Just heard on the BBC newsfeed that there's been a big pro-Yushchenko rally in Kiev. Can't find any current information about it elsewhere. It's a good sign, I suppose, that people are not so scared of Kuchma that they won't rally for his biggest opponent.
Last I heard about Yushchenko was that he was probably not the cleanest, but at least the most likely reformist to unseat Kuchma. Pro-Kuchma forces deride him as a puppet of the Americans, which is pretty ridiculous given that I can guarantee you that Bush has no idea who he is.
I'd been thinking of taking a week in Simferopol after the election next month, to soak up some atmosphere and post-election buzz for this book I'm trying to write. But the way things are looking at work it doesn't look like I'll be able to get away. My head has been so flattened lately, I'm not sure it would do me much good even if I could get away.
One odd thing--the report I just heard said that Yushchenko had just been released from the hospital, and his campaign manager said that he'd been poisoned. Hmm... Maybe Kuchma's decided to run a negative campaign...
Posted by case at September 19, 2004 10:30 AM