Crime Report 2007

Overall crime and safety situation:

A. Crime Threats, Vehicle Thefts, Personal Robberies and Residential Thefts.

Ukraine's expatriate community continues to be the target of street, property and other crimes, largely for economic gain. Short-term visitors - primarily tourists and students - are victimized primarily by street crime and financial crimes, although foreigners resident in Ukraine are also targeted. Financial crimes include ATM, credit card, and Internet fraud. Marriage and dating scams are also common. Street crime consists primarily of pick-pocketing, confidence scams, mugging, and purse snatching and tends to be non-violent, although there have been a number of violent street attacks over the past year, particularly involving hate crimes against non-Slavic ethnic and religious minorities. There are instances when small firearms have been used in the burglaries and robberies. Violent crime, including armed robbery and burglary, drugging and robbery of unsuspected victims and shootings occur, but less frequently. American visitors and residents should take the same precautions against street crime that they would in any large city in the United States or Europe.

The main targets for property crime are longer-term American and foreign residents, students, diplomats, business people, and persons with missionary groups and private voluntary organizations. Both violent and non-violent property crimes have occurred. The most common types of non-violent property crime affecting the expatriate community are vandalism and theft of vehicles, items stolen from inside vehicles, and residential or office burglaries. Violent property crimes, including carjackings and armed residential break-ins, attacks in apartment building hallways or elevators, occur less frequently. American and foreign businesses are also sometimes targeted for crimes, in particular extortion and protection rackets committed by organized gangs. These crimes may involve threats or actual use of violence.

The following 2007 crime statistics were published by the Ministry of Interior (MVD) for all of Ukraine. The number of vehicle thefts reported for 2007 was 1,541 compared to 1,518 in 2006; the number of personal robberies reported for 2007 was 10,310 compared to 11,295 in 2006; the number of residential thefts reported for 2007 was 9,447 compared to 10,642 in 2006.

B. Safety, Road Conditions and Road Hazards:

Vehicles in Ukraine are left-hand drive and drive on the right-hand side of the road, the same system as in the United Sates. Traffic in the capital city of Kyiv is heavy on weekdays during commute hours, and routine travel within the city during workdays is often delayed due to excessive traffic. Roads in Kyiv are predominantly narrow, congested, and many are in poor condition. Main avenues are usually well-lit, but side streets and less commonly used lanes are often poorly illuminated.

Driving in Kyiv is unique and can be a challenge to foreigners. Traffic laws are routinely violated by local drivers, i.e., driving the wrong way on one-way streets, driving in oncoming lanes to maneuver around blocked traffic, and driving on sidewalks. Using sidewalks for parking is an accepted practice and pedestrians should be cautious. Road conditions deteriorate rapidly outside Kyiv. There are some modern highways which connect main cities, however, even some of these roads are poor; road surfaces are not consistent and change rapidly. Most highways and roads in smaller towns are not illuminated and emergency services are not reliable, especially outside of Kyiv. Therefore, it is recommended to drive outside of Kyiv only during daylight hours, and to plan any driving trips accordingly.

II. Political Violence and White Collar Crime:

A. Historical Perspective:

Ukraine is a parliamentary-presidential democracy with separate executive, judicial, and legislative branches. According to the January 2006 amended constitution, executive power is divided between the president, who is preeminent in foreign and security policy, and the prime minister, who is the representative of the majority party or coalition in the parliament, and head of the government and cabinet of ministers.

According to the constitution, the majority coalition nominates to the president a candidate to be prime minister. If he approves the nomination, the president must then forward the candidate's name for confirmation to the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. In addition, according to the constitution, the president nominates the foreign and defense ministers, who are confirmed by the Rada; the other ministers are nominated by the prime minister and also confirmed by the Rada. The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and has the power to veto legislation. The parliament may override presidential vetoes by a two-thirds vote. Under the constitution, parliamentary and presidential elections are held every five years. According to a political compromise reached in May 2007, however, the country held pre-term parliamentary elections in September 2007.

