Dithering in Kiev: Russia Begins to Lose Patience with Ukraine

[unhappycamper]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/yanukovych-waffles-as-ukraine-protests-continue-a-952586.html



Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych got rid of his government, but seems unsure what to do next. The protests are spreading to the east and big brother Russia is demanding that calm be restored -- with violence if necessary.

Dithering in Kiev: Russia Begins to Lose Patience with Ukraine
By Christian Neef
February 12, 2014 – 07:04 PM

One hundred and fifty people are standing in front of the regional administration building in Dnipropetrovsk. They are packed into thick down jackets with stocking caps pulled low over their foreheads, many are wearing balaclavas. The thermometer stood at a frigid minus 12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit) in the morning -- but they remain here day and night nonetheless.

The square is sealed off with barbed-wire and a special police unit stands by. There are several posters proclaiming: "Fascism Won't Win." The "fascists" referred to are those opposing Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the local powers-that-be are afraid that the demonstrators could storm their offices. Hence the police protection and the 150 thugs-for-hire with their baseball bats and clubs. They are there to defend the will of the people. Dnipropetrovsk has long been a bastion of support for Yanukovych.

The city is Ukraine's fourth largest, with a population of 1 million, and is home to much of the country's arms industry. Rockets and satellites are produced in the city as well.

But there are government opponents here too. More than 1,000 of them have gathered in a nearby park. Storming the administrative headquarters is clearly not an option; in comparison to the protests in Kiev, 1,000 demonstrators are not many. But in Dnipropetrovsk, that is enough to sound the alarms. On this Thursday in February, though, the situation remains calm.

[marble falls]

1. Glad to hear Sid's spending time doing something other than DU.