UNITED24 - Make a charitable donation in support of Ukraine!

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


2004 Ukraine Special Weapons News



    December

  • UKRAINE NEW YEAR VOA 31 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma is calling on the country's 48 million people to put the bitterness of the recent presidential election behind them and rally behind the incoming president. Mr. Kuchma issued the appeal in his last live, televised address to the nation New Year's Eve, just minutes before midnight.
  • UKRAINE / PM RESIGNS VOA 31 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's embattled Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych, has stepped down from his post on the last day of 2004.
  • UKRAINE/APPEALS O'NITE VOA 30 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, lost important legal challenges Thursday, narrowing the likelihood that he will be able to overturn the results of Sunday's presidential election. Those results, yet to be certified, give pro-western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, the win.
  • Ukraine: Yanukovych Clings To Office But Is Poised To Build Opposition RFE/RL 30 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has yet to concede defeat in the 26 December presidential election, but his bid to retain power now looks hopeless. Ukraine's Supreme Court today rejected the last three legal challenges lodged by the prime minister aimed at invalidating the vote, which was won by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko. Yanukovych has further election challenges pending, but analysts said he has already turned his thoughts to a future in opposition.
  • Analysis: Forging Political Alliances In The New Ukraine RFE/RL 30 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Central Election Commission has announced that Viktor Yushchenko won 52 percent of the vote in the presidential ballot on 26 December versus Viktor Yanukovych's 44 percent, according to its preliminary figures. Yanukovych has contested the results with the Central Election Commission and the Supreme Court, claiming that amendments to the presidential election law introduced between the abortive second-round runoff on 21 November and its repeat on 26 December were unconstitutional and deprived millions of disabled Ukrainians from exercising their right to vote from home.
  • Ukrainian Court Rejects Early Vote Challenges RFE/RL 30 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court today rejected two legal challenges brought by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych aiming to invalidate the presidential runoff won by his opponent, Viktor Yushchenko, further dimming his hopes of staving off a landmark change in the country's political leadership.
  • Ukraine's Opposition Shrugs Off Vote Challenge RFE/RL 30 Dec 2004 -- Allies of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko say they are confident their side will win any court challenges and that Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych will not be able to overturn Yushchenko's victory in the country's 26 December presidential election.
  • Ukraine: Government Meets Elsewhere After Protesters Block Headquarters RFE/RL 29 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's government was forced to call off a planned session at its headquarters today after hundreds of demonstrators massed outside to prevent Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych from entering the building. But in a surprise development, the cabinet -- minus Yanukovych -- apparently outwitted protesters by convening at another location.
  • Defeated Ukrainian Presidential Candidate Challenges Result RFE/RL 29 Dec 2004 -- Ukraineian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, defeated in the 26 December presidential election, today made an attempt to challenge the victory of his opponent, Viktor Yushchenko.
  • UKRAINE ELECT APPEAL VOA 29 Dec 2004 -- Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who had his earlier election win annulled, is contesting the latest results of the weekend presidential re-run in Ukraine. The appeal means final certification of the official results will be delayed, prolonging the nations bitter electoral stand-off.
  • Ukrainian Cabinet Meeting Thwarted As Vote Result Is Challenged RFE/RL 29 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's government abandoned a meeting at its headquarters today after hundreds of opposition demonstrators massed outside to prevent Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych from entering the building.
  • UKRAINE / POL ONITE VOA 28 Dec 2004 -- The apparent winner of Ukraine's presidential run-off election, Viktor Yushchenko, said Tuesday the struggle to bring democracy to the country is not over and urged his supporters to renew a government blockade to prevent his rival from convening a government meeting.
  • Ukraine: Yushchenko Wins, But Country Does Not Have A New President Yet RFE/RL 28 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko has won the 26 December presidential election -- defeating rival Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych 52 percent to 44 percent. But a final certification of the results might still be days away. Yanukovych has lodged a complaint to contest the result in court, alleging widespread infringements of the election law.
  • Ukrainian Authorities Declare Yushchenko Winner RFE/RL 28 Dec 2004 -- The Central Election Commission announced in Kyiv today that opposition candidate Viktor Yuschenko was the official winner in Ukraine's repeat presidential vote on 26 December.
  • Yanukovych Pledges To Challenge Ukraine's Vote Results RFE/RL 28 Dec 2004 -- Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko vowed last night to mount a legal challenge to the results of the 26 December election as returns showed his reformist opponent with an insurmountable lead.
  • Statement following the elections in Ukraine by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer NATO 27 Dec 2004
  • POWELL/UKRAINE VOA 27 Dec 2004 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says Sunday's re-run presidential election in Ukraine appears to have been free and fair, and that it is an "historic moment" for that country. Mr. Powell again denied the United States had taken sides in the election.
  • Powell Hails Ukraine Election as "Historic Moment for Democracy" Washington File 27 Dec 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell has hailed Ukraine's December 26 repeat run-off presidential election as "an historic moment for democracy in Ukraine."
  • Election Observers Say Ukraine Closer to International Standards Washington File 27 Dec 2004 -- The repeat second round of the presidential election in Ukraine on December 26 "brought Ukraine substantially closer to meeting international standards," according to the International Election Observation Mission that deployed 1,370 observers from 44 countries for the election.
  • UKRAINE ELECTION RESULT UPDATE VOA 27 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's run-off presidential election is being hailed for moving the country closer to democracy. The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's election monitoring mission, Bruce George, says the election greatly contrasts from the previous two rounds, which were marred by fraud. He adds the results highlight the Ukrainian people's commitment to democracy.
  • Ukraine: Will The Country Now Orient Itself Toward The West? RFE/RL 27 Dec 2004 -- Now that opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko appears to have clinched a majority in the Ukrainian presidential vote, what are the likely implications for Ukraine's foreign policy, its relations with the West and Russia?
  • Ukraine's Opposition Wins Vote, But Rival To Contest Results RFE/RL 27 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko had an unassailable lead over his rival candidate with nearly all the ballots counted from yesterday's presidential election, but Viktor Yanukovych has said he will protest the results with the country's highest court.
  • UKRAINE ELECTION RESULT VOA 27 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine election officials say, with almost all votes counted, pro-reform opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko has swept Sunday's re-run presidential election - defeating pro-Russia Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.
