UKRAINE
The Soviet Union as a Communist country had Russia as the primary country unit that developed a collection of smaller countries (by take-overs or other methods). Ukraine was one of those countries. Now for the last decade Ukraine and many of the other countries have been released from that Union. Perhaps the motivating force was the complete bankruptcy and economic breakdown of the Soviet Union. This freedom did not correct the difficulties in Ukraine nor did the people enjoy the freedoms we know as “everyday freedoms” here in North America. What jobs were available did not pay enough to provide food and shelter. Soon, families were selling household items in a never ending “sidewalk sale”. Chairs, sofas, and even automobile parts taken from a car no longer repairable all were now for sale or barter. Russia used the Ruble as their dollar and the Ukraine used the Coupon. Then “Hyper-Inflation” and high unemployment became a daily way of life. The winters are very cold and bitter. Even now the electricity and water is often cut off for hours or more. Many people blame these hard times on the Western way called Democracy. Although, the countries had not changed to a democracy their government said they were trying to accept this way of life. The USA gave money to help them in their difficulties but later found out most of the dollars had disappeared. The people still have little or no freedom and the “KGB” seems to have only changed its name. The government stayed basically the same and the struggles continue even now. They have printed a new “currency” but real value is in “items” in their possession. Religion and churches vary but the Ukrainian/Russian Orthodox Church is the largest and still has much control inside of the government. Christians have been able to establish churches more openly and can rent some of the previously military and public buildings for Worship. This freedom is limited by dollars and permits. Many Christians have been praying and sharing Christ for years (secretly under the communist rule). Churches are growing and through evangelism they are starting home churches. Travel is costly and difficult and can be dangerous. There are no auto repair garages, as we know them. It is by God’s Grace that other church members help with repairs of the few private automobiles. Medicine and medical supplies are usually not available or they are not real. Some are “fake pills” packaged like medicine. Patients and families must provide all of the medicines and supplies for medical treatment. Through it all, God has continued to strengthen the hearts of these wonderful people of the Ukraine. Churches have developed ministries to the sick, the widows, the orphans, the helpless and to those in prison. All the church members are still in difficult times but Jesus gives hope for today and the future. It is with this hope that they are teaching their children and themselves that “Jesus Loves Me this I Know . . .” Ukraine - Frequently asked Questions and Answers 1. How are Christians treated now?
The Christians are not allowed to have any of the good jobs or apartments that might be available. Christians are able to openly have Bibles and they can hold conference meetings and worship services. Sometimes they are allowed to have
a crusade or mass evangelism. (Keep in mind that Ukraine is not really a
free country today). 2. How were they treated in the past?
They have been threatened, put in jail and tortured without reason. They were not allowed to have Bibles nor worship. Any Registered and Scheduled Worship services were only a symbol of worship – Sermons were speeches without the Bible. Christians were beaten and punished at random. Some people had their tongues cut out. Many were imprisoned for years because they were thought to own a Bible. 3. Are there Communist or Dictators there now?
Voting is allowed but most feel it is only a “front” because all of the previous Communist Leaders are still in high governmental positions. They now have different titles and names.
4. How can we help The Christians in Ukraine?
Pray regularly for: Evangelism Efforts, Church Leadership training, Finances to build churches, and the help in providing food and medicine.
5. Are the Christian Churches growing in Size?
The Christian churches are growing in size as well as their desire for new church starts. Many are committed to Jesus and their lives show it. Presently there are several different denominations sharing Jesus Christ as Lord.
6. How does the weather affect the people?
The weather is normally cool to very Cold. Even in the long Winter months travel by foot or riding a crowded bus is a way of life. In the Spring the flowers are blooming and the weather is very delightful. The families enjoy weekend picnics with other relatives or church members. The food may be little in quantity and no variety but they Thank God for what is available. 7. What Dangers or Problems do the people face?
Effects of Organized crime and robbery is an everyday occurrence. The Corruption in the government officials is as common as was under the Soviet Rule. Life and living conditions seem to be hopeless. There is no way for the people to improve their life or living conditions. This is especially true for the Widows and Orphans.
8. What are their Hopes (Goals)?
There is a lot of Pro-Communist propaganda being taught. Many are tempted to want to go back to the Communist rule. The memories of the persecution are dimmed in the low economic situation. Most of the non-Christian population has no hope, only a desire to find food and existence for the day. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ have Hope and Faith. Most of the Christian churches have hidden food and storage closets that they minister to the hurting and needy. Jesus has given them a broader vision and a love for others.
