Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Babi Yar will be guarded by day and night.

74 years passed since the terrible events at Babi Yar had happened. On the morning at September 29 a huge number of people came to the Park to lay flowers and honor the memory of the executed. Politicians, diplomats, public figures, deputies, journalists and, of course, representatives of all Jewish communities and organizations.

After the official laying flowers ceremony a meeting of Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk with representatives of the executive authorities , MPs, members of the Ukrainian-Israeli inter-parliamentary Commission, heads of all Jewish organizations in Ukraine was held. As
Honorary Consul of Israel in the Western region of Ukraine, I was invited to the meeting.

The Prime Minister’s speech was a very harsh and categorical. This approach and the mood can be understood. Babi Yar is almost a sacred place, not only for the Jews. Since the last year  the Park was crashed by number of vandal attacks – defilement of minors, desecration of monuments, the painting of swastikas, burning tires, etc. It’s not possible to turn a blind eye. The Prime Minister ordered the interior Ministry to establish the surveillance cameras and permanent police post in the Park.

Provocations on the grounds of anti-Semitism and attempts to incite ethnic conflicts are happening too regularly and too obviously to be just bullying. Most likely is a well-thought-out stocks included "propaganda policy" of external enemy of Ukraine.

Today our tasks are to stop these attempts, and to carry the memory of the Babyn Yar tragedy through the generations. Prime Minister Yatsenyuk has supported the initiative of holding separate lessons on the Holocaust and Babi Yar in every Ukrainian school. Babi Yar is a part of the history of Ukraine and our children need to know even such bloody pages of their history.

The beautification of the Park, along with its round the clock security was also announced as one of the priority tasks. There will be a competition to design organizations for the best reconstruction idea of the Park in the near future. It is planned to create the Museum of Babi Yar, the memory alley of the Righteous of the World (2450 of which are Ukrainians).

The meeting was very businesslike and productive. I hope that the results will not keep us waiting. Next year will be 75 years of the tragedy of Babi Yar. It is planned to hold the event with the invitation of top government officials such as Angela Merkel, Benjamin Netanyahu and others, as well as representatives of leading world media.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. “Dynamo Kyiv” - “Maccabi”.

Friends, usually I write about politics, economics, and social issues, but today will be a special post. Because tonight is FOOTBALL!)

And not just football, FC “Dynamo Kyiv” will play against FC “Maccabi” Tel Aviv. It’ll be a controversial game for me, but the choice which team to support is obvious – I'm the fan of the Dynamo players.

Although ‘Maccabi’ is the oldest and the most titled club in Israeli football, today there will be no chances for the "yellow devils".

Of course, home tribunes and the support of the fans can help Israeli players to fray “Dynamo” nerves, but being Ukrainian, who raised in Kiev, I believe in victory of my favorite team.

I wrote many times that Israel exceeds Ukraine in many fields, such as medicine, agriculture, defense, education, etc. But today we’ll outdo them. At least in the game)

The match starts at 9.45 p.m. Let’s watch the game!

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Today the world's attention is focused on the events in New York.

Today the world's attention is focused on the events in New York. Everybody wonders what V. Putin will say and do and how he will comment on the situation on two fronts - the Middle East and the East of Ukraine. As they say, the east is a delicate matter...

Putin promises to pay attention to Ukraine during the meeting with Obama, "if there is time", and the administration of the US President assured the "collector of Russian lands" that there will be a time, as the issue of Ukraine are the main at the meeting.

When it was understood that there was no possibility to avoid the “sticky issues”, the Russian delegation has left the hall during the speech of the President of Ukraine Poroshenko P.A. The ancient tradition of Russian diplomacy is to avoid answers literally. Well at least, they didn’t promise to show “the mother of Kuzma” and they didn’t beat on the tribune by their shoes, as it had happened in the UN General Assembly, you know...