  • Ukraine: New Vote Reflects Transformed Political Landscape RFE/RL 27 Dec 2004 -- As balloting ended last night in Ukraine's presidential election, unofficial exit polls gave opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko a clear lead over his rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Observers described the ballot as apparently free from the open fraud and manipulation that forced the cancellation of the previous vote in November. Yesterday's ballot was a Supreme Court-mandated re-run of the second round of the election. Judges annulled the results of that vote after finding the results were rigged in favor of Yanukovych.
  • Ukraine's Opposition Edges Toward Victory RFE/RL 27 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko retains an unassailable lead over his rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, with more than 98 percent of votes counted from yesterday's presidential election.
  • UKRAINE RE-RUN VOA 26 Dec 2004 -- Millions of voters in Ukraine are casting ballots in an historic re-run of presidential elections to replace outgoing President Leonid Kuchma. The race has been bitterly contested, including dual legal challenges in the nation's Supreme Court, which cleared the way for Sunday's re-run.
  • UKRAINE COURT VOA 25 Dec 2004 -- The head of Ukraine's Central Election Commission (C-E-C), Yaroslav Davydovych, says Sunday's scheduled re-run presidential vote will go ahead as planned, despite a last minute ruling by the country's Constitutional Court declaring that a part of recent electoral law changes were unconstitutional.
  • UKRAINE RE-RUN ADVANCER VOA 24 Dec 2004 -- Millions of Ukrainians will head to the polls Sunday for the third time in as many months to elect a new president to replace outgoing President Leonid Kuchma. Ukraine's Supreme Court ordered the re-run after more than two weeks of massive opposition street protests that, at one point, threatened to split the nation in half.
  • U.S. / UKRAINE ELECTION VOA 23 Dec 2004 -- The United States says it looks forward to a Ukrainian presidential vote Sunday free of fraud, abuse and intimidation. In comments Thursday, the State Department again said the Bush administration has no favorite candidate in the race.
  • Ukraine: Marathon Election Heading Toward 26 December Resolution RFE/RL 23 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's marathon presidential election process has already triggered an "Orange Revolution" and shattered the mould of the country's postcommunist politics. On 26 December it enters its decisive phase with the rerun of an election last month that was declared massively fraudulent by the opposition and international monitors. Ukraine's Supreme Court agreed the vote had been heavily distorted in favor of the government candidate, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, and ordered a fresh election. The vote pits opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, who advocates Ukraine's entry into NATO and the European Union, against Yanukovych, openly backed by the Kremlin, to replace the outgoing Leonid Kuchma.
  • UKRAINE / ELECT RALLIES VOA 22 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's opposition presidential candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, has urged his supporters to keep up the pressure for a free and fair re-run Sunday as his rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, warned of the possibility of further unrest. The competing rallies come just four days before the new election ordered by Ukraine's Supreme Court.
  • Yanukovych Says Repeat Vote Can't Be Fair RFE/RL 22 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian presidential candidate, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, says the 26 December repeat presidential runoff cannot be considered fair.
  • Analysis: Ukrainian Candidates Face Off In Debate RFE/RL 22 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian presidential candidates Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych on 20 December met in a live televised debate ahead of the upcoming repeat of last month's flawed presidential runoff.
  • Ukraine: 'Orange Revolution' -- Break With The Past Or Historical Blip? RFE/RL 21 Dec 2004 -- For the participants in Ukraine's "Orange Revolution," it is still too early to celebrate victory. Their leader, opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, must still triumph on 26 December in a presidential election that must be accepted as legitimate by a majority of Ukrainians. Nonetheless, it's hard to dismiss the feeling that something truly extraordinary has happened in the country. After weeks of opposition protests that led to the annulment of the original election for fraud and the scheduling of new polls, it would seem that a new, democratic Ukraine is being born. Yet many remain cautious, saying a rollback to the post-Soviet status quo is still possible.
  • UKRAINE / DEBATE REACT VOA 21 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's two contenders to replace outgoing President Leonid Kuchma traded attacks on everything from vote fraud to fostering separatism during a live two-hour nationally-televised debate (late Monday in Kiev).
  • Yushchenko, Yanukovych Face Off In Debate RFE/RL 21 Dec 2004 -- The two candidates contesting Ukraine's upcoming repeat presidential runoff traded barbs in a nationally televised debate last night.
  • UKRAINE / DEBATE VOA 20 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's presidential candidates face off in their first and final debate of the repeat run-off presidential election Monday in the capital, Kiev.
  • Ukraine: Part Homegrown Uprising, Part Imported Production? RFE/RL 20 Dec 2004 -- Participants in Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" say it's no accident theirs resembles the revolutions in Serbia and Georgia.
  • Yushchenko Said Poisoned By Agent-Orange Ingredient RFE/RL 17 Dec 2004 -- The Dutch scientist who has been analyzing the blood of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko said today that tests confirm Yushchenko was poisoned by TCDD, the most harmful type of dioxin.
  • Ukraine's Yanukovych Denies Calling For Force RFE/RL 14 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych today denied he supported the use of force against opposition demonstrators who packed the streets of Kyiv after the disputed presidential election.
  • U.S./UKRAINE POL VOA 13 Dec 2004 -- The United States Monday urged a complete and transparent investigation of the apparent poisoning of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. At the same time, it denied charges by his opponent, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, of U.S. meddling in the campaign.
  • Ukraine: Yushchenko Convinced He Was Poisoned By 'Those In Power' RFE/RL 13 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko has said he is certain that authorities in Ukraine poisoned him. Yushchenko made the remarks in Kyiv late yesterday after returning from a Vienna clinic where doctors confirmed the cause of his mysterious illness as dioxin poisoning. The doctors said the toxic substance probably was put into Yushchenko's food. In his remarks, Yushchenko did not specify who he thinks poisoned him. But both Yushchenko and his American-born wife have spoken in recent weeks about a dinner he had with Ukrainian security officials just hours before he became ill. Ukrainian authorities have denied any involvement.
  • U.S., EU Concerned At Yushchenko Poisoning RFE/RL 13 Dec 2004 -- The United States and the European Union say they are disturbed by reports that Ukraine's opposition leader and presidential candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, had been poisoned.
  • UKRAINE / CAMPAIGN VOA 13 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament reopened an investigation into allegations that opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned during the presidential campaign, following the release of a medical report from Vienna that he had ingested the highly toxic dioxin. Meanwhile, a top European official is in Ukraine to discuss plans for the December 26th presidential run-offs.
  • YUSHCHENKO/POISON VOA 12 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition leader Victor Yushchenko says the people of Ukraine have already made the choice for a new country, as he prepares to resume campaigning for a re-run of presidential elections later this month. Marlene Smith reports from Vienna, where Mr. Yushchenko spoke to reporters upon his release from a clinic, after treatment for dioxin poisoning.
