.

Yuri Kotlyarevsky, the head neurosurgeon in Kharkiv where Tymoshenko is being held, told reporters her pain is now becoming chronic. He said specialist treatment is available and doctors were ready to carry it out “but in a hospital, in a specialised hospital, outside the jail”.

Five hundred kilometres from the capital Kiev, the opposition leader is serving seven years for abuse of office. The US, EU and Tymoshenko’s supporters say her trial was politically motivated.

Radisson Blu Hotel Kiev has announced that it will join the Earth Hour worldwide movement on 31 March, 2012 at 8:30 pm and will switch off the hotel’s lights and illumination. By this action, the hotel joins the efforts of many other organizations around the world to draw attention to the worldwide issue of global warming.

Ukraine’s government won a court hearing as it seeks to regain control over the Zaporizhskyi aluminum smelter from Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska’s United Co. Rusal.

The Kiev Commercial Court ruled to overturn a sale agreement and return a 68.01 percent stake in the plant, known as Zalk, to Ukraine’s state property fund, the Prosecutor General’s Office, also based in the country’s capital, said today in a statement on its website.

The prosecutors filed the suit, saying Rusal refused to refinance the plant’s $75.5 million of debt, “violating the state’s property rights,” according to the statement.

Rusal, the world’s biggest producer of the light metal, said it has fulfilled all of its obligations as investor.

“The court’s decision has not taken effect yet, and the company will challenge the decision in upper courts,” Rusal said in an e-mailed statement. “Zalk currently generates losses now because of the unprecedented high price for electricity.”

A Jewish group says a Holocaust memorial has been vandalized in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

Oleksandr Nazar of the city’s Sholem Aleichem Jewish Culture Center said Friday that unknown assailants on Wednesday smeared red and blue paint over the memorial in central Lviv.

He said the vandals also wrote a statement on the memorial which “humiliates both Jews and Ukrainians.”

“In Moscow, the gallery scene and the art market appeared earlier than in Kiev and our best artists were presented internationally through Moscow galleries,” said Oleksandr Soloviov, the chief curator and deputy director of Mystetskyi Arsenal. “Even today, when I visit fairs in places like Dubai or Basel, I see our artists are still being shown by Russian galleries.”

There are high hopes, however, that things will change soon. With exhibition space in a 60,000-square-meter, about 645,000-square-foot, former weapons depot, the Mystetskyi Arsenal is looking to become a major contemporary art facility. Although the museum will not fully open until 2014 — and many critics wonder what will actually be housed in the museum because, they say, it lacks a cohesive strategy for collecting — there have already been several successful and well-attended exhibitions held in the grand main hall. There are also hopes that this summer’s Arsenale could help position Kiev as an important capital for contemporary art.

The Pinchuk Art Center, which opened in 2006, has become a major space for contemporary art in the city. Lines have snaked around the corner for exhibitions of works by Damien Hirst and Sam Taylor-Wood. While detractors complain that the shows are mostly focused on international artists and that many visitors come not because they are interested in or understand art but because it’s trendy, the center’s general director, Eckhard Schneider disagrees. “The most important thing is to share the works,” he said. The art center also awards a national and international art prize.

Last year the winner of the national prize was Nikita Kadan, a young conceptual artist who was also featured in the “Ukrainian Body” exhibition. “Socially engaged and critical art became quite strong in the second half of the last decade,” Mr. Kadan said.

And despite the controversy over censorship, many are positive about the direction of the contemporary art scene. “There are many things happening at the moment,” said the conceptual artist Alevtina Kakhidze. “Of course we can criticize some of these things but what is important is we are creating a platform where new artists and a new Ukrainian art scene can be productive and active.”