President Viktor Yushchenko became President in January 2005 and the next presidential elections will take place in late 2009, or early 2010. The 450-member parliament - Verkhovna Rada - is the country's supreme legislative body. The Rada initiates legislation, ratifies international agreements, and approves the budget. Its members are elected to five-year terms proportionally from political party lists.

Ukraine's democracy remains a "work in progress." The fraudulent conduct of the 2004 presidential elections resulted in massive (but peaceful) demonstrations - the Orange Revolution - which brought Viktor Yushchenko to the Presidency. The March 2006 parliamentary elections were the freest and fairest in the country's history. After the 2006 elections, the Party of Regions, led by former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, garnered a plurality of votes, and formed a majority coalition with the Socialist and Communist parties in the Rada, which allowed Yanukovych to become Prime Minister once again. However, accusations of vote-buying led Yushchenko to dismiss the Rada in April 2007, which was followed by more than two months of political stalemate, including street demonstrations and rallies (again, generally peaceful), and disagreement over the legal status of the Rada.

The President and Prime Minister reached a political compromise to hold pre-term elections in September 2007. These elections were also judged to be free and fair by international standards. Although Party of Regions once again won a plurality, this time Block Yuliya Tymoshenko (BYuT) and Our Ukraine garnered enough seats in the Rada to form a narrow majority, bringing the main players in the government that took office in 2005 immediately after the Orange Revolution back to power, including Tymoshenko as Prime Minister.

B. Corruption, Money Laundering, and Organized Crime:

In the past, harassment and intimidation have been reported against American investors or facilities in Ukraine. In some cases, it appears that people with local commercial interests, who may have had links to organized crime groups, were behind these incidents. This is still a concern in Ukraine, although these types of reported incidents have declined over the past few years. In 2007, the MVD designated 273 organized crime groups, which were involved in various types of criminal activity.

Corruption does remain a major, widespread problem in Ukraine. Efforts to fight corruption effectively are hampered by the general public's widespread tolerant or apathetic response to it, and inadequate legal basis to investigate and prosecute it. As previously stated, while corruption is widespread, it is rarely linked with narcotics. In 2007, there were no charges of corruption for senior public officials relating to drugs.

While corruption and money-laundering remain serious, widespread problems in Ukraine, a crackdown by the Ukrainian Government has led to some improvement, including to a 73 percent increase in Customs revenues going to the national budget. The Ukrainian Government's anti-corruption efforts include reduction of import duties and introduction of greater transparency for the Customs Service. In March 2005, the Ukrainian Government eliminated eleven Free Economic Zones (FEZs) and nine Priority Development Territories that had operated on Ukrainian territory. Companies had used loopholes in FEZ legislation to avoid customs, tax, and other obligations.

Despite the Ukrainian Government's efforts, corruption remains a problem, as seen in Transparency International's (TI) ratings. TI's rating for Ukraine fell to 2.7 in 2007, slightly lower than 2.6 in 2005, on a scale where 10 is the highest score. Ukraine fell to 118th place in 2007 on TI's ranking, down from 99th in 2006. In 2003, Ukraine adopted comprehensive anti-money laundering legislation and established an anti-money laundering regime. The Ukrainian Government has introduced numerous legislative and regulatory improvements since that time.

While the financial reporting system works as intended and the Ukrainian Government's financial intelligence unit (FIU) has generated cases, law enforcement authorities and prosecutors have not made notable success in bringing money-laundering cases to successful conclusion. Observers believe the key problem to be corrupt local prosecutors who do not prosecute money laundering cases. There have been notable high-level cases in recent years, as evidenced by the nine year prison sentence in the United States received by Ukraine's former Prime Minister, Pavlo Lazarenko in 2006. Ukraine has provided assistance to the United States in connection with this prosecution. In 2005, nearly thirty substantial cases were initiated in the FIU, although only a very few of these cases were prosecuted in court after being referred to law enforcement and prosecutors.

