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A Brief History Of The Ukraine Political Crisis | Indyposted

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ABriefHistoryOfTheUkraine PoliticalCrisis
POLITICS February23,2014,byGeneGiannotta
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SaturdaymarkedakeyturningpointforUkraineanditslong roadofpoliticalturmoil,aroadthecountryhasbeenventuring onfornearlyadecadenow.TheOrangeRevolution in2004 firstconnectedViktorYanukovych,massprotests,and accusationsofRussianmeddlinginadramathatwouldextend allthewayuntiltoday,whenYanukovychisnolongerpresident andthecountrysparliamenthasmadeseveralmajordecisions upendingpoliticalorderintheformerSovietstate. Heresaquickprimeronwhatshappenedovertheyearsto getustothispoint. 2004:Thepresidentialelectionthisyearwasinitiallycalledfor Yanukovych,butprotestersgatheredinKievsIndependence SquaredecryingRussianinterferenceandwidespreadvoter fraud.ViktorYushchenkoinsteadbecamepresident,signaling avictoryforthedemocraticprocessinacountrystilltryingto shedtheSovietpast.Butnotbeforehefellvictimtowhathe claimedwasabotchedRussianattempttopoisonhim,and lefthimvisiblyscarred.

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A Brief History Of The Ukraine Political Crisis | Indyposted

ViktorYushchenkoandYuliaTymoshenkoduringthe2004 OrangeRevolution. 20052010:YuliaTymoshenko,oneofthecountrysoil oligarchsandrichestpeople,andhersignatureblondebraid becameacentralfigureoftheOrangeRevolutionandended upUkrainesprimeminister.Buttheheroicpositionthatshe andYushchenkofoundthemselvesinattheendofthatcrisis wouldcrumbleawayovertheiryearsinpower.Bothcame underfireforineffectivegovernanceandin2010,Yanukovych finallywonthepresidencyalthoughitwasacloserace againstTymoshenko. 2011:Tymoshenkowassentencedto7yearsinprison , afterbeingaccusedofhurtingUkraineingasnegotiationswith Russiaduringhertenureasprimeminister. 2013:Yanukovychwasfacedwithtwochoicesforwardforhis countryeithersignaneconomicagreementwiththe EuropeanUnionbringingUkraineclosertothewestorjoina fledglingRussiantradeunion.TheEUdemandedtherelease ofTymoshenko,seeninthewestasapoliticalprisoner,but Yanukovychrefused.Meanwhile,Russiauseditsmassive leverageasUkraineslargestproviderofoiltoconvince YanukovychtospurntheEU.Themovewasconsidereda surprisingreversalpublicopinionshowedsupportforthe EUoverRussiancustomsunion andprotestersgathered againinIndependenceSquareinoppositiontowhattheysaw astheheavyhandofRussianinfluenceandastarkly undemocraticprocess.OnDecember1,300,000protesters tooktothestreets.Laterthatmonth,Russiaannounceda$15 billionaidpackageforUkraine.TheUnitedStates,
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4/8/2014

A Brief History Of The Ukraine Political Crisis | Indyposted

meanwhile,deploredthegovernmentsresponsetothe protests.

FormerUkrainianPresidentViktorYanukovychandRussian PresidentVladimirPutinshakehandsinSochiataneventto marktheWinterOlympics. 2014:Januarysawanattemptatacrackdown bythe Yanukovychgovernment,mostnotablywiththepassageof severeantiprotestlawsbasedonRussiasown.Butthis backfired,andbytheendofthemonththelawswererepealed andtheprimeministerhadresigned.Yanukovychalsooffered someconcessions,buttheydidntgofarenoughforthe opposition. ThelasttwofewweeksofFebruaryhaveseenUkrainian politicsonarollercoaster.First,all234jailedprotesters werereleased afterKievscityhallwasoccupied.Thatraised hopes.Butthenviolencecamebacktothestreetsafterpolitical progressseemedtohaltinparliament.Atrucewasdeclared middleoflastweek,butitonlylastedafewhoursbefore violencereturnedtothestreets,nowworsethanever.Sofar, itsbeenannouncedthatlastweeksviolenceclaimedalmost 90lives.

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4/8/2014

A Brief History Of The Ukraine Political Crisis | Indyposted

FormerPrimeMinisterYuliaTymoshenkoaddresses protestersonSaturdayafterbeingreleased. ThenaflurryofactivitybeganFriday.Yanukovychagreedtoa dealwiththeoppositionthatwouldmeanearlyelectionsanda weakeningofhispowers,butthisdidnotmeetthedemandsof manyprotestersforhisoutrightremoval.ThatcameSaturday whentheparliamentvotedtokickhimoutofoffice,hold electionsinMay,andalsoreleaseTymoshenko .Inaddition, theyvotedinanewspeakerandInteriorMinister.Policeand InteriorMinistryofficialsswitchedtheirallegiancetothe opposition,andYanukovychfledKiev,leavinghis residenceandpresidentialofficesemptyandunguarded. Thenowformerpresidentwasdefiant,callingparliaments actionsillegitimateandcomparingthesituationtotheriseof theNazisinGermany. [photocredits:GettyImages]

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