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Yes, the pictures don't prove much, here you have to trust the author, he's spending quite some time in the heart of the events. Pretty girls can still be craz

Yes, the pictures don't prove much, here you have to trust the author, he's spending quite some time in the heart of the events. Pretty girls can still be crazy nationalists, that's true. The point is that if some crazy form of nationalism has taken so wide-spread popularity in Ukraine, it would be well-known abroad already. That's not the case, it seems that the only foreign force concerned with Ukrainian nationalists are Putin's medias. Ukrainian nationalists are often overrated: their traditional message and goal is "Glory to Ukraine", anti-Moscow feeling is also strong (not surprisingly), and alas, some historical "domestic" antisemitism which almost never comes into real actions and sometimes is actively fought (Maidan now actively protects Jews from any assaults, our government has tried to speculate on this, Berkut are also mildly antisemitic - it's a common Slavic trait). What I have never seen is hate to others based on ethnicity or just being other. From my little experience (I live in Kiev), people are organized informally and it's an amusing self-organization: a lot of my friends (including me) have been supporting peaceful Maidan with presence, money and food. Guys at Hrushevskogo do not have some formal organization, they deny access to interlocutors if they see you're unprepared for the hell at the front line. If you have more questions, I'll be glad to answer.

fauigerzigerk 13y ago
I didn't mean to imply anything about the protesters one way or another. My point was purely about the reporting itself and perhaps about citizen journalism in general. As a citizen of the European Union I am very much in favor of forming closer ties with Ukraine and eventually welcoming them into the EU. But of course that can only happen if a solid majority of Ukrainians actually wants it. I'm unclear about whether or not they do and hence whether or not the protesters represent the will of the people.
- dmytrish 13y ago
  > a solid majority of Ukrainians actually want it - you're right, it's a tough question. European integration support is at least 50% of the population; just before Yanukovych decided not to sign the association agreement it was more than 70% according to polls. People also pay attention to the EU position: if it is welcoming and constructive, EU gains ~20% popularity. The decision of Yanukovych was a shock to a large part of the country. Also I have to admit that for many people Europe is a symbol of lawful and wealthy life among rich and friendly cultures. But symbols often fail when confronted with harsh reality. At the same time there's a considerable (more well-to-do) part of population who actually saw Europe and know what they want. But Maidan is now not just about EU, though EU support is relatively high (100 000 people was at the only true _Euro_maidan in Kiev on November 24). Our burning need is to get rid of the current regime. Four years of Yanukovych's rule have been time of creeping, steady and all-embracing corruption: economic, business, political, juridical, legislative, social. Nobody thought that this would go so far, even people who voted for Yanukovych.

fauigerzigerk 13y ago

I didn't mean to imply anything about the protesters one way or another. My point was purely about the reporting itself and perhaps about citizen journalism in general. As a citizen of the European Union I am very much in favor of forming closer ties with Ukraine and eventually welcoming them into the EU. But of course that can only happen if a solid majority of Ukrainians actually wants it. I'm unclear about whether or not they do and hence whether or not the protesters represent the will of the people.

dmytrish 13y ago
> a solid majority of Ukrainians actually want it - you're right, it's a tough question. European integration support is at least 50% of the population; just before Yanukovych decided not to sign the association agreement it was more than 70% according to polls. People also pay attention to the EU position: if it is welcoming and constructive, EU gains ~20% popularity. The decision of Yanukovych was a shock to a large part of the country. Also I have to admit that for many people Europe is a symbol of lawful and wealthy life among rich and friendly cultures. But symbols often fail when confronted with harsh reality. At the same time there's a considerable (more well-to-do) part of population who actually saw Europe and know what they want. But Maidan is now not just about EU, though EU support is relatively high (100 000 people was at the only true _Euro_maidan in Kiev on November 24). Our burning need is to get rid of the current regime. Four years of Yanukovych's rule have been time of creeping, steady and all-embracing corruption: economic, business, political, juridical, legislative, social. Nobody thought that this would go so far, even people who voted for Yanukovych.