Back before this was a blog, when it was nothing more than a rant mailing list, I wrote about a website a friend had turned me onto featuring a motorcycle ride through the ruins of Chernobyl, in Ukraine. I just revisited that site, and found Elena’s photoreportage of the Orange Revolution:

Since the Soviet Union collapsed Ukraine became one of the most corruptive countries of the World. (only Guatemala and Sudan have been ahead of us) the difference between rich and poor was tremendous, our wages have been lowest and oligarch richest in a region. Life was good only for a president and bunch of his friends and relatives. Everything was hopeless like in a medieval Asia and my first discovery of that morning was that I live in Europe.[emphasis mine]
Stolen election.

I recommend this site again, her account was quite moving.

After 17 days of a peaceful protests the regime of president Kutchma has fallen and results of election were canceled.
Leaving a snow figures, people went home. Our gaining is believe that our votes means something and won’t be stolen in a night after election.
It was also gaining for many people all around the world. When autocracy win, it is win of one clan, when democracy win, it is victory for all people.
I witnessed this event and documented, as I believe it is important.