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Uprising in Ukraine: A day in the life of a man trying to organise a peaceful revolution
By Arnold Krushelnycky in Kiev
The Independent - United Kingdom
Nov 26, 2004
YURIY KOSTENKO'S dark Toyota limousine slid along the sometimes steep,
snow-covered streets of the Ukrainian capital. His driver, Volodya,
relegated to the back seat, grumbled unhappily.
Mr Kostenko is in a rush these days and often he jumps into the
driver's seat before Volodya can stop him. A boyishly young-looking
50-year-old, Mr Kostenko is leader of the People's Party, and one of
the closest political allies of the pro-democracy opposition leader
Viktor Yushchenko. The two men are at the eye of the political storm
gripping Ukraine.
His days have been manic as he stokes the mood of thousands
of protesters. They are preparing for power and a possible
revolution. Sometimes, Volodya doesn't even make the back
seat. Yesterday, Mr Kostenko drove off before the driver turned up. Mr
Kostenko said: "I know it annoys him a bit but, right now, driving
myself is the only way I have to relax mentally for a few minutes."
Even in the car, Mr Kostenko talked in measured tones, sometimes
raising his eyebrows and grinning as his mobile phone brought yet
another call. The drive took him to his office in parliament where
he looked through a pile of faxes and took note of a long list of
messages logged by his secretary.
The office is lined with photographs of mountains and climbers. Mr
Kostenko is an accomplished mountaineer and has climbed in the Alps,
the Andes and the Caucasus. He is also a potholer and in 1988 he
volunteered his skills to rescue victims of a major earthquake that
had hit Armenia. He remembers fondly some of the British rescue teams
he met there. The fitness his climbing demands probably gives him
the reserves of energy to keep going on the less than four hours'
sleep he has had each night since Saturday.
The next stop was one of the buildings the opposition uses for its
meetings in a picturesque old part of the city near one of Europe's
first universities, the Kiev Mohyla Academy. Here the atmosphere
crackled as young volunteers worked furiously. Clad in orange sweaters,
dresses, hats, boots, ribbons, scarves - some of the women had orange
nails - they rushed around, focused but quick to smile for Mr Kostenko
who greeted them all with affection.
Next, he made for a meeting with the Polish Solidarity leader Lech
Walesa, who was in Kiev to lend support. With Mr Yushcehnko and other
close aides, the small group discussed the situation which Mr Walesa
said he hoped would lead to Ukraine entrenching democracy. He was
sped to Kiev's main street where he made a moving pledge of support
to around 200,000 people.
On the move, Mr Kostenko fielded calls from all around Ukraine as local
organisers of the opposition movement looked for news. Government-run
television channels and newspapers were saying little about the
political turmoil. Mr Yanukovych himself has said "nothing unusual
is happening".
The election commission proclaimed Mr Yanukovych the winner on
Wednesday by a slim margin. Mr Kostenko said: "That was ominous because
it meant that they were ready to use violence. Perhaps it will come
to that, but I am still optimistic we can overturn the results and
get true democracy for Ukraine without bloodshed."
Mr Kostenko, who studied engineering, was a prominent member of
Ukraine's independence movement in the 1980s. He became a minister a
decade ago in a government run by the outgoing President Leonid Kuchma,
who nominated Mr Yanukovich as his successor. He was responsible for
talks to rid Ukraine of the nuclear weapons arsenal it inherited from
the Soviet Union and also for getting help in handling the effects
of the Chernobyl incident. Eventually he could not bear to work for
Mr Kuchma and he remains one of the few ministers who resigned rather
than was fired.
He drove on and smiled as a phone call confirmed that another local
administration had declared it would only recognise Mr Yushchenko
as president.
"You can see that the people, all ages, all walks of life, are with
us," he said. "Ukraine has been waiting for this moment for a long
time and they are not going to lose the opportunity for real freedom
and real dignity."
As he got out of the car at one stop a young man, one of the hundreds
of thousands of opposition supporters occupying the centre of Kiev,
ran towards him. He recognised Mr Kostenko and asked him to sign the
Ukrainian flag draped around his shoulders. Mr Kostenko asked his
name and signed the flag, adding "Glory to Ukraine".
Next stop was at a former union building on Khreschatyk Street,
surrounded by a growing crowd of opposition supporters. The political
council chaired by Mr Yushchenko was meeting, incorporating the
Committee for National Salvation formed on Wednesday. It was held
behind closed doors but, after several hours, Mr Yushchenko emerged
to reveal: "Ukraine's intelligence agency is coming over to our side
and the Supreme Court has cast doubt on the election results."
Then, flanked by Mr Walesa, who had delayed his departure,
and Mr Kostenko, he said: "There's also something else. We're
creating a national guard. We've had hundreds of soldiers and
militiamen asking who they should report to. They want Yushchenko as
commander-in-chief." A little while later, several officers of the
militia came on stage to declare their allegiance to Mr Yushchenko.
This was raising the stakes, but the crowd cheered. Afterwards,
Mr Kostenko, who is married with one son, indicated that he needed
a break. "I think I can meet my wife for 15 minutes," he said, and
rushed off.
