Perhaps the most bizarre story of this year may the the political crisis in the Ukraine. This year's presidential election was more hotly contested than the one here in the U.S. The two major candidates were Viktor Yushchenko, (who favors stronger ties with the West) and the Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych (who has the support of outgoing president Leonid Kuchma - and Russian president Vladimir Putin).
Election results seemed to indicate that Yanukovych received 49.46% of the vote while Yushchenko received 46.61%. But something didn't seem to be right, and supporters of Yushchenko, donning orange scarves and waving orange banners, flocked to Kiev's Independence Square. It seems that there may have been widespread election fraud, including where, "In one region," [Yushchenko] said, "turnout increased by a half-million voters after polls closed."
As demonstrations broke out and troops were called in, it looked as though the Cold War had broken out again. It was even rumored that Russian Special Forces units, posing as Ukrainian troops, had been called in. The US, EU, and other western nations questioned the election results. Russian President Putin then issued a stern warning stating basically to "butt out of it." Nonetheless, authorities in the Ukraine have since bowed to pressure, both within and without. A new runoff election is scheduled to be held on December 26.
Meanwhile, the story has taken on an even more bizarre twist. It appears that the opposition candidate Yushchenko has been deliberately poisoned, perhaps last September while campaigning. All indications seem to show that this was an assassination attempt from the outside. Hmmmmm.
As the December 26 election approaches, Yushchenko is leading in the polls. This may resolve itself peacefully, but there seems to be a lot of anxiety from Moscow. Is Russia indeed flexing its muscles?
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