9. What are the Christians’ hopes and goals for Ukraine?
Christian parents are praying for their children so they will not seek the money from Prostitution and Crime. Christians have a Hope that the Lord will keep the door open for the Gospel longer so that young people will come to Christ. The younger generations are those who will be the leaders tomorrow.
10. What can we pray for specifically?
Pray for the Training of future Pastors and Church leaders. While this freedom of worship is open they want to have as many people as possible to come to Christ and to be discipled. Some local government and university leaders have accepted Jesus but often they are not as public in their witness. Also pray that the Lord will send more Christian organizations and missionaries to assist the Christians in their growth.
Ukraine Geography Area: 233,000 sq. mi..
Cities: Capital-- Kiev (pop. 2.6 million). Other cities--Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Lviv.
Terrain: A vast plan bounded by the Carpathian mountains in the southwest and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Oziv in the South.
Climate: Continental temperate.
People
Population (est.): 50 million.
Nationality: Noun--Ukrainian(s); adjective--Ukrainian.
Ethnic groups: Ukrainians, Russians, Jews, Belarusians, Moldovans, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, Crimean Tatars.
Religions: Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Ukrainian Greek Catholicism, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Islam
Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, others.
Economy Natural resources: Vast fertile lands, coal, natural gas, various large mineral deposits, timber.
Agriculture: Products--Grain, sugar, sunflower seeds.
Industry: Types--Ferrous metals and products, coke, fertilizer, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, tractors.
Trade: Exports--$11.3 billion:, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, machinery, and transport equipment. Imports--$13.1 billion: Energy, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, plastics, and rubber.
PEOPLE
The population of Ukraine is about 50 million, which represents about 18% of the population of the former Soviet Union. Ukrainians make up about 73% of the total; ethnic Russians number about 22%. The industrial regions in the east and southeast are the most heavily populated, and the urban population makes up about 70% of the population. Ukrainian and Russian are the principal languages, but about 88% of the population considers Ukrainian their native language. The dominant religions are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, much of which retains its links to the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The Ukrainian Orthodox
Church (Kiev Patriarchate) is independent of Moscow. The birth rate of Ukraine is diminishing. About 70% of adult Ukrainians have a secondary or higher education. Ukraine has about 150 colleges and universities, of which the most important are at Kiev, Lviv, and Kharkiv. About 70,000 scholars in 80 research institutes make Ukraine a leader in science and technology.
HISTORY
The first identifiable groups to populate what is now Ukraine were Cimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians, and Goths, among other nomadic peoples who arrived throughout the first millennium B.C. These people were well known to colonists and traders in the ancient world, including Greeks and Romans, who established trading outposts which eventually became city states. Slavic tribes occupied central and eastern Ukraine in the sixth century A.D. and played an important role in the establishment of Kiev. Situated on lucrative trade routes, Kiev quickly prospered as the center of a powerful state of Kievan Rus. In the 11th century, Kievan Rus was, geographically, the largest state in Europe. A Christian missionary, Cyril, converted the Kievan nobility and most of the population in 988. Conflict among the feudal lords led to decline in the 12th century. Kiev was razed by Mongol raiders in the 12th century.
Most of the territory was annexed by Poland and Lithuania in the 14th century, but during that time, the Ukrainian people began to conceive of themselves as a distinct people, a feeling which survived subsequent partitioning by greater powers over the next centuries. In addition, Ukrainian peasants who fled the Polish effort to force them into servitude came to be known as Cossacks and earned a reputation for their fierce martial spirit. In 1667, Ukraine was partitioned between Poland and Russia. In 1793, it was reunited as part of the Russian Empire.
The 19th century found the region largely agricultural, with a few cities and centers of trade and learning. The region was under the control of the Austrians in the extreme west and of the Russians elsewhere. Ukrainian writers and intellectuals were inspired by the nationalistic spirit stirring other European peoples existing under other imperial governments and were determined to revive Ukrainian linguistic and cultural traditions and re-establish a Ukrainian nation-state. The Russians in particular imposed strict limits on attempts to elevate Ukrainian language and culture, even banning its use and study. When World War I and the Bolshevik revolution in Russia shattered the Hapsburg and Russian empires, Ukrainians declared independent statehood. In 1917 and 1918, three separate Ukrainian republics declared independence. However, by 1921, the western part of the traditional territory had been incorporated into Poland, and the larger, central and eastern part became part of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian national idea persevered during the interwar years, and Soviet reaction was severe, particularly under Stalin, who imposed terror campaigns, which ravaged the intellectual class. He also created artificial famines as part of his forced collectivization policies, which killed millions of previously independent peasants and others throughout the country. Estimates of deaths from the 1932-33 famine alone range from 3 million to 7 million.
