Ukrainians Hit Polls to Elect President

[Moloch]

KIEV, Ukraine - Rival candidates Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych faced off Sunday in a repeat election triggered by a fraudulent runoff vote and massive protests that resulted in an unprecedented third round in Ukraine's fiercely waged presidential contest.

The vote is momentous for Ukraine, a nation of 48 million caught between an eastward-expanding European Union (news - web sites) and NATO (news - web sites) and an increasingly assertive Russia, its former imperial and Soviet-era master.

Opposition candidate Yushchenko, a former Central Bank chief and prime minister, wants to bring Ukraine closer to the West, while the Kremlin-backed Yanukovych, the current prime minister, emphasizes tightening the Slavic country's ties with Russia as a means to maintain stability.

Oresta Stepanchuk, a university lecturer in Kiev, said she'd cast her ballot for Yushchenko "because he offers us some prospects, some decent life." Another voter at the same precinct, Mykola Vladimirov, said he supported Yanukovych because "the others will sell the country to Americans."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20041226/ap_on_re_eu/ukraine_election

[latteromden]

1. *crosses fingers* Here's to hoping THIS presidential election goes well.

[podnoi]

2. Names appear to be being removed from voting roles in east

I have relatives in the eastern half of Ukraine. In Ukraine you do not need to "register" to vote. If you are a citizen you are put on a voting list by your primary address.

At least where my relatives are (Yanukovich territory, Blue) names have been removed from the list and their friends are angry as they all want to vote. Of course it will probably never hit our media. This will be a strange election.

[makhno]

3. I hope Yushchenko wins...

... or else the powers that be will keep dragging Ukrainians back to the polls until he does. What a sick joke this whole episode has been.