  • Ukraine Renews Probe Into Yushchenko Poisoning RFE/RL 12 Dec 2004 -- Officials in Ukraine have reopened their investigation into the illness of presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko after doctors in Vienna said yesterday that new tests left "no doubt" Yushchenko was poisoned in September by large amounts of dioxin.
  • UKRAINE/OUTLOOK VOA 10 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian opposition is confident that Victor Yushchenko will be declared Ukraine's president after a second round of voting in the nation's contested presidential election. Mr. Yushchenko's chief of staff says such a victory on December 26th would further align Ukraine with the Europe and the West. But at a forum in Washington, Friday, some experts say Ukraine's future is more complicated than simply turning to Europe or to Russia.
  • YUSCHENKO/POISONING VOA 11 Dec 2004 -- Doctors say tests prove conclusively that Victor Yuschenko's illness was caused by extremely high levels of dioxin found in the Ukrainian opposition leader's blood and tissue.
  • Kuchma Pledges Peaceful Transfer Of Power RFE/RL 11 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma today promised an orderly rerun of the presidential runoff on 26 December and a peaceful transfer of power.
  • Yushchenko's Illness Caused By Dioxin Poisoning RFE/RL 11 Dec 2004 -- Doctors in Vienna said today that Ukrainian opposition leader and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko's mysterious illness was caused by dioxin poisoning.
  • RUSSIA/UKRAINE/EU VOA 10 Dec 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia would not object to Ukraine joining the European Union. He says it would help the Russian economy to closer integrate into the EU. The Russian leader's comments follow weeks of heated rhetoric between Russia and the European Union over Ukraine's disputed presidential election.
  • Kuchma Announces New Prosecutor-General RFE/RL 10 Dec 2004 -- Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma announced today he has reappointed Svyatoslav Piskun as prosecutor-general.
  • Yushchenko Vows No Retaliation If Victorious RFE/RL 10 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko today promised not to retaliate with political persecution against his opponents if elected in the country's 26 December repeat presidential runoff.
  • NATO-Russia Council Issues Statements on Ukraine, Terrorism Washington File 09 Dec 2004 -- The NATO-Russia Council appealed to all parties in Ukraine December 9 to avoid violence, refrain from intimidating voters, and work toward a free, fair electoral process in the repeated presidential runoff election set for December 26.
  • BUSH / UKRAINE VOA 09 Dec 2004 -- President Bush wants a strong presence by international election monitors at this month's second attempt at a presidential run-off vote in Ukraine. The first vote was scrapped after widespread reports of fraud drove thousands of opposition supporters to surround government buildings.
  • Analysis: Who Won Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution'? RFE/RL 09 Dec 2004 -- Two weeks of antigovernment protests in Kyiv by backers of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko culminated in the passage on 8 December of legislation that appears to have ended Ukraine's political impasse and paved the way for a democratic vote on 26 December.
  • Fair Election Could Invigorate U.S.-Ukraine Ties, Says Armitage Washington File 09 Dec 2004 -- A free, fair election December 26 in Ukraine, no matter which candidate wins, could invigorate Ukraine's relations with the United States and NATO, says U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
  • UKRAINE REFORM VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian parliament's move Wednesday to pass far-reaching political and electoral reforms is drawing a mixed reaction among politicians and analysts in the country. Meanwhile, both pro-government and opposition forces are claiming victory in the political stand-off that, at one point, raised fears of a possible breakup of Ukraine.
  • Ukraine's Parliament Clears Path For Election RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament today adopted a package of electoral and constitutional changes in a compromise intended to defuse the country's two-week-old political crisis.
  • PUTIN AND UKRAINE: 'NEO-IMPERIALIST DREAMS' OF RENEWED EMPIRE? US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 09 Dec 2004
  • West Not Competing with Russia in Georgia, Ukraine - Powell Washington File 08 Dec 2004 -- The countries of the former Soviet Union can have good relations with Russia as well as with the United States and its allies, and there is no reason why Russia should see the West's activities in the former Soviet union as "threatening," said Secretary of State Colin Powell December 8.
  • UKRAINE ELECTORAL REFORM VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament has overwhelmingly passed a broad package of constitutional and electoral reforms, clearing the way for a new presidential run-off election December 26th.
  • U.S./Russia: Ukrainian Crisis Strains Relationship RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- According to experts in Moscow, Russian and U.S. differences over Ukraine threaten to unhinge their bilateral partnership. The view in Washington, however, appears less dramatic. U.S. President George W. Bush maintains his original view of Vladimir Putin as a "friend," an assessment he made in June 2001 after his first meeting with the Russian president. Meanwhile, Bush administration officials still offer only upbeat commentary on U.S.-Russian relations.
  • OSCE: Blunt Russian Criticism Raises Specter Of Crisis RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- Russia has sharply criticized the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and has warned that it is considering withholding its budget contributions unless the OSCE overhauls its work methods. The Russian criticism came at a stormy foreign ministers' meeting in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia and follows previous complaints by a number of former Soviet states. Does this herald a crisis of confidence in the 55-nation east-west security body?
  • UKRAINE / YUSHCHENKO VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- Doctors treating Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko say they are looking at a highly toxic chemical as the cause of his mysterious illness.
  • Vote Clears Path To New Ukrainian Election RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament today adopted a package of electoral and constitutional changes in a compromise intended to defuse the country's two-week-old political crisis.
  • Interpol Lifts Warrant On Ukrainian Oppositionist RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- Interpol has reportedly asked Russian prosecutors for additional information on the fraud case against senior Ukrainian opposition politician Yuliya Tymoshenko even as that international police organization has removed a warrant for her arrest from its official website, Russian and international media reported today.
  • Powell Says West Not Interfering in Ukraine, Georgia Washington File 07 Dec 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell denied December 7 that the United States has been playing "sphere of interest politics" with the former Soviet Union in the name of democracy.
  • U.S. / UKRAINE VOA 07 Dec 2004 -- A U.S. official is warning that there will be consequences for Ukraine if the December 26th presidential runoff election is marred by fraud.
  • UKRAINE / POWELL VOA 07 Dec 2004 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has rejected Russian charges that the West is trying to win influence in Ukraine and other former Soviet republics by pushing its own interests in the name of democracy. U.S.-Russian disagreements have dominated the meeting in Bulgaria of the 55-member Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE.
  • UKRAINE POL TUES VOA 07 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, has failed to pass a controversial package of legislative reforms that would clear the way for new presidential run-off elections to be held by month's end. VOA's Lisa McAdams in Kiev has the latest on Ukraine's ongoing political impasse, now in its third week.
