(Angus Reid – CPOD) Dec. 15, 2004 – Some Russians think the current political crisis in Ukraine will end peacefully, according to a poll by the Public Opinion Foundation. 20 per cent of respondents believe the situation will be resolved successfully and Ukraine will remain unified.
(Angus Reid – CPOD) Dec. 15, 2004 – Some Russians think the current political crisis in Ukraine will end peacefully, according to a poll by the Public Opinion Foundation. 20 per cent of respondents believe the situation will be resolved successfully and Ukraine will remain unified.
In the Oct. 31 presidential election in Ukraine, opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko received 39.87 per cent of all cast ballots, with prime minister Viktor Yanukovych finishing a close second with 39.32 per cent. A run-off took place on Nov. 21, and the Central Election Commission (CEC) originally declared Yanukovych the winner with 49.46 per cent. Russian president Vladimir Putin openly supported Yanukovych in the election.
On Dec. 3, the Ukrainian Supreme Court invalidated the results of the run-off and ordered a special re-vote. After reviewing evidence for five days, the tribunal concluded that loose regulations on absentee votes allowed for ballot-stuffing incidents in some polling stations, and pointed out that Yanukovych enjoyed an unfair advantage in media coverage. The election will take place on Dec. 26.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Council approved a package of key constitutional and electoral reforms—including restrictions on absentee ballots to prevent fraud—that had been demanded by the opposition. Only 16 per cent of respondents in Russia foresee a violent end to the crisis in Ukraine, such as separation or a civil war.
Polling Data
What do you think will happen in Ukraine?
The situation will be resolved successfully, | 20% |
A president will be chosen in the repeat election | 16% |
There will be bloodshed, revolution, civil war | 8% |
Ukraine will be split into two states | 5% |
Relations between Russia and Ukraine | 3% |
The outcome will be bad | 1% |
Ukraine will move away from Russia | 1% |
Source: Public Opinion Foundation
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews to 1,500 Russian adults, conducted on Dec. 4, 2004. Margin of error is 3.6 per cent.