During an interview with Charlie Rose at the program "60 Minutes", Putin said that Russia would not participate in operations on the territory of Syria or other countries. "Now we have no such plans." And he immediately adding that the cooperation with the army of Asada will extend and the Russian Federation supplies arms to the Syrian Government on the basis of the legal contracts. Let me think aside, just 2 days ago the information appeared that Syrian army sends to Lebanese "Hezbollah" Russian-made tanks. There were 75 tanks T-52 and T-72. What do you think, where did the Syrian army found a number of "extra" tanks and by pure chance they were Russian?

Russia carefully forms alliance RF-Syria -Iran -Iraq -Hezbollah. Played the Syrian card Putin was able to become a member of one of the toughest international crises, where Russia plays almost the "first violin". Europe and the US will have to negotiate, and thus to change the attitude to sanctions imposed against Russia (such opinions were voiced by a number of European politicians - apparently pro-Russian lobby works in a right way). Actually it was their expectations to exchange the Ukrainian East and the Crimea for the Middle East.

The situation is not simple for two profoundly indifferent for me countries, Ukraine and Israel. I'd like to believe that such an "exchange" of the Russian Federation will not succeed. History knows an example when European politics turned a “blind eye” to the division of Poland. Do we all remember how it ended?

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Film "Winter on fire" directed by Eugene Afineevskii.

Dear friends,

The events taking place in Ukraine for last year and a half leave no one indifferent. The whole world sympathizes and follows the developments, but TV and media can not demonstrate the full scope of the tragedy. Anyone who saw it with his own eyes, of course, understands. Writers, directors, photographers want their art to show how the events really developed, to involve the audience to be a part of the events.

Israeli director did it. Film "Winter on fire" directed by Eugene Afineevskii about the Maidan events won the first prize at an international film festival in Toronto. The film showed patriotism, courage and unity of Ukrainians for the whole world.

The work also won the Audience Award in the category of documentary; it shows that people want to know the truth about the Maidan, the events in the east of the country, about the life of Ukraine.

I am very glad that artists help the Ukrainians to bring their pain and trouble to the world community. Today, Ukraine needs help to defeat the enemy and to defend its integrity and independence. Such films as "Winter on Fire" remind politicians and officials again that the events in Ukraine are not of Hollywood production. There would be no "Stop, done!", raising of the dead, washing away the make-up, embracing between the enemies. There was a revolution and now there is a war. Bloody, terrible, real. And the world must help us to stop the aggression against this country.

The director said that the film will be available for users of the Netflix service on October 9.

I recommend it for viewing.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. 74 years passed since tragedy in Babi Yar.

Each year representatives of Jewish communities and organizations, ambassadors and diplomats, politicians and public figures come to Babi Yar to pay tribute to the victims. This is the way the things are done.  This is "a visit to the protocol event." Unfortunately, there is all attention to the place where 34,000 Jews were killed only for the first few shooting days. Just because they are Jews. Ukrainians, gypsies, war prisoners, Kyiv citizens... in a few years at Babi Yar only Jews more than 150 000 people were killed.  For the visualization of this figure just imagine that the occupancy of NSC "Olimpiyskiy" is about 70 000 people.

When it comes to the Babi Yar tragedy usually everybody talks with indignation about the horrors of Nazism and says "we will not forget" and rejoices that this is "in the past." However, currently we are absolutely comfortable with the fact that the number of ethnic conflicts, wars, terrorist attacks and murders on ethnic grounds is growing at an exponential rate. We do not care about present. We do not remember the past. But we want happy future.

In modern school curriculum negligible time is devoted to the issues of Babi Yar, the Holocaust and the genocide. Often, only one lesson is dedicated to this theme. If you're lucky you may have an excursion to the memorial and only for Kiyv schools. Why? Is Babi Yar the tragedy only of the Jewish people? It is the part of the history of Ukraine, isn’t it? In the book by Anatoly Kuznetsov "Babi Yar" there is a line - "It’s possible to burn, scatter, burry, trample, but there is also human memory ...". Among those who came to honor memory of victims of Babi Yar young people could be counted on one’s fingers. Our most terrible crime is that we forget... There is no need to "bother". It was long ago and it’s not necessary to clutter children’s mind with "these horrors".

