I agree with you and FairOpinion, but I readily admit, I'm not the most informed out there. However if there is one truism in life, everyone has two things, one is an opinion and the other is an (blank so as to not have to type it).
The way I see it which nobody has mentioned.
Putin has been said by the President to be a good guy. Remember everyone how the President said he looked into his eyes and saw his soul?
He's committed somewhat to helping in the War on terror, especially post Beslan. His Iran contracts were pre-Beslan, and since it he's determined to actually help win this war.
Putin's guy, Yanukovich, sees the War on terror. He is committed to staying in the fight, and supporting the US.
On the other hand, we have a candidate embraced by the socialists, who's statements seem to coincide with the socialists. He has France, and Soros behind him which is enough to throw some huge flags against him. He's got all the liberals, including the immoral left as has been mentioned earlier with their culture of death. All that is in his corner.
We don't need EU to grow any further, especially not with another Soros funded person in charge. The lines are already somewhat drawn, and its the Islamic terrorists, and the EU vs Russia and the US. Which side are the Chechen terrorists on? Yushchenko's.
Finally where did the Pope endorse a candidate? Our President didn't either, he just said we would like to make sure the returns were fair, in order to send our seal of approval.
And my disclaimer: I have no contacts in the Ukraine, most if not all of my information came from sources linked from various FR threads and Fox News programs that have touched on it today.