The shutting down of an exhibition in Kiev last month became something of a performance art piece in its own right. The show, “Ukrainian Body,” which opened Feb. 7 at the Visual Culture Research Center at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, aimed to explore corporality in contemporary Ukrainian society. Alongside pieces like Oksana Briukhovetska’s picture book of the elderly and destitute in Kiev and a trident shield (the symbol of Ukraine) hand-carved by Vova Vorotniov were Sasha Kurmaz’s photographs of nude women, a few drawings of naked men by Anatoliy Byelov and a video installation by Mykola Ridnyi that looped contrasting images — one of a vagina and one of the Ukrainian Parliament — and asked viewers which image was more irritating.

Three days after the exhibition opened, the academy’s president, Serhiy Kvit, visited it. As Vasyl Cherepanyn, the director of the center tells it, a few hours later Mr. Kvit came back to the exhibition, keys in hand, and began shutting down video monitors and turning off the lights. “I asked him what he was doing,” said Mr. Cherepanym, who teaches in the university’s cultural studies department. “He told me ‘This is not an exhibition,”’ and used an expletive to describe it.

Mr. Kvit later told the media, “The exhibition is not closed, it is just locked.”

The president did not reply to e-mail requests for an explanation of his actions, though the academy provided a link to a page — in Ukrainian — of comments made by Mr. Kvit on the case.

After that, the academy only opened the show to the public when journalists requested entry. The closure prompted major debates over censorship not only among those involved in contemporary arts in Kiev, but also in the mainstream media.

Sympathizers across Ukraine showed solidarity with performances of their own, including one man in Donetsk who stripped naked in the freezing cold and carved the symbolic trident shield into his stomach with a razor. “Ukrainian Body” never reopened and the university closed the exhibition space altogether this month for what it said were “renovations.” According to Mr. Cherepanyn, the space will now be used to house the university’s archive.

A petition to protest those actions — signed by the philosopher Slavoj Zizek, artists including Artur Zmijewski and Sara Goodman, and academics including Eric Fassin and John-Paul Himka — and calling for the “restoration of academic and artistic freedom” has been circulating across the country.

Despite widespread disappointment at the censorship, however, many see the outraged reaction of the general public as a sign of positive growth in the arts world here.

“I absolutely believe that the closing of this exhibition is the most important thing that has happened in Ukrainian contemporary art in quite some years,” said Kateryna Botanova, the director of the Foundation Center for Contemporary Art , or C.C.A., in Kiev. “It shows that contemporary art is not always beautiful and glamorous. Art can be subversive and a place for discussion.”

Such an outcry would have been unlikely here even a decade ago, but “the Ukraine cultural sphere is developing very fast,” said Ms. Botanova, who is also an art critic. “It is fantastic, it’s like a volcano.”

New institutions, commercial and noncommercial, have helped drive the contemporary art scene forward. One of these, the state-financed Mystetskyi Arsenal (commonly known as Art Arsenal), will play host in May to Arsenale 2012, Kiev’s first contemporary art biennale, to be organized by David Elliott, the British curator and museum director.

Meanwhile, the privately financed Pinchuk Art Center , owned by the Ukrainian oligarch Victor Pinchuk, has brought big names to Kiev (there are simultaneous solo shows of Gary Hume and Jeff Wall) and has gallery space dedicated to contemporary Ukrainian artists. A handful of art journals, like the online art site Korydor (run by the Foundation C.C.A.) and the magazine Art Ukraine, have sprung up, and a crop of politically engaged young artists and curators are making noise in Ukraine and abroad.

“We do not have an international brand yet but I think it is a question of time,” said Pavlo Gudimov, a former member of the popular Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy and the owner of the Ya Gallery in Kiev. “We have so many interesting artists and so many interesting situations.”