  • Ukraine: Election Crisis Highlights Difference In Attitudes Between East, West RFE/RL 07 Dec 2004 -- Recent developments have once again thrown Ukraine's territorial integrity into question. The country's eastern regions had threatened to secede as a possible response to pro-democracy demonstrations in Kyiv. Many of those who live in the industrial east wanted Viktor Yanukovych -- who was born in Donetsk -- to be declared the winner of the second round of the presidential election. But those results have now been annulled by the Supreme Court and a repeat vote is tentatively slated for 26 December. After negative reactions from Kyiv, the rebellious region toned down its demands and announced that it wanted only limited autonomy.
  • Ukrainian Parliament Adjourns Without Decision RFE/RL 07 Dec 2004 -- Rival factions in Ukraine's parliament today failed to agree on passing electoral changes aimed at ensuring a fair vote in the nation's 26 December repeat presidential runoff.
  • UKRAINE / UNCERTAINTY VOA 07 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's ongoing political crisis took another unexpected turn, when late-night talks involving international mediators broke up without an expected compromise deal. Parliament is to convene, later today, amid continuing uncertainty about what comes next.
  • Election Repeat In Ukraine Remains In Doubt RFE/RL 07 Dec 2004 -- Following six hours of overnight talks in Kyiv, outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has announced he is prepared to make two key concessions demanded by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.
  • Powell Rejects Putin Accusations On Ukraine RFE/RL 07 Dec 2004 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has rejected Russian criticism of the West's role in Ukraine's election crisis, saying the United States and its allies are interested only in freedom for the Ukrainian people.
  • Ukrainian Parliament Due To Meet RFE/RL 07 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament is due to meet today amid the country's continuing political crisis.
  • Preliminary recommendations, second round re-run , OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 6 December 2004
  • UKRAINE POL VOA 06 Nov 2004 -- After days of political deadlock in Ukraine, latest reports indicate the government and pro-opposition forces have come to agreement on a series of legislative changes that would allow for a new presidential run-off vote by month's end.
  • BULGARIA/OSCE VOA 06 Nov 2004 -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is looking into ways to double the number of observers in Ukraine, amid opposition concerns that the repeat of the country's disputed presidential runoff will be tainted by fraud. The announcement was made Monday at the start of a two-day meeting in Bulgaria of foreign ministers from the OSCE's 55 member countries.
  • Ukraine: Eastern City Views Kyiv With Suspicion RFE/RL 06 Dec 2004 -- The people of the eastern industrial city of Donetsk cast a suspicious eye on the pro-Western leanings of other Ukrainian regions. As Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko prepare to face off in a historic repeat of the country's disputed presidential runoff, the city's authorities are threatening to seek greater autonomy.
  • Ukraine: Standoff Continues Despite Decision To Repeat Voting RFE/RL 06 Dec 2004 -- Despite the Ukrainian Supreme Court's decision last week to order a re-run of the second round of the country's disputed presidential election, the standoff between the two sides continues.
  • TURKEY / RUSSIA VOA 06 Dec 2004 -- During a visit to Turkey, Russian President Vladimr Putin warned western countries against fomenting divisions in Ukraine and other countries, describing such attempts as counterproductive and destabilizing.
  • UKRAINE / POLITICS VOA 06 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's election crisis is now in its third week and shows no sign of ending, as the two sides in the political battle again lock horns in a new standoff. Although President Leonid Kuchma says he is "ready to compromise," tens of thousands of opposition protesters remain in downtown Kiev, to keep up the pressure.
  • Yushchenko Says Street Protests To Continue RFE/RL 06 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has called on his supporters to maintain their street blockades of government offices in Kyiv until steps are taken to ensure a fair new election.
  • Kuchma Suggests Yanukovych Should Not Run RFE/RL 06 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma is quoted as suggesting that Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych should not run in the 26 December presidential revote.
  • Powell Pledges to Work With Ukraine as Re-run Election Looms Washington File 05 Nov 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell has expressed pleasure with the Ukrainian Supreme Court's decision to call for a new presidential runoff election, and pledged to "work with the Ukrainians to let them determine the right way to move forward."
  • UKRAINE VOA 05 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's electoral dispute continues following Friday's Supreme Court order for a new Presidential runoff vote with the opposing sides now sparring over electoral reforms. President Leonid Kuchma has called for a new roundtable meeting on Monday involving international mediators.
  • Ukraine Mired In Fresh Standoff RFE/RL 05 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's pro-Western opposition was today locked in a fresh standoff with the government that is raising concerns about preparations for a repeat of the country's flawed late-November presidential election.
  • UKRAINE POL ONITE VOA 05 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's outgoing President, Leonid Kuchma, has urged international mediators to return to Kiev as soon as possible, after parliament held an all-day special session Saturday that ended in deadlock.
  • UKRAINE VOA 04 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Prime Minister says he will take part in a new runoff presidential election after the supreme court ruled the results of a previous poll were invalid. Parliament is holding a special Saturday session to discuss what comes next, as electoral officials begin planning for the new vote later this month.
  • Ukraine's Parliament Makes No Headway On New Vote RFE/RL 04 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian parliament convened today to prepare the legal framework for a repeat of the flawed 21 November presidential vote, but the chamber adjourned after failing to endorse a package of election-reform bills demanded by the opposition.
  • Ukrainian Commission Advises Late-December Runoff RFE/RL 04 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Central Election Commission today set 26 December as the date for a repeat of the runoff presidential election after the Supreme Court annulled the country's disputed poll and ordered new voting.
  • UKRAINE DECISION VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court has ordered a new presidential run-off election, ruling in favor of the opposition's claim that the election was marred by widespread voter manipulation and fraud. The ruling means Ukraine's voters will again have a choice to vote for either Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych or opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko.
  • U.S.-UKRAINE REACT VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- The United States Friday welcomed the Ukrainian Supreme Court decision annulling the results of last month's presidential election and calling for a new vote. U.S. officials are urging all parties, including Russia, to support the process underway.
  • UKRAINE DECISION VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court has ordered a new presidential run-off election, ruling in favor of the opposition's claim that the election was marred by widespread voter manipulation and fraud. The ruling means Ukraine's voters will again have a choice to vote for either Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych or opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko.
  • Ukrainian Court Invalidates Election, Calls For New Polls RFE/RL 03 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian Supreme Court today invalidated the official results of the country's disputed presidential elections last month and ruled that a repeat vote must be held. Chairman Anatoliy Yarema, delivering the ruling after five days of deliberations, said new balloting should take place in about three weeks. Significantly, Yarema said the election would be a rerun of the two-man runoff between Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.
