Furry gathering held in Ukraine despite unrest

Politics is far from the agenda when around 20 Ukrainian furs attend local event KharCon, reports Grisli Aklark, editor-in-chief of The Furry Post:

KHARKIV, Ukraine, 28 January -- Amid growing disapproval and violent protests that left 4 dead and hundreds injured in the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigned on the morning of 28 January 2014.

He and his cabinet will continue in their roles until the President and the Parliament can form a new government to lead the eastern-European nation moving forward.

The protests ultimately stem from the decision of Azarov to imprison former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who was one of the nation’s most outspoken leaders in the effort to integrate the Ukraine into the European Union.

Some 475 kilometers (300 miles) to the east in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, the situation has been tense but different. Most of Kharkiv’s residents speak Russian and many do not actively support the integration of the Ukraine into the EU, due to already deteriorating ties with Russia.

A small gathering will be occurring this weekend in Kharkiv, but politics are not on the agenda for discussion. KharCon, a small furry convention that meets several times a year, will take place this weekend, from Friday 31 January through Sunday 2 February.

Continue reading at The Furry Post – Photos: KharCon 1, 2, 3.5 x2, 5, 6 – Reports: 1, 3, 3.5, 4

The lack of fuss may be explained in part by the event's location, to the east of the country, well away from the capital.

While last month's KharCon may have taken place as planned, March's is in doubt, with the event website reporting a lack of down-payments, despite the addition of trainers for "master of the needle", "skilful paws" and "tail construction" and an extended three-day schedule.

A 500 Ukrainian Hryvnia fee (~US$57) is required to attend KharCon, which has been held irregularly since October 2012. Guests who don't need all meals (chicken, noodles and kebabs) or rooms may pay less.

Regular events include fursuit walks, film and cartoon showings (e.g. Robin Hood), social games, a lottery, and a nightly sauna.