After 3 months of revolution, the protesters and Ukrainian people have overthrown President Viktor Yanukovich. The ultra-nationalists had issued out an ultimatum to the government declaring that if the Ukrainian president didn’t resign by 10 am then violence would take place. Rather accidentally, the president resigned by leaving to Kharkiv to speak with regional governors. By doing this he left the capital at the most crucial time and things moved fast in his absence. The security forces changed loyalties as parliament ousted the former president and set up new elections. Rather popular and political nemesis Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison and sent back to Kiev. All these actions took place seamlessly and peacefully.
There is still much to be seen. The west region of the country has been adamantly in favor of revolt, speaking mostly Ukrainian in an effort to promote independence. This is not the same case for eastern Ukraine, mostly made up of Russian speaking citizens more embracing of Russian influence. The question is how well will these two regions get along and if the Russian speaking east will go with any new changes. Civil war seems very unlikely, but the compliance between regions has not yet been determined.
Russia will respond but there are questions as to how. Russia will most definitely show its disapproval by exerting political pressure but specifics depend on how Russia wants to act. Russia has already frozen the second tranche of a promised loan to Ukraine but another strategy would be to cut of gas imports into the country. There is stil the possibility of sending troops but that is not at all suspected.
Ukraine now looks to the EU for help. Whether or not the EU will accept the country cannot be determined but for a long time there hasn’t been prominent help from that direction. Perhaps the newness of Ukraine’s situation will provoke a helping hand. Many pieces to still put together, but the Ukraine looks to be moving forward in its fight for freedom.