In March 2004, the Financial Action Task Force removed Ukraine from the list of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories. On January 1, 2005, the Financial Monitoring Department (FMD) was elevated to the status of a Central Executive Agency, subordinating it to the Cabinet of Ministers, rather than the Finance Ministry. Ukraine's basic anti-money laundering law establishes a two-tiered system of financial monitoring and combating of criminal proceeds, including terrorist financing provisions. The law also makes the service providers carry out financial transactions responsible for conducting initial monitoring, and designates the financial monitoring responsibilities of state agencies for regulating and supervising the service providers. The overall regulatory authority in the system is vested in the FMD, which became operational on June 12, 2003, in accordance with Article 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering law. The FMD is an administrative agency with no investigative or arrest authority. It is authorized to collect and analyze suspicious transactions, including those related to terrorism financing, and to transfer financial intelligence information to competent law enforcement authorities for investigation. FMD also has authority to conclude inter-agency agreements, and can exchange intelligence on financial transactions with a money laundering or terrorist financing nexus with other Financial Intelligence Units. In June 2004, FMD joined the Egmont group, that unites financial investigation units of 94 different countries.

In 2006, the most recent year available, the State Committee for Financial Monitoring (SCFM) received 841,589 transaction reports, which include suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and automatic threshold reports. The majority of these were submitted by banks. The SCFM designated approximately 25 percent of these for "active research" and sent 446 separate cases to Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. In 2006, the SCFM referred 34 cases to the Prosecutor General's Office, 117 to the State Tax Administration, 135 cases to the MVD, and 160 cases to the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). As a result of subsequent investigation of these cases, law enforcement agencies initiated 164 criminal cases. Of these, Ukrainian prosecutors brought eight cases to trial with one conviction. Over the operation of the SCFM (2003-2006), of 325 criminal cases initiated by Ukrainian law-enforcement authorities on charges of money laundering, only 20 cases were brought to trial, with only three convictions resulting.

Ukraine has an asset forfeiture regime. Article 59 of the Criminal Code provides for the forceful seizure of all or a part of the property of a convicted person for "grave and special grave offenses" as set forth in the Code. With respect to money laundering, Article 209 allows for the forfeiture of criminally obtained money and other property. According to MVD reports, banking fraud was the most common economic crime in January-September 2004. Markets for smuggled goods, especially for textiles, automobiles, alcohol and tobacco products remain significant in Ukraine. For many years, local government agencies reportedly engaged in practices such as termination or amendment of American investors licenses or contractual rights without warning or legal basis; arbitrary dilution of corporate stock in order to diminish American investors share holdings; random implementation of unfavorable legislation; and delay of payment or delivery of goods owed to foreign investors. This has led to allegations over several years that the private sector, including foreign and domestic investment, is being manipulated at the whim of government officials and their favored business interests for personal gain.

In some instances, local judicial or law enforcement authorities may be unduly influenced to justify or ignore illegal acts. Even in those cases where American investors received favorable judgments from Ukrainian courts, there has been a lack of reliable mechanisms to enforce legal judgments. American business persons or firms which experience such harassment or threats, and which do not receive relief from the courts or law enforcement agencies, are encouraged to report these matters to the Embassy. American firms should also continue to pay close attention to security concerns when establishing operations in Ukraine. Locally hired staff and partners should be selected only after background screening has been conducted. Installation of security hardware, including reinforced doors, high security locks, window grills, and intrusion alarms to protect office equipment, should also be considered. A heightened awareness of cyber crime is essential. In 2004, Ukraine parliament passed two laws against cyber crime, specifically targeting those committed by organized crime. Law enforcement training and practices have not caught up with legislation, and significant results are yet to be realized. Major Ukrainian cyber criminals (known to U.S. law enforcement) have thus far managed to avoid prosecution in Ukraine.

American firms are advised to hire security guards for protection of property and personnel, however, particular attention should be paid to the choice of a security guard firm. Most security companies pay very low wages to their employees resulting in questionable loyalty and reliability. Finally, when utilizing local service sector providers, such as banking, medical, legal, and security services, American business investors and firms should limit personal data and information provided to that absolutely necessary. There are reports of persons working in these sectors passing sensitive personal, financial and business information to criminal organizations, which use the information to plan burglaries and extortion. In general, only businesses addresses and phone numbers should be provided.