Is the problem of nationalism, especially anti-Semitism, completely resolved nowadays? Yes, in Ukraine, these problems are not too hot, the Ukrainians are very indulgent and tolerant to other nations, but nevertheless, for the last year the Minor monument was desecrated 6 times. Last time it was laid around by car tires, poured over with gasoline and set on fire, a swastika was drawn on Minor. I understand that vandals and idiots are everywhere, but why was there no information about this? Why was no one punished? Such episodes are not isolated. Desecrating graves and monuments, writing dirtiness on the walls of synagogues, couple of months ago open anti-Semitic meeting took place in Lviv... The question is whom are such provocations are of benefit to? Who wants that “Jew bashing” started in Ukraine? Only for the Ukraine’s enemy.

Today, when most of Ukrainians are aggressive and exhausted by family losses, lack of money and frustration, provocations on the national ground can play a role of match set to the powder keg.

The price of such political ploys is too high. Once again statistics is 150 000. Have been shot.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Today, Jews around the world celebrate Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement or The Judgment Day.

Today, Jews around the world celebrate Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement or The Judgment Day. This day is considered to be one of the most important in the Jewish tradition. Yom Kippur - is repentance and forgiveness of sins. Jews fast and pray for 25 hours, starting before sunset the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of the holiday. Food and drinks during this period are forbidden, but children under 13 years old and pregnant women are not obliged to keep fast.

The Jewish people carried their traditions through the millennia. They managed to save their culture, faith and authenticity. On the day of Yom Kippur, I want to wish all of you an easy fast, peace and love in your home. Let your deeds and actions bring to the world only love and care.

Today's world is quite cruel. We often hurt our dearest and beloved people, offend others, and do roughness for roughness. I want to apologize to all those whom I hurt during the year. I want to wish all of us to be more tolerant and kind, forgive mistakes and offences, and have no resentment.

Let in this holy for all Jews day, each of us, regardless the faith or nationality, think about your life and recall the mistakes. Let us repent sincerely and believe that within our power is to make the world better and kinder.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Thoughts on scientific and technological progress of Ukraine and Israel.

Good afternoon, friends!

Today I will share with you some thoughts on scientific and technological progress of Ukraine and Israel. It is difficult not to agree that the future of mankind is in information technology. Israeli experience in this sphere has already become a textbook example.

Israel is a country that was formed by its own. The tiny State (30 times less than Ukraine) is called “home of startups”. The amount of young technology companies can be compared to the amount of ants in an anthill. There are hundreds of new exciting projects every year.

Experts in IT sector even complain, they say: "there are young companies everywhere and they make really cool projects. To choose the best one is not an easy task". Waze (maps and navigation for drivers), Wix (site builder), BillGuard (personal financial security service) – these are the names of only a few applications from Israeli startups that are being discussed all over the world. Israeli achievements in medicine speak for themselves:

 - Nano-nose - a diagnostic device that allows to diagnose various types of lung cancer, with the help of inhaled air. The accuracy of the device is up to 95%.
- Hervana – non-hormonal contraceptives
- Vecoy nano-medicine - nano-trap for viruses, that is able to identify and destroy viruses before they can infect cells.
Such a list may be very long.

Do you know that foreign development centers of such companies as Apple, Microsoft and Intel from the very beginning were built in Israel? Currently, there are also research and development centers of such companies as Google, Samsung, Alcatel-Lucent and BlackBerry.

What is the secret of success? The main capital of Israel is its people. The mighty will to return "Eretz Yisrael" to the world map helped the country to emerge from a scratch in the middle of the desert. Israeli government understands how important it is to create conditions that will motivate people to develop themselves. Among such conditions that were created in Israel are: competitive education system, preferences for the most talented students, support provided to companies during the process of scientific and technological research etc.

Moreover, all this was achieved being in a state of permanent ware, gentlemen!

I think Israeli experience in the sphere of IT is the most necessary and important that should be adopted by Ukraine.

