Experts on Ukrainian unrest

The following University of Victoria faculty members are available to discuss the political unrest and unfolding situation in the Ukraine:

Serhy Yekelchyk (Faculty of Humanities) is an expert on Modern Ukraine who has published four books on this nation’s history. He can discuss the historical roots of the present conflict and place it in the context of the 2004 Orange Revolution, as well as that of this nation’s historical relations with Russia. Dr. Yekelchyk teaches a variety of courses, including a course on Modern Ukraine, in UVic’s Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies and Department of History. His books include Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation (Oxford University Press, 2007), which was the first Western account of Ukraine to include the Orange Revolution. (Office: 250-721-7505 or serhy@uvic.ca)

Derek Fraser, adjunct professor of political science at UVic and associate fellow in UVic’s Centre for Global Studies, has supported democratization in the Ukraine, has organized and contributed to academic and foreign policy conferences, and has had a long career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He was ambassador to Ukraine, Hungary and Greece, and in 2012, he led a four-month observer mission for the Ukrainian parliamentary elections on behalf of the Canada Ukraine Foundation and the World Ukrainian Congress. Through various postings—notably in the Soviet Union, Ukraine, Hungary, Germany and Vietnam—he has gained extensive experience in East-West relations and in the communist and post-communist world. He is available (except Feb. 3-5 and Feb. 15-17) to speak to both English and French-speaking media. (Phone: 250-655-9662 or by email at fraserd@uvic.ca)

-- 30 --