C. Domestic, Regional and Transnational Terrorism:

The terrorist threat in Ukraine is not considered to be a major concern. This assessment takes into account historical data relevant to terrorist activities, and recent reporting indicating whether acts could be conducted without prior advance warnings. Travelers should be aware of the State Department's periodic Worldwide Caution Public announcement reemphasizing the continued threat of terrorist actions and violence against Americans and interests overseas. Public announcements and the Consular Information Sheet for Ukraine are available on the Department of State website at http://www.travel.state.gov.

Ukraine did not suffer from domestic, regional, or transnational terrorism incidents in 2007, although Ukrainian law enforcement authorities sometimes labeled ordinary criminal activity as terrorist acts. Still, the Ukrainian government instituted legislative and regulatory changes to improve its ability to investigate and prosecute acts of terrorism. On May 25, 2007, the Ukrainian Parliament amended the Criminal and Criminal Proceedings Codes to conform to commitments resulting from Ukraine's ratification of the International Convention against Nuclear Terrorism. The new law implemented criminal sanctions for actions in support of acts of nuclear terrorism. On January 31, 2007, the Cabinet of Ministers approved an action plan for countering terrorism financing. The Ukrainian State Financial Monitoring Agency continued to pass information to the SBU to investigate whether organizations possibly engaged in terrorism financing activity were active in Ukraine, but the SBU has found no evidence (to date) of such activity in Ukraine. Please note - Ukraine's borders are porous, and although the Ukrainian Government is taking steps, in part with U.S. assistance, to improve border security, international terrorist groups potentially could take advantage of Ukraine's permeable border security. To date, however, there have been no recorded acts of transnational terrorism committed on Ukrainian territory.

Civil Unrest:

Ukraine has been largely free of significant civil unrest or disorder, with the exception of the November-December 2004 Orange Revolution. Also, after President Yushchenko dissolved parliament in April 2007, there were largely peaceful and organized street demonstrations and rallies, which lasted for several months, although many of these demonstrators were paid. In general, most demonstrations directed against the U.S. Embassy have been small, peaceful, and perfunctory. There are very few, if any, organized anti-American and/or anti-Western groups in Ukraine. But, as in any foreign country, it is advisable for American visitors and residents to avoid all demonstrations.

III. Post Specific Concerns:

A. Earthquakes and Floods:

Ukraine does not suffer from earthquakes. Flooding routinely occurs in the spring in villages located in western Ukraine in the Carpathian mountains, during the winter thaw. However, these floods are not viewed as catastrophic natural disasters. There are no other major natural disasters which routinely occur in Ukraine.

B. Industrial and Transportation Accidents:

a) Radiation and Nuclear Safety:

The Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant's last operating reactor closed officially on December 15, 2000. In 1986, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (unit no. 4), located ninety kilometers northwest of Kyiv, experienced an explosion and fire, followed by an uncontrolled release of radiation. The accident resulted in the largest short-term, accidental release of radioactive materials in the atmosphere ever recorded. The highest areas of radioactive ground contamination occurred within thirty kilometers of the Chornobyl station. A favorable wind direction kept most of the contamination away from Kyiv, although the capital city was not spared completely.

Ukraine has fifteen operating commercial nuclear reactors, but none are of the Chornobyl design. The United States has provided extensive assistance to enhance nuclear and operational safety of these reactors. All identified stabilization measures on the existing sarcophagus are complete, and preparatory work to start construction of the new shelter is almost nearing completion. Construction of the new Chornobyl shelter is expected to start in 2008 and is projected to be completed in 2012.

Food that exceeds European norms for radiation is confiscated and destroyed. The Ukrainian government has an effective program of monitoring fresh foods and meats sold in local markets. Street purchase of produce should be avoided. Wild berries, mushrooms, and wild fowl and game should be avoided, as these have been found to retain higher than average levels of radiation. Background levels of radiation are monitored regularly by the U.S. Embassy and other organizations and to date have not exceeded levels found on the Eastern seaboard of the United States.

