Ukrainian Election

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

This election has been allegedlly rigged. What are everyones views and hopes on this?
Here is the latest report from the BBC.

[Nurvingiel]

My hope is that Ukraine can have a fair election.

One good thing is that Ukranians seem to know what's going on, and are doing something about it. Despite its being rigged (looking at the BBC article, it really does look like it was rigged), Yushchenko (the opposition leader) got a lot of support.

Maybe they will be able to have a neutral country moderate this election, and someone who is elected fairly is more likely to not rig the next election. Of course, if Yanukovych (current leader) wins fairly, he still might rig the next election. I doubt he actually would win fairly though - he got a lot of bad PR over this and the alleged poisonning of Yushchenko.

[jerseydevil]

Jonathan and I have been discussing this for a couple of days - well since the election. Putin seems to want to regain the Soviet Union days - he actually went out campaigning. That would be like Blair coming out here and campaigning for Bush or Chirac for Kerry - I would be pissed in either case. Then of course is all the cheating - having prisoners vote for the russian supported person in exchange for reduced sentences and so forth.

They're talking about possibly having new elections - I wonder if they do have new elections how that would come out. I think with the demonstrations and so forth - a lot more people would come out for the western supported person.

This makes the US diplomacy with Russia even more difficult. On one had trying to be an ally with Russia - and on the other being against Russia in so many respects anymore. Putin is taking Russia backward - not forward and he's trying to get Ukraine to follow him.

[Insidious Rex]

Well you cant really blame Putin for backing the russian leaning candidate. Losing influence in the Ukraine would be a big blow for Russia. The other guy wants to join NATO and make oil ties to the south that exclude Russia and all this. But yeah hes definitely in the wrong.

Essentially the place is ungovernable now so sooner or later something will have to give. The hope is that the oligarcs and mafia bosses who helped rig the first election will realize they will be worse off as a pariah state because they wont be allowed to do business with the west (and their wives wont be allowed to jet to Paris and Milan to shop anymore) so theyll cut their loses and pull their support for the first guy and attempt to swing some kind of deal that will at least allow them to benefit some.

[Janny]

It was noted on a BBC comedy show that it was like something out of Lelsie Neilsson that both candidates should have the first name and surname initial Victor Y. and that matters where probably only confused by the fact both declared that.
And I'm trying to turn this into a serious point... and I can't.

[Hasty Ent]

I was born in the US, but my parents were Ukrainian immigrants and I consider myself first and foremost Ukrainian. I have travelled to Ukraine, and am involved with the Ukrainian diaspora in my community. I have been following this election and campaign for months now with increasing alarm. I have no trouble believing the election was rigged. My friends in Ukraine (a few of them are journalists) have been telling me for YEARS about the corruption and media manipulation that has become standard practice. Hryhoriy Honhadze was murdered on Kuchma's orders, for crying out loud.

What I fear most, however, is not whether Yanukovich or Yushchenko wins. I do support Yushchenko and feel he is the best candidate. However, he is not without his own checkered past. He, like EVERY political creature in Ukraine, has been linked to organized crime. No, my great fear is that the cultural divisions which have existed in Ukraine for centuries will come to a head and lead to partition.

Ukraine is roughly the size of France, and has a population of roughly 52 million (in 1992, but I'm pretty sure it's been shrinking). 25% of this population considers themselves to be Russian and would be happy to be reunited with Russia. They mostly reside in the southeast, which is the industrial powerhouse of Ukraine. 40% of Ukraine's foreign trade is with Russia. Is it any wonder those people have NO interest in closer ties with Europe? Ukraine's history shows centuries of occupation -- by Russia in the East, by various European countries in the West (Poland, Austria, Lithuania). The cultural divides are strong and I don't see how they can be bridged.

Not sure how coherent any of that was... but my emotions have been riding high for the past week. Exploding with pride at the 200,000 people who have braved subzero temperatures and snow to camp outside in protest, and shaking with fear at what the future might hold for Ukraine.

[Mari]

82 dead though. Not sure I'd call that 'good'.

[Insidious Rex]

Everything is relative. Probably good compared to Egypt. Or certainly Syria...

[Alec]

Syria is a mess

[Mari]

Ukraine isn't quite there yet either. If the situation on the Krim continues, they may be heading for a civil war.

[Earniel]

Yanokovitch really was living a comfortable life as president if the shot of his extended personal car park is anything to go by...

Still puzzles me how one man can abscond with billions on such a short notice, though.

[Draken]

Okayyyyy well this isn't going well. If we survived the Cold War just to get nuked over the fate of Crimea I will be MOST annoyed.

[Mari]

I don't see WW3 happening any time soon over this, but it's definitely not a good situation. When I assigned Ukraine to my students as their topic for a Model United Nations, I certainly didn't expect this.