By the legend Kiev was founded by 3 brothers – Kiy, Scheck, Horif and their sister Lybid. The city was named after the eldest brother – Kiev. Historians claim that first people settled on the territory of modern Kiev by the V century. The place for the city was well selected – high bank vaults of the river Dnieper served as a good defense from incursion of nomad tribes. In 882 Oleg prince of Novgorod captured Kiev and made it the capital of Old Russian powerful state – Kievan Rus. Kievan Rus’ is considered a predecessor state of three modern East Slavic nations: Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

Favorable position of Kiev on the water trade route “from Varangians(Viking) to Greeks” downstream Dnieper contributed to its further fast development. In IX and first half of X centuries Kiev considered to be the largest trade, cultural and craft center of Eastern Europe contesting with the capital of Byzantine Empire – Constantinople.

In 998 the acceptance of Orthodox Christianity and centralization of state power facilitated further straightening and development of political and cultural relations of Kiev with Byzantine and other Christian countries of Europe, its economical prosperity. During the rule of Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise the St. Sofia Cathedral and first Kievan Rus library were constructed. But internal wars of Russian principalities, popular uprisings, caused by the increasing of feudal oppression leaded to collapse of former powerful Old Russian state. In the first half of XII Kiev lost its role of important political center of Kievan Rus.

In 1240 Kiev was almost fully destroyed and burned out by Mongol Tatars invaders. Headed by Batiy Khan they captured Kiev in autumn of 1240, crossed the Dnieper and surrounded the city. Mongol Tatar yoke, and later the rule of Polish and Lithuanian feudal forced back Kiev economical and cultural development of Kiev.

Introducing of the Magdeburg’s Law has resulted in quick development of foreign affairs and economic growth.

After signing a Lublin Union between Poland and Lithuanian princedom Kiev was again captured by polish feudal what adversely affect city’s development. After freedom fighting war under the leadership of hetman Bogdan Khmelnitskiy Ukraine joined Russia.

After social reform of 1861 and serfdom abolition in cultural and economical life of Kiev change for the better.

After the revolution in Petersburg the power in Kiev changed constantly. By the 22 of January in 1918 Ukrainian Central Rada by the lead of historic Mikhail Grushevskiy proclaimed Ukraine’s Independence. The first president of Ukrainian republic became Grushevskiy by itself. However Ukrainian politics lacked enough political economical and military power to stand up for the Independence of Ukrainian state.

In 1922 the Soviet Union was created and Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic joined it. Officially like a sovereign state in the federation, actually all power was handed to center, and USSR became totalitarian country. Followed numerous repressions against cultural and scientist workers.

During the times of World War II Kiev was almost fully destroyed , 72 days lasted heroically Kiev defense against fascist invaders / 19 September 1941 the troops of Nazi Germany have entered the city. The city was Released on the 6 November 1943 by the price of big loss and human lives. In post-war period Kiev rebuild swiftly. Political situation indeed was – denunciation, purges, show trial, executions in NKVD prisons (Народный комиссариат внутренних дел (people’s commissariat of foreign affairs), deportation to GULAG out of court and investigation. After Stalin’s death Ukraine has adopted more humane civil rights.

By the 6 of July 1990 the parliament of Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic proclaims the sovereignty. Disturbed days of hapless Kremlin putsch in august of 1991became turning-point in Ukrainian history. On the 24 of August 1991 Verhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) proclaims the Declaration of Independence. 1 December 1991 the population of Ukraine by the majority of votes 93% supports independence.

On February 27, the teleconference “Warsaw – Kiev. 100 days before the Euro 2012.” was held in the Hall of Champions at the “Olympic” National Sport Complex. Within the framework of the event the participants discussed the level of preparation of Ukraine and Poland for the European Championships, as well as an opportunity of intensification of the cooperation between the two host countries.

During the video conference both countries declared that they are ready for the Championship. The Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Borys Kolesnikov and the Minister of Sports of Poland Joanna Mucha made a statement that the highest European level of EURO Championship organization is guaranteed.

100 Defining Days

On February 29, the capital of Ukraine held a press conference of “100 days before the Euro 2012. New experience for Ukraine” with the participation of Ukrainian and German experts.