In the event of any accident at a nuclear power station, the U.S. Embassy has the capability to confirm local government reporting of background radiation levels and food contamination. The U.S. Embassy continuously monitors the radiological and operational conditions at Ukrainian nuclear facilities. Radiation measurements at all U.S. Embassies in Eastern Europe following the 1986 Chornobyl accident did not warrant the evacuation of U.S. government employees or their dependents, including pregnant women and children. Flying and other modes of transportation used to evacuate people when nuclear material may be in the air can present a greater hazard than staying in place. If external radiation levels are high enough to require evacuation, the U.S. Embassy will keep the American community informed through the Embassy warden system email and text messaging system operated by the American Citizen Services Unit of the Embassy. Registration, available on-line at http://travel.state.gov, will ensure this and other available services are available to all interested American citizens.

b) Transportation Accidents:

Due to heavy traffic and congested roads, vehicle accidents are a common occurrence in Kyiv. In Ukraine, it is mandatory for motorists involved in vehicle accidents to not move the vehicle from the site of the accident, unless it presents a clear safety concern. Local police must be notified and will report to the scene to conduct an investigation. Persons should be prepared to wait until the police arrive and

complete their report. Due to traffic and slow response, it may take up to several hours for police to arrive, especially in locations outside of Kyiv. When police arrive, they will ascertain responsibility, take the drivers' personal information, and file a report of the accident.

C. Kidnappings:

a) Kidnapping is an uncommon occurrence in Ukraine, and is not considered a major crime or security issue. There are no notable instances of kidnapping which occurred in 2007. However, related to kidnappings is the issue of trafficking in women in children, which is a concern in Ukraine (see below).

b) Trafficking in Persons:

Ukrainian law prohibits trafficking in persons; however, there were numerous reports that persons were trafficked from Ukraine, and a limited number of reports that people were trafficked to and within the country. Ukraine remained a point of origin for internationally trafficked men, women and children. The main destinations were Russia, Turkey, Western and Central Europe, particularly Poland and the Czech Republic, and the Middle East.

The country was also a transit route for individuals from Central Asia, Russia and Moldova. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that, as of June 30, 2007, at least nine individuals from Moldova, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan had been trafficked through Ukraine to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

The IOM did not identify any cases of Ukraine as a destination country for trafficked individuals, but did identify internal cases of trafficking. As of September 30, 2007, the IOM reported 29 cases of internal trafficking. Anti-trafficking police from Chernivtsi, however, stated that labor exploitation of Moldovans in western Ukraine was a problem, but there were no criminal prosecutions.

Seventy-five percent of victims identified by IOM during the year were women who were forced into prostitution or used as housekeepers, seamstresses, dishwashers, and as workers at various small and large manufacturing plants. The number of men identified as victims of trafficking for labor exploitation, mainly as construction workers and miners, increased. Children who were trafficked across the border or within the country were forced to provide sexual services, engaged in unpaid work, or forced to beg. Also, children were trafficked within the country for the purposes of producing pornography for use by pedophiles from other countries.

Estimates regarding the number of Ukrainian trafficking victims varied, however, a survey conducted by IOM released in December 2006 stated that approximately 117,000 Ukrainians since 1991 had been forced into exploitative situations in Europe, the Middle East and Russia. The survey indicated that labor exploitation was the largest type of exploitation, accounting for eighty percent of the trafficked victims.

Employment, travel, marriage, and model agencies, as well as individuals, were involved in recruitment. Most traffickers were members of organized crime groups, had foreign partners, and in some cases bribed corrupt officials to facilitate the movement abroad of victims. The number of men and women among recruiters was almost equal. Sometimes, women served as success stories for potential victims, flaunting the money they ostensibly earned abroad. The majority of recruiters were identified as Ukrainian citizens. Traffickers used the same methods to recruit victims as they did in previous years, including advertisements in newspapers and on television/radio stations, offers of modeling contracts, marriage proposals, and trips through travel agencies. Traffickers present themselves as friends of other friends to deceive the relatives of potential victims. Traffickers most often pay for the processing of passports and travel documents for the victims, thus placing them into debt bondage. In some cases the traffickers kidnapped their victims.

