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Revolution In Ukraine

By Julius Strauss in Kiev
The Telegraph - UK
11-24-4
 
Ukraine's pro-western opposition leader called last night on army and police units to join his revolution as thousands of supporters braved sub-zero temperatures and driving snow to confront riot police outside the presidential palace.
 
In scenes reminiscent of the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, more than 200,000 anti-government demonstrators cheered on Viktor Yushchenko and called for his pro-Kremlin rival to accept electoral defeat. Many later broke away from the main protest in a sea of orange opposition flags to surround the presidential building in Kiev, the capital, where they were met by the police line.
 
The demonstrators chanted "Police, join the people!" but the security forces attempted to push back the crowds as they surged against the cordon around the building. Opposition deputies said they would not encourage the demonstrators to storm it.
 
Earlier, in a symbol of their defiance, the deputies held a swearing-in ceremony in the parliament at which Mr Yushchenko took the oath of office.
 
His allies in the chamber sang the national anthem and he opened a window and addressed the crowd outside.
 
The crisis in Ukraine erupted after Viktor Yanukovich, who favours closer ties with Russia, declared victory in a presidential run-off held at the weekend. The poll was widely condemned as rigged by western observers.
 
The dispute widened last night as Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, congratulated the pro-Moscow candidate and called for law and order to be upheld.
 
But pro-government miners threatened to descend on Kiev and two buses of volunteers were said to have arrived in the capital. In the Russian Duma, ultra-nationalists urged military intervention.
 
The outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, who may face corruption charges if the pro-western camp gains power, had warned that he would not hesitate to use force against the demonstrators if disorder was threatened. But last night he held talks with Mr Yushchenko aimed at avoiding bloody clashes.
 
According to official results, Mr Yanukovich, a Russian-speaking industrialist, leads Mr Yushchenko, a banker, by 49.4 to 46.7 per cent with more than 99 per cent of the votes counted.
 
The unrest has brought the country, Europe's largest by area, to the brink of civil conflict. It has also led to a Cold War-style crisis in relations between the West and Russia, which wants to bring Ukraine under its influence. Mr Putin angrily rejected western criticism of the Ukrainian poll, saying the country was a functioning democracy and should not be lectured by the West.
 
If the election results are overturned it will prove intensely embarrassing for the Kremlin leader who has made two visits to back the government's campaign.
 
In exchange for Moscow's support, Mr Yanukovich, a former convict, has promised to make Russian the second official language and to offer Ukrainians Russian citizenship. But tens of millions, fed up after more than a decade of corrupt and authoritarian leadership, want to turn their back on Moscow and chart a course towards west.
 
Since the first results were announced on Monday morning thousands have made their way to the capital to join protesters in the city's main Independence Square. Many have sworn to stay until their demands are met.
 
Amid the sea of orange banners, some called for the peaceful overthrow of the government, citing the example of the Georgian revolution which ousted the long-time Communist leader Eduard Shevardnadze a year ago today, and the overthrow of the Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
 
"Ukraine is on the threshold of a civil conflict," Mr Yushchenko told deputies. "We have two choices: either the answer will be given by the parliament, or the streets will give an answer."
 
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004.
 
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