The Head of the Group of Companies Research & Branding Group Eugene Kopatko informed that according to the results of social research conducted by R & B Group in February of this year, almost two-thirds of Ukrainians believe in successful staging of the Football Championship Euro-2012 in Ukraine.

The majestic building that raises in Pechersk over Lipki, on Bankova Street, 11, was built in 1939 for the staff of the Kiev military district. It is the monument of Kiev culture and architecture. The building project was created by the famous Kharkov architect Grigoriev, who combined two styles in the structure: classic and Ukrainian Baroque.

The first thing that immediately strikes the visitors of the Building Administration of the President is a huge thickness of the walls, which can not be found anywhere else in the monuments of culture and architecture. The structure is decorated with a colonnade of Korif Order. The plinth is faced with polished labradorite and four stone balls decorate the front entrance. The huge building of the Presidential Administration is located in a narrow street, but despite this, it fits perfectly into its surrounding buildings and is beautifully visible from all points.

During its history, the current presidential administration building has had many famous military leaders, among them the generals of the Russian Empire V. Sukhomlinov, M. Dragomirov, M. Alexeyev, who were there until the Revolution of 191; the outstanding Ukrainian generals – commanders of the army of the UNR Basil Tyutyunnik and Marco Bezruchko, as well as Colonel Eugene Meshkivsky.

During the Soviet era the building was the working place for N. Vatutin, A. Egorov, V. Blucher, I. Yakir, D. Zhukov. During the occupation of Kiev by Nazi troops there was located the general commissariat of Kiev, and at the end of World War II the building on Bankova Street, 11 was the place for the Central Committee of Communist Party of Ukraine. It housed offices of Nikita Khrushchev, A. Kirichenko, L. Melnikov, N. Podgorny, P. Shelest, V. Shcherbytsky.

Time has not spared many things of the Bulgakov family. In 1989 it was decided to create a house museum of Mikhail Bulgakov. The house was restored to the original plan, the façade was renovated. Close relatives of the writer provided his real personal things, books, photographs that belonged to Bulgakov, his sisters and brothers. Today, the Museum holds about 3 thousand items, 500 of which belonged to the family of Bulgakov.

The exhibition in the museum is as the mysterious and dual, as was Bulgakov himself and his novel “The White Guard”. Crossing the threshold of the house-museum, you find yourself in a fantasy world, a world where both lived two families – real and literary. The Turbine family in Bulgakov’s novel “The White Guard” lived at Alexis descent, 13.

To help visitors to finally avoid confusion, the creators of the museum painted things mentioned in Bulgakov’s novel, in white. You can inspect all seven rooms which were occupied by the Bulgakovs and Turbines – living room, dining room, medical room, reading room, and room of family members. But the museum is not limited by the second floor. Today for exhibitions is used the entire house. On the first floor there is a Literary lounge, two exhibition halls. For the exhibition of literary festivals, meetings, performances upper and lower patios are used. Walking on the squeaky floor boards to the rooms, you can examine the furniture, pictures, books, high-school textbooks. This creates such a feeling that now a door will open and Mikhail Bulgakov himself will enter the room.

The history of the world aviation is closely related to Ukraine. In 1910, an engineer from Kiev, Alexander Kudashev, built the first airplane, whereas in Odessa, Artur Anatra constructed one of the first aviation plants in the Russian Empire. It was in the sky of Kiev, where Petro Nesterov performed the well-known “dead loop” later called after him, and died above the Ukrainian soil when accomplishing the world first air ram. The world first assembly of heavy bombers was based in Vinnitsa region.

In 1930s, Kharkov Aviation Plant produced first Soviet civilian planes K-1 and K-5. The world largest transport planes, An-124 “Ruslan” and An-225 “Mria” have been constructed in the Antonov Aviation Complex. Engines of all “An” planes have been developed and produced in Ukraine. You will be able to learn all of it and much more if you visit the State Aviation Museum in Kiev City.