In the first six months of 2007, over 60 percent of the individuals convicted for trafficking received probation rather than prison sentences. In the first ten months of 2007, the number of investigations and prosecutions of suspected traffickers increased relative to the same period in 2006. As of October 2007, according to IOM statistics, 332 cases had been filed involving 347 victims, including 53 minors. The authorities broke up 17 organized criminal rings involved in human trafficking during the same period.

Corruption in the judiciary and police continued to impede the Ukrainian Government's ability to combat trafficking. Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) asserted that local police and border guards received bribes in return for ignoring trafficking, as did judges for lighter sentences for traffickers. Ukrainian Government cooperation with NGOs on anti-trafficking programs was steady during the year. Local administrations continued to include NGOs as partner organizations in their regional action plans, but most funding for NGOs and shelters continued to be provided by international donors.

D. Drugs and Narcoterrorism:

The transit of narcotics and the use of illegal narcotics are challenges for the Ukrainian Government. Official statistics showed a slight increase in the number of drug related crimes in 2007 (33,004 in 2007 vs. 32,234 in 2006). Combating the trafficking of narcotics remains a national priority, but limited budget resources hamper Ukraine's ability to meet this threat. Coordination between law enforcement agencies responsible for counter-narcotics occurs but continues to be stilted due to regulatory and jurisdictional constraints. Additionally, the Ukrainian Government openly acknowledges that corruption remains a major problem in society; the existence of a bribe-tolerant mentality, and the lack of law enforcement capabilities to investigate and prosecute corruption suggest that this will remain a problem for the foreseeable future.

Ukraine's anti-drug legislation is well developed and the Ukrainian Government is committed to keeping it current with the evolving threats. Ukraine is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, and it follows the provisions of the Convention in its counter-narcotics legislation. Ukraine has more than 80 intergovernmental and interagency agreements, both bilateral and multilateral, most which include specific provisions on combating illegal drug traffic and crime. Ukraine is not a major drug producing country; however, it is located astride several important drug trafficking routes into Western Europe, and thus is an important transit country. Ukraine's numerous ports on the Black and Azov Seas, its extensive river transportation routes, its porous northern and eastern borders, and its inadequately financed and under-equipped Border and Customs Agencies make Ukraine an attractive route for drug traffickers into the bordering European Union's profitable illegal drug market. Domestic use of narcotics continues to grow and the number of registered drug addicts in 2007 is approximated at 170,000, up from 156,509 in 2006. Unofficial estimates speculate that there are actually three times as many drug addicts as the published statistics.

There are no known links between transnational terrorist and narcotics organizations in Ukraine.

IV. Police Response:

A. General Evaluation of Police Support for Foreigners Who are Crime Victims:

In general, Ukrainian law enforcement authorities provide adequate assistance to American citizens and firms victimized by crime. In Kyiv and most other cities in Ukraine, the general fire emergency telephone number is "01"; the police emergency number is "02,"; the ambulance/emergency medical services number is "03."

Corruption among Ukrainian law enforcement remains a serious problem and results largely from the poor salaries Ukrainian police receive and their poor working conditions, including shortages of basic equipment such as vehicles, fuel, computers, and communications equipment. Budget shortages and inadequate training lead to corruption in the police ranks. Police forces also are understaffed and rarely have English-language capability, even among officials working in the bureau for crimes involving foreigners. As a result, reporting a crime to the police is often a difficult and lengthy process. Subsequent follow-up to determine the status of a case requires often lengthy visits to police stations.