P.S. To understand the situation I advise you to read a book "Start-up nation" by Dan Senor and Saul Singer. The book describes the unique history of the Israeli economic miracle and shows how the struggle for survival turns into a successful business-story.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. First Ukrainian-Israeli scientific-practical conference of oncology, hematology and radiology.

Dear friends!

Today I spoke at the ceremonial opening of the First Ukrainian-Israeli scientific-practical conference of oncology, hematology and radiology. Unfortunately, the recent war, political intrigues, the economic crisis have overshadowed the problems of health. But nothing is more important than the lives and health of people. Especially, when we spoke about oncology.

The conference was attended by about 60 participants. Among them were scientists, professors, doctors-oncologists from Ukraine and Israel. I am sincerely glad that the Ukrainian specialists had the chance to learn the invaluable experience of their Israeli colleagues. After all, Israel is a leading country in cancer treatment.

Honorary Consulate of The State of Israel in Ukraine has made considerable effort for this event took place. I hope the conference will be an important step in cooperation between Ukraine and Israel in the successful treatment of cancer patients.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Is it possible to measure happiness?

Today's world is a world of opinion polls, ratings and statistics. Recently, for example, sociologists have attempted to calculate the happiness scale in 29 countries of Europe, including Israel and Ukraine. According to the study, the Israelis proved to be one of the happiest nations in the world, and the Ukrainians are in the middle of this scientific rating. Criteria that were analyzed by scientists include general evaluation of life, emotional well-being, vitality, and support from loved ones...

As it turned out, that for a country in a state of permanent war, happiness is life without constant firing. For a prosperous and confident state happiness is when its citizens can visit Disneyland with their kids or go to Paris for shopping.

The saying claims, “Everything has its price”. It turns out the scientists have managed to calculate the cash equivalent of happiness! The cheapest happiness is in Israel ($4 491 per person), and the most expensive is in Qatar ($14 609). These calculations are based on World Bank data on GDP per capita.

I think money doesn't bring happiness. The highest good is life. Happiness for me is smiles of my children, peace in my native country, the opportunity to help those who need it...

Rejoice more often, people! Being happy is not difficult thing. If you want to be happy just be happy.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Illegal migration.

Today the issue of illegal migrants is critical for Europe.
European politicians, frankly being in the discomfort zone, try to "atone" the problem by common tortuous phrases. Nobody wants to take responsibility for hundreds of thousands of human lives and feed the hundreds of thousands of hungry mouths.

However, to shout "stop" when the train started - it is useless. The Syrians have flooded to Europe. There are many "streams" of Arabs, Ukrainians, people from countries from the Middle East and Africa. Let's be honest - if this stream increases in any way - Europe will choke. Neither fences, nor refugee camps, nor barbed wire or free soup will solve the problem. The EU economy, already pretty exhausted by crisis, by the penalties, the PIGS countries, etc, can’t carry such a load.

Reacting to the situation by calling for "let in all", without any thought how to live and feed “all” - reckless populism. Of course, it sounds appealing, but in reality it only delays the precious time given to solve the issue.

Photos of drowned Syrian boy awoke the world public consciousness. But the question is - is it the first child victim in the process of illegal migration? The world did not know before about the hundreds of people suffocated in freight containers? Drowned or died of starvation, locked in the prisons, wagons, trailers? And it's not on the way to the Nazi concentration camp, but in an attempt to get more comfortable life. And it is the 21st century. Syria and Ukraine - are the first "swallows". When the 2nd largest in size and the army force country in the world doesn’t recognize either borders, or laws, or morals - what kind of democracy, stability and human rights in general can be said?

Unfortunately, the world has not established an international organization capable of fulfill the mission of the League of Nations and the UN - to make the world a safer place. Economic penalties, as we have seen, effective means, but not enough. There is no need in free soup or beds for solving the issue of migrant workers. It’s necessary to build such world order that people do not have to flee their native country.

Eliminate the causes, but not the consequences.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Friends, I want to talk to you about oncology.

