Word: yanukovych
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...orange revolution of November 2004 is now a distant memory, discredited by the leaders that Lupan mocks. And sadly, the two contenders facing off in the final round of voting offer little fresh cause for hope. In the conservative corner is dour former mechanic and factory boss Viktor Yanukovych, 59, whose disputed victory in the 2004 poll sparked massive protests and a fresh vote. In the opposite corner, though hardly a paragon of change, is Yulia Tymoshenko, 49, a former gas tycoon and a pivotal figure in the orange revolution. The main message of both campaigns: vote to prevent...
...reformists' failure has opened the path for the return of Yanukovych, who won 35% of the vote in the first round, leading Tymoshenko by 10 percentage points. Yanukovych is a rags-to-riches figure - he was jailed twice in his youth for assault and robbery - who relies on the pro-Russian east and south of the country for support. His strategy this time round has been simple: remind voters of the mess the country is in and point the finger at his opponents. "Precisely while the orange government has been running the country, Ukraine gained one of the leading places...
That may be true, but Yanukovych, himself a two-time former Prime Minister, was accused by opponents of funneling budget funds and state assets to his backers while in power and he continues to surround himself with Kuchma-era cronies. Tymoshenko claims Yanukovych would be a puppet for the country's powerful oligarchs...
Russia has been the regional master for centuries and there are few signs that it is ready to stop interfering. After unsuccessfully backing Yanukovych in the 2004 election, the Kremlin repeatedly slammed Yushchenko for his attempts to join NATO and his support of Georgia during its 2008 war with Russia. Twice Moscow has turned off the gas to Ukraine amid payment disputes, as it repeatedly tried to throw a wrench in Ukraine's Western integration...
...Western President Viktor Yushchenko, who placed fifth in the nation's Jan. 17 elections. Since coming to power in 2005, Yushchenko has clashed with Russia and angered Ukrainians by failing to make good on his promises of economic reform. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and her predecessor Viktor Yanukovych--both seen as more Moscow-friendly--were the top vote getters, prompting Russia to unfreeze ties with the former Soviet republic. The two will face each other in a Feb. 7 runoff...