While most travelers do not encounter problems with crime in Ukraine, there is concern with racially-motivated attacks carried out by neo-Nazi groups, or "skinheads," in Kyiv. In late 2006, there were three murders of African citizens in Kyiv. Two of these cases have been solved but they all appeared to be racially motivated. Violent assaults of ethnic minorities continued in 2007. These incidents, in which non-Caucasian foreigners are specifically targeted for violence or harassment, have occurred without provocation in prominent areas of downtown Kyiv that are commonly frequented by tourists. Additionally, incidents of non-violent police harassment against non-Caucasian foreigners also occur. While the majority of people targeted have been of Asian, African or other non-European descent, all travelers should exercise caution. Americans who are the subjects of official or other violent/nonviolent harassment should report such incidents to the American Citizen Services section of the U.S. Embassy.

The Embassy recommends that Americans visiting or residing in Ukraine report crimes to the local police, as well as to the American Citizen Service section of the Embassy for crime statistics purposes. In the event that local police will not accept a crime report, American Citizen Services can forward the complaint to the police under Embassy cover letter. Reporting a crime is also advisable even if time has elapsed since the crime occurred, as criminals often repeat the same crime within the same general locale. A police report also is recommended when an American passport has been lost or stolen and is often required in order to file insurance claims for stolen property.

Ukraine lacks tourist and travel services upon which Americans and foreign visitors normally rely in the aftermath of a crime. Transferring funds from the United States, replacing stolen traveler's checks or airline tickets, or canceling credit cards can be difficult and time consuming. There is a lack of safe, low-cost lodging, such as youth hostels. Public facilities in Ukraine are generally not equipped to accommodate persons with physical disabilities. The Embassy recommends that ill or infirm persons not travel to Ukraine. The Embassy also recommends that travelers obtain private medical evacuation insurance prior to traveling to Ukraine. Private backpacker-style tourists or persons traveling on a "shoestring" budget should carefully review options before visiting Ukraine. Such travelers are usually least able to avoid high-risk types of lodging and transportation.

B. How to Handle Incidents of Police Detention or Harassment:

Under Ukrainian law, individuals are required to carry personal identification documents, and it is common for local law enforcement to stop persons on the street to conduct identification checks. It is recommended to carry a copy of your passport at all times to be produced on request by police.

Harassment or detention by police may be reported to the Embassy Operator at 490-4000, the Embassy American Citizen Services at 490-4445, or Marine Post One at 490-4454. Ukrainian authorities are required to notify the U.S. Embassy within 72 hours of the detention of a U.S. citizen. If detained by police, it is recommended to ask for access to the U.S. Embassy at the earliest opportunity.

C. Where to Turn for Assistance if you Become a Victim of a Crime and Local Police Telephone Numbers:

If you become a victim of a crime in Ukraine, you may contact the U.S. Embassy at the following numbers:

Embassy Operator: 490-4000 (0800-1900, M - F) Embassy American Citizen Services: 490-4445 (0830-1730, M - F) Marine Post One: 490-4454 (24 hours/7 days per week)

V. Medical Emergencies:

A. Contact Information for Local Hospitals and Clinics:

Medikom Clinic Phone: 0-55 or 432-8888 Boris Clinic Phone: 238-0000 City Emergency Hospital Phone: 518-0629.

There are no hospitals in Ukraine that provide a level of medical care equal to that found in American hospitals, or which accept American health insurance plans for payment. Travelers to Ukraine are recommended to purchase insurance which covers air ambulance evacuation services from Ukraine. In addition, travelers who have chronic medical conditions which require medication should bring enough medicine to Ukraine since medicine may not be readily available in country. Travelers may wish to review further medical advice for conditions in Ukraine at www.cdc.gov.

For emergency services such as mass or multi-trauma, major disaster, and mass casualty, City Emergency Hospital located at Bratislavska #3 on the Left Bank of Kyiv would be used. City Hospital is a government facility, and there are no English speakers.

Two private clinics, Boris Clinic and Medikom Clinic, are available 24/7 for life-threatening emergencies or if an individual needs immediate medical assistance. Both clinics have English-speaking receptionists on call at all times. Boris and Medikom also offer 24-hour ambulance service. For ambulance assistance, dial "03", however, there are no English speaking receptionists. Contact information for additional hospitals and clinics can be found at the Embassy's Consular website at http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/amcit_medical_serv_eng.html.

