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ZoyaPandher
Mrs.Lucarelli
ComparativeCivilizations
13January2016
The2014UkrainianRevolution:WastheAftermathWorththeFight?
WhatHappened
AftertheSovietUnionbrokeapart,Ukraineunderwentalongperiodofcorruption,
mismanagement,andeconomicproblemsthatpushedthecountrytoseekarelationshipwiththe
EuropeanUnion.PresidentViktorYanukovychdeclaredthathewouldsignanassociation
agreementwiththeEUthatwouldhavegivenfundstotheUkraineinexchangeforliberalising
reforms.However,hebackedoutatthelastsecondandsignedatreatyandamultibilliondollar
loanwithRussiainstead.
ThisinfuriatedmanyUkrainians,andignitedastringofprotestsknownasthe
Euromaidanmovement,whichfirstbrokeoutonNovember21,2013.Therallieswereinitially
peaceful,butinJanuary2014,afteraParliamentlargelycontrolledbyYanukovychssupports
passedlawstosubduetheprotests,theyturnedviolent.Thepoliceutilizedforcetobreakupthe
protestersinKiev,whichresultedinthreedeaths.Afterthis,afewtruceswereheld,butthe
situationonlygrewtenserandBerkutriotpolicewereinvolvedandboththeEUandtheUSA
putpressureonYanukovychtoresolvetheviolence.
TheworstoftheprotestswereheldinFebruary2014.Riotersmarchedongovernment
buildingsinKiev,usingrocks,fireworks,andMolotovcocktails,whilethepoliceresponded
withwatercannonsandteargas.Demandsweremadeforthegovernmenttobechangedtoa

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parliamentaryrepublic,notpresidential.Schoolswereclosed,policecheckpointsweresetup,
andtransportationwasmonitoredasKievwentintoastateofemergency.OnFebruary20th,
nowknownasBloodyThursday,afragiletrucemadethenightbeforewasignoredasgunfire
brokeoutonKievsIndependenceSquare,withsnipersbeingusedtocausedeathsandinjuriesto
bothprotestersandpolice.Policeofficerswerebeingcaptured,andwereeventuallyallowedto
useweaponsinretaliation.
Thenextday,EuropeanforeignministersarrangedapeacedealasYanukovychgavein
totheprotestersdemands,announcingthereturnofthe2004constitution,earlypresidential
elections,andtheformationofanewcoalitiongovernmentwithintendays.Additionally,he
offeredamnestytotheriotersandallowedthemthreedaystogiveupillegalweaponsinreturn
fornotimposing
thestateofemergency.Thingswerereturningtoorder,aslawenforcerswere
bannedfromusingfirearmsandthepolicebegantomoveoutofthecapitalatthesametimea
presidentialimpeachmentbillwasbeingintroduced.Despitethis,radicalprotestersdeclaredthat
theywerewillingtouseforcetomakethepresidentstepdownimmediately.Fearingforhislife,
Yanukovych(alongwithothermembersofhisgovernment)fledthecountryandturnedupin
Russia.Aninterimgovernmentwasformed,withOleksandrTurchynovasinterimpresident.
Afterelectionswereheld,PetroPoroshenkobecameandstillisthepresidentofUkraine.
WhattheColumnistsSaid
Thepeopleareentitledtobringaboutthechangestheydesireintheirowncountry,butis
theaftermathoftherevolutionreallyworthit?Ukrainesrevolution,althoughitmayhave
broughttheelectionssodesperatelywanted,broughtanaftermaththatinvolvedRussiaandits
President,VladimirPutin.Putin,afraidthatelectionswouldcauseUkrainetoveerawayfromhis

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EurasianUnionandbacktowardtheEuropeanUnion,spreadpropagandaintheproRussian
regiontopersuadepeopleagainstvoting.Atthetime,ThomasL.Friedmanfrom
TheNewYork
Times
said,
OurjobistobackPutinoffsotheelectionscanhappen.Thatmayrequiremore
sanctionsrightnow.TheUkrainiansjobistomakesureelectionsarerelevantbyelectinga
decent,inclusiveperson,whowillworktoensureUkrainesunityandcleanupitscorruption.
WecandeterPutin,butonlyUkrainianscanthreatenhislegitimacy.Inhisarticle,hemakesit
clearthatUkrainesrevolutioncanbeasuccess,andthatitdoesnotfitthemoldofotherMiddle
Easternrebellions.Heshowsthathebelievestherevolutionwasworththetumultuousaftermath
itbrought,becausethepeopleofUkrainehavearealchancetoattaindemocracy.
Ontheotherhand,somepeoplewerenotthatoptimisticaboutUkraineschancesfor
democracy,anddidnotthinkthattherevolutionwasworththeaftermath.RachelMarsdenfrom
Townhall.com
saysdemocraticrevolutionsinherentlyrequiredemocraticlegitimacy,whichis
whyevenademocraticrebellionsuchastheoneinUkraineneedstooccurwithinthecontextof
anelectioncycleandberatifiedthroughademocraticprocess.Democracycan'tstartironically
withacoup.Accordingtoher,theaftermathoftherevolutionbringsmoreharmthanitdoes
good.Becauseofthecoup,Ukrainiansareessentiallychangingtheirleader,nottheirsystem,
whichdoesnoteliminatecorruptionorotherproblemsbutrathergivesthemanewface.This
meansthatUkrainiansmightenduphavingtofightthesamebattleoverandoveragainuntil
theylearnfromtheirmistakesandstagearevolutionthatisdemocraticallylegitimate.

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WorksCited
"#EuroMaidanRevolution:2014UkrainianCoupTimeline."
RTInternational
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18Feb.2015.Web.09Jan.2016.
Friedman,ThomasL."ItsAllAboutMay25."
TheNewYorkTimes
.TheNewYorkTimes,22
Apr.2014.Web.09Jan.2016.
Kim,Lucian."WhyThisUkrainianrevolutionMayBeDoomed,Too."
TheGreatDebateRSS
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Reuters,17May2015.Web.09Jan.2016.
Marsden,Rachel."UkrainianUprisingIsaRebellion,NotaRevolution."
Townhall.com
.
Townhall.com,26Feb.2014.Web.09Jan.2016.
Salem,Harriet."WhoExactlyIsGoverningUkraine?"
Theguardian.com
.TheGuardian,4Mar.
2014.Web.9Jan.2016.
Yuhas,Alan,andRayaJalabi."Ukraine'sRevolutionandRussia'sOccupationofCrimea:How
WeGotHere."
Theguardian.com
.TheGuardian,5Mar.2014.Web.9Jan.2016.