After the German and Soviet invasions of Poland in 1939, the western Ukrainian regions were incorporated into the Soviet Union. When the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, many Ukrainians, particularly in the west, welcomed them, but this did not last. German brutality was directed principally against Ukraine's Jews (of whom 1 million were killed) but also against many other Ukrainians. Kiev and other parts of the country were heavily damaged. Some Ukrainians began to resist the Germans as well as the Soviets. Resistance against Soviet Government forces continued as late as the 1950s.
Little changed for Ukraine over the next decades. During periods of relative liberalization--as under Nikita Khrushchev from 1955 to 1964--Ukrainian communists pursued national objectives. In the years of perestroika, under U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev, national goals were again advanced by Ukrainian officials. Ukraine became an independent state on August 24, 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and was a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
ECONOMY
Ukraine has many of the components of a major European economy--rich farmlands, a well-developed industrial base, highly trained labor, and a good education system. However, at present, the economy is in poor condition. Eight straight years of declining GDP have led to widespread poverty; the standard of living for most citizens has declined more than 50% since the early 1990s. The macroeconomy is stable, with the hyperinflation of earlier in the decade having been tamed. Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, was introduced in September 1996, and has remained fairly stable. The economy shows signs of growth in 2000, with first-quarter figures showing a rise in GDP. However, Ukraine's long-term economic prospects are dependent on acceleration of market reforms. The economy remains burdened by excessive government regulation, and most industries have neither been restructured or privatized.
Ukraine encourages foreign trade and investment. The parliament has approved a foreign investment law allowing Westerners to purchase businesses and property, to repatriate revenue and profits, and to receive compensation in the event that property is nationalized by a future government. However, complex laws and regulations and corruption have stymied largescale investment in Ukraine. Total foreign direct investment in Ukraine is approximately $3 billion, which, at $55 per capita, is one of the lowest figures in the region.
Most Ukrainian trade is still with countries of the former Soviet Union, principally Russia. Demand for Ukraine's nonagricultural exports--ferrous metals, steel pipe, machinery, and transport equipment--continues to fall. Ukraine imports 90% of its oil and most of its natural gas from Russia. Arrears on energy payments to Russia are estimated at $1.4 billion. Ukraine runs a slight trade surplus, but this is largely a result of falling demand for imports and energy arrears rather than external demand for Ukrainian exports. Reform of the inefficient and opaque energy sector is a major objective of the IMF and World Bank programs with Ukraine.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $2.2 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with Ukraine in September 1998. In July 1999, the 3-year program was increased to $2.6 billion. The program has been suspended since September 1999 when Ukraine fell off track during the presidential election as a result of increased government spending and slowing progress on structural reforms. Resumed lending has been delayed by allegations of improprieties concerning management and reporting of reserves from 1996-98. The IMF is conducting an investigation, with which the Government of Ukraine has cooperated. The investigation is expected to be completed by mid-summer 2000. Resumption of the program also depends on progress with structural reforms, especially in the energy sector and with privatization.
Ukraine is rich in natural resources. It has a major ferrous metal industry, producing cast iron, steel, and steel pipe, and its chemical industry produces coke, mineral fertilizers, and sulfuric acid. Manufactured goods include metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, and tractors.
It also is a major producer of grain and sugar and possesses a broad industrial base, including much of the former U.S.S.R.'s space industry. Although oil reserves are largely exhausted, it has important energy sources, such as coal and natural gas, and large mineral deposits.
In 1992, Ukraine became a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It is a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development but not a member of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization.
Environmental Issues
Ukraine is interested in cooperating on regional environmental issues. Conservation of natural resources is a high priority. It established its first nature preserve, Askanyia-Nova, in 1921 and has a program to breed endangered species. However, the country has significant environmental problems, especially those resulting from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986 and from industrial pollution. Ukraine has announced that the Chornobyl Atomic Energy Station will be phased out and shut down in the year 2000; it has asked for financial help to achieve this goal and to provide alternative sources of energy for its population. Ukraine also has established a Ministry of Environment and has introduced a pollution fee system that levies taxes on air and water emissions and solid waste disposal. The resulting revenues are channeled to environmental protection activities, but enforcement of this pollution fee system is lax. In 1999, Ukraine was elected to the UN Security Council for a 2-year term. Soviet Ukraine joined the United Nations in 1945 as one of the original members following a Western compromise with the Soviet Union, which had asked for seats for all 15 of its union republics. Ukraine has consistently supported peaceful, negotiated settlements to disputes. It has participated in the quadripartite talks on the conflict in Moldova and this year joined the Friends of the Secretary General for Georgia. | 