The fastest way to secure Western medical care remains medical evacuation to Western Europe. This is a very expensive option, and assistance may not arrive until several hours after the need for care arises. Again, travelers should purchase medical evacuation insurance prior to travel or have access to substantial lines of credit to cover the cost of medical evacuation.

B. Air Ambulance Service:

SOS: 8-10-7-495-937-6477 (24/7 phone) EURO FLITE: 8-10-358-20-510-1911 or 358-20-510-1900 (24/7 phone) MEDEX Assistance Corporation: 8-10-1-410-453-6330 (24/7 phone) TRICARE/SOS (for military personnel): 8-10-44-20-8762-8133

There are several European firms that provide private jet evacuations, and the AMC and Boris Clinic in Kyiv can organize and assist with evacuation for a fee. Aero medical evacuation companies that service Ukraine include: SOS, EURO FLITE, MEDEX Assistance Corporation, as well as TRICARE/SOS (for military personnel). Boris Clinic has a limited agreement with Tricare.

The fastest way to secure western medical care remains medical evacuation to Helsinki, Geneva, London or other cities in Western Europe. This is a very expensive option and may take several days after the need for care arises. Travelers should purchase medical evacuation insurance prior to travel or have access to substantial lines of credit to cover the cost of medical evacuation. There are several European firms that provide private jet evacuations. Aero medical evacuation companies that service Ukraine are listed in our flyer http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/amcit_medical_evac_eng.html.

VI. Travel Precautions:

A. Local Crimes/Scams:

A common scam employed on the streets of Kyiv is known as the "Wallet Scam". There are many variations on how it is carried out; however, all versions involve an attempt to get the victim to pick up or handle a wallet, credit card, or parcel of money. The typical scam involves a person who drops a wallet or a packet of money near the victim and asks if it belongs to the victim. The person will then show the victim a large sum of money in the wallet/packet and then try to get the victim to touch it. A third individual will approach and claim that it is his wallet/money and will accuse the victim of trying to steal the money. (The third person may also pose as an off-duty police officer who briefly shows some type of identification.) The partners will either threaten to call the police and try to get the victim to pay them not to call, or they will ask the victim to produce his or her wallet to ensure the victim did not take the money and put in his or her wallet. If the wallet is shown, the partners will try to grab it and flee.

If presented with the above scenario, or any similar situation, simply walk away and do not engage the perpetrators in conversation. Foreigners, if identifiable, are more likely to be confronted with this scam since they do not know local laws, and may not speak the local language.

B. Areas of Kyiv to be Avoided and Best Security Practices:

In general, Kyiv is safe and there are no recommended off-limits areas and the commonsense precautions anyone would take in any large city are appropriate. To avoid becoming a victim of routine street crime, such as snatch thefts, be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. When riding public transportation, where pick-pocketing and snatch thefts are a concern, keep purses, shoulder bags and backpacks closed, in front of you, and tucked under your arm to prevent theft. Men are advised to place wallets in a front pocket while on public transportation to prevent pick-pocketing. It is recommended to maintain a low profile and to not carry large sums of cash. If possible, leave wallets or purses secured at your residence and carry only necessary cash and ID in a front pocket. Refrain from carrying unnecessary items in your wallet or purse, such as credit cards, that you will not use. It is further recommended that you do not establish routine travel patterns or habits by varying your departure/arrival times and routes as much as possible between frequented locations.

VII. Embassy Contact Information:

Country Code: 380 Kyiv City Code: 44

Regional Security Office: 490-4048 Embassy Kyiv Operator: 490-4000 Embassy Medical Unit: 490-4290 American Citizen Services:490-4445 Embassy Political Section:490-4435 Embassy Economic Section: 490-4466 Embassy Marine Post One: 490-4454

Embassy Kyiv Website: http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/

VIII. OSAC Country Council:

There is an active OVERSEAS SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL (OSAC)Country Council in Kyiv, which is a subcommittee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. The Kyiv OSAC can be contacted through the U.S. Embassy's Regional Security Officer (who is an ex-officio member of the Country Council).