  • Ukraine's Supreme Court Invalidates Election Runoff Results UKRINFORM: news from Ukraine December 3, 2004 - The Supreme Court of Ukraine has annulled the outcome of the presidential runoff on 21 November and called for a repeat runoff within three weeks from 5 December. Announcing the ruling in court, the presiding judge said the court had established that there had been widespread election fraud and that the commission had acted unlawfully in ignoring complaints and declaring Viktor Yanukovych president.
  • Ukraine: Ethnic Relations Good, But Some Fear Russian Manipulation RFE/RL 03 Dec 2004 -- Some Ukrainians fear that the current political crisis could drive a wedge between their country's ethnic Russian and Ukrainian communities. For now, Ukrainians interviewed on the streets of Kyiv say both groups are getting on fine. But analysts warn that Ukraine's push for greater independence and democracy could encourage Moscow to use Ukrainian Russians as a tool to poison relations between the communities and help keep Kyiv in Moscow's grip.
  • Ukraine: 'Orange' Revolution Leader Yushchenko Does Not Fit Typical Models RFE/RL 03 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has become famous around the world, but few outside the country know much about him. Who is the leader of the "orange" revolution, where did he come from, and what makes him such a powerful force?
  • Ukrainian Court Quashes Election Results RFE/RL 03 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian Supreme Court has declared the presidential runoff election of 21 November illegal and canceled the results based on an appeal from the country's opposition leadership.
  • UKRAINE / DECISION VOA 03 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine is still waiting for a Supreme Court decision on the issue of fraud in the November 21st presidential runoff election, as the two sides in the dispute continue a battle of wills about how to resolve it. A new election appears likely, but the exact form it will take remains unknown.
  • Ukrainian Court Weighs Vote Challenge RFE/RL 03 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court is deliberating over the political opposition's allegations of fraud during the country's contested presidential election following a hearing that concluded yesterday.
  • UKRAINE POL ONITE VOA 02 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's outgoing President, Leonid Kuchma, has met Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since last month's disputed presidential election. The political crisis in Ukraine has threatened to split the country between the pro-Russia east and pro-reform West. President Putin, who made two visits to Ukraine just days before the second round run-off, agrees with Mr. Kuchma that a new election would be the best way to end the stand-off.
  • Ukrainian Court Hears Closing Arguments Over Vote RFE/RL 02 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court today began closing arguments in its hearing into the disputed presidential election.
  • Ukraine: Eastern Ukrainians Talk About Yanukovych RFE/RL 02 Nov 2004 -- The recent election problems in Ukraine have highlighted the country's linguistic and geographic divisions. Citizens of the eastern part of the country -- culturally closer to Russia -- tend to favor Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. While Ukrainians from the western part tend to favor opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. Whatever happens, there seems little immediate prospect of bridging that gap.
  • Ukraine: EU Presses For Rerun Of Runoff Election RFE/RL 02 Nov 2004 -- The European Union is pushing for a rerun of the second round of Ukraine's presidential elections. The EU's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, told the European Parliament yesterday that the EU is prepared to offer financial assistance to help organize the rerun. Still, it remains unclear what form a new poll would take, although both rival candidates appear to have agreed on the need to prepare for a new election.
  • Bush Discourages Foreign Influence in Future Ukrainian Elections Washington File 02 Nov 2004 -- There should be no foreign influence in any future Ukrainian presidential elections, President Bush says, stressing that elections "must reflect the will of the people and not that of any foreign governments."
  • U.S. Urges Non-Violent, Legal Steps to End Ukraine Crisis Washington File 02 Nov 2004 -- Reiterating calls for a nonviolent response to Ukraine's election crisis, the United States told the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that a new election could provide a solution, but only if it meets international standards.
  • BUSH / UKRAINE VOA 02 Dec 2004 -- President Bush says if new elections are held in Ukraine they must be fair, open and free of any foreign influence. Mr. Bush insists the will of the Ukrainian people must be known and heard.
  • Ukraine: Eastern Regions Enter Ukraine's Intricate Political Game RFE/RL 02 Dec 2004 -- As the political crisis in Ukraine continues to unfold, the focus is shifting to the traditional divide -- economic, linguistic, and cultural -- that exists between the country's largely Russian-speaking eastern regions and the rest of the country. In the east, local governors and parliaments have threatened to press for a new relationship with Kyiv if the opposition assumes power. The adversaries of outgoing President Leonid Kuchma have denounced what they call a government-sponsored political maneuver that they say threatens Ukraine's territorial integrity.
  • Putin Criticizes Ukrainian Push For New Vote RFE/RL 02 Nov 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today criticized the Ukrainian opposition's push to repeat that country's disputed presidential election.
  • UKRAINE / COURT VOA 02 Dec 2004 -- Ukrainians are awaiting the decision of the supreme court, as judges continue their deliberations on an appeal to annul the results of the November 21st presidential runoff election. This comes after an agreement between the two rival candidates, Wednesday night.
  • As Ukraine Awaits Court Ruling, Kuchma Visits Moscow RFE/RL 02 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian Supreme Court is convening for a fourth day today to hear an opposition challenge to November's disputed presidential contest, while opposition protesters continue to gather in the capital Kyiv.
  • Ukraine Crisis Sees Slow Progress RFE/RL 02 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian is expected to convene today to discuss constitutional reforms hammered out during internationally assisted talks to resolve the political stalemate that began when the opposition accused officials of rigging the 21 November presidential elections.
  • UKRAINE / ELECTION O'NITER VOA 01 Dec 2004 -- International mediators have managed to get Ukraine's political rivals back to the negotiating table, after a newly formed working group broke up earlier in the week. Ukraine's parliament and Supreme Court also held sessions Wednesday, but made little progress in finding a way out of the two-week-old electoral deadlock.
  • Yushchenko Would Agree To Repeat Run-Off Election RFE/RL 01 Dec 2004 -- Opposition Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko said today he would agree to a repeat of the November 21 election but rejected a proposal for an entirely new election.
  • UKRAINE / CRISIS VOA 01 Dec 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament has passed a vote of no-confidence in the government of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, who is locked in a bitter struggle for the presidency of the country with opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko. The move comes as foreign mediators return to Ukraine for a fresh round of talks with the two rivals in the ongoing election dispute.
  • Ukrainian Legislature Votes 'No Confidence' In Government RFE/RL 01 Dec 2004 -- The Ukrainian parliament passed a motion of no confidence today in the government of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych that was put forward by the opposition, which is bitterly contesting the official results of the recent presidential vote through street demonstrations and legal challenges.

