Ukraine’s ambassador bids bittersweet farewell to M’sia

KUALA LUMPUR – His tenure as an emissary in Malaysia saw Olexander Nechytaylo handling fallout from some of the most momentous and daunting episodes in world history – from the downing of a Malaysian passenger airplane to a full-scale invasion of his home country.

After giving nearly a decade’s worth of service to the Ukrainian Embassy in Malaysia, the ambassador is set to bid a final farewell to our nation as the curtains close on his term here.

“There is never a good time to leave but I have done my part to the best of my abilities and it is now time to pass the baton on to someone else,” he said in describing his mixed feelings about moving back to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

“I am definitely sad to be leaving a place where I have made many good friends and memories but I am also thankful for the enriching experience,” he said during a gathering with media members to commemorate his last hurrah as the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Malaysia.

“I spent four years here during my first assignment with the embassy and was here for another six years as an ambassador. Malaysia will always have a special place in my heart,” he said, noting that he has made it a point to visit local friends in other states before he leaves today.

The outgoing ambassador’s time here was not all sunshine and rainbows as he had to ensure that proper communication was maintained between countries in the face of major global crises.

Commenting on the war between Russia and his home country which has been ongoing since February 24, he admitted that while it was not difficult per se to carry out his role as an ambassador, the conflict presented unique challenges as professional and personal boundaries overlapped.

“When the war first began, my mission as an ambassador was to communicate messages about what is actually happening in Ukraine to Malaysian leaders such as the foreign affairs minister, and also to the public and media.

“I would not say that it was a difficult task, but obviously when your country is at war, it puts you in a very special situation because you have to do your job professionally while worrying about your family members in the war zone,” he said.

He added that he believes Malaysia has been very supportive of Ukraine throughout the ordeal, noting that it had voted in favour of the “Aggression against Ukraine” resolution at the emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly on March 2.

“Malaysia has always been very vocal on protecting international law and that’s where our countries meet in terms of our stance on this war as Russia has clearly violated the United Nations charter,” he said.

Besides that, he also played a key role in 2014 in establishing the joint investigation team between Ukraine, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia and Belgium to probe into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

“One of the goals that I had as an ambassador here was to ensure that justice is served to the families involved in the tragedy,” he stressed, adding that he had met the Malaysian family members of passengers in a “touching and moving” gathering.

“I think we’ve done a good job as the criminal investigation trial on the incident is now in the final stages, and a verdict should be delivered either by the end of this year or sometime next year.”

Meanwhile, some of the noteworthy events that took place here during Nechytaylo’s tenure include the first-ever official visit of Ukraine’s head of state – former president Petro Poroshenko – to Malaysia, as well as famous Ukrainian fashion designer Oksana Polonets’ presentation of contemporary and traditional dresses to a local audience here.

Expressing his pride in being able to organise and participate in such historic moments, he said that he is confident in the ability of the remaining Ukrainian diplomats here to keep up the good work.

While Nechytaylo will be stationed in the Foreign Ministry in Kyiv once he leaves his post here, deputy head of mission Denys Mykhailiuk, along with two other diplomats, will be holding the fort for the Ukrainian Embassy in Malaysia pending the appointment of a new ambassador. – The Vibes, June 28, 2022