By Arnold Krushelnycky in Kiev
The Independent - United Kingdom
Nov 26, 2004
YURIY KOSTENKO'S dark Toyota limousine slid along the sometimes steep,
snow-covered streets of the Ukrainian capital. His driver, Volodya,
relegated to the back seat, grumbled unhappily.
Mr Kostenko is in a rush these days and often he jumps into the
driver's seat before Volodya can stop him. A boyishly young-looking
50-year-old, Mr Kostenko is leader of the People's Party, and one of
the closest political allies of the pro-democracy opposition leader
Viktor Yushchenko. The two men are at the eye of the political storm
gripping Ukraine.
His days have been manic as he stokes the mood of thousands
of protesters. They are preparing for power and a possible
revolution. Sometimes, Volodya doesn't even make the back
seat. Yesterday, Mr Kostenko drove off before the driver turned up. Mr
Kostenko said: "I know it annoys him a bit but, right now, driving
myself is the only way I have to relax mentally for a few minutes."
Even in the car, Mr Kostenko talked in measured tones, sometimes
raising his eyebrows and grinning as his mobile phone brought yet
another call. The drive took him to his office in parliament where
he looked through a pile of faxes and took note of a long list of
messages logged by his secretary.
The office is lined with photographs of mountains and climbers. Mr
Kostenko is an accomplished mountaineer and has climbed in the Alps,
the Andes and the Caucasus. He is also a potholer and in 1988 he
volunteered his skills to rescue victims of a major earthquake that
had hit Armenia. He remembers fondly some of the British rescue teams
he met there. The fitness his climbing demands probably gives him
the reserves of energy to keep going on the less than four hours'
sleep he has had each night since Saturday.
The next stop was one of the buildings the opposition uses for its
meetings in a picturesque old part of the city near one of Europe's
first universities, the Kiev Mohyla Academy. Here the atmosphere
crackled as young volunteers worked furiously. Clad in orange sweaters,
dresses, hats, boots, ribbons, scarves - some of the women had orange
nails - they rushed around, focused but quick to smile for Mr Kostenko
who greeted them all with affection.
Next, he made for a meeting with the Polish Solidarity leader Lech
Walesa, who was in Kiev to lend support. With Mr Yushcehnko and other
close aides, the small group discussed the situation which Mr Walesa
said he hoped would lead to Ukraine entrenching democracy. He was
sped to Kiev's main street where he made a moving pledge of support
to around 200,000 people.
On the move, Mr Kostenko fielded calls from all around Ukraine as local
organisers of the opposition movement looked for news. Government-run
television channels and newspapers were saying little about the
political turmoil. Mr Yanukovych himself has said "nothing unusual
is happening".
The election commission proclaimed Mr Yanukovych the winner on
Wednesday by a slim margin. Mr Kostenko said: "That was ominous because
it meant that they were ready to use violence. Perhaps it will come
to that, but I am still optimistic we can overturn the results and
get true democracy for Ukraine without bloodshed."
Mr Kostenko, who studied engineering, was a prominent member of
Ukraine's independence movement in the 1980s. He became a minister a
decade ago in a government run by the outgoing President Leonid Kuchma,
who nominated Mr Yanukovich as his successor. He was responsible for
talks to rid Ukraine of the nuclear weapons arsenal it inherited from
the Soviet Union and also for getting help in handling the effects
of the Chernobyl incident. Eventually he could not bear to work for
Mr Kuchma and he remains one of the few ministers who resigned rather
than was fired.
He drove on and smiled as a phone call confirmed that another local
administration had declared it would only recognise Mr Yushchenko
as president.
"You can see that the people, all ages, all walks of life, are with
us," he said. "Ukraine has been waiting for this moment for a long
time and they are not going to lose the opportunity for real freedom
and real dignity."
As he got out of the car at one stop a young man, one of the hundreds
of thousands of opposition supporters occupying the centre of Kiev,
ran towards him. He recognised Mr Kostenko and asked him to sign the
Ukrainian flag draped around his shoulders. Mr Kostenko asked his
name and signed the flag, adding "Glory to Ukraine".
Next stop was at a former union building on Khreschatyk Street,
surrounded by a growing crowd of opposition supporters. The political
council chaired by Mr Yushchenko was meeting, incorporating the
Committee for National Salvation formed on Wednesday. It was held
behind closed doors but, after several hours, Mr Yushchenko emerged
to reveal: "Ukraine's intelligence agency is coming over to our side
and the Supreme Court has cast doubt on the election results."
Then, flanked by Mr Walesa, who had delayed his departure,
and Mr Kostenko, he said: "There's also something else. We're
creating a national guard. We've had hundreds of soldiers and
militiamen asking who they should report to. They want Yushchenko as
commander-in-chief." A little while later, several officers of the
militia came on stage to declare their allegiance to Mr Yushchenko.
This was raising the stakes, but the crowd cheered. Afterwards,
Mr Kostenko, who is married with one son, indicated that he needed
a break. "I think I can meet my wife for 15 minutes," he said, and
rushed off.