The exhibition of State Aviation Museum includes the major types of planes and helicopters that were used for war and peace purposes. There is also a collection of fighters Mig, among of them is a fighter produced back in 1950s, and a fighter of fourth generation MIG-29, as well as the world fastest war plane – the reconnaissance-bomber MiG-25RB. Also you can see the first Ukrainian serial airplane “Anatra Anasal”, constructed in 191917, and the first Ukrainian post-war plane – the famous “Kukuruznik” An-2.

Kiev Museum of Aviation can be proud of the unique collection of all models of the supersonic bomber-rocket carrier Tu-22M and the collection of the marine aviation which includes submarine chasers, and the world largest marine plane Tu-142M3, with wing reach of 50 meters.

You may sit and take pictures in the cabins of some planes. For instance, you may enter plane L-76, visit the cabin, and take the seat of navigator or pilot. The exhibition of the museum is constantly growing and will surprise its visitors with new rooms equipped with computer flight training simulators.

Address: Kiev, Medova Street 1. The museum is open on Wednesdays-Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The entrance fee is 15 UAH.

Ukraine`s former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko announced Wednesday he would run for mayor of Kiev for a third time this year.

“I will participate this year in the Kiev mayoral election and in the parliamentary election. I will defend the interests of Kiev as well as other regions of Ukraine,” Klitschko was quoted by his press service as saying.

In his first tilt at becoming mayor, in 2006, Klitschko came second to current mayor Leonid Chernovetsky and two years later finished third behind Chernovetsky and opposition politician Alexandr Turchinov.

The 40-year-old Klitschko currently heads Ukraine`s liberal Udar party, which described their candidate as a person who adheres to the European values and tries to fight corruption.

A telephone survey found voters were undecided over who their next mayor should be, with Klitschko polling nearly 26 percent support and current Chairman of the Kiev city administration Alexander Popov 23 percent.

The poll was conducted from Feb. 10-20 and its margin of error was within plus or minus 1.8-3.1 percentage points.

The Ukrainian boxer won 44 of 46 fights during his career.

KIEV — The 2012 European championships co-hosts Ukraine have promised to cut hotel costs during the event, amid concerns that prices are being cranked up to sky-high levels due to a lack of supply.

“The country’s government will find ways to make the costs of staying in the country during the Euro-2012 more acceptable for our guests,” Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov said at a news conference.

“Poverty causes greed,” he added. “We forgave our hotels their debts 10 years ago to stimulate their development. We counted on their loyalty but they lifted the prices.”

“However, our government has enough power to reduce their appetite,” Kolesnikov promised.

Earlier this year Ukraine’s media expressed deep concern over hotel capacity in some of the Euro-2012 host cities and the high cost of staying in Kiev for foreign visitors.

Estimates put the cost of rooms in Kiev at double that of staying in the Polish capital, Warsaw.

An overnight stay in Kiev during the tournament is expected to reach a staggering $332 (247 euros), compared with $149 in Warsaw.

Tent pitches in the Kiev suburbs will cost visiting fans about 40 euros ($54), the price of a daily stay in a hostel in Warsaw.

Kolesnikov insisted that Ukraine has enough space in inexpensive hotels in all of the host cities, although he admitted there is a lack of capacity in Donetsk.

Fans there will have the option of staying on local university campuses, he added.

Kolesnikov also said that Ukraine is set to open the country’s skies for all of the world’s airlines.

This initiative will allow fans who consider staying in Ukraine to be too expensive to come to Ukraine to watch the match and return home right after the showdown.

On the high hills of the right bank of the Dnieper rises majestically crowned with golden domes of the Holy Assumption Kiev-Pechersk Lavra – the inheritance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the cradle of monasticism in Russia and the stronghold of the Orthodox faith.

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra began life in 1051 frequent visitors of the cave monastery became Prince Izyaslav, son of Yaroslav the Wise, and Kiev to know who donated funds for the construction of the temple ground and cells when the caves were close to the number of monks, which grew rapidly. This happened about 1062: St. Anthony appointed the first abbot of St. Barlaam, and went on for forty years in a remote cave.

