· February, 2010

Stories about Ukraine from February, 2010

Estonia: Lessons of the Ukrainian Election

  20 February 2010

Itching for Eestimaa writes that “the underwhelming victory of Viktor Yanukovich over Yulia Tymoshenko last week has caused all sorts of soul searching in Estonia and, in general, the West”: “Indeed, there are lessons to be learned.”

Belarus, Ukraine: Yanukovych from Yanuki

  20 February 2010

Belarus Digest writes about the “Belarusian roots” of Victor Yanukovych, the winner of Ukraine's presidential election, and about the Belarusian village of Yanuki, the birthplace of Yanukovych's father: “Currently there are only two families live in Yanuki. Both of them are Yanukovichs.”

Ukraine: OSCE Observer's Mini-Report

  11 February 2010

Andrew Tate, an employee of the British Embassy in Kyiv, guest-blogs at Ambassador Leigh Turner's blog about “a day in the Ukrainian countryside as an OSCE observer.”

Ukraine: Post-Election Update

  11 February 2010

Ukrainiana reports that while PM Yulia Tymoshenko “remains incommunicado,” fans of her opponent Victor Yanukovych are staging “a hardcore parody of the Orange Revolution” in front of the Central Election Commission building (a related YouTube video of a TV news story (UKR) is included).

Ukraine: “Back to the Past?”

  11 February 2010

Leopolis writes on the Ukrainian election and reactions in the West and in Ukraine. Here's what some of the latter sound like: “This election was the choice between the whorehouse (bardak) and the prison (zona). Of cholera and swine flu. Better to stand in place than take five steps backward....

Ukraine: “‘Post-Orange’ Future”

  11 February 2010

Oleksandr Sushko, research director of the Kyiv-based Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, comments on Ukraine's “‘post-Orange’ future” at OpenDemocracy.net: “The newly elected president’s relative (limited) social legitimacy will be likely to restrict his ability to govern by his own will and perceptions only.”

Ukraine: “Idealism” vs “Practical Concerns”

  10 February 2010

Natalia Antonova comments on the outcome of the Ukrainian presidential election: “The way I see it, people who urge Ukrainian voters to lay aside petty practical concerns and see the big picture are getting off easy.”

Ukraine: From “Street Children” to “Adult Bums”

  10 February 2010

Scenes from the Sidewalk writes about the situation with street children in Ukraine: “It is even worse if they are over seventeen as at that point they are no longer children and therefore are on their own. Without rehabilitation, they become adult bums.”

Ukraine: Campaign Ads; “Final Rallies”

  7 February 2010

Ukrainiana takes readers on a video tour “through inter-election Kyiv” – and to the “final rallies” of the two presidential candidates, which took place on Feb. 5 “just a block away from each other.”

Ukraine: Notes on the Upcoming Election

  6 February 2010

Blair Sheridan of Eastern Approaches explains why he doesn't understand the “hysteria” about the last-minute changes to Ukraine's election law. Leigh Turner, UK Ambassador to Ukraine, writes: “Some people I respect are saying there's a fair chance of good quality elections on 7 February.”