Graham Stack: Specter of revolution haunts Ukraine
Ten years on from the Orange Revolution that rolled back a rigged election, Ukraine again appears in the throes of revolution, after mass protests in Kyiv against the government's failure to sign a deal for closer ties with the EU and ensuing police violence led to the opposition seizing control of Kyiv city centre - and forcing a crucial no-confidence vote set for December 3. At the same time, there is a question mark hanging over the continued loyalty to President Viktor Yanukovych of one of his key backers – oligarch Dmitro Firtash and his cronies.
Ukrainians awoke on the morning of December 2 to a fundamentally changed country – one in which physical control over the access roads to the heart of power at the centre of the nation's capital, the buildings of the presidential administration and government, had passed to the opposition following a huge protest rally the previous day.
Parliament was the only government institution still functioning – but this only allowed the leaders of the opposition parties to successfully table a no-confidence vote in the government for the following day December 3.