The church was built 15 years the Greek architects and painters, and was consecrated in 1089 by Metropolitan John.

The monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and the first hermits, different morals. It is attracted to Laura educated and noble people. The monastery became a kind of academy of Orthodox hierarchs. By the beginning of the XIII century among the monks in various border of Kievan Rus was appointed 50 bishops.

Playing a significant role in the unification of East Slavic lands, being spiritual, social, cultural and educational center, Pechersk Lavra enjoyed an excellent reputation not only in Russia but also in Poland, Armenia, Byzantium, Bulgaria and other countries.

Starting with the 40s of XIII century. and the beginning of XIV century the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was the witness of the Mongol invasion, the monastery as a whole, and Kiev, is also affected in 1399 and 1416′s.

Until the end of the XVI century., Overcoming various difficulties associated with Catholicism Ukrainian lands, as well as interference in the internal life of the monastery of the king and magnates, monasteries, temples and otstraivaya acquiring new land, actively revived. No longer having the glory that was in the first century of its existence, it remains one of the major spiritual, educational and cultural centers of Ukraine.

In 1911, Laura took the remains of the land of Peter Stolypin Arkadievich – the outstanding statesman of the Russian Empire.

After the October Revolution of 1917. Laura began to hardest times in its history. According to the Decree of the Soviet Government “On the separation of church and state and school from the Church,” all church property and religious societies, it was announced the property of the people. The progressive isolation of the church community, the displacement of the newly established museum completed by the beginning of 1930 the total elimination of the monastery. A huge loss architectural and historical treasures Laura suffered during the Great Patriotic War, and November 3, 1941 has been undermined by the Holy Dormition Cathedral.

In June 1988, in connection with the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Baptism of Kievan Rus, and according to the decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR newly created monk community was transferred to the territory of Far caves with all overground buildings and caves, and in 1990 transferred to the territory of the Near Caves.

Honestly, before I somehow was not fond of zoos. I think, because before that I had been traveling in a zoo (or rather – zoobalaganah-zootyurmah), and dirty poor animals in a small cage homes with eyes full of despair and sadness overwhelmed me and caused a tremendous sense of compassion.

However, when I visited Kiev and saw what a real zoo – my opinion on zoos in general has changed.

They’ve got very good. Animals groomed live quite well, some might even say – at ease. For example, waterfowl – in the lake, and other large birds walking around in their highly rather big “areas of habitation,” and quite close to the visitors.

There are aviaries with birds and exposure in buildings, eg, aquarium-terrarium. There are many living creatures of every exotic (and sometimes look: like nothing, just a bush or something, you should look, and there is the twig – it’s some sort of insect). Crocodiles – lovely creature, but aligatory – a whole boar long, probably about three feet, in general – horror.

In one of the buildings is also very beautiful butterfly conservatory. They are there, probably – thousands of flying on an island in the tropical forest. For an additional fee you can get to them, walk among these “flying flowers”.

Quite interestingly arranged island with predators: in the center of the zoo is like a lake in the recess, and in it – a rocky island with caves, that is, island separated from the rest of the zoo moat. On this island live tigers and some other carnivores. That is, in fact, animals are not in jail, and they can be clearly seen (see photos attached to this article).

In addition, the zoo is a special children’s playground, where all domestic / farm animals (goats, pigs, chickens, sheep, and others) can not only see but also touch and caress, and walk among them (they are clean and not adults .) This is especially useful for children who grew up in a “concrete jungle”, and think that all ducks plush to the touch, and walk in berets and jackets in as Donald Duck

Yes, and just walk around the zoo nice (at least on a weekday, when there are not many people) a lot of greenery, there are benches here and there – kiosks with biscuits / tea / coffee / etc. If you have left a few hours before the train, and do nothing, you can visit the zoo, and even though you do not have time for 2-3 hours to examine all – is likely to get a good impression even from a simple walk.