First of all, I want to tell you some factual and statistical information. Today, Ukraine occupies the second place in Europe in terms of cancer mortality. Over the last decade, the number of cancer patients in the country has increased by 25%. Every year in Ukraine, more than 160 000 people find out that they have cancer. Every day 460 Ukrainians are diagnosed to have cancer.

In spite of the new technologies and modern methods of cancer treatment, the death rate from this terrible disease in Ukraine is extremely disappointing. Less than 40% of patients can be saved.

In order not to make cancer diagnosis a death sentence for Ukrainians, in addition to high-quality equipment and medicine, we also need to have an experience in working with this equipment. We are in need of treatment protocols of different symptoms as well as the experience of diagnosing the disease in its early and therefore curable phases. In this regard, Israel is a country that has a lot to learn. Israeli oncologists are considered to be among the best in the world.

The Honorary Consulate of Israel in every way contributed to the organization of the first Israeli-Ukrainian scientific-practical conference on oncology, hematology and radiology. The Conference will be held on Friday, September 18, in the conference hall of the hotel "КосмополитЪ".

I hope that this experience and skills exchange will be a small, but nevertheless, a useful one achievement in the battle with cancer in Ukraine.

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Article of the Ambassador of Ukraine in Israel Hennady Nadolenko

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen!

I would like to recommend you to read the article of the Ambassador of Ukraine in Israel Hennady Nadolenko, devoted to a recent statement of a former Israeli Justice Minister Dr. Yossi Beilin at the conference in Rome.

Of course, everyone has a right to have his own point of view as well as his own opinion. However, while reading the text of Dr. Beilin’s speech, it seems that the person does not understand the situation. Mr. Beilin is not just trying to comment it, he advices the ways this problem is to be solved. For some inexplicable reason, Yossi Beilin absolutely sincerely offered to divide Ukraine into “two states for two nations”. And these words were said from a high tribune by the representative of a country, that has been fighting for its territorial integrity the entire period of its existence. According to the logic of Dr. Beilin, the conflict in Eastern Ukraine is exclusively determined by “Russian\Ukrainian” language problem; and the former Minister simply “did not notice” such participant as Russia.

Don't want to suppose, what were the reasons due to which Yossi Beilin announced so unacceptable for Ukraine scenario, but I can say only one thing – Ukraine – is a united country, the country of one nation. And no “divisions” are acceptable. It is a great pity, that some Israeli ex-politicians possess another point of view. 

Oleg Vyshniakov - Ukraine and Israel. Today I want to talk about something light and joyful like our four-legged friends

Today I want to talk about something light and joyful like our four-legged friends. Do you remember an old joke: when you come back home the dog is the one who is glad to see you? Animals are the most faithful and loyal our friends. And I want to say thank you to people, who, despite our current difficult situation, do find time to think and to care about homeless animals without asking anything in return.

Do you remember that not so long ago Ukrainian media reported of a good woman who had sold her apartment and consequently had moved from Kyiv to the region to open an animal shelter? Now, she has about 200 cats and 12 dogs (!). Another hundred of cats as well as several dogs live in Kyiv with a shelter owner’s assistant. Moreover, volunteer take care and feed homeless animals.

The good news is that this noble woman is not alone in her initiative. With the active participation of indifferent citizens, all over Ukraine new private shelters were opened and the existing ones were improved. People also help to treat homeless animals and they create different kinds of organizations that are to protect animals. Remember the story of the volunteers rescuing abandoned dogs in the ATO area; they were planning to build a shelter for them in the nearest future. I sincerely admire such people!

If we talk about Israel, since 1960, there has been even a special Federation of Animal Protection Societies in the country. The organization is doing everything possible to find a home for each abandoned creature. Analysis of dry figures says that in Israel every year around 20 000 of stray dogs are caught. Approximately one third of them are returned to former owners. Another 40% are given to people who want to shelter animals. That is, the majority of animals find their owners!

They say, the way a person treats his four-legged friends, determines the level of his moral and human qualities. I’m glad that both in Ukraine and in Israel this level is high.