| On the cover |
| ¹33 (2010) |
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A Load of Hot Air!
Take a balloon ride and see Ukraine from a different perspective
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| 10 September - 16 September 2010 | |
| Active Kyiv |
Full of Hot Air
Growing up, I was always a passionate reader of Jules Verne, and having reached the tender age of 25, I’ve still yet to fall out with the adventurous spirit all of his books are imbued with. What I’ve found, however, is that the excitement and serenity that exist between the pages of those books can be had in real life, all you have to do is make an appointment.
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| Kyiv Kino |
Mr. Nobody (in English)
Directed by Jaco Van Dormael
Drama, Fantasy, Romance – Belgium, England, France 2009
Starring Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Sarah Polley
Nemo Nobody leads an ordinary existence at his wife Elise and their 3 children’s side until the day when reality skids and he wakes up an old man in the year 2092. At 120, Mr. Nobody is both the oldest man in the world and the last mortal of a new mankind where nobody dies anymore.
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| On the sofa with... |
A Techno Dare-devil
 Being witness to the crazy sounds coming from the I Am Techno party held out at the Kyiv Expo Plaza last weekend, What’s On spotted a highly professional young man behind the turntable. Going in for a closer look, turns out that DJ Sender’s real name is Eugene Evtukhov, and getting him over on the sofa for a little R&R, we get the goods on all of the messages DJ Sender is sending out to his fans.
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| Ukraine Abroad |
Loving Gold at the XXI Winter Olympics |
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 This year, everyone’s heads are turned in the direction of Vancouver, Canada where the 21st Winter Olympics will be held. From 12 – 28 February, the whole world will be sitting in anticipation while watching their favourites compete. Ukraine is no different and this year, with 47 competitors coming from all over the country, we here at What’s On believe that those beautiful yellow and blue colours will be flying proudly on the podium at nine events.
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Biathlon
 Some of Ukraine’s biggest hopes for medals lie on the 11 strong Biathlon (Sprint & Pursuit) team, and in particular competitors Serhiy Sednev, Valentyna and Vita Semerenko, Oksana Khvostenko, Andriy Derizemlya and Serhiy Semenov. Taking part in the Olympics for the first time ever, 25-year old Serhiy Sednev has already proved himself at the 2007-2008 World Cup and the 2009 European Championships winning bronze both times in the 20km and 10km (respectively) pursuit race.
Alpine Skiing
 Alpine Skiing is a great event and includes both Downhill and Slalom, and this year, Ukraine will be represented by first-timers Rostyslav Feshchuk, Bogdan Matsotsk and Anastasia Skryabina where the goal will be to qualify in the top 30. Unfortunately, they are going to have some pretty tough competition as America’s Lindsey Vonn, Germany’s Maria Riesch, and Sweden’s Anya Parson are well versed in their craft.
Cross-Country Skiing
 Out of eight Ukrainian competitors, there is only one name this 2010 that stands out in this battle against nature and that is Valentyna Shevchenko. A seasoned veteran in the Olympics, this will be her fourth trip and she is already raring to go. Especially after winning 1st (30km) and 2nd (10km) place at the 2008/2009 World Cup and 3rd (30km) at the World Championships in 2009.
Figure Skating
 Genius on skates, Oksana Baiul, has been the one and only competitor in any of Ukraine’s pursuits of the Winter Games to have been able to bring home gold. In grand attempts to continue the legacy, pair skaters Stanislav Morozov and Tetyana Volosozhar are out to do their level best to at least get on the podium. Having been to the Olympics in 2006, Tetyana finished 12th with a different partner four years ago. But this year, both she and Stanislav have been hard at work perfecting their style and technique and with confidence soaring, there’s no way these two could do anything but win!
Freestyle Skiing
 The competition in this sport is tough. Nevertheless, Ukraine has great chances here, especially considering the talents and skill of a one Stanislav Kravchuk. Having participated in the games twice already and taking 3rd at the 2009 World Cup, Stanislav is pumped, ready and assures us of a medal.
Luge
 Last year, Miss Natalya Yakushenko impressed us all with her performance in the 2009 Worlds, bringing home a bronze to show for her hard work and effort. And at the 2010 Olympics, it is she who is our best bet for gold. Especially since she’s competed at every single Olympics since 1992!
Nordic Combined
 Cross-country skiing and ski jumping combine to make this one of the best outdoor events in the games. It’s a tough one which may be why we’ve got just one competitor this year: Volodymyr Trachuk. He competed in 2006, taking 48th place and this year, according to statements made by Ukraine’s Olympic Committee, it is Volodymyr’s aim to step up and come in among the top 30.
Ski Jumping
 We have a fairly green ski jumping team this year where not one member has ever been to the Olympics. Unfortunately, Volodymyr Boshchuk wasn’t able to pass the qualifications for 2006 and is Oleksandr Lazarovych and Vitaliy Shumbarets first time all together. No matter, What’s On is cheering you on – go for it!
Snowboarding
 Ukraine’s snowboard team consists of a number of up and coming, what we call, ekstrimalki or extremists when it comes to this super fun sport, and the two to watch out for this year is Annemarie Chundak and Yosyp Penyak. Coach/participant Yosyp seems quite optimistic and hopes to increase the number of victories they have been winning at the international level.
The first time Ukraine entered the Olympic Games was in 1952 in Helsinki along with most other countries of the Soviet UNI0N. In 1992, we entered as part of the unified team of the former USSR and since then, we have participated in every Olympic event as an independent nation. We have won a total of 101 medals, only five of which have come from the Winter Games. But nevertheless, we here at What’s On wish all our athletes good luck in Vancouver! Let’s add to the medal count!
For more information about schedule and results visit www.vancouver2010.com
Vadym Mishkoriz
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| Kyiv Culture |
Corruption: Good or Bad?
Corruption is endemic in Ukraine, of that there is no doubt, and its presence in the higher echelons of government is dragging the country down to its knees. But it permeates all levels of society, and is often the way many a low paid government official provides for himself and his family. And if you ask most Ukrainians about corruption they will smile and say, “If the answer is no, and you really need it to be yes, you can make it yes.”
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| Ukraine Today |
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A Wine Story
I read somewhere that the motivation behind the drinking of wine equals five: the arrival of a friend, one’s present or future thirst, the excellence of the wine, or any other reason. It certainly could be argued that the first, second, third and/or fifth reasons are excellent arguments as to why the good people of Ukraine treat themselves with this little indulgence. With regards to the fourth, however, the jury is still out.
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