In general, I recommend everyone to visit this beautiful place. If you can not, or were still in any doubt – see the attached photos.

The zoo is located at: Kiev, Prospekt Pobedy, 32 – Metro Station “Polytechnic Institute”
Open: daily from 09:00 to 19:00
Ticket prices: Children – 7 USD for adults – 15 UAH, up to 5 years – free (as of May 2007).
Also, in groups, you can book tours (but we have not tried, so that they are interesting or not – do not know)

Official site: http://www.zoo.net.ua
The zoo was founded in 1908.
Area – 34.4 ha. Attendance – more than 650 thousand people.
In the zoo, more than 300 species (more than 2500 copies) of animals

Kyiv
Kiev tourist tax imposed
Kiev city council introduced a tourist tax of 1% of the cost of the stay in hotels, campgrounds, motels, hostels and other hotel and spa facilities of the capital.

This is spelled out in the appendix to the decision of city council № 573/5385 “On the budget of the city of Kiev in 2011″ dated December 30, 2010.

According to the document, tourist tax are also entitled to charge private and intermediary organizations, and businesses, city council authorized and concluded with the relevant treaties.

The cost of collection does not include travel expenses for food and consumer services, telephone bills, registration of foreign passports, visas, compulsory insurance, transfers, etc.

Payers of the fee are Ukrainian citizens, foreigners and stateless persons in the territory of Kiev and using the services of temporary accommodation.

Tax Code of Ukraine provides for recovery of the tourist fee according to the decisions of local councils in the amount of 0.5% to 1% of the cost of living.

At present the tourist offer is limited to Moscow Kremlin, the subway and the city tour. Other attractions and tours do not cause the interest of foreign visitors. That paucity of choice of occupation experts called in as the root cause of low numbers of tourists to the Russian capital – from 4 million foreigners who visited here, only 500-600 thousand profit from tourists. It is noteworthy that in recent years, the city did not open any of the museum, which would be of interest to foreign guests.

It is worth noting that, in addition to the above factors, the foreigners refused to go to Moscow because of the extremely low level of security in the city, reports RIA “Novosti”.

Kiev – a wonderful city, which came in once and then accidentally vlyublyaeshsya for life! It is not against the word – it’s incredulous look after many travelers.

Very clean, bright, light and modern city not for a moment forgetting his distant past. A lot of young people, old people, business people, so easily fit into the identity of this great city.

St. Michael’s, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, St. Andrew’s Descent, St. Sophia Cathedral, the wide Dnieper, the Golden Gate, Babi Yar, Independence Square, Hem, Mariinsky Palace, Kiev ENEA – NEC – Fairgrounds and much more and that will not be able to see two day trip.

As you can see so many beautiful places where the spirit is fascinating, as soon approaching. It is better to allocate a trip in Kiev at least a week. Put the memory most important and most unique impression of the great city of Ukraine!

The city is located on the hills, the streets are paved (not advisable to walk in shoes with heels), many churches, beautiful buildings, and chestnut everywhere.

PRESIDENT-HOTEL “KYIVSKY”
Hospitalna 12. Reception: 220-4144, 227-9554.
Built in 1980, this 735-room hotel is one of the most comfortable and most expensive hotels in the city. There are three restaurants, Congress hall, Fitness Center, transportation services, three hard currency bars, a hard currency casino, a cafe, hairdresser, sauna etc.

HOTEL RUS
Hospitalna 4. Reception: 380(44) 294-30-20.
Thу 385-room hotel built in 1979 is decorated with mosaics and decorative sculpture. Breakfast buffet included. Rooms cost starting from $117. Reservation available from the Hotel’s website. Hotel has 385 rooms, 2 restaurants, 2 banquet halls, 3 bars, Conference hall.

