Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich is close to realizing a political comeback after his controversial loss to Viktor Yushchenko in the 2004 presidential election, which was marred with charges of corruption and fraud.
Riding a wave of widespread discontent with the Orange Revolution, recent polls show Yanukovich leading in the presidential polls ahead of current Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko going into the first round of voting this Sunday.
“Together, we have suffered through this Orange nightmare,” Mr. Yanukovich said at a recent rally in Dneprodzerzhinsk. “Let us consign this history to the black pages of our lives.”
Recent opinion polls have Mr. Yanukovich between 25 to 33 percent, Ms. Tymoshenko between 15 to 18 percent, and incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko at a mere three percent.
Yanukovich, whose image as a Kremlin lackey cost him votes in 2006, hopes to repair relations with Russia if elected, which have been strained of late as a result of President Yushchenko’s attempt to gain NATO membership.
“We do not want to join any military bloc,” Mr. Yanukovich has said regarding NATO membership.
“Relations should be natural, as they are between the Ukrainian people and the Russian people. They must be friendly, they must be pragmatic, they must be strategic.”