Apparently the Ukraine is Europe's second biggest country, after Russia.. (!)
-- what about Germany? I thought that was bigger... Maybe not.

But with this in mind, the Ukranian elections are important for everyone in Europe! I follow a Finnish/Swedish blog about the Russian-speaking world (kniivila.net). Here is what it says (sorry, it is a bit blunt/rude, but it is a blog, not a paper...)

Gas queen Julia Tymosjenko or ex youth criminal Viktor Janukovytj? Does it matter in light of the fact that the country is close to national bankrupcy? On Sunday disappointed Ukrainians will be voting in the first election after the "orange revolution".
Youth criminal? And what in particular are people disappointed about?
Both candidates' mother tongue is Russian, but they speak only Ukrainian in official functions (...)
Huh? Why does this matter if everyone speaks both languages?

Viktor Janukovytj has promised to organise a referendum about giving Russian official status. He has also hinted that Ukraine might acknowledge the Georgian breakaway republics Abchazia och South Ossetia.
Good.

...neither of the candidates have been bringing up any crucial questions, or matters of principles, therefore it does not matter much who wins, says political journalist Vitalij Portnikov: (...) Whichever candidate wins it is likely that the other does whatever he/she can to plot against the president. We will have the same chaos as before, just without Jusjtjenko.

The other option is that Tymosjenko and Janukovytj make peace after the election and lead together with one as prime minister and the other as president. But that too would mean no change.

In contrast with Russia and Belarus, Ukraina has real elections where the outcome is not known beforehand.[!?!] None of the eighteen candidates are expected to get a majority on Sunday. There will be a second vote on 21 February to determine which one of the two leaders from Sunday's election is the winner.

Ex treasury manager, bank owner and manager of "Swedbank", Serhij Tihipko's support has been below ten percent, however last week the offical Russian opinion poll institute VTsIOM published a survey that surprisingly put Tihipko ahead of Julia Tymosjenko.

However most Ukrainian observers are sceptical about his possibilties of knocking Julia Tymosjenko out of her seat and getting to the second round of voting. It has been suggested that the Russian figures were a veiled attempt to affect the outcome of the election.

Participation is expected to be over 70%
Respect at the high level of participation! In the UK it's more like 60% I think! Just as a comparison.
If you are Ukrainian, are you going to vote?

Do you agree with this representation of politics in Ukraine or is it exaggerating the negative sides?