2004-2005. Ukraine. Orange Revolution.
"Morning first day of Orange Revolution" by Serhiy under CC BY-SA 3.0
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine in late 2004, following allegations of fraud during the presidential election. The protests were largely driven by opposition parties, who accused the ruling party of rigging the election in favor of Viktor Yanukovych, the prime minister and pro-Russian candidate.
The protests were organized and supported by a coalition of opposition parties, as well as civil society groups and the media. The opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, became the face of the movement and was supported by Western countries, including the United States, who saw the protests as a chance to promote democracy and freedom in Ukraine.
The protests were largely peaceful, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets of Kiev and other cities to demand a revote. However, tensions rose after Yanukovych was declared the winner of the election by Ukraine's Central Election Commission, prompting mass protests and sit-ins.
The protests eventually led to a revote, which was won by Yushchenko. However, the victory was marred by allegations of fraud and irregularities, and the process was widely criticized by Yanukovych's supporters and the Russian government.
The Orange Revolution had significant geopolitical implications, with Western countries seeing it as a chance to bring Ukraine closer to Europe and away from Russian influence. Russian President Vladimir Putin was reportedly angered by the protests, which he saw as a Western attempt to undermine Russia's sphere of influence.
After the revolution, Yushchenko struggled to form a government and implement the reforms he had promised during the campaign. The political situation in Ukraine remained unstable, with Yanukovych eventually winning the presidency in 2010.
In retrospect, the Orange Revolution is seen by many as a missed opportunity for Ukraine to reform its political system and distance itself from Russia. However, it also served as a catalyst for future protests and political movements in the country, including the Euromaidan protests in 2014, which ultimately led to the ousting of Yanukovych and the current pro-Western government in Ukraine.
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on March 24, 2023
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Sources for 2004-2005. Ukraine. Orange Revolution:
US campaign behind the turmoil in Kiev - The Guardian November 25, 2004
Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution' - The Atlantic December 2004
Ukraine: 'Orange' Revolution Leader Yushchenko Does Not Fit Typical Models - RFERL December 3, 2004
An Orange Revolution timeline - Kyiv Post December 9, 2004
Orange Alert - The New Yorker December 5, 2004
Ukraine: 'Orange Revolution' Is Over -- Time To Form A Cabinet - RFERL January 3, 2005
Ukraine’s Orange Revolution - Foreign Affairs March 1, 2005
Orange Revolution: Ukraine Votes for Change - Wilson Center March 8, 2005
Bush Promises More Help to Ukraine - The Washington Post April 5, 2005
Politics and Kitsch Mix at Eurovision - DW May 20, 2005
The Viktor and Yulia show - The Economist June 16, 2005
U.S. to Aid Ukraine in Countering Bioweapons - The Washington Post August 30, 2005
Peeling away Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution' - NBC News September 22, 2005
Ukraine: Why Are Ukrainians Disappointed With The Orange Revolution? - RFERL November 21, 2005
NATO and Ukraine after the Orange Revolution - NATO November 22, 2005
Ukraine marks Orange Revolution - BBC News November 22, 2005
One Year After Ukraine’s ‘Orange Revolution’ - Council on Foreign Relations November 22, 2005
Orange flowers - The Economist May 4, 2006
Ukraine: Our Ukraine Takes Steps Toward Unlikely Coalition - RFERL June 15, 2006
Ukraine quietly remembers Orange Revolution - NBC News November 22, 2006
NATO and Ukraine : At the crossroads - NATO April 1, 2010
Ukrainian Chronology - DW October 1, 2007
TIMELINE-Ukraine's politics since the Orange Revolution - Reuters September 3, 2008
In Ukraine, the Death of the Orange Revolution - TIME February 3, 2010
Orange Revolution May Fade To Black In Ukraine - NPR February 5, 2010
Ukraine's Orange Revolution Turns Blue - RFERL February 8, 2010
The Orange and the Blue - The New Yorker February 21, 2010
The Hero of the Orange Revolution Poisons Ukraine - The Nation March 1, 2010
Ukraine: Protests and Memories of the Orange Revolution - BROOKINGS November 26, 2013
Ukraine's two different revolutions - BBC News December 3, 2013
European Mediators and Ukraine's Orange Revolution - Wilson Center August 13, 2014
The Orange Revolution and the Yushchenko presidency - Britannica September 18, 2015
Ukraine Looks West | European Mediators and Ukraine’s Orange Revolution - BROOKINGS June 11, 2016
Ukraine a Year after its Revolution: What Has Changed and What Has Not? - Wilson Center July 5, 2017
Ukraine's Orange Revolution - The Kyiv Independent August 24, 2022