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A VAST COUNTRY estate, marble-lined mansions, a private golf course and zoo: the unimaginable luxury of the private residence of departed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was flung open Saturday for all to see.
As parliament voted to oust Yanukovych after he fled to a pro-Russian bastion in east Ukraine following months of bloody protest against his rule, thousands of Ukrainians wandered awestruck around the breathtaking luxury of his abandoned property some 15 kilometres from Kiev after it was taken by demonstrators.
“I am in shock,” said retired military servicewoman Natalia Rudenko, as she looked out over the manicured lawns studded with statues of rabbits and deers.
“In a country with so much poverty how can one person have so much — he has to be mentally sick.
The world needs to see this and bring him to justice.
Cars backed up for kilometres and a large crowd lined up patiently at the imposing wrought iron front gates to get a glimpse of the former leader’s lavish lifestyle, fit for even the most ostentatious billionaire oligarch.
“Don’t worry, everyone will get to go inside — it is big enough for all of you,” an opposition activist standing atop a column shouted through a loudhailer.
He warned people to stay off the lawn in case of landmines and to beware of provocateurs trying to damage the place.
“Welcome to Ukraine,” he said as people shuffled by.
Elite security forces
Guarded just hours before by elite security forces, the property — the scale of which had been kept a closely guarded secret and appears to confirm suspicions of titanic corruption — was now under the control of anti-Yanukovych activists, patrolling the area and keeping people out of buildings to avoid looting.
According to official declarations, Yanukovych’s salary as president was around $100,000 a year. The luxury of the estate clearly showed wealth far beyond that.
At the entrance a sign was hung reading: “People, do not destroy this evidence of thieving arrogance.”
Inside, visitors peered with disbelief through the windows of the palatial main house at the baroque, marble-covered living rooms decorated with gold icons and suits of armour.
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Andrew Lubimov/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Andrew Lubimov/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Andrew Lubimov/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: Andrew Lubimov/AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky" title="">A few boxes strewn around on the marble floors hinted at a hurried exit.
Amused or enraged, others posed for photos in font of towering faux-Greek columns and snapped pictures on their mobile phones of the collection of rare pheasants imported from as far as Mongolia and Sumatra.
In a hangar-like barn, families stopped to pet the goats, deer and sheep kept in pens lining the leader’s private zoo. Nearby, peacocks strutted around inside cages.
For kilometres, visitors strolled along the waterfront promenade, up to the helicopter pad or over bridges and past horse paddocks to a vast garage housing a museum of Soviet military vehicles.
Stately home
The complex for staff — who were nowhere to be seen — was itself the size of a British stately home.
“That house, that garden, that luxury,” mechanic Viktor Kovalchuk, 59, as his wife shook her head in amazement.
“It should be turned into a hospital or an orphanage or something for the people killed or injured in the protests,” Kovalchuk said.
“Whatever happens it needs to be given to the people. It was built with our money after all so it should serve us in the end.”
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Helen mc enree & a very sensible positive idea in the same sentence? Is it April 1sr already?
@Mary Linton: You would think if a pilot kept on crashing planes, they’d be sacked, but the same ineptitude is fine in politics, apparently!
@Mary Linton: I know right? I thought DOGE were cutting all this.
@Louis Jacob: Apologies, lost me there….. isn’t DOGE an American financial accountability department?
@Mary Linton: you’re a bore
Seems reasonable.
@Luas Vuitton – Penneys Drag Queen: you obviously don’t havw school going children . These children need massive supports some are non verbal some very verbal so putting in a student. Teacher is like letting a trainee electrician loose to rewire a hole house . No experience .
@Karen Marten: if alternative is no teacher, then put the kids first. Cop on.
@Luas Vuitton – Penneys Drag Queen: you have no cop on how would you .
@Karen Marten: are u a parent. I doubt it you know nothing.
@Karen Marten: I don’t think theyre asking the trainee teachers to run the school either. The point is to train teachers withing the special school setting. Can’t see any issue with this.
@Mindful Muinteoir: When I taught deaf and special needs children trainee teachers would spend time in the classroom with us. This showed them how we sometimes have to adapt our teaching to include all children equally. It also gave them an insight into what being a SEN teacher requires should they wish to go down that path.
@Luas Vuitton – Penneys Drag Queen: So you don’t believe that children with special needs deserve to have teachers who are specifically trained to teach these children and to meet their needs? Shameful!!
@Mindful Muinteoir: Wow, how about they get primary school teachers to start lecturing in third level institutions? And don’t tell me that’s not the same thing, it is.
@Ann Reddin: Steady up. It’s placement as part of their studies and they would be supervised by qualified teachers at all times. Experience is the best way to learn anything. This is a positive step
Anything Master minded by this silly woman, is bound to be a disaster!
@Brian Hunt: Play the ball Brian.
It’s a great idea.
They’re already doing it so makes sense.
Any measure that will address the early intervention for those with Special Needs in schools must be welcomed
Great idea, but unions won’t allow it as they’ll put teachers first as usual.
@Allo Allo: unfair.
@Allo Allo: you obviously did’nt bother to read the article. The INTO came up with this idea first, you gobdaw.
‘Something something… teachers bad’ and so on
@Allo Allo: how is it a great idea these trainee teachers can barely teach mainstream kids my child is in 6th class a crucial year a a newly grad teacher was put to them be more suited with junior or senior infants. So how is it a good idea to do the same with special need kids. No no plenty of years of experience is needed for that type of teaching
And where are these people being forced into these positions going to live?
Pay them properly so they decide to stay in Ireland and after turning the masters in education into a cash cow students spend €10000 to qualify
I agree with this. I only said something similar a few weeks ago. Main stream teachers just think 1 way and that’s all kids are the same when that’s not the case. I’ve seen it so many times and it’s annoying.
@darren guthrie: absolute nonsense statement
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