Nice to see the American Government is not the only one who can make stupid decisions based on profiting mind sets.

I see Vitaliy Klichko decided to be a Nationalist. We have a store near Chernovtsy, he is the owner of it, the problem is that you cant buy anything in that store for less then 80 griven (rubles). ITS SO FREAKING EXPENSIVE. I guess more you separate and getting poorer , better chances for Vitaliy to open more stores like that.

Lower your prices man, its ridicules.

Damn...

Buddy was spraying the police with tear gas....

Wow!!!

Michael and Dave; I suppose both of you would like to see Crimea returned to Russia and close to 1/3 of Ukrainian Territory given to the Moscovite right? Russia was not the "Brother" your delusions elude to. Russia dominated and enslaved most of Ukraine for centuries. Serfdom was not abolished until the late 1800's and Stalin's forced collectivization of the farms caused a famine that killed millions (yes, I know he was Georgian but Russians always dominated his inner circle and Soviet policy).

If I were you two, I would worry more about the corruption and falsehoods that your Yanucovich and his crony Oligarchs brought to power. THEY are the ones bleeding your country dry whether you are ethnic Russian, Ukrainian, Pole, etc.

Serbia and Croatia all over again. Orthodox against Catholics, what else is new? These are the same people (Rus-Vikings), but the west is always happy to instigate a fight ,thus weakening Russia. Most of the western Ukranians are dam fools for thinking that somehow they are not Russians. There is no such a thing as a Ukrainan. This is a place where people live (Ukraine=Frontier) . No such a thing as FRONTIERSMEN.

First Stalin and now Putin.

@michaelkostukov - If are people were one people why did Russian stalinist scumbags kill the ukrainians My Urkainian family left ukraiyina because of russian death squads. You are a russian pig, loyal to russian scumbag nationalists who committed genocide against my family and for that, I pray eveyr single Russian is burned alive. Ukrainians are not russians. Russians are murderous blood sucking sacks of dog filth and I pray for your death. I pray for your children's death. I pray for the revenge of every fallen Ukrainian who was murdered at the hands of these alleged brothers you speak of. Rot in the darkest pits you pig.

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It seems to me that the Ukrainian people have suffered more than people of any other European country. Both the Nazis and Russians were extraordinarily cruel to them during World War II. Russia purposely starved hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to death. He very wrongfully sent many Ukrainians to the concentration camps in Siberia. He sent many simply because they were Christians.

People suffered the worst tortures in Russia's concentration camps. Stalin sent military personnel who were captured by the Germans to Siberian concentration camps after the war. Many Ukrainians were affected by this because they had volunteered to fight for Russia in great numbers.

Stalin refused to allow Ukranians in hospitals sufficient pain killers. Laws prohibiting pain killers are still operative in the Ukraine today. They've never been rescinded. So Ukrainians suffer unduly if they are sick or have surgery in Ukrainian hospitals.

Stalin purposely set up manufacturing in ways that would never allow the economy to flourish. His intent was to keep Russia as backward as possible. He believed that Communism could only thrive and the concentration camps could only exist if the people were kept poor, struggling, and uneducated. Fortunately, Russian moved ahead despite Stalin.

My heart cries out for people of the Ukraine. I wanted to write a book detailing their suffering but I never did have the time to do it. The book needs to be written, however. There is a large community of Ukranians in Chicago. I always wanted to interview them and put a series of their stories into my book.

I had employed a Ukranian man in Chicago. From him I learned the tragic story of his two parents, how they had been so wrongfully sent to concentration camps in Siberia. After release from concentration camps, prisoners were forced to live in Siberian villages for years. It was in one of those villages that his parents met each other and married.

I absolutely can't imagine why Ukraine leaders would want to make Russian the official language. I would seem to me that the Ukraine would want to disavow every connection with Russia or Germany.

Have to give Vitali his props...unlike many athletes who are in the news for the wrong reasons, this guy sounds like someone to be proud of.

I do think it's troubling too, either by force or subterfuge, create strife by this language law. While you can feel free to argue the artistic merits of the Russian language, you should also consider the history of the country behind it...the iron-handed rule of the czars, and later, the similar heavy-handed rule of the Communist Party during the days of the Soviet Union. Many have long memories of those dark days, and I really doubt that many would like to see them return. However, under Putin, there is an unease that the "new" Russia is trying to reclaim its old turf (Witness its interference with Georgia and Moldavia, just to name a few).

Hopefully things will get resolved, but more than likely like all things here and abroad, things like this will always be messy, and no one will be truly satisfied with the outcome.

In the first paragraph above, I was referring to Stalin when I said "He".

Which leader was more evil? Stalin or Hitler? They were both evil and horrific beyond description. It would be impossible to say which was worse.

