KOSMACH, Ukraine — December 7, 2018. Recently, I’ve been getting questions from friends and family about the present state of affairs in Ukraine in the aftermath of aggressive actions of the Russian military in the Sea of Azov. Questions generally focus on my safety and the safety of other Peace Corps Volunteers, and whether I may have any insights into the situation.
This map of Ukraine shows the oblasts affected by martial law, and in red, the Russian-occupied areas. Ivano-Frankivsk oblast is in the west, in the lower portion of the region, shaped roughly like a short, fat tornado. (Janine Winn)
The short answers are: perfectly safe, and only insofar as I’ve read.
First, my village of Kosmach, tucked into the mountains in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, is far removed from any conflict. The distance from Kosmach to the Kerch Strait, the entrance to the Sea of Azov, is roughly the distance from Temple, Maine, to Norfolk, Virginia. While people here are concerned about the sovereignty of their nation and the well-being of the young people in the military, they are also concerned about having enough firewood, the icy roads and whether the buses to Kociv and Kolomyya will be running. In other words, not so different than the concerns we would have if there was trouble in Norfolk.
The Peace Corps keeps us well-informed and takes steps all along the way to ensure our safety. Members of the Corps’ Safety and Security team and the Country Director meet regularly with U.S. Embassy staff, relaying to the volunteers any pertinent information. Volunteers conduct periodic check-ins with our regional coordinators and of course, remember to keep our cell phones on and charged.
Right along since arrival in Ukraine, travel to Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (commonly known as the Donbass) has been off limits. The martial law edict, which is intended to last 30 days, affects only those oblasts, or “states” that share borders with Russia or Russian-occupied territories, or border on the Black and Azov seas. Ivano-Frankivsk oblast does not share a border with Russia, and does not even share a border with another oblast that does share a border with Russia.
Before the roads refreeze in the village center, some residents opt for wheels and others opt for runners. The roads between villages are unpaved, narrow and, in some places, questionable on a good day. They are never plowed but are occasionally graded. (Janine Winn)
There are, of course, Peace Corps volunteers who are serving in cities and villages in the affected oblasts, and the office keeps a close eye on developments on their behalf. We each have evacuation plans in place and have experienced yearly drills that can send volunteers on a practice scramble to our oblast centers or consolidation points.
The only change that has had any impact on volunteers at this point is a restriction on PCV social gatherings, such as large birthday or holiday parties, in the impacted oblasts. We have been cautioned to exercise additional vigilance at holiday festivals and events, places of worship and locations with large crowds. We have been instructed to review our personal security plans, to monitor local media for updates and to be aware of our surroundings especially when using public transportation or traveling in tourist locations.
As far as my view on the international situation here, I have learned that it’s been complicated for a long time and that there are many theories about what the predominant factors are. One aspect is that by starting armed conflict within the borders of former Soviet bloc countries, Russia can prevent the countries from becoming members of the European Union. Some people believe that the incident in the Kerch Strait was intended to disrupt the national elections next March and put the current president, Poroshenko, in a bad light. Others claim it has strengthened the position of the president and other political forces in Ukraine that are calling for integration with the West. It is also speculated that these actions by Russia are motivated by the immense shale gas deposits in the Donbass region and a desire to re-colonize Ukraine.
The international news recently has highlighted a “massive buildup” of Russian military on Ukrainian borders and seas following the president’s announcements regarding martial law. The buildups, however, began during Russian military exercises east of Ukraine this past summer, not after the Nov. 25 naval incident. So this is not new news for the Ukrainian government or for Peace Corps.
And that is the extent of what I know. I see very little television and what I do see doesn’t provide me with much information, as my Ukrainian language skills are still pretty minimal. When I occasionally go to Kyiv, I can pick up an English language newspaper. Most of what I do know comes via articles, posted to Facebook by Ukrainian friends, which Microsoft Chrome handily translates into English for me.
While security measures in Ukraine are generally heightened, little of that affects the mountain villages of Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, especially Kosmach. The main road through the village serves as a long, slow, bumpy way to go from Point A to Point C while avoiding Point B. There’s not much point to it.
Just now, we’ve gone a week or more with very little transportation going in or out, as an early snowfall and a strange cycle of thawing and freezing have left the roads icy and treacherous. The buses stopped running and many of the usual vendors did not even set up at the weekly bazaar on Monday. Two Wednesdays in a row, I haven’t been able to get to the village of Prokurava, a distance of about seven kilometers, for our English Club at the school there. Always a disappointment.
In spite of the roads, school has been in session except for one day when the daytime temperature hovered around eight below zero Celsius; that’s about 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Understandable, given that most of the kids walk long distances to school and that most of the school buildings are chilly even on normal winter days.
My new favorite corner of my room with the wood stove, a comfortable chair and a good book. (Janine Winn)
Something that I’m delighted about is a brand new піч (pronounced peach or pich) that has been built in my room. This is a wood-fired cookstove and heating unit that is typical and traditional across Ukraine. Those designed for kitchens even have wood-fired bake ovens. They are massive blocks of brick, tile, clay and cement that heat up quickly and hold their heat for hours after the fire goes out. You can cook a meal on it, keep your coffee hot, dry your laundry, stay warm all night and even sleep on top of the bigger ones. One of my favorite uses: warming up my clothes before getting dressed in the morning.
This column does not reflect the opinions of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps, but are entirely my own observations and experiences.
Written by Janine Winn, of Temple, currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Kosmach, Ukraine.
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