    November

  • UKRAINE: 'BRUTALLY FALSIFIED' POLL REVEALS A 'DEEPLY DIVIDED' LAND US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 30 Nov 2004
  • Bush Says U.S. Supports European Mediation in Ukraine Washington File 30 Nov 2004 -- President Bush phoned Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski November 30 to convey strong U.S. support for European mediation in the crisis in Ukraine that has followed the disputed November 21 election, according to State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher.
  • US / UKRAINE VOA 30 Nov 2004 -- The Bush administration Tuesday continued active support for European mediation of Ukraine's election crisis. President Bush spoke by telephone with Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski, who is due to return to Kiev on another crisis mission Wednesday.
  • Russia/Ukraine: Did President Putin Miscalculate In Ukraine? RFE/RL 30 Nov 2004 -- As the political crisis in Ukraine continues, some politicians and analysts in Russia are beginning to ask to what degree Russian President Vladimir Putin has harmed Moscow's interests by his close involvement with the presidential campaign of Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Did the Kremlin play its cards wrong and what implications does this have for the future?
  • Ukraine: Is Kuchma's Proposal For New Vote A Bid To Sideline Yushchenko? RFE/RL 30 Nov 2004 -- In comments broadcast on national television, Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma suggested yesterday that a new vote be held as the best possible way to extricate the country from the acute political crisis triggered by the disputed 21 November presidential runoff. What could Kuchma's motives possibly be in supporting a new vote?
  • UKRAINE / POLITICS VOA 30 Nov 2004 -- Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich faces a no-confidence vote in Ukraine's parliament, as the country's supreme court considers an opposition appeal against his disputed win in the recent presidential runoff election. Mr. Yanukovich and current President Leonid Kuchma have backtracked on earlier opposition to a possible new vote.
  • UKRAINE / UPDATE VOA 30 Nov 2004 -- Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich faces a no-confidence vote in Ukraine's parliament, as the country's supreme court considers an opposition appeal against his disputed win in the recent presidential runoff election. Mr. Yanukovich and current President Leonid Kuchma have also backtracked on earlier opposition to a new vote.
  • UKRAINE POL TUES VOA 30 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's Parliament and Supreme Court are again in session as fears grow of a split in the nation if a solution to the electoral standoff is not found soon.
  • Putin Ally Says Ukraine Faces Split, Bloodshed RFE/RL 30 Nov 2004 -- Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said today that Ukraine is headed for breakup or bloodshed over its disputed presidential election.
  • Analysis: Will Ukraine Split In Wake Of Divisive Ballot? RFE/RL 30 Nov 2004 -- As hundreds of thousands of people were demonstrating in Kyiv and many other Ukrainian cities for the seventh consecutive day against what they believe was massive electoral fraud that denied victory in the 21 November presidential runoff to opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's supporters counterattacked on 28 November by threatening to seek autonomy for Ukraine's eastern and southern regions if Yanukovych was not installed as president.
  • Ukraine's Parliament Adjourns Without No-Confidence Motion RFE/RL 30 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament ended its session today without adopting a motion of no-confidence in the government as proposed by opposition deputies led by presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko.
  • UKRAINE / ELECTION O'NITER VOA 29 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court is expected to convene again on Tuesday to continue reviewing the political opposition's claims that the recent presidential elections should be invalidated because of fraud.
  • US/UKRAINE/REACT VOA 29 Nov 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States is pleased that the political crisis in Ukraine, following the disputed presidential election there, has not turned violent and that he is hopeful of a peaceful resolution. Mr. Powell discussed the issue by telephone with outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
  • UKRAINE ELECTION VOA 29 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court is reviewing the political opposition's claims that the recent presidential elections should be invalidated due to what they, and many in Europe and the United States, say was widespread electoral fraud.
  • Ukraine: Supreme Court Steps Into Election Row As Separatist Fears Grow REF/RL 29 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's Supreme Court was considering an appeal today by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko against official results showing Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych won the recent presidential runoff. The legal intervention comes as the crisis deepens, with separatist tendencies growing among those eastern provinces which support the pro-Russian Yanukovych. Meanwhile, Yushchenko supporters have called on outgoing President Leonid Kuchma to sack Yanukovych by today.
  • UKRAINE / COURT VOA 29 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's supreme court is hearing an appeal, today, from the political opposition, claiming the presidential runoff election was rigged in favor of pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich. The court action comes as a week-old political crisis threatens to split Ukraine.
  • Ukrainian Court Opens Election Case Amid More Protests RFE/RL 29 Nov 2004 -- Protesters are again gathering in Kyiv as Ukraine's Supreme Court has begun to consider an appeal by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko over officially announced results suggesting Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych won a presidential runoff election.
  • Pro-Yanukovych Region Sets Autonomy Referendum RFE/RL 28 Nov 2004 -- An eastern Ukrainian region backing Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych in the country's election crisis has decided to hold a referendum on greater autonomy from Kyiv.
  • UKRAINE / CRISIS VOA 28 Nov 2004 -- Demands for a new runoff vote in Ukraine are growing, after Parliament voted Saturday to declare the results of last Sunday's presidential election invalid. Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma has said that a compromise must be found to end the crisis, while supporters of the two rival candidates held new rallies.
  • UKRAINE/ELECTION VOA 28 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's pro-Western opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko, is appealing to his supporters to continue their week-old street protests over disputed presidential elections. Meanwhile, the Russian backed candidate, who was declared the winner of last Sunday's election, is meeting with leaders of eastern and southern regions who are warning they may pursue autonomy
  • UKRAINE/CRISIS VOA 27 Nov 2004 -- There was heated debate in Ukraine's parliament Saturday, before lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a resolution declaring the disputed presidential election run-off invalid. And a newly formed working group met to try to find a way out of the political impasse, which has brought tens-of-thousands of opposition supporters into the streets.
  • Ukrainian Parliament Declares Election Invalid RFE/RL 27 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's parliament declared today in a nonbinding resolution that the country's disputed presidential election was invalid, saying the 21 November runoff between Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko included many irregularities and failed to reflect the will of the voters.
  • Yushchenko Demands New Election In Ukraine RFE/RL 27 Nov 2004 -- Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has demanded a new election to settle the crisis over the disputed presidential runoff vote in Ukraine.
  • Ukraine's Foreign Relations Could be Affected by Vote Fraud Washington File 26 Nov 2004 -- A U.S. diplomat warned that there will be consequences for U.S.-Ukraine relations and Ukraine's hope for Euro-Atlantic integration if the Ukrainian government "does not act immediately and responsibly" to resolve the questions of fraud and abuse in its presidential election process.
  • BUSH / UKRAINE VOA 26 Nov 2004 -- President Bush says the international community is very carefully watching events in Ukraine where he says allegations of voter fraud put presidential election results in doubt.
  • U.S.-UKRAINE VOA 26 Nov 2004 -- Here in Washington, officials are closely following developments in Ukraine with measured optimism about mediation efforts by Poland and the European Union. They have again urged restraint by security forces and political protestors.
