UKRANIAN NATIONALISTS ATTACK NEWSPAPER

In the Ukrainian city of Rovno, several dozens of “nationally conscious Ukranians” have literally smashed up the editorial office of the local newspaper Rovno Vecherni”. As a pretext served publication in this paper of an excerpt from the book by Kiev journalist Oles Buzina called The Vampire Taras Shevchenko which gives an extraordinary interpretation of the renowned Ukranian poet’s literary activity. The journalist himself, as well as several others of the editorial staff and six militiamen, was severely beaten up in the raid. The mob was guided by the Verkhovhaya Rada deputy Vasili Chervony who is member Narodny Rukh faction. A criminal case has been launched, the attackers being charged with hooliganism. Meanwhile, observers say that the case will traditionally die away, as it was with a similar case in Lviv where die-hard patriots, having picked on the use of Russian language, had smashed up two cafes, IMA-press news agency reports.