Disorder in Ukraine

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What's going on with Viktor Yushchenko's face?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3613685&thesection=news&thesubsection=world

Have his enemies really been poisoning him?

 

Holy smokes, that's pretty intense. Slightly larger photos here.

Dioxin poisoning? Is this the standard sort of thing that happens when you piss off Russia?

 

Yep, he's been poisoned. It's all the word in Kiev.

 

An unhealthy amount of chauvinistic pride was sent through the TV-stations and was everywhere. And they had a very strange cerenomy at the begining of a theatre, we had to watch. They're looking forward to become the superpower they deserve to be. Combined with the rather poor ecnomical situation, I think that country has a huge problem coming.

 

Walesa has been to Kiev and spoke to hundreds of thousands of people. The situation was difficult, maybe even more difficult than yours. I behold your emotions and zeal and I deeply believe that you will prevail. - he made a reference to the situation in Poland 25 years ago when we were getting rid of the commie regime and he was in the lead of Solidarnosc. He left a representative there when going back to Poland.

The US, UK, Canada, Lithuania, Poland and EU institutions refuse to acknowledge Yanukovych.

More and more institutions in Kiev go under the opposition control. They control the city of Lviv (second biggest in Ukraine) as well.

Looks like there's a lot of Polish diplomats and other representatives in there, too, including one former president, one former prime minister, a couple of former ministers and the current president and president (chief mayor) of Warsaw (capital city). Our parliament already cooperates with the Ukrainian opposition after inviting Boris Tarasyuk over for a speech.

[ November 25, 2004, 22:48: Message edited by: chevalier ]

 

City councils in Kiev, Lviv, Luck and Ivano-Frankovsk (all big cities) refuse to acknowledge Yanukovych. The latter, however, has control of the military, special services and there's always Specnaz sent in by Putin (officially there's none, but who believes that?). The Supreme court doesn't allow the pronouncement of Yanukovych as president-elect, but it has already happened. Illegally, that is. Still, more and more soldiers, militia and special service people join the opposition, including several special service generals. The advisor to the head of special services has read a proclamation urging special services not to use force against their own nation. The head himself is silent.

But the EU plays the same game as in Munich 1938. It seems they are going to make a couple of declarations and stay away. They all feared Putin in the Hague. Even Blair and Fischer. Kwasniewski (Poland's current president) is going to show up in Kiev today. Adamkus (Lithuania's one) should also come soon.

[ November 26, 2004, 17:32: Message edited by: chevalier ]

 

I found an interesting article on the Guardian on what's going on in Ukraine, and behind the scenes.

Ukraine's postmodern coup d'etat

 

Looks like the supreme court has upheld the opposition complaint. With a new run-off looming, maybe the crisis will resolve. More likely it will split the country further, however, given the recent talk of seperatism... I think that is almost innevitable now.

 

I do not think it will go as far as to split the country. Seems like both sides have albeit reluctantly open the door for a re-election and it will be swarming with observers so the hanky panky will probably a lot less.

 

Here is yet another interesing take on the situation from StratFor.com.

http://www.stratfor.com/corporate/index.neo?page=basicsample

 

The Ukrainian Supreme Court has ruled that the second turn be repeated on Dec. 26th. Yushchenko is clearly leading in polls.

 

That's good to hear, Chev.

 

Interesting link Llandon. What was being said seems pretty intuitive. I'm quite sure that there is a lot of that going on in regards to the election. The amount of meddling that Russia did (Russian ministers at government rallies etc) was more likely born out of a desire to stop the encroachment of NATO, rather than a true desire for the imperialistic resurgence of the soviet union.

 

It will be the biggest political defeat in Putin's political career so far if Joetsjenko wins the second term. Russia humiliated by the West! Particularly because Russia has always regarded Ukraine as part of its 'sphere of influence'.

I read an interesting article in the newspaper today in which the EU foreign affairs minister Bot hinted that at this point it would be very difficult to refuse Ukraine EU membership, if Joetsjenko should win. Makes you wonder if the EU has any natural border at all and where they are.

It's sad to see how the promising technocrat Putin is slipping down the path of becoming yet another failed dictator.

On topic: it would be a historical victory for the people of Ukraine if Joetsjenko succeeds and also a first rate historical performance if Ukraine manages to become a modern democracy. I truly hope they will.

EDIT: typos

[ December 07, 2004, 22:05: Message edited by: Heerscher ]

 

I read an interesting story today. Colin Powell has had to vehemently deny any US interference in Ukraine, after Putin had a go at the west because of unwanted meddling.

I find it interesting that one meddler (Yes he made two appearances in favour of the pro-Russian) is accusing another country of doing what he was doing. And to top it all off, he is raging about how dare they?

So it's ok for Russia to meddle... but how DARE anybody else...

I can understand Russia getting a bit defensive. The prospect of NATO setting up shop in their backyard cant be a pleasant thought, but less double standards please. It just comes off as pathetic.

 

It would be foolish for Ukraine to jump from one sphere of influence to other right after the elections. They won't, and all know it. Ukraine's best bet is to build the state from scratch and create their own sphere of influence as counterbalance for internal EU for countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia and perhaps Hungary, and an alternative for countries like Romania or Bulgaria. Same goes for Asian sphere of influence, but the attitudes are different - they would not see much profit (or market) in Ukraine as European countries will, but instead a "cub bear" alternative to the "big bear."

 

But have they decided if that opposition candidate was being poisoned or not? The change in his face still freaks me out.

 

Yes, it is official. I don't have any link to foreign websites, I do my press check with two Polish portals, and if both use the same news report (it's a wonderful thing - Polish Press Agency supplies the release, and neither of them change a single word of it), it is official by me.
It has been confirmed that Jushtshenko has been poisoned, and that the reason for that was to eliminate him - the poison delivery was precisely aimed at this point. The doctor doing the tests has not yet confirmed the type of poison used, saying that it would take additional weeks.

 

They said it was poisoning and the poison was ricinum. But the next day they said they didn't know anything. Phone call from Tzar Vladimir to someone in Vienna?