Ukraine in Turmoil as Agreement Crumbles

[Tab]

KIEV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukraine's outgoing leader denied on Tuesday he had agreed on concessions with his opponents to end a crisis that has plunged the country into turmoil and driven a wedge between Russia and the West.

Russia and the United States clashed over their efforts to win influence in Ukraine, with Moscow warning the West against interfering in former Soviet states -- a region it considers to be its backyard. Washington rejected the charges.

In the latest setback for international mediation efforts to reconcile an opposition that has mobilized hundreds of thousands of protesters and President Leonid Kuchma, the veteran leader reversed his stance on concessions within a matter of hours.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=11&u=/nm/20041207/ts_nm/ukraine_dc

[knowbody0]

1. and putin says to george "bring it on"

[DoNotRefill]

2. That's bizarre....

I just spoke to a friend in Kiev, who lives literally two blocks from where the protest center is. He says it's still peaceful, if too damned cold.

[bemildred]

3. Hint:

The government of the US is desperately trying to pick a fight with Putin.
Putin will not play. He will let them fall on their asses without his
help no matter how much it hurts him to do so. He will stay our buddy
no matter what. The Russkis learned their lesson in the Cold War(tm).

[radric]

4. I could be wrong (and it wouldn't be the first time :))..

but isn't possible that the West's man could lose the election.. again? I could swear that I've read the eastern Ukraine is solidly behind their man and it's the more populous region. True?

[bemildred]

5. You're not wrong. nt