April 2001, Kyiv.

The video shows the process of Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko’s government’s resignation. The Verkhovna Rada, the chamber, a sitting, the government’s gallery, MPs carrying boxes labelled ‘Signatures for Yushchenko’ and ‘People’s Movement of Ukraine’, a vote, the results board, Viktor Yushchenko’s speech from the podium, MPs conversing in the corridors of the Verkhovna Rada, Lilia Hryhorovych, an MP from the People’s Movement of Ukraine, attempts self-immolation, MPs block the podium, commentary by First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Viktor Medvedchuk, Petro Poroshenko speaking with MPs outside, commentary by Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ivan Plyushch, photographs of Yulia Tymoshenko. 

Background: On 17 April 2001, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine heard the report of Viktor Yushchenko’s government and deemed its work unsatisfactory.
On 19 April, parliament moved to consider the issue of the Cabinet of Ministers’ accountability, effectively initiating the procedure for its resignation.
On 26 April 2001, the Verkhovna Rada passed a vote of no confidence in the government, which, in accordance with the Constitution, led to its resignation.
Despite strong public support, the resignation of Viktor Yushchenko’s government was the result of a tactical alliance between left-wing forces, notably the Communists and Socialists, and certain pro-government and oligarchic groups in the Verkhovna Rada. 

The procedure for the resignation of Viktor Yushchenko's government, 2001

Video from the personal archive of Yaroslav Kendzor.

August 24, 1991, Kyiv.

On the video: the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR, a corridor, a group of deputies, speeches; Volodymyr Hrynyov speaks about the priority of the decommunization of Ukraine, about the nationalization of the property of the communist party, talks about the events in Azerbaijan; the reaction of the deputies, discussion; comments by Iryna Kalynets and Larisa Skoryk; Valeriy Ivasyuk with a proposal that Hrynyov, as the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, once again make this statement from the rostrum, a vote "for".

Comments: Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR Volodymyr Hrynyov, people's deputies Larisa Skoryk, Iryna Kalynets, Valeriy Ivasyuk.

Volodymyr Hrynyov on the decommunization of Ukraine

Kyiv, 1996. A press conference with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. Hosted by Serhiy Kutsiy. 

Several topics are discussed: Ukraine’s domestic political life (relations between government bodies, the constitutional process, the adoption of the Constitution, the president’s relations with the Verkhovna Rada); the economy (reforms, taxes, the budget, shadow capital); Ukraine and the world (international politics, economic relations with Russia). 

Representatives of various media outlets are present in the studio. Questions are posed to the president by: Artem Petrenko, Mykola Veresen; Ihor Fedoriv, Yulia Mostova, Oleksandr Tkachenko, Serhiy Tykhyi, Oleksandr Martynenko, Volodymyr Katsman, Volodymyr Kolomiets, Nataliia Kononenko, Olha Taukach, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Oleg Oliinyk, Serhiy Nestirenko, Vitalii Karpenko, and Nataliia Kondratyuk. 

Leonid Kuchma: Press Conference 

21 April 2019, Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast.

A report on the organisation of special polling stations for military personnel in the Joint Forces Operation zone during the presidential election. Voting tents, information stands, military personnel queuing to vote, the electoral commission at their tables, military personnel casting their ballots into the ballot box.

Comments: Mykola Svyatyuk, head of the special polling station; Olesia Kyslytska, border guard; Valerii Shchegel, representative of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.

Special forces in the Joint Forces Operation Area, 2019

March 1, 2008, Severodonetsk.

The plot is dedicated to the congress of local deputies in the Severodonetsk Ice Palace.

In the video: a rally, red and blue flags of different parties are waving; comments from participants; ice palace, congress of deputies, speeches, various plans.

Comments: leader of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine Natalia Vitrenko; representative of the youth union "Our Ukraine" Oleh Klymchenko; people's deputies from the Party of Regions Dmytro Tabachnyk, Viktor Yanukovych.

Congress of Deputies in Severodonetsk, 2008

Video from the personal archive of Yaroslav Kendzor.

September 4, 1991, Kyiv.

In the video: rally in front of the Verkhovna Rada, people with blue and yellow flags, chanting "Down with the rag!" regarding the red flag, comments by Yaroslav Kendzor; Leonid Kravchuk's voice, on the dome of the Verkhovna Rada they lower the red and blue flag of the Ukrainian SSR, raise the blue and yellow together with the red and blue, "She's not dead yet" is heard; people whistle, come closer to the Verkhovna Rada building, rows of police, people shout "Shame!".