  • UKRAINE POL VOA 26 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, says a working group has been formed, effective immediately, to find a peaceful way out of the political deadlock now gripping Ukraine. The word comes after talks Friday including international mediators from Europe, President Kuchma and the opposing presidential candidates.
  • UKRAINE POL OPEN VOA 26 Nov 2004 -- European Union President Javier Solana and Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski have arrived in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, Friday to try and help start a process of international mediation to end Ukraine's electoral stand-off.
  • RUSSIA / UKRAINE CONCERN VOA 26 Nov 2004 -- Russia has expressed concern about what it says are Western attempts to influence the situation in Ukraine. Russia and the West are on opposite sides in the ongoing crisis over last Sunday's disputed presidential run-off election.
  • Yushchenko Supporters Block Government Buildings RFE/RL 26 Nov 2004 -- Thousands of supporters of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko are gathering today near parliament and government buildings in Kyiv following a call yesterday by Yushchenko aides to blockade the buildings.
  • Kuchma Appeals For Demos To End RFE/RL 26 Nov 2004 -- Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has appealed for demonstrators to end their protests against the presidential election results, which have roiled the country all week.
  • Ukraine: Despite Mediation Efforts, Ukrainians Say Country's Fate Is In Their Hands RFE/RL 26 Nov 2004 -- With European Union envoys in Kyiv to help Ukraine sort out its disputed presidential poll, supporters of both opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko and the purported winner of the election, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, say it is unclear to them what role the EU has in the crisis.
  • Ukraine: Amid Protests, EU Mounts Mediating Effort In Ukraine RFE/RL 26 Nov 2004 -- European Union envoys, led by the bloc's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, are in Ukraine attempting to resolve the crisis that erupted in the aftermath of the 21 November disputed presidential election. While EU officials in Brussels remain tight-lipped about the details, they indicate their main hopes lie in the appeals process launched by Viktor Yushchenko, the opposition candidate, with the Ukrainian Supreme Court. EU officials, meanwhile, are seeking to play down their exchanges over Ukraine with President Vladimir Putin during yesterday's EU-Russia summit.
  • Ukraine: Russia Warns Europe Over Crisis As Envoys Arrive In Kyiv RFE/RL 26 Nov 2004 -- The protest movement sparked by Ukraine's disputed presidential election entered its fifth day today, with opposition supporters blocking access to official buildings in central Kyiv and strikes reported in western regions. As the international community pressed ahead with efforts aimed at defusing the crisis, Russia again voiced concern over what it calls Europe's meddling in Ukrainian domestic affairs.
  • UKRAINE POL VOA 25 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's political opposition is pressing its case to see their candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, declared the rightful winner of the recent presidential elections on several fronts. The more obvious case is being made in the streets, but there are also efforts to introduce a national strike and to take their objections to the courts.
  • UKRAINE RESULT REACT VOA 25 Nov 2004 -- Tens of thousands of opposition demonstrators in Ukraine are vowing to keep up their street protests until opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko is recognized as the new president of Ukraine. The official announcement from Ukraines Central Electoral Commission (Wednesday) declaring Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner has done little to stem their zeal.
  • RUSSIA / PUTIN POLICY VOA 25 Nov 2004 -- The dispute over Ukraine' election has been a kind of tug-of-war between Russia and the West, with Moscow's open backing of Prime Minister Yanukovych seen as a way to assert political influence over a key neighbor. The crisis shows the divide between East and West remains long after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
  • Yushchenko Pledges To Protest Until He Gains Victory RFE/RL 25 Nov 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko today pledged to press on with mass protests in Kyiv until he secures victory in the presidential election, which he says was stolen from him.
  • Ukraine: Voices Of Yanukovych Supporters Drowned Out Amid Kyiv Protests RFE/RL 25 Nov 2004 -- World attention has focused this week on the thousands of supporters of Ukrainian opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. For four straight days, they have braved freezing temperatures to protest the 21 November presidential polls, which pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych officially won despite strong criticism from the West that the poll was fraudulent. But what about Yanukovych's supporters? Though not nearly as visibly numerous as his rival's backers, Yanukovych voters have also made their voices heard despite being virtually shut out by the Western media.
  • UKRAINE ELECTION ASSESSMENT VOA 24 Nov 2004 -- As the Ukrainian crisis deepened Wednesday, with both sides in Sunday's disputed presidential election claiming victory, a non-government research institute in Washington with close ties to the Bush administration brought together several experts to discuss the situation.
  • US / UKRAINE ELECTION VOA 24 Nov 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States cannot accept the official results of the Ukrainian election as legitimate because of widespread fraud charges. But he told reporters Wednesday it is not too late to find a solution to the election dispute that respects the will of the Ukrainian people.
  • Ukraine: What Legal Recourses Are Open To The Opposition? RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- One of Ukraine's top magistrates yesterday has advised opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko to file a legal appeal against the 21 November disputed election results with the Supreme Court. The magistrate said the current political standoff could only be resolved through the judiciary. Analysts say indeed the courts might be the opposition's only recourse for overturning the results.
  • Ukraine: Yushchenko Supporters Say They Want Freedom To Live A Decent Life RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko say they want to see Yushchenko triumph, but their concerns run deeper than politics. People say they cannot make ends meet and see no end to what they say is a miserable life. They accuse the present ruling elite -- and government-backed candidate Viktor Yanukovych -- of corruption and avoiding reforms.
  • Ukraine: Neighbors Watch Election Protests With Keen Interest RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- The images from Kyiv of tens of thousands of flag-waving demonstrators, ready to defend democracy and stand up to a government they feel no longer represents them, brings to mind the revolutions that swept Eastern Europe in 1989. They also recall last year's Rose Revolution in Georgia that swept the regime of Eduard Shevardnadze from power. What kind of impact are events in Ukraine likely to have on countries such as Belarus, Azerbaijan, or the Central Asian states -- where pro-democracy movements have also long existed, but remain repressed by authoritarian governments?
  • Ukraine: EU Says Ukrainian Election 'Fraud' Must Be Rectified RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana today repeated the bloc's assessment earlier this week that last weekend's presidential elections in Ukraine was "fraudulent." He told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee that Ukrainian authorities must take measures to rectify the abuse that have allowed the country's Central Election Commission (TsVK) to declare Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner. Solana, as well as a number of deputies in the parliament, acknowledged that the EU view is contested by Russia.
  • Ukraine: Rivals For Ukraine's Presidency Seek Peaceful Solutions -- But No Quick End To Crisis Is Likely RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- The dispute in the Ukraine over the 21 November presidential runoff results shows no sign of diminishing. Instead, as protestors brave increasingly inclement weather, the positions of both sides -- of government candidate Viktor Yanukovych and opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko -- appear be hardening.