HOTEL DNIPRO
Vul. Khreshchatyk 1/2. Reception: 229-8287.
This three star 180-room hotel is located in the center of the city. Breakfast included. Room reservations-$5.

HOTEL KHRESHCHATYK
Vul. Khreshchatyk 14. Reception: 229-7193.
Hotel Khreshchatyk is located int he center of town and offers comfortable rooms. The hotel offers a bar, two restaurants, a sauna, as well as the airline offices for LOT (Polish) and Lufthansa, CSA (Czech), Air France and Finnair.

HOTEL KIEV
Hrushevskoho 26/1. Reception: 293-0155.
Hotel Kiev is situated in the historical district, Pechersk, not far from the Ukrainian Parliament. It has 327 rooms. Bar, large restaurant, banquet halls, shops.

HOTEL LYBID
Ploshcha Peremohy 3. Reception: 221-7522, 274-0063.
This 17-story hotel built in 1970 numbers 280 rooms. There are three restaurants in the hotel, bars, a dance club and an American sports bar, Playoffs International, and a sporting goods store, Mizuno. The hotel is not far from the center of the city and close to the Central railway station.

HOTEL UKRAINA
Reception: 229 – 2807.

HOTEL SALYUT
Reception: 290 – 6130.

Kyiv suffered severely during World War II, and many irreplaceable architectural and art treasures were destroyed. Earlier in the 1930′s the Soviet authorities systematically destroyed many churches. Extensive restoration has revived much of historic Kyiv. The city hit the headlines in April 1986, when the nuclear reactor at nearby Chernobyl exploded, but scientists generally agree that the city is now safe from radiation effects.

Despite repressions, suffering, political turmoil, and ecological disasters, Ukraine’s spirit and national identity have never died. On August 24, 1991, after the aborted coup in Moscow, Ukraine proclaimed its independence. As of 1994, Ukraine has diplomatic relations with over 135 countries and close to 60 diplomatic missions are established in Kyiv. News correspondents, business representatives, and students from all over the world reside in Kyiv, and the flow of foreign tourists and official delegations is heavy year round. The resident American community consists of Embassy personnel (including dependents), correspondents, business representatives, clergy, professors, and students.

The art and architecture of Kyiv are world treasures. The Cathedral of St. Sophia, where the princes of Kyiv were crowned in the years of Kyiv’s grandeur, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century. Overlooking the old section of Kyiv, Podol, stands the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew, much beloved by Ukrainians. The Percherska Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, a short trolley ride from the center of town, has two 11th-century cathedrals on its grounds, in addition to its world-famous catacombs, bell tower, and museum collections. Close to the center of town stands the Golden Gate, a structure which dates back to 1037. This recently reconstructed remains of the former fortified wall of the city defined the limits of the city in centuries past. Several blocks away, stands the magnificent 19th-century Cathedral of St. Volodymyr.

Theater buffs will find much to choose from here. Most performances are in Ukrainian or Russian. The recently renovated Kyiv Opera House presents very good opera as well as a broad repertoire of ballets. The Kyiv Young Theater is very popular and stages innovative plays in Ukrainian or Russian. The Ivan Franko Theater is the center of Ukrainian drama, comedy, and musicals. This repertoire has just opened its 75th season and includes brilliant versions of Aeneid and Teve Tevel, the original version of Fiddler on the Roof.

The modern center with surviving parts of the old city are on the hilly west, or right bank, of the Dnipro River. The main street, Khreshchatik, runs between two steep hills. Parallel about half a kilometer west, is vulytsya Volodymyrska, the main street of the Old Kyiv area (Staryj Kyiv). From the north end of Khreshchatik, vulytsya Hrushevskoho rises southeast along a ridge to the Caves Monastery at Perchersk. Woods and parks cover most of the steep right-bank slopes. The capital’s newer sections stretch out on the flat left bank. These are characterized by large housing developments and industrialized neighborhoods.