"Down with the rag!": rally near the Verkhovna Rada

Kyiv, 1996. A video interview with Oleksandr Moroz, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Topics discussed: an assessment of the Verkhovna Rada’s activities in 1996, the budget vote, the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine, and the economy. At the end of the program, Oleksandr Moroz offers pre-New Year’s greetings and states that he is an atheist. 

Interview with Oleksandr Moroz: 1996

The plot from January 15, 2011 is dedicated to the plane crash of the Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Smolensk (russia).

On the video: russia, press conference of the head of the Interstate Aviation Committee Tatyana Anodina regarding the plane crash and the death of the Polish President and the Polish delegation; archive footage from the crash site; the Sejm of Poland, comments by deputies; people lay flowers at the crash site.

Comments: head of the Interstate Aviation Committee Tatyana Anodina; deputies of the Sejm of Poland Elżbieta Jakubiak, Evgeniush Klopotek.

Journalist — Mykhailo Prudnik.

Reference: The plane crash of the Polish presidential plane Tu-154 occurred on April 10, 2010 near Smolensk. The crash killed Polish President Lech Kaczyński, members of the state delegation and the crew, a total of 96 people. Polish state investigations and subsequent expert assessments point to the responsibility of the Russian side, in particular the actions of the controllers and possible external interference, as factors that led to the disaster.

Tu-154 crash in Smolensk

September 16, 2008, Kyiv.

The plot is dedicated to the press conference of the President of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education of Ukraine on the first mandatory external independent assessment.

On the video: press conference, speeches, discussion of changes in the education system; external independent assessment certificates; comments on preferential categories of applicants; lists of applicants for various faculties; applicants filling out documents for admission to a higher educational institution, queue.

Comments: President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko; Minister of Education of Ukraine Ivan Vakarchuk; Rector of Odessa National Polytechnic University Valeriy Malakhov.

Journalist — Olga Skotnikova.

Reference: External independent assessment (EIA) is a standardized system for assessing the academic achievements of graduates of general secondary education institutions, which is used to ensure objective admission to higher education institutions in Ukraine. The system was introduced in 2004–2008 with the aim of improving the quality of education, unifying assessment criteria and limiting corrupt practices during the admission campaign.

Educational reform: introduction of external independent assessment, 2008

Ukrainian Television, March 12, 1996.

Issue of the program "Actual Interview". Conversation with the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Durdynets.

On the video: interview, conversation about the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the political and legal situation in Crimea.

Journalist — Vasyl Klymchuk.

Reference: Vasyl Durdynets is a Ukrainian statesman who, in the mid-1990s, as Deputy Prime Minister, was responsible for issues of state security and emergencies, in particular the political and legal status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within Ukraine. He participated in the formation of state policy towards Crimea in the context of post-Soviet transformation.

Conversation about Crimea: Vice Prime Minister Vasyl Durdynets

December 11, 2014, Kyiv.

A report on the parliament’s approval of the Arseniy Yatsenyuk government’s action plan. The Verkhovna Rada, session hall; present at the presidium are Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Groysman and his deputies—Andriy Parubiy and Oksana Syroid; Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk delivering a speech from the podium (regarding the presented economic reform program); Verkhovna Rada corridors; a verbal exchange between a journalist and MPs Mykhailo Poplavskyi and Serhii Poyarkov in the Verkhovna Rada cafeteria; comments from MPs; voting; scoreboard with results. 

Comments: MP Semen Semenchenko, “Samopomich” faction; Yuriy Lutsenko, leader of the “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” faction; Tetiana Bakhteyeva, “Opposition Bloc”; Minister of Social Policy Pavlo Rozenko; MP Mustafa Nayem, “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” faction.

Background: The approval of the government’s action program granted the Cabinet of Ministers a one-year immunity from dismissal. The decision was adopted in the aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity, against the backdrop of the war in eastern Ukraine and a deep economic crisis. The program outlined key directions for reforms and the stabilization of the state during a period of political and security instability.

Approval of Arseniy Yatsenyuk's government, 2014

Video from the personal archive of Yaroslav Kendzor.

August 24, 1991, Kyiv.

In the video: rally near the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR; People's Artist of Ukraine Neonila Kryukova with a pumpkin, political inscription on the pumpkin; posters and banners with the inscriptions "Kravchuk! Your position is shameful!", "Russia won. And Ukraine?", "Let's raise our flag over the Rada!", various shots; people with blue-yellow flags, police, crowd; Vyacheslav Chornovil among the people, talking to Yaroslav Kendzor; sculpture near the Verkhovna Rada, banners "Kravchuk + Gorbachev = Red Terror", "Death to the Moscow Commune".

Politics