Changes

In September Yushchenko's health strangely deteriorated; he had been poisoned by the Ukrainian State Security Service, which left his face disfigured. The first round on Oct. 31 showed Yanukovych and Yushchenko with 40%. In the November runoff, the government declared Yanukovych the winner. Yushchenko's supporters charged fraud and staged mass protests that came to be known as the Orange Revolution. Massive demonstrations erupted; Yanukovych's supporters in the east threatened to secede from Ukraine (and join Russia) if the results were overturned. A new runoff was held on Dec. 26. Yushchenko won with 52% and was inaugurated on Jan. 23, 2005.

In September Yushchenko's health strangely deteriorated; he had been poisoned by the Ukrainian State Security Service, which left his face disfigured. The first round on Oct. 31 showed Yanukovych and Yushchenko with 40%. In the November runoff, the government declared Yanukovych the winner. Yushchenko's supporters charged fraud and staged mass protests that came to be known as the Orange Revolution. Massive demonstrations erupted; Yanukovych's supporters in the east threatened to secede from Ukraine (and join Russia) if the results were overturned. A new runoff was held on Dec. 26. Yushchenko won with 52% and was inaugurated on Jan. 23, 2005.

The outcome was the result of multiple forces: the old system was weakened by (1) competitive authoritarianism, (2) an unpopular leader, and (3) division among the armed forces. The factors that strengthened the democratic opposition, were (1) a successful opposition campaign, (2) the ability to expose fraud, (3) the means to communicate information about the falsified vote, and (4) the capability to mobilize masses to protest the fraudulent election.

The outcome was the result of multiple forces: the old system was weakened by  

*(1) competitive authoritarianism. Ukraine's three largest oligarchic groups did back Kuchma and wielded their media and financial resources on behalf of his candidate in the 2004 election, but significant if lesser oligarchs backed Yushchenko, as did tens of thousands of smaller businesspeople. Ukraine's economic elites were divided, not united, in the fall of 2004.

*(2) an unpopular leader, and (3) division among the armed forces.  

 

The factors that strengthened the democratic opposition, were (1) a successful opposition campaign, (2) the ability to expose fraud, (3) the means to communicate information about the falsified vote, and (4) the capability to mobilize masses to protest the fraudulent election.

Although the [[George W. Bush]] administration never targeted its financial resources at fomenting revolution, it spent more than $18 million in election-related assistance efforts in Ukraine in the two years leading up to the 2004 election.  

Although the [[George W. Bush]] administration never targeted its financial resources at fomenting revolution, it spent more than $18 million in election-related assistance efforts in Ukraine in the two years leading up to the 2004 election.