It is so important for people to take politics seriously, to look beyond the propaganda and the lies. What happened in Germany and Russia can happen anywhere. Evil, ruthless people can get control. Hitler was actually elected in Germany.

It is important to look at the true nature of things. Which leaders have true compassion in their hearts, true caring for the people and which are just looking out for themselves, lying and propagandizing so they can be elected. It is important to judge carefully and not just rely on half-truths.

The little short Putin; another Napoleon wannabe, appears to be troublesome person. It seems he has no morals or ethics and will do as his infamous predecessors have done since Lenin, and that is to curtail the rights and freedoms of anyone other than himself, his party or Russia.

Hardly a trustworthy man and by not compromising with the great spirit of the Ukrainian peoples, Putin shows his true colors - yellow streak right down the back. He is a big brave guy with the military, but alone he appears woefully incompetent.

Russia and its love of Tzars has simply established another in the long list of dictators. Nothing changes, nothing changes.

It just seems to me that the world is headed towards a super country setup, where the larger/most powerful absorb/conquer the smaller countries near them. China/Tibet, Russia/Georgia, Ukraine? (they will probably justify this the way they did Georgia...be careful folks), EU/combining all countries into a state-like partnership....does anyone else see this pattern?

As an American who has lived in the eastern Ukraine and who is married to a Russian speaking Ukrainian I have to say that its about damn time. Yes, there are divisions between the eastern and western parts of the Ukraine in religion, culture, and language. In the eastern part of the country the only place you will find Ukrainian being used is in schools and official government documents. Everywhere else including signs, radio, television (sometimes with Ukrainian subtitles), advertising, etc. everything is in Russian.

As much as people would like to turn this into a political thing in reality its mostly about practicality. Compare it to Canada and the use of both English and French or the use of English and Spanish in America. Its a necessity to match the civilizations within each country.

Those who oppose allowing other languages are being extremely short sighted. Diversity makes strength, not weakness. Besides, when half your population speaks one language as its primary language its foolish to force them to speak a different language. I'm sure the Ukrainians didn't appreciate it when the soviet union forced Russian as a required language on Ukrainians. And yes, even though in America we do not have an official language, when additional languages are offered for official purposes it betters the society. Examples would include the ability to read and understand driver license manuals with tests given in multiple languages and voting materials available in multiple languages so that human beings are better able to exercise their abilities to function in society instead of being outcast.

Besides, the identity that the people in the Ukraine have for their country is much stronger than anyone probably realizes. Even in the eastern half of the country people there STRONGLY identify themselves as Ukrainian, not Russian. My wife, who grew up in Kharkov, absolutely hates it when people call her Russian and makes damn sure people know she is Ukrainian. She is proud to be Ukrainian but also proud to speak Russian.

Making Russian the official language in a country that Russia took by force, what did they expect?

But our country is all our country and we should all be speaking English period.

Assimilation to a country using only it's language helps that country to become one people.

Unless this happens, the country is not one.

We are one country, but the people coming from the Middle East want to make us into little pockets of different people and that is why they will not assimilate like every other emigrants from the past have done.

They don't want just a block or two like in the past but entire cities and regents. That is how it is in the middle east and that is their mentality to bring their separation from all others into our country.

We are one people and unless you embrace the country for it's very roots, you are never going to be an American. To be an American means to leave your country behind and become part of NOT separate of the ways of this country.

But of course when the liberal Democrats spin it, of which Obama is one, it grand to continue and cling to your old ways.

Yes, to remember them, but not to CONTINUE living them. Assimilation has made our country strong and with making English the only langauge, that will ensure it will make the people one, not separate.

When my great, grandparents came from Russia/Germany they had to speak English in school/public. They spoke their native language at home, but in public it was English.

Our generation today does not even know how to speak that language and could care less if we do.

We are Americans and we can thank our grandparents who assimilated us into this country understanding that coming from where they did, separations into little pockets of ethnics only made for more wars and killings.

They wanted us to be one with our country and today we are. We are Americans and yes we remember and celebrate, but we do not CONTINUE to live those ways.

The Ukraine's are one people, they are not Russian, they are their own country. That is what this is about.

This move will only bring more hatred by the Ukrainians towards the Russians. It will not unite the country but further divide it. Russia is no way any kind of democracy but run by the Russian mob. The current leadership of Ukraine are the same kind of thugs. A civil war is brewing in Ukraine which will drag Russia in again and could lead to a major war. What a mess when Russia sticks their nose into somewhere the do not belong. Sounds like the U.S.

Yes, history for many countries can be same time good and bad.

Some territories were belonging to one country before and now belong to another country, including USA. Several states US took from Mexico.

