Extreme Right gains ground as Ukraine falls into crisis

The Telegraph ^ | 3/29/2009 | Adrian Blomfield in Moscow

[bruinbirdman]

An unexpected regional election victory by a previously marginal ultra-nationalist party is among a string of developments in Ukraine that threaten to fulfil the worst fears of G20 leaders as they gather for their summit in London.

Lacking the protection of European Union membership, Ukraine has few of the safeguards that prevent its Western neighbours from falling into ruin.

A sharply weaker currency, a collapse in exports and an economy expected to contract by at least six per cent this year has forced the country to seek £11 billion from the International Monetary Fund. Even this lifeline is endangered by a poisonous feud between President Viktor Yuschenko and Yulia Tymoshenko, the prime minister.

Yulia Tymoshenko, prime minister.

The two rivals led the Orange Revolution in 2004, before falling out in spectacular style. As Mrs Tymoshenko plots to take Mr Yuschenko's job, ordinary Ukrainians are showing signs of rejecting them both.

On March 15, voters in the Ternopil region of western Ukraine elected a new regional assembly. This was an Orange Revolution bastion, a region that has long sought to embrace the West and shun Russia.

But it is also has Ukraine's highest unemployment. In a crowded field, the previously little-known Freedom Party won 50 of the regional assembly's 120 seats as voters embraced its hard Right leader, Oleg Tyagnibok, who has urged the expulsion of all Jews and Russians from Ukraine.

"The problem is less the popularity of the nationalists than the universal disappointment with mainstream parties," said Viktor Chumak, a political scientist in Ukraine's capital, Kiev. "Voters are sympathising with radicals more and more as a result of the crisis."

So concerned are the authorities with the Ternopil result, which they claim was rigged, that commentators are predicting the presidential election could be postponed. Some commentators

[vladimir998]

This might get interesting.

[fso301]

Oleg Tyagnibok, who has urged the expulsion of all Jews and Russians from Ukraine

This would beg for Russian intervention at a time when Russia would like to intervene. Anyone smell an agent provocateur?

[AndyTheBear]

... hard Right leader, Oleg Tyagnibok, who has urged the expulsion of all Jews and Russians from Ukraine.

I would call this hard left. Dehumanizing minorities has always been a staple of Democrats in the U.S.A. (they were in favor of slavery, and now are so anti-Jewish they seem to think Israel is provoking the so-called Palestinians. As for the least powerful among us--they are really just inviable tissue masses, or as Obama put it, a punishment to their mothers). Also been a staple of the Communists, dearly loved and protected by the Democrats and the NYT while they were starving peasants in Ukraine. But of coarse the revisionist nut-jobs in the press want to call Communists "right wing" don't they?

Good gravy, check out who is among radical college Proffesors why don't these idiots...they are the LEFT WING NUTS!

[Forward the Light Brigade]

This could get bad. Such a move is playing into the hands of expansionist Russia. If Russians are harmed, the tanks will roll. If they act against Jews America will be silent. Not good.