  • U.S. Refuses To Accept Ukrainian Election Result RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has rejected the official results of Ukraine's runoff presidential election, in which Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych -- backed by the Kremlin as well as incumbent President Leonid Kuchma -- was formally declared the winner over opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko.
  • In Relation to the Conclusion of the Second Round of Presidential Elections in Ukraine MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION - 2479-23-11-2004 - According to Ukrainian Central Election Commission data, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych won. The the elections, even though they passed in an acute struggle, are valid. The elections were held in accordance with the laws of Ukraine. espite the irregularities that took place, the elections are democratic, free, transparent and, of course, legitimate. In this connection it arouses bewilderment and extreme concern, the reaction to the voting results from the radical opposition forces of Ukraine, their public demands not to recognize and to annul them.
  • Transcript: Briefing by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell US Department of State 24 Nov 2004 -- "A dozen years ago, Ukrainians chose freedom and independence, setting their country on a path of democracy and prosperity. The United States has been a consistent partner with Ukraine in this journey. Similarly, today the United States stands with the people of Ukraine and their effort to ensure their democratic choice. "
  • Commission Declares Yanukovych The Winner RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's Central Election Commission has declared Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner of the presidential election runoff.
  • EU/UKRAINE VOA 24 Nov 2004 -- The European Union says Ukraine should refrain from announcing the final results of Sunday's contested presidential election pending a review of the vote, which international observers say was not free and fair. The European Union is increasingly worried about instability on its eastern border.
  • Results by Oblast 24 Nov 2004
  • Talks To Be Held On Ukrainian Political Crisis RFE/RL 24 Nov 2004 -- Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has called for urgent talks to end the country's political impasse.
  • BUSH / UKRAINE VOA 23 Nov 2004 -- The Bush administration is urging the Ukrainian government not to certify the results of Sunday's disputed presidential election, saying concerns about fraud need to be resolved. The comments came as thousands of opposition supporters in Ukraine continue to protest the outcome of the election.
  • US / UKRAINE ELECTION VOA 23 Nov 2004 -- The United States reiterated its call Tuesday for a complete investigation of the disputed presidential election in Ukraine. In the meantime, U.S. officials are calling on Ukrainian authorities not to use force against demonstrators protesting preliminary results.
  • UKRAINE / VICTORY VOA 23 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko says he won the presidency in last Sunday's election and has called for the international community to recognize him. About 200-thousand opposition supporters continue to rally in the center of Ukraine's capital, Kiev.
  • Protesters To March On Ukrainian Parliament RFE/RL 23 Nov 2004 -- Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko today called on supporters gathered in Kyiv's central square to march on parliament to protest official results from the runoff election.
  • Ukraine: EU Criticizes Elections RFE/RL 23 Nov 2004 -- The Dutch foreign minister has said the EU considers the results of the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine "fraudulent." Bernard Bot, speaking for the current EU presidency, said the bloc does not accept Viktor Yanukovych as the winner. Various groups within the EU have already threatened Ukraine with "repercussions."
  • Ukraine: Amid Protests, Both Candidates Claim Runoff Victory RFE/RL 22 Nov 2004 -- Both candidates in yesterday's Ukrainian presidential election claimed to have won. With nearly all of the vote counted, the Central Election Commission (TsVK) said the government candidate, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, edged ahead of opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, by 3 percentage points and was in an unassailable lead. Yushchenko accused the government of fraud, and tens of thousands of his supporters have gathered in the capital, Kyiv, as the streets are filled with security forces' vehicles.
  • EU/ UKRAINE VOA 22 Nov 2004 -- The European Union has expressed alarm at the way the Ukrainian presidential election was conducted and is urging the authorities of the former Soviet republic to act with restraint in the face of public protests. The European Union has instructed its members to call in the Ukrainian ambassadors in their capitals to voice the bloc's disappointment at the outcome of the vote.
  • US / UKRAINE ELECTION VOA 22 Nov 2004 -- The U.S. State Department Monday expressed deep concern over reports of fraud in the second round of Ukraine's presidential election, said to have been won by incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. It urged speedy action by officials in Kiev to clear up the charges, and held out the prospect of U.S. diplomatic sanctions if they are not.
  • UKRAINE / RESULTS VOA 22 Nov 2004 -- The head of European observer missions in Ukraine says Sunday's second-round presidential ballot fell far short of international standards. The assessment comes as opposition street protests intensify, following an announcement by Ukraine's Central Election Commission that official returns give Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich the lead.
  • Preliminary statement, second round , OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 22 November 2004
  • Remarks by United States Senator Richard Lugar On the Ukrainian Presidential Elections Kiev, Ukraine 22 Nov 2004 -- On Monday, November 22, 2004, Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, addressed domestic and international press at the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine. Senator Lugar was in Kiev as the personal representative of President Bush to observe the second round of the Ukrainian presidential election.
  • UKRAINE/RESULTS VOA 22 Nov 2004 -- Ukraine's pro-Western presidential candidate has called for mass protests after official returns show the pro-Russian prime minister with an all-but unassailable lead in the hotly-contested presidential run-off. Bill Gasperini reports from Moscow that a joint observer mission representing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and NATO said they had seen abuse of state resources in favor of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.
  • UKRAINE / ELECTION VOA 21 Nov 2004 -- Millions of Ukrainians are heading for polling stations to vote in a runoff presidential election between one candidate who seems the clear favorite of the Russian government and another who appears to be favored by Western countries. The winner will succeed long-time President Leonid Kuchma.
  • Media monitoring results OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 2-19 November 2004
  • Media monitoring results OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 2-19 November 2004
  • Preliminary statement , OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 1 November 2004
  • Media monitoring results OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 3 September - 29 October
  • Interim report 5 , OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 2-10 November 2004

    October

  • Interim report 4 , OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 9-20 October 2004
  • Interim report 3 , OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 30 September - 8 October

    September

  • Interim report 2 OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 16-29 September 2004
  • Interim report 1 OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 6-15 September 2004

    July

  • Ukraine: EU Approves Reduced Loan To Upgrade Nuclear Units RFE/RL 20 Jul 2004 -- The European Commission today approved an $83 million loan to upgrade two new "third-generation" nuclear reactors in Ukraine. The decision should put a formal end to a protracted disagreement with Ukrainian authorities over conditions attached to the loan. The European Commission today emphasized that the figure is significantly less than the EU's initial offer in 2000.

    June

  • Needs Assessment Mission report OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 9-12 June 2004

    March

  • Ukraine: Kyiv Says Hundreds Of Soviet-Era Missiles Are Missing, But Not Necessarily Lost RFE/RL 29 Mar 2004 -- Ukraine says it is looking for hundreds of Soviet-built missiles. Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating after the country's minister of defense told the media that the missiles are unaccounted for in the country's military arsenal.



NEWSLETTER
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list