Ossetia, Abkhazia, Krum also were part of Russia. Xruchev, Stalin gave to Georgia and Ukraine.

Harry McNicholas as US did in Iraq. Supported Saddam in 80's, and then invaded Iraq.
Where oil is US wants to make democracy (Libya for example). What about African country, where a lot of people killed and US is not trying to make no fly zone in Sudan Yemen, Somali and so on.

To Mike Christain -

You said "blind hatred of the Russians"? Nothing blind about any Ukrainian's hatred of the Russians. Stalin was especially cruel to the Ukrainians. That was in the lifetime of people still living today. Their children, definitely still living, know what went on.

And for those of you making comparisons between the United States and Russia, you simply do not know your history.

We do have to be careful about who we vote for, however. The Republican right wing is engaging in the kind of misinformation and propaganda that was flagrant in Pre-WWII Germany.

How about an actual report explaining what the "Russian language bill" is all about. This is nothing but a bunch of pictures with no context.

Beer Mug, click at the bottom of the article to get more information.

Stalin's cruelty to the Russian military during WWII is detailed in the book entitled 'Hitler vs. Stalin". Stalin refused to allow his soldiers to retreat even one inch no matter how badly they were being beaten by the Germans. He dictated that they move forward no matter what. Millions of Russian soldiers were killed and wounded needlessly due to this horrific policy.

America should speak one language, English - the language the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are written in. In my mind that makes it the official language. Allowing several languages adds to the difficulty in communication; imagine having 7 languages with their own newspapers, TV stations, etc. Government forms would have to be printed in 7 languages, all a waste of resources.

Someone mentioned that their parents came to the US and learned to speak English as did the children. But at home they spoke their native language. This is the way it should be, coming together in a 'melting pot' as Americans but retaining your native traditions, language, food, clothes, etc. at home. People came to America for a reason, usually for freedom and opportunity. In exchange for that, I don't think it is asking too much for them the learn English.

I know an Italian woman who came to America in her twenties and spoke only Italian. She thought she was missing out on a lot of things by not knowing English. With pride and determination she enrolled in the local elementary school in the first grade and sat among the children so she could learn English. Not surprisingly, she spoke perfect English (no accent) as an adult, opened a restaurant, had children with whom I went to school.

That's the way it should be.

The problem is that during the Stalin years the Russians invaded the Ukraine and seized Ukrainian farms, killed millions of Ukrainians, and basically transformed the Ukraine into a Russian state by ruthlessly brutal force, coercion, genocide, and so forth and so on, which continued until the Soviet Union was disbanded, and apparently still is happening, really . . .

Really! :-o

Stalin was so cruel to his own military during WWII that he did not supply them with winter uniforms even during the bitter winters of 1941 -1943 when they were fighting on Russian soil.

But the Russian soldiers during those years and subsequently did get wonderfully warm uniforms that kept them very protected from the very worst of Russian winters. They didn't get them from Russia, however. When the United States discovered the need, they immediately began shipping warm winter uniforms to Russian soldiers. They kept them well-supplied with winter gear from then on throughout the war.

When Hitler attacked Russia, the Russian military was dependent upon horse-drawn equipment and supplies. There were no tanks, trucks, etc. In addition to supplying winter uniforms, the United States supplied military equipment, the tanks, trucks, artillery, and guns, that the Russians needed to resist the Germans.

It is sorrowful that Stalin so misused his power that Russian soldiers suffered unfathomable losses. Stalin carried on such a propaganda war that what he did was not known until well after the war.

I say we take lessons from the Russians as far as defending ourselves from the storm trooper cops. First of all they look like Nazis, second of all if they get the chance they'll beat anyone down. These storm troopers are heartless. So, next time they attack the people for peaceful demonstrations, carry a bottle of perfume or cologne, alcohol really hurts the eyes. Plus they can't get you for having a weapon, just tell the judge you tried to spray yourself, but the nozzle was turned around by accident. There are ways around the tyrannical system.

NOW if it was war time ( civil war )a hypothetical situation which I believe will never happen.... use a flame thrower on the enemy or high pressure amonia with clorox...no matter who your fighting.

( it forms a gas you cannot inhale without dying ) the military taught us well when I was in.

I wish those people well who fought in Russia for their rights and beliefs.

Storm troopers? The pictures don't show a peaceful group demonstrating, but rather a mob attacking police lines for the cameras. Look behind the conflict (pictures above) to see it is all staged for those cameras. What was the mob up to - they attacked the police line. Such campaigns are the same the world over - a vocal and destructive mob trying to polarize a population.

I know little of the specific conflict and try reading between the lines of the conflict. The article was pretty poor in giving perspective, being about mob/crowd violence.- maybe they could all just learn Esperanto.